Shoot your shot? Take a chance? Society bombards us with messages, phrases, examples and stories of how taking risk is the key to success, but is anything ever that simple? We asked some of the brightest folks we know to tell us about how they think about risk. We’ve shared their responses below.

Mario Tovar

Taking risks in life has become a must for me. My growth has been in found in taking risks. Leaving fear behind and going for it has been one of the greatest things I’ve learned in life. Read More>>

Abigail Joran

I see an abundant list of risks in every decision I make. Risk is just doing something out of bravery, even when there is a possibility of loss or failure, which there basically always is. In a creative career, there is no way to operate without risk. Even just beginning to write a song is a risk- how will thinking about this make me feel? Will this feeling offend someone? Will this be important to anyone? Will this sound resonate with people? Read More>>

Emma Jaye

Risk, to me, is the price of living a life that actually makes you feel alive each morning. Every defining moment in my life and career has been divine direction disguised as a major leap into the unknown. Leaving the safety net of a “normal” career and a “conventional” life left me with no roadmap to the success that I envisioned for myself. However, it was a bold step in designing the life I had always dreamed of, and taking those risks taught me lessons that I never could have learned if I had played it safe.  Read More>>

Kaitlynn Gutierrez

I personally think there is no success without taking a risk. My husband has risked so much for me to be able to have my own business and to put my heart into it full time! Read More>>

Nicole Rosales

Oftentimes, fear cripples us from exploring opportunities. We examine the risks and play out scenarios of what we think will happen. If we give in to negative self-talk and doubt, we become victims of complacency. Whether it’s in a career or in a relationship, we learn to get comfortable, and eventually stifles our personal growth. That’s why risk-taking is paramount. It means we understand our decision could have an outcome we’re not going to be happy with, but we do it anyway. We do it because there’s an equal chance that things can go right. It’s a lesson I learned early on. Read More>>

Aubrey De Grey

I have taken the risk to pursue my research outside of mainstream academia. I did this in order to escape the constraints that are built into academic funding, which essenaially revolve around sticking to what is already agreed to be sensible. I have also taken financial risks in the form of living hand-to-mouth rather than building up a war chest. Both of these decisions have (by and large!) worked for me. Read More>>

Atiyana Castaneda

The way I think about risk is not in a bad way, I think of it as a opportunity. If I would of stayed scared and afraid to take the risks I have took, I would not be where I am at today. Taking risks has played a HUGE part in my life , I quit my 9-5 which was walmart at the time with little money sitting in my bank account , and I took the risk to quit and focus on doing Content And Nails FULL TIME. I was more than nervous but if I would have never took that RISK, I would of never seen the growth I have gained within these years. Read More>>

Caroline Conkle

I am a huge believer in taking a leap of faith in any direction you feel called to. Risk-taking, for me, has played a large role in my becoming who I am today. I think that, as humans, we avoid taking risks at the expense of being hurt, laughed at, shamed, or disappointed, but I say: when you’re unsure, take the risk. If I hadn’t moved away from home at 18, I would’ve never learned how to live on my own; if I hadn’t coached collegiately, I would have never understood a coach’s perspective; and if I had never backed out of a certain opportunity for the one I knew deep down was meant for me, I wouldn’t be getting a master’s degree at TCU.  Read More>>

Kaylie Le

Growing up in a Vietnamese household, I watched my parents take the ultimate risk—leaving everything behind to immigrate to America in hopes of building a better life for our family. Their courage taught me that life has no limits and no dream is ever too big. That mindset stayed with me and gave me the confidence to take a risk of my own—sharing my homemade recipes on TikTok. Read More>>