Risk Taking

Jamie said something in his comments on my Higher Education post that reminded of something that I've heard before but never really accepted. He said that I was more of a risk-taker than the others in our little group. Others have said that about me as well, both professionally and personally. Everytime I hear it I wonder if it's true.

Perception is an interesting thing, it defines your reality. From the positions I've been in I've learned that lesson well. It is more about managing perceptions then what might actually be the truth. So the perception is that I'm a risk taker even though I don't necessarily feel that way. Does that make it so?

I've done risky things, particularly when it comes to driving. I've bungee jumped although there is no way anyone will get me to parachute. I've taken financial risks and tempted the wrath of the IRS, not on purpose mind you. I defied my parents growing up and I remember once, talking to Ben while we walked to where Sheetz is now to play some kickass arcade game with quarters we 'borrowed' from one of our parents, saying 'Nothing ventured nothing gained'. I rarely proof read my work and I tend to release code into production without fully testing it. So in this way, I suppose I am a risk taker.

But there is another side of the coin, and here is where I struggle sometimes with articulating this. In some ways I refuse to make a move until I feel like I have a good chunk of information. Then, at some point of critical mass, I just jump into it. For example, purchasing my first house. Joe and I (or was it Brian?) went to a meeting that a local realtor was putting on for people purchasing new houses. It wasn't something that even occurred to me as a viable option. Once we received the information they were talking about I decided to start looking but slowly. So I did some research and talked with a lender and got myself pre-approved. Then I talked to the realtor and decided to start looking. That part of the process took about two months because I was being cautious. Once I met with the realtor and we started to just look around, I had a house under contract within two weeks. What the hell is that?

In the end I guess I am a risk taker, but I feel I try to mitgate some risks while others I just do on instinct. I am a firm believer and following the gut and that the universe will unfold as it's meant to do. When I don't follow the gut, I get into trouble. So from the outside I can see where the risk taking perception would come from. But on the inside I just feel like I'm going with the flow.

Ain't self discovery grand?