10 Risky Things That Will Propel You Further In Life Than 99% Of People
You can't get far in life if you don't take risks.
BRUNO CERVERA | Unsplash The highest quality fruit often requires you to climb deeper into the tree to collect them for yourself. This might mean you risk a fall or scratching your knee, but otherwise, you’ll have to gather the bruised and half-eaten fruit that fell to the ground for everyone else. In the same way, it often takes courage to gain an unfair advantage in life.
Here are 10 risky things that will propel you further in life than most people:
1. Start a podcast
You can either share your views solo, which is a great way not only to grow an audience but to develop your speaking skills and expand your confidence. You can take it a step further and have discussions with people, which is one of the best ways to network and make new connections. Just start. Even if it’s a 5-minute shortcast, you’ll love yourself for it.
Photo: Christina Morillo/Pexels
2. Book a solo trip
And by ‘book’ I don’t necessarily mean book a flight somewhere far away. You can ‘book’ a day out in your calendar next week to travel by bus to an interesting part of your city. Go there, even if you feel awkward. Add something else to the mix if it’s not uncomfortable enough — how about talking to a stranger? Trips don’t all need to be bliss. If you’re pushing yourself, that’s the best gift you can give yourself.
3. Invite people to dinner or a walk
This one’s hard for me because I love my own company. So, if you rarely do this, why not cook and host for a change? Or organize an event. Something is empowering about being the leader and bringing others together.
4. Record yourself speaking on video every day for 30 days
I’ve added over 370 videos to my YouTube channel in about five years. Recording and sharing on most days help me formulate my thoughts and build a loyal audience. The most growth for me takes place when I least feel like recording.
5. Reach out and follow up
People are scared to approach people because they don’t want to experience the pain of rejection. But many rewards lie on the other side of a yes, even after receiving many NOs from the same person. Persevere and do more asking than is comfortable. Rewards come to the consistent and the brave.
Photo: Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels
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6. Sign up for a class
Pick something you’ve been meaning to learn. Join a new class in your town, with new people. You’re not only picking up new skills, but you’ll be meeting new people and developing the all-important ‘taking initiative muscle’ — essential for success in life.
7. Do one thing you’ve been avoiding
Why are you avoiding it? Because it’s significant to you and your progression. You know this. So by sucking it up and stepping up to what you know you need to do, whether it is cleaning under your bed or sorting your accounts, you not only get the thing done, you experience the explosive relief and growth that comes from doing hard things. This energy will feed into everything else you do.
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8. Quit refined sugar for 3 weeks
Or replace it with any other unhelpful habit of your choice. Don’t worry right now about quitting anything for life. Just focus on 21 days. This tends to set the practice in motion. If you can hold off on temptation for that long, what else do you think this will do for your strength and discipline?
9. Stop looking for support
I’ve got some tough news: no one is coming to save you. Anything that looks like support will only be short-lived. The change you want lies within you. Not any government or any friend. The courageous move is realizing this and taking ownership of your choices. Now, all that’s left for you is to relocate your nuts, stand up straight, and get out and make things happen. While everyone else complains and waits for support, you’re out in the world creating a whirlwind of action that turns heads.
10. Do a thirty-day challenge
Identify the one thing your life would benefit from the most were you to do that same thing every day for thirty days. What would that one thing be? Writing? Talking to strangers? 20 minutes on the bike? Identify it, find someone to be accountable to, tell the world you’re doing it, and start today.
Photo: Allan Mas/Pexels
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Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.