If you never take risks, then you will never achieve anything great in your life.

Throughout our lives, we are taught to be cautious. Don't put yourself in harm's way, always think safety first, look left and right before you cross the road, etcetera. All these are good advice but more often than not, we become way too cautious about everything and that leads to a fear of taking risks (even if they might be good for us). What our parents and teachers forget to tell us is that there are risks that are worth taking and that in fact, life itself is a risk. If we learn this truth, it will free us from the shackles of fear that we unwittingly put ourselves in. So with this new knowledge, we need to wake up every morning with the determination to rise to the challenge to make a real difference.

Don't get me wrong, there is such a thing as a foolish risk, and this is why the best advice is to take calculated risks, don't run away and hide because something appears too risky, instead calculate the value of your goal to determine if the risk is worth taking. Open up your mind to the possibility that you might and will most likely fail, but know that if you don't try it, you'll never know what you can achieve. And if you do fail, learn that failure is not always a bad thing because now you know what not to do next time.

The ability to take calculated risks is a skill that everyone who wishes to succeed must learn. It puts you ahead of your peers in your field as an entrepreneur or a professional. Behavioral skills are a must-have for successful people in today’s world, find the right resources online and consistently develop your skills.

I'll close with words from Leadership expert John C. Maxwell; "If you want to avoid all risk, then don't do any of the following:

Don't ride in an automobile; they cause 20 percent of all fatal accidents.

Don't travel by air, rail, or water; 16 percent of all accidents result from these activities.

Don't walk in the street; 15 percent of all accidents occur there.

Don't stay at home; 17 percent of all accidents happen there."

Think about that as you go about your week's activities. Be Phenomenal.