Taking risks can be scary as you don’t know the result. But what exactly is risk-taking and how can you become more comfortable with it?

Risk advisor Monica Heiz defines risk as, “The ability to see something and have an intimate connection with it to your own sense of beingness, and having that ability to go after it.” In short, this means seeing something you desire and having the willingness to go after it. It won’t always be popular with people, but some will appreciate it.

People take risks from a very early age. Children usually don’t even know that they are taking risks, but these decisions teach them to pick themselves up after they fall. It’s an important lesson entering adulthood.

Risk-taking can either be positive or negative, depending on how you handle it. The most common reason why someone doesn’t take risks is the fear that others won’t understand the decision. This creates an uncomfortableness that can cause you to avoid potentially life-altering decisions.

Taking risks can be detrimental but can also help you grow. Some risks cause you to stumble and get back up, allowing you to develop courage and resilience.

Courage is developed by overcoming fear. Resilience is developed by taking a step by step approach. When you get knocked down, you have to get back up and re-evaluate your choices. This can even be beneficial when making less risky decisions.

While taking risks can be a positive, too much risk can be detrimental. In most cases, too much risk-taking shows that someone has the willingness to risk but not the support system or structures to protect themselves. These people need to learn how to pull back, reassess, and re-evaluate.

If you’re not a risk-taking person but would like to be one, here are some steps that you can take.

Four Steps to Become a Risk Taker

1. Mindset Training

As previously mentioned, fear is the most common reason why someone might avoid taking risks. This is a mindset that can be overcome. Some of the ways that you can train your mind to overcome this fear is by reading books and watching videos on mindset topics.

Another helpful process is journaling. Writing down your goals makes them clear and creates a constant reminder that you can refer to for inspiration.

2. Learn From Others

Well you might night take risks, you likely know people who do. Speaking with these people and learning from their behaviors will help you understand how to take calculated risk.

3. Support Systems are Available

People are not able to take risks on their own. You need a system of support consisting of people who believe in you. Surrounding yourself with these people creates an environment conducive to risk-taking.

Those that don’t take risks are often scared that they are on their own. It’s important to understand that there is a support system of people who can help you. If friends or family do not support your risk-taking endeavors, you can join a group of entrepreneurs who will support you.

4. Be Receptive

People often ignore those that have different ideas, but these people are likely risk-takers as well. They might have ideas that you can learn from. Even if you don’t fully agree with them, keeping an open mind can help you grow as a person and as a risk taker.

While you might desire being a risk taker, not everyone is built that way. Whether or not you should take risks depends on your personality and your natural willingness. Some people are more stable with safety and security. Risk-taking might not be for them, and that’s okay. These people can still use their energy in positive ways to fulfil their lives.

Natural risk-takers have a skill level and a challenge level. These people need the challenge to match their skill level. Examples of these people include entrepreneurs, who naturally take risks. However, these people need to learn how to take smart risks. Otherwise, it could be a detriment to their lives.

The third group of people are those who want to take risk but have learned that risk-taking is bad. This is usually learned throughout childhood. These people would like to take risks but are worried because of what they’ve been told growing up. They need to understand that there’s nothing wrong with taking risks, as long as you start small and build up.

As mentioned, not everyone is built to take risks. However, You shouldn’t jump into taking big risks right away. Instead, you should ease your way into risk-taking.

Heiz says that there are four chambers of the heart of a risk taker; the healer, warrior, teacher, and visionary. To start taking risks, you need to develop the warrior and teacher chambers. But what does this mean?

The teacher chamber is when you stop, pause, step back, and look at all the lessons going on around you. There are always things going on that you can learn from. You need to learn how to recognise these lessons and use them going forward.

The warrior chamber cuts away the fear and discomfort caused by what you find through the teacher chamber. This includes understanding what is stopping you from taking risks, and trusting that you are able to achieve your goals. This is commonly referred to as letting go of the armor.

Whether you consider yourself safe and would like to be a risk-taker, or you want to learn how to take smarter risks, these tips will help you develop your risk-taking ability. This can be beneficial if you want to start your own business or try new things.

Monica Heiz is an experienced risk-taking advisor. If you think Monica can help you, visit her website or check out her Instagram and Facebook pages. You can contact her directly through email, located on her website.

If you’re looking to create a better overall mindset, book a free consultation through my website. You can also watch my weekly show, The Well-Balanced Mind, where I’ll provide insights into understanding your mind and behavior.

Do you find that you have anger, stress, or sadness and are looking for a change? Hypnotherapy might be a good fit for you. To schedule a consultation call, click here.