Risk Ratio to Success

“The fastest way to success is to double your failure rate.” - Thomas Watson, Sr.

 

When I came home from active duty, I had a little time on my hands. One of the things I wanted to do was to learn about Atlanta. All the little hole-in-the-wall places. So, the first thing I would do in the morning jump in the car, and head toward downtown. A lot of the streets that I lived near would either end up downtown or intersect a street that would lead downtown. When I went from one end to the other, I would turn around and find my way back. Worst case scenario is that I would hit 285 and go back from there. (That was my protective ring around the city.)

 

Because I had the desire to get lost, and find my way, and I had the mindset that I would not go further than my boundaries, I had no fear of really getting into too much trouble. I learned a lot of unique shops and became really familiar with streets all over the city.

 

To learn the city I took a few risks, but the desire to learn outweighed the fear of being lost, ending up in the wrong neighborhood, and thinking I would run into trouble too great for me to deal with.

 

Success came quick when I was willing to take the risks, let go of my fears, and stay mindful of the boundaries I set for myself.