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Life is all about learning. This is why we are such curious beings – we want to know stuff and we want to achieve a greater understanding of who we are, why we are here and other similar fundamental questions. But, weirdly, we are also quite cautious when it comes to trying new things. 

Another fundamental part of being human is learning how to avoid risk. Our brains are wired to learn basics like ‘fire is hot – don’t touch it’ and as we learn more, we are more likely to want to avoid risk. At an unhealthy level, risk aversion can seriously hold us back. 

So what is the solution? 

Balance Risks with Potential Gain

Balancing risks and gains can be really difficult when all risk feels enormous. This is why it’s really important that you start to put things into perspective. When Bitcoin was first released, early investors were taking a pretty big risk but most didn’t put their life-savings into the phenomenon straight away. They hedged, used money that they could afford to lose and waited to see what happened. 

Of course, Bitcoin reached an all time high in 2018 and lots of those early risk-takers were amazed by the gain they had made. Now, lots of people buy and sell bitcoin in real time because they have seen these results, seen the risks and are more prepared to take the plunge. So, don’t assume that you have to go all in from day one. Start by investing a little and, as you learn more, decide whether it is worth continuing or not. 

Gently Push Your Comfort Zone Out

One of the main reasons that people avoid trying new things is the fear of failure. This is quite understandable as failure can be difficult to deal with and may have wide ranging impact. However, this is no excuse not to try something new! 

When you view failure as an opportunity to learn, it is a lot easier to manage. This doesn’t mean that you should launch into a really scary project right away, though. Instead, you should start pushing your comfort zone out by making small steps towards your goal. So, in business terms, you might start by taking on a small contract as a freelancer in your spare time, then you could go part time in your current job to spend more time freelancing before finally taking the plunge and going completely freelance. 

Read, Research and Experience

If all of this still feels like it’s beyond you, a different approach might be better. Start by reading as much as you can about the thing you want to achieve. Do proper research and talk to experienced people. If you are thinking about investment, there are risk-free simulations you can play to gain experience too. 

The more informed you are going in, the easier it will be to evaluate risk. But, just remember that all the reading and research you do has to lead somewhere. Don’t use this to stall your progress! Set a goal and start your journey. 

Chiino
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