
Taking risks can be intimidating, but it's a crucial part of personal growth. By stepping out of our comfort zones, we can develop new skills and gain confidence.
One example is Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber who has scaled El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without any ropes. This feat required him to take a huge risk, but it also helped him develop mental toughness and physical strength.
Some people might view taking risks as reckless or irresponsible, but the truth is that it's often a necessary step towards achieving our goals. By facing our fears and pushing ourselves to try new things, we can discover new passions and interests.
J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, is another great example of someone who took a risk and achieved great success. She was a single mother living on welfare when she began writing the first Harry Potter book, and she had to take a risk by submitting it to publishers despite the odds being against her.
Benefits
Positive risk taking can have a profound impact on people's lives, and it's worth exploring the benefits it brings. Empowering people to pursue their ambitions and goals is one of the key advantages of positive risk taking.
Enabling decision-making is another significant benefit, allowing individuals to take control of their lives and make choices that are right for them. This can be a powerful way to promote autonomy and independence.
Recognising and supporting people's autonomy is crucial, as it allows them to make their own decisions and take ownership of their lives. This is a fundamental aspect of positive risk taking.
Promoting people's rights in taking risks and making mistakes is also an essential benefit, as it acknowledges that mistakes are an inevitable part of the learning process. By embracing this idea, we can create a more supportive and enabling environment.
Encouraging self-esteem, self-management, and independence are all key outcomes of positive risk taking. By empowering individuals to take risks and make decisions, we can help them develop a sense of confidence and self-worth.
The benefits of positive risk taking can be summarised as follows:
- Empowering people to pursue ambitions and goals
- Enabling decision-making
- Recognising and supporting people's autonomy
- Promoting people's rights in taking risks and making mistakes
- Encouraging self-esteem, self-management and independence
Personal Growth and Development
Taking risks can be a powerful catalyst for personal growth and development. By challenging yourself in new ways, you can realize your full potential and become a stronger, more confident person.
Trepidation diminishes when you choose the right people to associate with. Go to a few meetings, and keep exploring, until you find the right group for you, as McMeekin notes.
Taking risks can help you build self-confidence and self-respect, which in turn gives you the courage to continue taking larger and more positive risks. This is because risks build self-confidence, helping you feel stronger as a person.
Framing risks as experiments can help you learn from them, even if they don't work out. If you don't beat up on yourself when they don't work out, they allow you to get more daring, as McMeekin says.
Taking risks can also help you develop resilience in the face of adversity. You'll know that you can thrive no matter what happens, and become more adept at finding multiple routes to success.
You'll feel a sense of accomplishment when you take a risk, even if it doesn't go exactly as planned. You'll be proud of yourself for your bravery and courage.
By stepping out of your comfort zone, you can open yourself up to new opportunities, both professionally and personally. You might find yourself opening your own business or becoming a trendsetter in your industry.
Grow Your Confidence
Taking risks can be a powerful way to grow your confidence. This is because each new challenge and risk helps you become convinced of your own ability to handle evolving circumstances.
With time, you'll become a more confident, flexible person and a better leader. Improved confidence can also have a positive effect on your decision-making skills.
Risks help you learn how to handle adverse outcomes and setbacks, making you more resilient in the face of adversity. You'll know that you can thrive no matter what happens, and become more adept at finding multiple routes to success.
A supportive network of people is essential when taking risks. They can help you stay motivated and encourage you when you're feeling afraid. They can also help you assess whether a particular risk is worth taking.
Working with a coach can help you build the confidence to take more risks. A coach can also help you determine which risks to take, and when the right time is to take them.
Taking small risks can help you change your emotional state away from fear to getting focused in a new direction. Passion also eclipses fear. Love what you are aiming to do.
Risks build self-confidence and self-respect, helping you feel stronger as a person and gain the courage to continue taking larger and more positive risks. Failure is part of the process, too, but learning to frame risks as experiments can make them more manageable.
