“To live a life of excellence, you will have to take risks. You will have to step into new territory and climb new mountains. If you’re up to something that’s as big as you are, it’s going to be scary. If it feels perfectly safe, you are probably underachieving. To leave your mark in the world, you will have to stand someplace you’ve never been willing to stand before. And you will have to have the courage to aspire to excellence.”

― Debbie Ford, The Best Year of Your Life: Dream It, Plan It, Live It

Do you know what is one of the riskiest decisions we have to take as humans? Getting married! Irrespective of whether it is a love marriage or an arranged marriage, we are willing to leap of faith. We spend an average of 25 years getting to know ourselves, to be who we want to be, only to get married and unlearn everything and begin again. Can anything be riskier than this? But have you wondered why does marriage comes easy to some people and not to others? The difference lies in a single emotion, and that is “want.” People who want to get married will always seem happier than people who ‘have’ to get married.

Similarly, in life, whenever you face the difficulty of deciding with many risks, all that matters is how badly you want to take that decision.

Amish Tripathi, a bestselling author, was settled in a very well-paying job. But he took a risky decision to follow his passion for journalism and writing. The risks were many, but he chose to face those risks because he wanted to take that decision of pursuing his passion badly enough that he accepted and braved those risks.

1. Eating Pizza is a priority, not a choice, irrespective of the risky calories!

Think for a moment about the decision you are supposed to take. Do you think you have a choice not to go ahead with it? Or is it a priority for ‘you,’ and you can see yourself going ahead in the path of that decision? If you know deep within you that it isn’t even a question, it is simply about you wanting something the risky decision seems the only choice!

2. Your comfort zone may be your stability but not your advancement

Sustaining at a glacier may seem risky to many but a routine for the army men posted at Siachen. Many times we confuse difficult situations with risky decisions. Close your eyes and think if the decision you face seems risky because it will challenge your comfort zone or there is a substantial risk. You will have your answer!

3. Believe in parachutes and life jackets.

Jumping off an airplane without a parachute is called foolishness, but jumping with a parachute is called skydiving. Whenever you are faced with a decision that comes with all its risks and that may cause chaos in your life, do not jump without calculating the amount of risk you will take. The result should be worth the risk.

4. A parachute while skydiving will not tell you how to maneuver.

Even if you are skydiving, make sure there is someone to guide you. Just because you have a parachute doesn’t mean you know skydiving. Amid all the risky decisions, seek advice from your mentors or people who have gone down that path and enlighten you with the practical aspects.

Decisions are not just a part of life; they are a way of life. Some may seem risky, while others may seem like a piece of cake. But always remember that it is all about perspective. Eating a lot of sugar may be a risky decision for a person with diabetes, but it is easy for a developing child.

And always remember risks are nothing but a part of your fears projected over your path to success. It is in your hands to chain your fears and charge ahead with confidence.

Decisions are not a one-way road; it is a ladder with steps. And it would be best if you always kept reassessing the decisions you have made. It is like maintaining a zip line. It is risky, but to make it smooth and accident-free, you have to keep checking for any faults now and then. And you have every right to quit from a decision you made but may not be working out for you. When your life itself isn’t permanent, how can the decisions that make your life be permanent?

“What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it is another matter.”

 — Peter Drucker