Do You Play With The Fire?

“All men want, not something to do with, but something to do, or rather something to be.” ―  Henry David Thoreau, Walden

If you say that someone is playing with fire, you mean that they are doing something dangerous that may result in great harm for them and cause many problems. But for me as an Engineer “it is an act in a way to take risks”.

Everything you want in life requires risk. If you want friends, for example, you've got to take the risk of introducing yourself, starting conversations, and showing interest in others. Of course, the people you choose might not be interested in you. That's the risk. But without taking the risk, you're left alone.

The same is true at work. Everything you want at work requires risk. If you want a promotion, for example, if you want a position with more responsibility, challenge and money, you'll have to take the risk of doing more than what you’re being paid to do. Of course, management may not notice and may not reward all your extra effort and you may upset your colleagues who are doing just enough to get by.

That's life. Not every risk pays off. But taking intelligent, constructive risks will work much more often than sitting around waiting for things to happen.

Think about it. Everything you really, really, REALLY want requires risk. There are no exceptions. Whether it's a healthier body, a bigger income, a better career, or a stronger marriage, you can't get any of those things by just hoping they'll happen. You have to do something.

So what's the problem? Most people are addicted to one or more comfort zones. In fact, they're so used to doing certain things in a particular way that they even get defensive when you suggest a different way or a better way of doing things. The risk avoiders will tell you, "I'm getting by. I don't need to be a risk taker. Things aren't that bad."

Well, things probably aren't that good either ... if you're not an active, constructive risk taker. Your comfort zone may be killing you ... and you may not even know it. For example, when you stay stuck in your comfort zone...

In the book, Taking Charge, Richard Leider and James Harding refer to emotional suicide as "inner kill." They define inner kill as "dying without knowing it" and "coping rather than living." It's a matter of taking the safe way, avoiding decisions, daydreaming about the future, talking about the life you'd like, and taking no risks whatsoever to make it happen. You simply cannot feel good about yourself if that's the way you live.

Emotionally, you use it or you lose it. You either take risks or you lose your ability to take risks. You can take risks to get what you want ... which will ... in turn ... build your self-confidence to take more risks. Or you can fail to take risks ... which will diminish your self-confidence so much you won't even think you could take a risk.

It's a downward cycle that you don't want to get on. If you don't take enough risks...

Your life is your creation. You have most things you need to shape it and make it incredible. It’s not something that happens to you — unless you abandon your position as its chief architect. If you think your life is out of your control, it’s because you’ve chosen to relinquish the controls.

The gift is yours — it is an amazing journey — and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. You alone decide what you want out of it.

Don’t give up on yourself just yet; your most amazing life is still ahead of you. Your very best work, project, experiences are in front of you, not behind you. Whether you feel stuck or just need a good dose of inspiration to do your best work, these lessons can remind you to live your best life every day.

Life-changing journeys take us from the familiar to the new, the exciting and the unknown. When the pain of where you are is greater than the fear of where you are going, you will change and towards the direction of your dreams.

You’re not immortal. You know that, but your brain has a really hard time processing that, so you ignore everything you can do right to make the most of life until it’s too late. You assume that there’s time for things to work out. But time is literally running out.

Your first step to improving your life and becoming the best version of your self won’t be easy. Nobody can promise that things will be easy but they will be better. It pays to take a small action–any action–and grow from there. Remember, you are better off trying than anyone else who isn’t trying.

You can’t be perfect, and holding yourself to unrealistic standards creates suffering. When you let go of perfectionism, you can accept that you did your best, whatever the outcome. Always remember, you can do your best and still fail. But you are not your failure.

You can’t control everything — but you can control how you respond. Most things are outside your control. But there is one thing you can always control — and that is yourself, your reactions and ideas.

"If you genuinely want something, don’t wait for it — teach yourself to be impatient". — Gurbaksh Chahal