Why You Shouldn’t Play It Safe In Life

It’s easy to play it safe in life. Always making the decision that requires the least amount of risk and change.

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Never venturing out very far from the path that only leads in a straight line. But is that the best choice when it comes to creating a plan for your life?

Are you missing out on opportunities because of your fear of risk? It might be time to avoid playing it safe and step outside of your comfort zone. Take a look at these tips for getting started.

Evaluate The Past

One of the best ways to learn is looking back at the past. What has playing it safe in life brought you?

There are probably a lot of great things in life that you can attribute to avoiding risk. But look back on that same life and imagine what could have happened if you weren’t always playing things so safe.

Where could you be right now had you taken some well-thought-out risks? Even if the risk hasn’t been a part of the decision-making process, it is never too late to turn things around and make a change.

Take the time to look back and find moments when it could have been possible to skip over playing it safe and instead, take a risk. Now, look forward and commit to something different in the future.

This year, when a similar opportunity or moment arises, instead of playing it safe, go for it. Find out what is really out there. See what it really means to live a little. Once you do, you have two moments that you can compare.

Which turned out better? Which was the better choice? Once you’ve done this, you may just find that playing it safe has held you back in a lot of different ways.

Avoid Conformity

Playing it safe often goes with conformity. It’s easier to go with the crowd, moving along at a set pace, without stepping outside of the boundaries.

But oftentimes, the people that do step out from the rest are trendsetters, individuals who are making amazing things happen because they refused to just be another number.

Conformity is safe, but it often comes at a high cost with suppressed creativity, lack of movement in life, and even avoiding amazing opportunities.

What talents and gifts do you have that aren’t being expressed? How much are others missing out on because you are content to stick with the crowd and conform? Change is an important part of life, so why not be a part of the change?

You might be surprised to learn that others are waiting and watching for someone else to step out and make a difference. This could be in the workplace or in your personal life. Either way, take a step away from the crowd and see what happens.

Don’t Let Fear Control

What keeps people playing it safe all of their lives? Most people usually admit that fear is the one thing that prevents them from taking risks or attempting new adventures.

If this is your concern, it makes sense to take a closer look at what exactly you are afraid of. Is there a chance that the fears are unfounded? Is there a chance that what you are really afraid of is minuscule in comparison to the potential available?

Many times the fear that people feel is completely unfounded. You don’t want to mention an idea that you have in a meeting. What’s the worst that can happen?

Even if the idea isn’t pursued, you are a participating member of the group and, because you spoke up, others may be more likely to listen the next time you have something to say. Put aside the fear of what others think in order to get a better taste of life, opportunity, and excitement.

Don’t Settle

Playing it safe often means settling. You may have a great life. But are you settling for less than your potential?

Are you content to sit back instead of moving forward and pursuing the possibilities? Settling will get you by, but it won’t carry you forward. Much like conformity, it is an easy trap to fall into.

Instead, when considering a decision, think about which one offers the higher reward. In spite of the risk, it’s often worth it to at least shoot for the option that offers you something big in return.

If your current job or career isn’t what you want to be doing, consider positions within the company, or in another location, that allow you to use your talents and be rewarded for your hard work. Think about all the possibilities.

Avoid Remaining In Limbo

Playing it safe can even mean avoiding decisions. Instead of committing and going after something, it can be easier to sit back and let the opportunity pass without any type of pursuit.

In reality, lack of a decision is a decision in itself. Don’t just sit back without taking action. Complacency itself can be a problem when it comes to making life decisions.

Often people make a list of pros and cons before making a decision. But those that play it safe focus only on the consequences side of the paper, instead of the positive.

Instead, when something comes up and you need to make a decision, look at the pros and go with what is best. Don’t linger on the decision. Don’t sit and wonder and think for too long. Instead, make your decision and take immediate action.

Don’t Have Regrets

No one wants to look back on their life and feel regret. But after playing it safe for so long, many people look back and wonder why they didn’t just take the chance.

This can cause real heartache for those that find it is too late in life to go back and check out the opportunities and adventures that they once encountered.

Playing it safe often means giving up opportunities and moments that have the potential to be life-changing in a positive way. How many times has something happened and you regret that you didn’t take the chance?

Regret can be worse than the consequences of taking a chance. Instead, move forward, looking for opportunities to take risks and avoid the regret that you must live with for the rest of your life. Instead, make the changes.

You started out looking back over your life to see how far you got playing it safe. After committing to making a real difference by adding a little more risk to your life, make sure to take note of the changes this created and how many ways your life has benefited.

While there are always going to be times when playing it safe is the appealing option, don’t forget that there is a lot to be gained by taking the chance and stepping outside of your comfort zone.

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