It’s a new year, which for most is perceived as a chance at a new beginning. But as a young professional, it can be difficult to determine what those new year resolutions, goals, and aspirations should be as you navigate the transition from college to career and determine how to craft a life that fulfills you. If there is one piece of advice NimblyWise can share to help you take steps towards manifesting the career and life that you want in this new year, it’s:
Don’t be afraid to take risks and throw the “right way” of doing things out the window.
Does School Hinder Our Innate Ability to Take Risks?
In school, students are very much conditioned to believe there is one way of doing things. They’re taught that the only way to gauge success is a 95 at the top of your paper.We are also conditioned to believe that every problem has one clear-cut straight-forward answer or ideal outcome.This approach limits the space for innovation, problem-solving, or most of all, risk-taking. In fact, in some cases risk-taking and making mistakes are frowned upon and penalized in the classroom. Sound familiar?
How does this form of education shape our mindsets as we move through new phases in life?
It leads us to believe that we must follow a certain path, that experimentation, making mistakes, and failure are bad—not an opportunity to learn and grow—and that the definition of success is black and white.
But you know what? In the “real world”, none of that is true.
Risk-Taking is the Key to Opening Up a World of Opportunities
In this new year, we challenge you to forget the status quo, approach your path more creatively, explore new approaches to problem solving, and take risks. Whether that means interviewing for a job you feel you “aren’t qualified for” or turning your side-hustle into a full-time business. Sometimes what scares you most, what you perceive as “risky”, has the greatest potential to change your life.
There’s no right or wrong when deciding how you want to navigate your future. There are no clear-cut expectations in the world of work that will help guide you down the “right” path. Every scenario or crossroads in your career is not going to have a straightforward answer.
You may now be asking, “Well, how do I take risks fearlessly?” We have two tips:
Embrace Intentional Learning
Intentional learning, a term coined by McKinsey & Company as one of the most important skills in the new world of work, is seeing every moment in life as an opportunity to learn something. It is understanding that not every important lesson in life comes from a textbook. Once you adopt this practice and mindset, it will become a part of your daily life. The skills you learn will not only allow you to become more competitive in your career, but also eliminate your fear of risk-taking because you will discover that even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll learn something.
Be Curious
Never stop seeking new experiences, never stop asking questions, and never let someone else tell you how something “must” be done. The path to success isn’t black and white, embrace the wonder and curiosity that comes from trying something new or trying to solve a problem in a different, non-traditional way.
Now is the best time in your life to take risks, experiment with what you like and don’t like, and be bold in your pursuit of fulfillment. So be intentional with your pursuits, fearless in your leaps, and curious about the world around you and you’ll succeed.
Embrace Fear & Be a Bold Risk-Taker This Year with NimblyWise
Leading a life without fear of risks or outcomes of risk-taking isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is where you’re going to see your dreams manifest. The good news? You absolutely don’t need to go down this path alone. NimblyWise has made it our mission to help young professionals develop these skills, learn how to foster intentional learning, and be bold in their career pursuits. Let us help you take risks in 2021, are you ready? Let’s chat!
