Risk over regret — another realization of a well lived 20s
It’s quite incredible how much people change in their 20s. Looking back at the past four years, it seems impossible to think that I was the same person I was when I was 19.
Do people really change?
A question that has been occupying my mind for a while now.
As someone in my 20s, a marketer, teacher and a scientist, change is fundamental to everything I do. In my business I strive to change consumer behaviour, as a teacher I inspire kids to change how they perceive the world, as a scientist I study the ever changing eco systems of the world.
However, as a person, I am in constant wonder if people actually change.
A zebra never changes his stripes. A leopard can’t change her spots. People don’t change, they just reveal their real selves over time.
This has been the reality that I embraced for a very long time.
That was until I realized that this was absolutely wrong about me. People can change, they do change. It takes years for some changes to happen and only days for others to take place.
Why is change important to this story?
For two reasons.
- I was a strong believer in regret over risk for the longest time of my life.
- Accepting that people change was the only way that I started to think otherwise
Confidence and risk taking. Is it the same or not?
I used to think it was the same. As someone who was always very sure of myself, I simply believed myself to be a risk taker. I never really thought of myself as being risk averse.
That was until, I knew I wasn’t.
I was terrified of risks. I thrived on reassurance.
I didn’t take up challenges without knowing that I would conquer them. I made friends with people who were exactly like me. I made choices that always had the guarantee of leading me towards good things. I never accepted a task, friendship or a situation that came with risk.
The Flipside
And man, was I compromising!
Having experienced a roller-coster of a year back in 2017, I woke up one day and decided that I wanted to take risks.
I was obviously not ready to dive right into a risk-filled life. But I was ready to dip my toes in it.
And man, wasn’t it the best decision of my life.
A Good Life
My life since then hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies. But it’s been good, it’s been worth living. I have had experiences that were bigger than anything I would ever imagine living through. I have gained and lost people who have filled my life with love, joy and lessons. I have embarked on journeys simply because I believed that they were risks that I wanted to take.
I wouldn’t advice anyone to follow par.
All I’d say is don’t be afraid to change direction a little. You have no obligation to be the person you’ve always been or take decisions the way you always have.
Different interpretations
Not everyone interprets this the same way I do. For some people change is more about discovery than transformation. Risk is more about impulse than courage.
Whatever you call it a life lived with the mantra of risk over regret simply means that you wake up excited to live. You don’t give yourself any space to think What If. Yes, you make choices that are responsible and right, but you do that with the certainty that you are not missing out on life.
Take away?
Whenever someone reads my work, I like to leave them with something to take away.
This notion of risk over regret and change is completely personal to me. You may never be able to relate to it.
However, I urge for you to take a few moments and reflect on how your life has been. Maybe this year, maybe just the past week. Take a break, a deep breath and give yourself some time to reflect. You may not discover anything life changing, but I assure you one thing — you will find some sense of clarity.
You’ll have at least one thing to smile about, at least one thing to feel a little sad about, but you’ll know where you stand in life, instead of simply letting it pass by.
