Shoot your shot? Take a chance? Society bombards us with messages, phrases, examples and stories of how taking risk is the key to success, but is anything ever that simple? We asked some of the brightest folks we know to tell us about how they think about risk. We’ve shared their responses below.

Michael Ivery | Children’s Media Creator | Kids Author | DJ

No risk, no reward, is what they say. I believe you need to take risks and push yourself to see what you can do. When it scares you, go for it! When it makes you feel in doubt, go for it! When you don’t think it will work, go for it! Worse case, you fall, you learn, you get up, and you keep going. In the best case, you rise, you learn, and you keep going. Risk has made my career happen in both the music industry as a DJ / producer and my latest endeavor in the children’s / kid’s media / author world. I use risk as an opportunity to learn from mistakes, learn from doing, and learn from how to navigate your way through being creative. As a creative person in the arts and storytelling, risk is all about finding your balance and taking that shot at what you hope to accomplish. I didn’t know how to DJ or go and ask for club gigs. I didn’t know how to write a children’s book, or seek out licensing opportunities. You just have to shoot for stars, and if you land on the moon, hey, you risked it to make it. Read more>>

Matty Turner | Street Trials Cyclist / Athlete

Risks are always daunting, no matter what concept. I think there can always be a positive outcome to risk taking regarding life/career, with a bit of calculation behind it. I wouldn’t advise just jumping straight into something, without thinking through at least some of the repercussions. Taking risks isn’t always going to be plain sailing, it’s going to come with many hurdles. As I said before I think it can always be positive. You meet a hurdle on your journey, great, don’t panic. You have to see these as opportunities, learn from it not see it as a failure. Change your perspective and find the positivity as you will come across many of these scenarios. As long as you can see your next step, take that, obviously have Long term goals but don’t dwell too much on the near future. It will all align. I was scared taking my first risk in life. However, I didn’t realise that until I took my first big one and experienced it, how much I would learn about life and myself. My first big risk was dropping everything else and starting my professional career as an athlete, it was the best yet scariest decision I ever made. Now I am doing something I love and I’m passionate about, which is what life is about.
This is your push to take that risk. What if it does turn out to be better than you ever imagined? Read more>>

katie anderson | Fashion designer & founder of GARB./Wardrobe stylist & founder of ALIGN Styling: Soul & Style Transformation/ Self-love & Holistic Guide

I think about taking risks as betting on myself! Risks are an opportunity to grow and learn, taking a chance for new opportunities for greater success! Taking risks has pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to grow and evolve. It has helped me to develop a growth mindset; reenforcing my belief in myself and my abilities. Embracing risk has taught me resilience and perseverance. Taking risks has helped me to develop coping strategies and bounce back stronger from setbacks. Whatever the outcome, I look at it all as an opportunity to learn. Read more>>

Tim Mattimore | Photographer & Creative Director

I think that risk is something that has to be measured. There are so many different kinds of risk we can chose to take or not to when it comes to life and our careers, all with varying degrees of impact and reward. I recently walked away from a career in the Advertising Industry to pursue my passions in Photography, and certainly considered the risks associated with departing a career that I had been a part of for 27 years. Read more>>

Livi D | Award Winning Director & Screenwriter

The concept of risks and taking them is one of the most important things in life, especially in a creative field. Actively working in the film industry, it’s an environment that is built around constantly taking risks; through pitches, logistics behind bringing scripts to life, etc. I believe as a filmmaker or even an artist in general, it is so crucial to take risks because it can change your career for the better. Through my experience as a Director and Screenwriter, I’ve found that if you have a concept, whether it be fully thought out already, or even just an inkling; if that passion and ambition are present, run with it! As risks expose that sensation of danger and the adrenaline of hope, which can be truly refueling as a creative. Trusting risks has allowed me to create projects that leave me feeling exhilarated and filled with gratitude for what I have been able to bring into the world and how it has pushed my career forward. Along with that, if I had let fear be the mind killer that it is, I wouldn’t be in the place I am today, where I am constantly doing what I love. If there is someone reading this who has an idea; whether it be related to art or just anything and you are on the fence about, I would say to just go for it! It can be that one decision that changes your life forever. Without taking risks, art cannot grow, life cannot grow and the world cannot grow. Take that risk and don’t let fear hold you back. Read more>>

Marlo Lyons | Career, Executive, and Team Coach

Taking risks is an inherent part of life that will always lead to profound growth and fulfillment whether the risk leads to success or perceived failure. While risk itself entails uncertainty, it is through this uncertainty that we unearth our true passions and potentials. Read more>>