Six Steps To Your Best LeadershipSample

A Risk You Need to Take

Whether you’re a teenager, in college, well into your career, or in retirement, now is the right time to take a risk. Take risks when you’re growing and when you’re declining. No one ever accomplished anything great by playing it safe. 

I’m not telling you to take a risk on the wrong things. Don’t put healthy relationships at risk, don’t put your health at risk, and don’t blow up what’s working well. But, what theory do you have? What hunch are you sitting on? What deeply held motivation do you have? Take a risk in faith. 

I like what former President Jimmy Carter said, “Go out on a limb, that’s where the fruit is.” 

Maybe you’ve heard about the wealthy but probably dishonest businessman in the Bible who climbed out on a limb just to get a glimpse of Jesus. He had a reputation for being a financial shark as the chief tax collector, and he’d built his wealth on that reputation. One day he risked his reputation and his life by literally climbing up a tree to see Jesus. Jesus saw Zacchaeus, invited Himself over to his house, and Zacchaeus’ life almost immediately transformed into something so much richer. 

If you want to be who you’ve always been, do what you’ve always done. If you want to change who you are, change what you do. In other words, to change the fruit in your life, you might have to go out on limb.

Do you need to start writing a book, ask someone on a date, launch a product, start a ministry, start going to church, start a podcast, or something else? Based on what God’s leading you to do, what risk do you need to take?

Act: Tell someone you trust about the risk you want to take. Then, take the first step.