To achieve anything great, you must accept an element of risk. The question that begs to be answered is, what does “great” mean to you? In the classic book Walden; or, Life in the Woods, author Henry David Thoreau wrote the famous words, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Does this mean you live in desperation, or does it mean you are to live life to its fullest because you only live once?
Let me tell you a quick story about a man named George Mallory. Mr. Mallory was born in Cheshire England on June 18, 1886 to a long line of clergymen. He was a good student, attending Winchester College and University of Cambridge. After completing school, he became a schoolmaster. What George Mallory was best known for was that he led the first expedition up mount Everest. His first attempt was in 1921. The second attempt took place a year later in 1922. In the first attempt of the 1922 expedition, they reached a height of 27,300 feet (8,230 meters) but could go no further. A few days later they tried again, and were caught in an avalanche that killed seven porters. His final and fatal attempt came in 1924. Before he left on the expedition, it was asked of him why people tried to climb mount Everest to which he is famously quoted to have said, “because it’s there.”
I do not necessarily believe just “because” is a good reason to do anything. In life there are risks, and to achieve what you desire or to make progress towards a goal, you need to take risks. I believe there are risks that are not wise but there are some risks that could be good and calculated. Here are 3 ways to help you understand a calculated risk.
Living in quiet desperation does not mean solitude. If you read the story by Thoreau, you would see his intentions were to live a full life. The web site Art of Manliness stated this about what Thoreau was saying in that phrase, “True success in Thoreau’s view thus cannot be understood in terms of monetary or conventional values, or even in the kinds of epic adventures that show well on Instagram.” As you think about taking risks and achieving great things, listen to what George Mallory’s son, John Mallory, said about his father, “I would so much rather have known my father than to have grown up in the shadow of a legend, a hero, as some people perceive him to be.”
"We need better time management, but as leadership expert Brian Tracy states, we need “better life management.” You have more control than you think!"
Life is not about being someone great in the world’s eyes, but rather, it is about being impactful in the lives that you influence. Stop and think about what success means to you and decide to live a more balanced life. Who are you influencing today?
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