Risk vs. Regret

Tara Wilken
3 min readApr 12, 2021

Is what we should be asking. Not Risk vs. Reward.

Photo by Tara

A common phrase is “Risk versus Reward”, however that allows only for logical answers.

When in fact, the most meaningful decisions have an emotional component to them as well.

On any decision (personal or professional) it’s easy to come with more risks than rewards.

What you have to ask yourself is: “How will I feel in 6 months if I don’t take this risk” In a year? 5 years? On my deathbed?

Now some decisions you won’t think about on your deathbed, and those were probably lower risk to begin with.

But big risks, like ending a relationship, changing jobs, starting a new relationship, or starting a new career can change the course of your life.

Or you can stay stuck and unhappy, because it becomes the safe option.

We get comfortable in our current circumstances. Even if we don’t like them or they are unhealthy for us. We know the expectations, we know how the dance goes. It’s “safe” because it’s familiar. The new is “unsafe” because it’s unfamiliar.

On the flip side the new relationship, or the new career automatically comes with risk.

Most of us, myself included, do a great job thinking of all the fears and worse case scenarios something new…

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Tara Wilken

Well-Being Curator. Empowering high achievers with easy, practical self-care resources. So you can spend time with people who matter. https://www.tarawilken.com