People Like Us Take Risks

People like us that are unwilling to continue like this take risks.

• • • We take risks to be unique. To fit in is safe.
    • We take risks to deliver something distinct. Being typical is safe.
    • We take risks in having opinions, mostly about our responsibility to our craft, our field, our life.
    • We take risks in having an informed point of view. Ignorance is safe.
    • We take risks in offering work only we can offer. Being a cog in a wheel is predictable. And safe.
    • We take risks in being specific. Generalities, stereotypes, averages—they are easy.
    • We take risks at being great, even the best. Mediocre is well accepted and safe.
    • We take risks at trying what’s new, what’s unknown. The status quo never stretched anyone.
    • We take risks when we take a stand. For our principles. For a better world. Sitting is easy and safe.

We take risks because racing toward the bottom, toward the lowest common denominator, is mediocre. And mediocrity never solved a single problem. It never reduced suffering. It never gave generously. Toward the bottom, where “anything that will work is fine” might be desirable. It might be where most people are. Where many of your clients are, your congregants are, your people are. It’s not where we are.People like us that are unwilling to continue like this are racing toward the top. Not the top of the pile, beating the competition, and winning. That’s barely a risk. We risk racing to the top of our own game, the cultivation of our own gifts, the honing of our own craft. We risk making a promise to ourselves and others that “I will improve, I have something valuable to offer, and I will deliver.”This takes guts! But people like us that are unwilling to continue like this have guts! We have the guts to take risks!