Entrepreneurs and business owners need to know how to take risks that’s the nature of the beast yet we often find in our society that we teach fear and caution in so many subtle ways.

I was presenting a training program at a new facility in LA that has scanners and I was stopped because I had a slew of markers (a mandatory part of any trainer’s toolkit). Nobody with markers was allowed in the building in fear of taggers.  The sheriffs had to approve me.  If only they knew 🙂

You offer something for free and people are wary; what’s the catch what do you want from me. Even if you tell people up front no strings attached they hesitate.  Have we lost all trust? Are we so afraid to try something for fear we can’t get rid of the person?  That’s why unsubscribe is on e-mail, but there is a lot of information and insight I gained from free offers, including what not to do.

Don’t get me started on how overprotective we are of our kids.  No, I don’t ever want to see a child or anyone hurt but some people do go to extremes.  Just go into stores that sell things for kids and look at all the protective gear.  I wonder if these same people teach their kids about options and why the need for some safety gear.  I know seat belts save lives and talking on cell phones while driving is dangerous but do we fully explain risks and options?

So where is the happy medium between taking calculated risks and just being foolhardy?  Test the waters, try a new route to work, say hello to a stranger; take a risk who knows what great adventure you might find.