Worry of risk is the BIGGEST deterrent to success.
Most people take a safe and watered down retirement because they’re scared of the risks they’d have to take to get to freedom.
But most of the time, simple thought processes and formulas virtually eliminate all that risk and show you the path to freedom.
I’ve put together 3 simple steps that lead you down that path and trade in retirement for freedom…
Let’s start with the formula side of things before we get to the steps.
I measure my life’s success with a simple formula:
Risks taken – chances missed = Success
When I mention the word risk, you probably think of the most recent risk you decided not to take. You’ve probably taken risks since that one, but the one you’re thinking of comes to mind because the ones you don’t take are the ones you remember.
There’s nothing worse than having something so detrimental play on your mind. It impacts everything you do.
That’s why I’m here to talk to you about the elimination of risk.
I’m going to take the word risk out of your vocabulary, because it’s simply a made-up thing.
Nobody can really say what’s going to happen after taking this chance or that one. Risk is all in your mind, and it’s magnified so it seems a lot more daunting.
When I came across this 3-step blueprint, I was so sick of regretting the missed chances that I was willing to try anything. So, I need you to put yourself in that mindset.
You might not actually be at that point yet, but open your mind to these simple steps and you’ll never have to worry about feeling like that.
Step 1: Risk is Mental
The thing that makes me laugh about risks is the fact that they’re created in your mind before ever being tested.
You think: “If I do this, the outcomes could be this, that, or something else.” But that’s not entirely true. The outcome is usually completely different from what you expect.
You can’t predict the future, and you certainly can’t predict how other people are going to react.
You shouldn’t let a small possibility (risk) stand in the way of you taking a shot at a big probability (chance).
Forget about the idea of risks, and think about the actual outcome.
Step 2: Do then Ask
Other people have such a big influence on the choices we make. We care too much about getting permission to do something.
It’s so easy for someone to say no.
That’s why this step revolves around the idea of asking for forgiveness, not permission.
It’s much easier to ask for forgiveness once you’ve already done something. Asking for permission creates tension that shouldn’t be there.
Have you ever asked someone’s permission to do something, they’ve said no, and they were still mad at you for asking? They were probably just as mad as if you had gone and done the thing.
Why wait for the green light if the road is clear?
Don’t use that idea on the road, you’ll definitely regret that risk if you crash or get a ticket. But metaphorically, it’s a vitalizing way to live.
Step 3: No Looking Back
Risks aren’t that scary once you’ve taken them. In fact, the risks don’t exist anymore; it’s just the process and the outcome.
If you learn to take all the chances you come across that could lead to great things, you won’t even think about looking back.
We tend to only look back on the chances we didn’t take, because we feared the risk.
Think about this quote from one of the greatest hockey players to ever live, Wayne Gretzky: “You miss every shot you don’t take.”
If you take a shot and miss, then you know that was the best you could do in that situation.
Professional athletes don’t look back on their achievements, they dwell on their mistakes or missed chances. Why wouldn’t you want to minimize these mistakes or missed chances?
You’d then have the time to think about your achievements.
These 3 steps provided a crucial stepping-stone in my quest for the perfect lifestyle design. They’ve helped me shape everything from my social life, professional life, and financial life.
Using these 3 steps will help trade retirement in for freedom.
