Now Is the Time To Take More Risk

I have for years generally advocated a more structured approach to decision making including efforts like planning, measurement analytics, goal setting etc. However, I believe we are in a period where a more entrepreneurial and intuition approach may be more appropriate. Several experts have argued this for years:

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” ~ Sheryl Sandberg

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in       trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” ~ Mark Zuckerberg  

Our current dilemmas with the pandemic support these approaches. Specifically, no one really knows when it will be over, when we can go to an entertainment event, when restaurants will return or when we will start traveling.

For example, political and real estate officials say offices will return to normal within a year. However, I talk to numerous professionals who say they aren’t going back to the office full time forever. They get 2 hours more work time without commuting, save on lunch, get more time with their families, and are in fact as productive as before or more. Tools like zoom and scheduling have also made the effort much more productive.

Stated simply with all the uncertainty what do you have to lose taking more risk. In addition, there are lots opportunities in areas permanently affected by the pandemic. Home delivery, virtual technology, on-line shopping are examples of booming businesses. Even the gains in the stock market have shifted to new companies like Zoom,Tesla and Tel-a-Doc .  

One caveat in this effort is to be even more careful of analysis. It may be wrong, inapplicable, or highly biased. Thus, consider just going for it

Related: How to Turn Expectations into Probable Results