I don’t know about you, but I like feeling strong. Before the birth of my daughter, I loved to spend time at the gym lifting weights. The feeling of pushing myself and coming out the other side better than I went in was heady stuff. And, seeing the muscles pop wasn’t a bad thing either.
One of the areas where many of us don’t feel strong is around taking risks. We are afraid that something awful will happen if we try something new or choose to embrace our own authenticity. In most cases, this couldn’t be further from the truth but fear keeps us stuck.
If you want to get unstuck, developing your risk muscle is not as hard as it sounds. You just have to be willing to start. I’ve used these techniques many times to get myself going or to make major life changes.
1. Warm up. With any exercise, you’ve got to get warmed up so you don’t injure yourself. The same is true with building your risk muscle. Start with small things that you normally wouldn’t do but that don’t have huge consequences attached. Call someone you don’t know but have admired and ask for their advice on a subject. Make eye contact with a complete stranger and hold it. Dye your hair red. Don’t you feel daring? You are getting warmed up to tackle bigger stuff.
2. Flex. Flexing your muscles requires movement. In weight lifting you have to understand how to do the movement properly in order to get the maximum benefit. Do you know which direction you want to move? Need to move? How the movement could be done? Spend some time looking at your options or doing research – whatever makes you feel more comfortable about the movement you need or want to make.
3. Lift. Now, pick up your weights. You don’t need to pick the heaviest weight out there – just one your muscles will feel. Look at the things you want or need to do in your life and pick from your options. Do you want to quit your job and start a business but the whole thing feels too hard and heavy with risk? Do you want to live in Paris but are afraid to make the move because you won’t be able to communicate? Start with a smaller weight. Can you go part-time and start your business on the side? Can you take French lessons?
4. Push. Once you’ve got your weights in your hands, you need to use them and push yourself to make it through the repetitions. I’ve been doing a fitness boot camp recently where they warn you that you might puke. Charming, isn’t it? I don’t want to suggest that you push yourself to the point you feel like you are going to puke, but you do need to push yourself to finish what you start. It’s the only way you are going to build your muscle and feel strong.
5. Find a spotter. Sometimes, when doing really heavy lifting, it is helpful to have a spotter. In the gym, this is someone who is there to assist you so the weights don’t fall on your head. If you are going down a path where you will be pushing yourself beyond what you think your limits are, find a mentor, a coach or a friend who can support and encourage you when the going gets tough.
6. Repeat. Thought you were done? Nope. You get to do it all over again. The only way to build your muscle is to be consistent with your work out. And once you get to a place where you are feeling comfortable, it’s time to add more weight!!
I would love to hear your thoughts on how you view your risk muscle. Is it strong? Does it need work? Are there techniques you have used in the past that help you take risks? Where do find that you need help around risk? Leave a comment and let’s talk!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
It makes me tired to think of all this AND I know it’s what’s needed in order to achieve goals, see desired results, and remain strong – whether physically or in regards to risk. Maybe one feeds the other: spending the time conditioning our physical muscles enables us to be more willing to work the risk ones…and vice versa. ‘Love that analogy and love that you are serving as a kind but firm drill sergeant calling me to drop and give you 10!
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It’ll be fun! I promise. Plus, you’ll look/feel great after you are done!
In the question above that says “Are there techniques you have used in the past that help you take risks?” my answer to that is yes. I have tried some combination of workout I’ve been using everyday really in developing my risk muscle. Thus, I still need more advices from pros to develop it more.
Thanks for commenting, Matt! Sounds like you are on track to build more muscle.