Risk
The Grasshopper was alive and well over the weekend and had this to offer:
“If you stop risking, plan on losing.”
I’m not sure he would have offered that same advice to the late Evel Knievel, but he offered it to us.
My sense is the message is different than “No risk, no reward.” That message says that if you don’t risk you won’t reap the bounty. The Grasshopper’s reminder implies that, but also assures that you won’t stay status quo, you’ll lose.
What is it that you will lose? That which you are unwilling to risk.
My favorite story from the bible is the Parable of the Talents. It tells of a master who gives three servants a certain amount of wealth before heading out on a trip. When he returns he asked what they did with it. Two of the three had invested and doubled their money. The third buried his in the ground. Upon hearing this, the master took away his wealth and gave it to the other two. The lesson was that everyone that has much will be given more, and whoever that has a little, even the little that he has will be taken away.
What are you unwilling to risk?
What are you burying?
When you answer those questions, you have predicted your future. You know, in advance, what will be taken away from you.
You are the major asset in your life. What are you doing with that asset?
Life is a gift and many treat it like a rock rather than a pearl. It’s a burden to some, and notice, it’s taken from them quicker than others in one form or another.
The remedy is risk. Reminds me of a story . . .
I had a memorable great aunt named Mable who gave my father some excellent advice as a young man. My dad was considering building a house for the family and was worried about all the financial risk involved and sought his aunt’s advice. She was an experienced woman of means who said this to my Dad: “Jackie, bury yourself neck deep in horses**t and work your way out.” He took his aunt’s advice and used his talents and built our first house.
The old aphorism comes to mind: “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.”
What talent do you have that the world needs to be treated to? If you keep tinkering with it in the basement, it’s never going to see the light of day and it will be taken away.
What if I risk and fail? Who hasn’t? Those who use failure as a millstone rather than a stepping stone will drown in their own cowardice.
Risk is necessary for growth. Risk is necessary at every age.
Complacency is the first sign of losing your life. It goes downhill from there rather quickly unless you risk.
What you’re unwilling to lose will be lost anyway unless you step out on the skinny branches and risk.
Life is a risky business.
All the best,
John
http://cdbaby.com/cd/johnmorgan
http://www.cafepress.com/grasshoppernote/3580301
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