You can teach yourself to be a risk-taker- This is how

In a world where a guaranteed job for life is now a rare gem, the conventional career path no longer exists. So, does this mean we have to take risks to get ahead? The short answer is yes. Doing things the way they’ve always been done at a time of such uncertainty is the most risky thing you can probably do.

This attitude is reflected in the way we view risk-takers. Those brave enough to take the plunge are often celebrated. Would Elon Musk be idolised by entrepreneurs around the world if he hadn’t taken a gamble that saw his companies rocket from near bankruptcy in 2008 into multibillion-dollar enterprises Tesla and SpaceX? So perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised to see risk-taking becoming a modern, global phenomenon.

The “go big or go home” start-up culture has cultivated a mentality that says only those willing to take big risks can reap great rewards. Those who do not take chances are on the path to “guaranteed failure”, according to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

But what does it take to be a risk-taker? And is it possible to turn yourself into one? Our ability to take a chance and be comfortable with an unknown outcome is affected by our psychological make-up, the physiological functions in our bodies, the culture we grew up in and wider societal acceptance of risky behaviour.

For those who are not natural risk-takers, there are a few ways to make yourself more comfortable with taking a chance. To a limited extent, you can alter the physiological responses that might keep you from taking risks by mastering some of the psychological issues too.

1. Silence the mind: Reduce ‘brain chatter’ by training the brain to be in the present. Whether you’re walking, eating or breathing, focusing on the sights, sounds and physical sensations of that moment can help drown out our habit of replaying mistakes and worries.

2. Let your subconscious take over sometimes: Our conscious brain trains us to focus and use lessons from past experiences to make better decisions. In order to be a better risk-taker, it’s vital to let your subconscious take over sometimes, helping your brain to pick up long-lost memories and connect ideas. Some of the practical steps to do this include resting, napping and even adopting the persona of a risk-taker.

3. Recalibrate your thinking: When it comes to overcoming our personal histories and bad experiences with previous risks, there’s an inevitable challenge. This fear of ‘what’s coming next’ tends to drive the irrational thoughts that we have about ourselves, about how we’re going to be perceived and what’s going to happen to us. Write down your irrational thoughts, and then for each of these worst-case scenarios, think: so what? Going through each one of these feared ‘bad’ outcomes can help you take back the control.

4. Take a chance on yourself: Be willing to accept that you can make the right choices and cope with the bad ones should things go awry. But it’s worth reminding yourself that risks are almost always necessary for innovation and for progress. It’s not about taking every risk that comes along, but training your brain to be capable of taking intelligent and educated risks, while also allowing yourself to think about what would happen if things don’t go as planned.