Are you a risk taker? Do you think you have a stronger appetite for risk relative to your friends and family? We asked some folks from the community about their approaches to risk and have shared their thoughts below.

Lisa Horlander | Artist, Podcast Host, Curator, Teacher

Risks have to be taken to find growth. You either live comfortably in one spot or take a risk, which always feels uncomfortable but will give you growth.
I do not have a left ear, and I am partially deaf. I have had to work harder growing up, for educational and even normal social interactions, and that has taught me that taking risks is a necessary but valuable part of life. I live in East Texas and my artistic focus is on the wild pockets of forest nestled throughout my city. Read more>>

Terry Foster | CEO and Founder of Terry Foster Consulting

I believe that risk and reward go hand and hand. If you take big risk then you put yourself in a position for big rewards. If you don’t take any risks then you deserve any rewards. Read more>>

Karen Gray | Certified Life Coach & Energetic Brand Strategist

I believe that traditional business views risk as negative or something to be leveraged. Especially coming from the financial world that I used to work in, risk was something that required calculations, and planning based on tangible, provable hard facts and numbers. Read more>>

Teleah Wheeler | Entrepreneur

Risk taking has played a major role on my career / life . You see if you never take risk you never know how far you’ll go . without support , without knowledge , even without a team just take that risk because it could potentially change your life Read more>>

Rachel Reilly | Traveling Equine Photographer

Taking risks has played a huge roll in my life and career. The first big risk that ultimately catapulted my career was dropping out of college. Our society puts so much pressure on us thinking we need a four year degree in order to have a successful career or land a fulfilling job, but that hasn’t been the case for me. I took a big risk when dropping out of college and although I didn’t have an ounce of a solid business plan at the time, looking back it was one of the biggest factors in growing my own brand. Read more>>

Hillary Campbell | Owner of Hillary Campbell Photography

When I imagined starting my photography business, there was obvious financial risk involved – I had to buy a suitable camera, a bag for that camera, memory cards, I had to file for an LLC, etc. I didn’t go crazy with top-of-the-line equipment or materials to start, but all those little things add up to significant money. And that risk is fairly easy to calculate: this + this + that = financial risk, and you do the mental math: “okay, it’ll take me ___ sessions at $___ to recoup the start up costs.” Read more>>

Jackson Markham | Professional Golfer aspiring to the PGA Tour

I think risk is something to be embraced. When you really get down to it, everything has a certain level of risk. Staying at a job is risky, leaving a job is risky, pursuing you dreams is risky, not pursuing your dreams is risky. Trying to avoid risk is simply impossible. Read more>>

Erica Stevenson | Entrepreneur, Writer, Producer, & Director

There is no way to achieve success as an entrepreneur without taking risks. I pair my risk with faith. The two go hand and hand. My faith keeps me strong and pushing forward no matter what obstacles come my way. Read more>>