Professional drivers, like those in NASCAR, crash a lot, but they don't let fear hold them back. They know that even with the risk of failure, they have the resources to manage it. With the right support system, risk-taking becomes much easier.
Support and Resources
Having a supportive network of people around you is crucial for taking positive risks. They can help you stay motivated and encourage you when you're feeling afraid.
A support team can play multiple roles, including risk assessment, cheerleaders, and coaches. They can help you identify the risks and opportunities, provide feedback on your strengths and areas for development, and keep you focused when doubt creeps in.
Working with a coach can be particularly helpful in building confidence to take more risks. They can also help you determine which risks to take and when the right time is to take them.
Building a Support System
Having a supportive network of people around you is crucial when taking risks. They can help you stay motivated and encouraged when you're feeling afraid.
A support team can help you identify the job you want and prepare for it, giving you feedback on your strengths and areas for development. They can also help keep you focused when doubt creeps in.
Having a coach can help you build confidence to take more risks. They can also help you determine which risks to take and when the right time is to take them.
A support system provides the tools to mitigate the risk of a negative outcome, like coaches, mechanics, and emergency medical technicians on standby to help injured drivers.
Mental Health Services
Mental health services can be a challenging but crucial part of our lives. Positive risk-taking is an essential element of these services, allowing individuals to take measured leaps of faith towards enriching experiences.
By empowering people through collaboration and co-production, mental health nurses and professionals can foster personal growth and development. This approach helps people make informed decisions based on understanding the consequences of different courses of action.
Positive risk-taking involves identifying and analysing the potential benefits and harms of choosing one action over another. It's about recognising the potential risks involved and designing plans and actions that deliberate the positive potential and priorities of the people we support.
Mental health services can provide a safe and controlled environment for people to take risks, build their confidence, and live more independently. This approach involves meticulously planning activities with clients and assessing the potential risks and rewards.
Here are some key characteristics of positive risk-taking in mental health services:
- True empowering of people through collaboration, co-production and a clear understanding of the risks and responsibilities
- Fostering people to make use of opportunities for personal growth and development
- Building a trusting relationship in which people can learn from their own experiences
- Identifying all possible consequences of every action, making informed decisions based on understanding the consequences of different courses of action
- Building valuable social interactions and interpersonal connections
Enablement in Social Care
Enablement in social care is about striking a balance between safety and a fulfilling life. This approach is all about embracing risk with careful planning and precautions.
Risk enablement in social care is the backbone of positive risk-taking, which means recognizing that risk is an inherent part of life and not shying away from it. By taking calculated risks, we can give our clients an enhanced quality of life and allow them to live their life the way they have always liked to.
To achieve this balance, it's essential to consider not only the concerns of the client but also those of their family and professional carer. This ensures that we're not putting our clients through unnecessary risks, but rather, we're enabling them to live life to the fullest.
Here are some key principles of risk enablement in social care:
- Empowering clients to take measured leaps of faith towards enriching experiences
- Providing a safe and controlled environment for clients to explore and learn
- Assessing potential risks and rewards to ensure a balance between safety and independence
- Encouraging clients to participate in activities they enjoy, such as gardening or light exercise
- Providing necessary support to make these activities safe and enjoyable
By adopting this approach, we can help our clients grow their independence, express their views, and take advantage of opportunities. Ultimately, our goal is to enable our clients to live life the way they always have, without unnecessary restrictions.
Positive Risk Taking in Practice
Positive risk taking is all about empowering individuals to achieve their goals and live a fulfilling life. This approach involves taking calculated risks, with careful planning and precautions, to ensure a balance between safety and independence.
The actions taken in positive risk-taking can be as simple as going to the supermarket or coffee shop independently, or as significant as pursuing long-term goals like earning a degree or finding a full-time job. These actions can be tailored to an individual's needs and wishes.
