If you watch Oprah regularly or read the self-help literature, you’re likely getting a lot of encouragement to take more risks. Which is probably a good idea for most of us (it’s certainly the case for me), since pushing your own limits is the only way you’re likely to make big changes in your life.
But last weekend, in an article called, “When the Limits Push Back,” the New York Times‘ William Yardley raised the issue of risk-taking gone too far. He discusses risk taking in the context of two new movies about real-life extremists—Into the Wild, based on John Krakauer’s bestselling book, and Deep Water, a documentary about an inexperienced sailor who attempted a solo circumnavigation of the globe in 1968—along with the story of Timothy Treadwell, who lived among grizzly bears in Alaska (documented in Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man). In each case, the risk ended up killing the risk taker.
Yardley’s conclusion? “There are risks, it seems, and then there are very, very bad ideas.”
It turned out these particular risk takers weren’t adequately prepared for the challenges they set for themselves. But does preparing yourself for a risk negate its riskiness altogether? It probably depends on individual psychology. As Yardley puts it, “Motives can be different, from a raw need for thrill or attention to physical challenge, spiritual enlightenment, intellectual discovery or something darker.”
This past weekend, the Times printed reader responses to the question, “What’s the biggest risk you have ever taken?” It’s a pretty interesting collection of responses, from “telling a woman I loved her” to “choosing to have a child alone” to “enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1967″ to “donating a kidney.” But what’s more interesting is to read whether the risks turned out to be good or bad ideas. Personally, the biggest risk I ever took was moving to Seattle from DC in my early twenties, with no job prospects, no place to live, and no network of family or friends in the area. It turned out to be the best move I ever made!
And you? What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
Photo credit: AnnieMathilda on Flickr.
[...] Tony wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptBut last weekend, in an article called, “When the Limits Push Back,” the New York Times‘ William Yardley raised the issue of risk-taking gone too far. He discusses risk taking in the context of two new movies about real-life … [...]
My divorce. Being on my own without much of a safety net, broke, and paying child support. It was painful and scary, but in the long run the right idea (and the child became a well-adjusted man).
I’m pretty risk averse so anything I confessed here would sound pretty tame. Sticking out a painful job situation, maybe? Having a child?
I wonder why some people think death and pain can’t happen to them when they do something really life-threatening. Maybe these limit-pushers saw lots of unrealistic action movies in their formative years (or are still doing so)? Or maybe its the new class of video games where you can die and start over anytime.