Risk vs. Opportunity

I was working with a client the other day, and she kept using the word “risk” when talking about new things that she wants to do, new things she wants to explore and how she wants to look at personal growth, and it started to make me think about why we use the word “risk” instead of the  "opportunity."

Why does something new and different have to be looked at as a risk as the default? I think this word has a negative connotation and why try something or even explore the possibilities in such a negative way in the beginning. I looked up the word "risk" so that I am clear on what it means, and here is what the Merriam-Webster dictionary said: The possibility of loss or injury. Someone or something that creates or suggests hazard.”

I then looked up the word “opportunity," and I like this definition much better. "A favorable junction of circumstances. A good chance for advancement or progress.”

It finally hit me, I think we want to explore new possibilities, try new things, but the minute something negative, the “what if’s” pop into our head we put the brakes on it and assume the worst, we automatically default to the “risks.” How sad that we let this dictate how we view new opportunities.

Isn’t that what we're doing is exploring new opportunities and what comes next for us. I like the idea of looking at it with a fresh perspective and not automatically defaulting to what could go wrong or the risks; I don't want that to drive or motivate me. I would rather stay in that place of being positive. Sure, there is a chance that something could go wrong, it doesn’t work out the way we want it to, but should that stop us from trying? After all, there are no guarantees, no absolutes, and at the end of the day, you never know what can happen. It could actually turn out pretty great and exactly what we want.

I would much rather see something as an opportunity rather than a risk.

Think about what’s getting in your way and what are you going to do about it? 

---