To illustrate this, consider the following examples of positive risk-taking activities:
- Going to the coffee shop, cinema or supermarket without support
- Taking a walk around the park alone
- Going on a bus with support workers
- Joining a club
- Earning a degree
- Taking an educational class
- Finding a full-time job or volunteering
- Promoting their talents (e.g., through an art exhibition)
These examples demonstrate how positive risk-taking can be applied in various aspects of life, from daily activities to long-term goals. By embracing calculated risks, individuals can gain confidence, independence, and a sense of fulfillment.
Get What You Want
Getting what you want out of life is a major payoff of successfully taking positive risks. This can mean more fulfilling work, a pay raise and promotion, or the satisfaction of completing a new goal.
To increase your success at risking, surround yourself with supportive people who are knowledgeable and cheer you on beyond the status quo. This can make a big difference in your confidence and motivation.
Negotiating your salary with confidence is also a key part of getting what you want. Analyze the market and your qualifications to make a strong case for yourself.
Here are some examples of everyday activities that can be a part of positive risk-taking:
- Going to the coffee shop, cinema or supermarket without support
- Taking a walk around the park alone
- Going on a bus with support workers
- Joining a club
These small steps can lead to bigger achievements, such as earning a degree, taking an educational class, finding a full-time job or volunteering, or promoting your talents.
Examples in Health and Social Care
In health and social care, positive risk-taking is all about empowering individuals to take measured leaps of faith towards enriching experiences. This approach involves taking the time to meticulously plan activities with clients and assess the potential risks and rewards.
Positive risk-taking can be as simple as going to the supermarket or coffee shop independently, or as complex as pursuing long-term goals like earning a degree or finding a full-time job. Many people with neurodevelopment differences and mental health challenges have aspirations like these.
In fact, research has shown that positive risk-taking can result in a source of creativity that helps find innovative solutions to daily challenges. Mental health nurses and professionals have characterized positive risk-taking as fostering people to make use of opportunities for personal growth and development.
Here are some examples of positive risk-taking in health and social care:
- Independent outings, such as taking a bus into town to visit a café or shops alone
- Engaging in physical activities, such as gardening or light exercise
- Joining a club or participating in a hobby
- Earning a degree or taking an educational class
- Finding a full-time job or volunteering
These activities might have been an issue due to physical or emotional challenges, but with careful planning and support, individuals can overcome these obstacles and achieve their goals. The goal of positive risk-taking is to strike a balance between safety and the pursuit of a fulfilling life.
Professional Competency
As a practitioner, empowering individuals to take control of their health and safety involves striking a balance between promoting safety and encouraging positive risk taking.
Developing harmonious working relationships with service users and carers is crucial, particularly with those who may not wish to engage with services. This requires a deep understanding of their needs and concerns.
Promoting an understanding of the factors associated with risk of harm to self or others is essential. This includes violence, self-neglect, self-harm, suicide, and hate-crime.
To educate disabled adults and older people, and their family carers, about support services, you need to demonstrate the role, function, and limitations of these services in relation to promoting safety and managing risk.
Conducting accurate and effective risk assessments is vital. This involves identifying specific risk factors relevant to the individual, their family, carers, and the wider community.
The following key areas are essential for practitioners to contribute to:
- Contribute to the development of risk management strategies and plans
- Contribute to the safe and effective management and reduction of any identified risks
- Develop a knowledge and understanding of national and local policies and procedures
- Understand the importance of multi-agency and multidisciplinary working
- Have an awareness of available individual and service responses to manage crises and minimise risks
- Contribute to the use of medical and psychosocial interventions to manage risk behaviours
These areas are critical in promoting safety and positive risk taking in practice.
Sources
- https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-take-risks
- https://catalystgrp.co.uk/blog/positive-risk-taking-in-health-and-social-care/
- https://www.thegoodcaregroup.com/news/risk-and-reward-positive-risk-taking-clients/
- https://www.salary.com/articles/benefits-of-positive-risk-taking/
- https://www.hullappp.co.uk/positive-risk-taking-policy/
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