Legend holds that Cornelius Vanderbilt had built a massive fortune in the steamboat shipping industry, but then realized the railroads were the way of the future and invested almost his entire net worth into railroads.  The gamble paid off and made Vanderbilt one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs ever.  But risks are inherently…risky.  How do you think about risk and how has it affected your life and career?  Some of our community favorites share their perspective below.

Diana Martinez | Founder & Writer

When I think about risk, it’s almost always motivated by hope. Hope that something could be different for the better, and that you’ll never know for sure unless you make a leap of blind faith. And, of course, accepting the risks — like the probability of failure or unmet expectations — as part of the challenge. Read more>>

Chase Eatmon | Creator & Entrepreneur

If you want to be successful you HAVE TO TAKE RISKS. Success doesn’t happen by accident and it takes time and effort to maintain it. I relate many of my successes back to my skateboarding days. I would spend hours, sometimes even days, trying to get a trick on film. I went into every attempt knowing that I was going to land it even if that 3 second clip may take me over 24 hours to land. The risk of hurting myself was never above the reward of landing a trick for a video. As an entrepreneur, I have to constantly remind myself of the rewards so that the risks begin to minimize. Read more>>

Bianca Comer | Creator, Birth Worker & Program Evaluator

I am naturally an overthinker [laughs], so for me, risk-taking is something that I generally approach with caution. You can say that I lean towards taking “calculated” risks more than anything. GENERALLY. But I’ve learned that in order to get the most fulfillment out of life (whatever fulfillment looks like to you) you have to take chances. These chances don’t always have to be grand gestures either – like moving away from your hometown to Iceland or quitting your 9 to 5 to be a bellydancer. Taking risks simply means doing what you want to do even if it takes a little more time, attention, or action than what you’re used to. Taking risks means to have faith. Faith that what you’re doing will in some way return to you as a reward- be it financial, emotional, spiritual, etc. I used to stay in the “safe zone” when it came to taking risks, but in the space I’m in now I simply say “yes” more often. “Yes” to ideas, opportunities, and people. Read more>>