In midst of an economic lull, of a slump in sales, of a profit crunch, we become very focused. The challenge is clear. Revenues growth and profit margins must be restored. There is clarity of purpose.

But in frenzy of single-mindedness, as all other goals become secondary, are you missing opportunities? Are you missing signs of an economic Spring? You must not.

This economic slowdown will pass. And so far, it is barely a slowdown. It is more like a runner taking a welcome rest between sprints. When it has passed, what will be state of your customer relationships? When optimism is restored, will devastatingly costly employee turnover increase? How about vendor relationships you have worked so hard to develop. Will your extraordinary efforts that went into creating them be negated by short-term decisions during this time of uncertainty?

Yes, there is a clarity of purpose in a time of economic uncertainty. It may not be time for new initiatives. But lapsing into a survival mentality, while perhaps successful at restoring revenues and profitability, comes at a potentially enormous cost.

Don't miss signs for a economic Spring. Don't miss inexpensive opportunities to bolster a client relationship or exploit a passing opportunity because your laser-like focus on improving profitability and revenues has cost you your peripheral vision. Be one who sees emerging Spring wildflowers first. Stay open possibilities there to be noticed and developed. It will be a richer experience, more than just financially. You'll be taking a risk, but all great accomplishments require it.

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."

Mark Twain Fear is powerful. It will significantly hamper your ability to risk effectively. Learning how to prevail in face of fear is a critical step in improving your ability to take rewarding risks.

To become a more capable risk-taker, you need to move away from instinctive response to fear and toward counterintuitive response. The constructive - though counterintuitive - response to fear is to acknowledge and accept it.

This approach has been validated by National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Early in space program, NASA observed that some of its astronauts were completing their missions successfully without suffering motion and stress sickness. Another group was consistently having these problems. Based on empirical research, NASA determined there was only one factor that differentiated two groups.

The astronauts who were completing their mission without these physical manifestations of fear had acknowledged in advance to themselves or others that they were going to be afraid. This research documents how profoundly a constructive response to fear impacts our performance.

The Rewards of Risk-Taking

Why take risks anyway? Why even consider leaving your comfort zone? Isn't risk-taking something we are supposed to grow out of? Isn't it just a remnant of impertinent youthful behavior we should have left behind as we matured and grew wiser?

The partial answer to these questions has already been provided. Risk-taking yields vitality and a higher level of achievement. But there is more.

For every reasonable risk there is at least one potential reward. This is a Direct Reward. A reward that can be identified at time risk is being considered.

Better yet, a consistent pattern of intelligent risk-taking will yield something more: Compound Rewards! Compound Rewards are surprise rewards - rewards we cannot anticipate at time we are considering risk. These are rewards you would never have enjoyed if were not willing to step out of your comfort zone. But you will enjoy them if you are willing to challenge yourself, leave your comfort zone and take some risks.

It occurred for me. A few years ago when I was 10,000 feet over North Pole and moments away from 120 degree below zero temperature of freefall, I had no way of knowing what Compound Rewards that risk would bring. I had no way of knowing that jump would be first step in a most extraordinary career transition that would lead me to abandon a fairly conventional corporate career path and make my avocation of skydiving a major part of my vocation.

We don't know rewards we will enjoy by our willingness to take thoughtful risks, but we do know rewards will not occur unless we are willing to take those risks. And wouldn't it be a shame to forgo some wonderful, if unknown, rewards just because we can't seem to find our way out of our comfort zone!

"And trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more."

Erica Jong Author and Poet © 2004 Jim McCormick

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