I have been a student of life for nearly fifty-nine years. I have read literally thousands of books, met thousands of people and traveled to many distant lands. Each of these experiences have pushed, pulled and in some cases cut away the clay of my existing self. During this lifelong transformation process I have come to understand the complexity of what is truly meant by the statement; risk verses reward.
Following my mantra of the Power of the Wisdom of Three; once more we are given a blueprint comprised of only three dynamic components. When we put them in context, they make the difficult simple. We have to deal with the risk to reach the reward but it is what is in the middle that sets us apart. For even if we know the actual risk and we know the final reward, it is the unknown between the two that shapes who we really are.
In finance, risk verses reward is a common refrain. The riskier the investment, the more reward potential on the other side. It makes it sound simple to the investor when in essence the trail to the reward is a complex path littered with pitfalls, traps and snares. That is why the reward is not guaranteed; most investors need to rely on the skills of an experienced, educated and ethical advisor; a Solutionary, to take them through the unknown obstacles.
In life, we encounter countless examples of risk verses reward situations; many of which go unnoticed; that is, until the reward becomes a peril. This world presents us with innumerable invisible risks but the seen rewards are just as plentiful when we are willing and able to challenge the obstacles. It is proven that we have to take risks if we desire the big rewards but only when you are free to make those choices can we control the outcomes of our desires.
As I look at this pandemic world of today, I see a plethora of scared people unwilling to conquer their fear. Cowering people do not take risks because the fear of the unknown is greater than their will. Likewise, they are barred from reaping the big rewards not because they are not free to do so but because they choose to be captive to their fears. They are not willing to endure the potential of the imagined pain. Conversely, a free society filled with reward driven people will never succumb to fear for very long. It is not in their nature to do so. That is why some people are thriving while others choose to remain captive. The fearful will see opening up the economy as reckless, the reward driven will take on the risk, overcoming their fears to reach their just reward. The fearful refuse to admit that one can be courageous without being reckless to themselves or others. That is not the America of our ancestors.
It is all about one’s definition of life. Our ancestors faced perils every day but their dreams were worth the risks. They knew that they may not realize their dreams but they were willing to die trying. During the trek across the American wilderness of the 1800s; fathers, mothers and children journeyed into the perilous unknown, many never arriving to their destination. If they could have seen what became of this great Country, I believe they would do it all again. They are the reason we are still the Land of Free and the Home of the Brave.
I too choose to live free; as if every day maybe my last. I am educated to the risks, willing to mitigate them where possible but willing to face them head on. In my world, I refuse to live as if I am already dead because I’ve learned; there are worse things than death.
If this is my last post, I want all to know there was only one purpose for all that I have written; to have made a positive difference in the lives of others.
Anthony “Tony” Boquet, the author of “The Bloodline of Wisdom, The Awakening of a Modern Solutionary” and Vice President, Education and Development at The American College of Financial Services