Over the weekend, I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine about risk taking. It started out with a suggestion and ended up with a question I couldn’t answer. This is how it played out:
“Chanel, let’s go skydiving.”
“Hmm, let me think about this one .. [tick tock tick tock] .. Um, no?”
“What! C’mon! Why?”
“Oh I don’t know, I like living?”
“Psh, you’re so boring. You never take risks.”
“I do so take risks!”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
(Ten seconds go by)
“Damn.”
For days, I couldn’t get that conversation out of my head. It baffled me, because I couldn’t think of any legitimate examples of risk taking in my life. I have some theories which I will share on here when I can collect my thoughts and lay them out coherently, but in the meantime, I’m curious:
Do you think you take risks? If so, in what way?
I have no hesitation in taking physical risks like skydiving, but when it comes to anything else, I’m a planner rather than a risk-taker. I could have easily moved back to England immediately after visiting – instead I decided to wait a year and save up a bit more money, and research my options more fully before returning.
I definitely don’t take risks with anything that involves money – I honestly couldn’t even spend $2 on a scratchie card and hope to win $10.
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May 12th, 2009 at 11:16 pmNot in the way you mean. Some people are adrenaline junkies. And they like that rush. Me? No thank you. I don’t care if anyone says I’m a big baby, or don’t take risks. I don’t want to do something that I know I won’t enjoy (I’m SO afraid of heights – and okay with it) just to prove something. You know?
As for risks with my heart – I take those a lot. :)
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May 12th, 2009 at 11:54 pmI asked the guy cleaning out the dugout at a baseball game tonight if he had any balls left. (No, not like that.)
Does that count?
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May 13th, 2009 at 12:33 amBuying/selling stocks; moving out on my own; buying a used car; meeting random strangers over the internet. I think that the risks I take are purposeful to achieving a goal.
I’ll pass on the skydiving – I am not a thrill seeker in that sense.
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May 13th, 2009 at 8:35 amI don’t take risks. I’m truly not that brave, in that respect. (Like sky-diving, or bungee jumping, even riding on roller coasters gives me the willies.) This drives my husband crazy, because he is a risk-taker through & through. Me? I’d rather just watch from the sidelines.
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May 13th, 2009 at 10:11 am“I couldn’t think of any legitimate examples of risk taking in my life.”
That’s an interesting way to put it… next time I do something risky, I’m definitely going to remember that quote! I rarely get the chance to take risks but I think I’d do it for the thrill.
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May 13th, 2009 at 10:14 amThis one had me really thinking!
I guess it depends on a person’s individual opinion of what a risk really is. Some people might say that because I ride, I’m taking a risk every time – and true, I have gotten badly injured through riding before. But personally I don’t consider myself a risk-taker just because I ride horses! And I avoid taking risks on horseback as much as possible, because I don’t want anything detrimental to happen to the horses – or me :-P
I take a lot of personal and social risks – following my gut feeling and my heart, rather than logic – which I take very seriously, but that wouldn’t fit into the definition of “risky” for a lot of folks.
Rides and rollercoasters? Put me on the scariest, fastest, most violent ones you can find! As for skydiving, I haven’t been – but only because it’s so expensive and I’d rather spend the money on something else. If it was free, I’m so there. Also, I think bungee jumping would give me the best back cracking of my life. Mmm.
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May 13th, 2009 at 11:35 amNot that kind of risk… not even roller coasters! I fail at amusement parks…
When it comes to emotional risks, I also tend to avoid those.
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May 14th, 2009 at 5:23 pmI would say that I take risks some times. Not those thrill seeking risks but making in my decision making I try to go with my intuition. I’ve ignored it before and had to pay dearly. ^_^ This is my first time stoppin by your blog. You’ve done a great Job. :) Dont be a stranger!
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May 15th, 2009 at 10:58 amI take calculated risks.
I take time to carefully understand what makes something dangerous, and under what conditions might the risk be increased or reduced. Then I assess my own ability and make a go/no go decision.
It’s worked out pretty well so far.
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May 15th, 2009 at 11:09 pmi risk only when (or what) i can afford to lose
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May 18th, 2009 at 2:08 am