Taking BIG Risks—I’m about to do it! How about you?

Politicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and moms each tell their success stories--in spite of the risk--in a Forbes.com article that inspires the dreamer in all of us!

The article cites Ronald Heifetz, leadership expert and professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government who believes that the people around us are most often the reason we don’t take risks! We’d do it—start a company, invent a new product, change careers or locations--but, "…peoples' choices to take or refrain from risk are over-determined by their culture," says Heifetz.

In the recent article by Jane Lee, over two dozen “risk” stories are told by average people who: overcame their fears, believed in their idea or potential to change culture for the better, or wanted to improve the environment with their idea. The stories have a few common threads:

1. They took loans. Whether from family members or local banks, these entrepreneurs received support for their research or start-up costs. Of course, neither banks nor family members will support a project or person they don’t feel will bring them a return, so each of the successful risk-takers had a viable, written plan for rolling out their product or design.
2. They didn’t give up. One gal who had suffered through a love-loss, rather than withdrawing, asked each of her friends to introduce her to potential suitors by hosting numerous dinner parties—until she found her soul mate!
3. They took a hobby to a new level. Turning their passion into a career didn’t happen overnight, but when the time was right—when an overwhelming number of people commented on their abilities and were willing to pay for their services—they launched from one field or career to a new one.
4. They found a need and filled it. One mom turned her need (as a parent who wanted advice, support and encouragement) into a social network for mothers. Her husband advised her to seek outside advertising and she did. The rest is history.
5. They often invested in themselves. Many of the risk-takers sold a successful company to launch a brand new, untested company in a completely different genre. Though it often took longer than they had hoped, they were successful.

Over the weekend, I’ve been contemplating launching my own Little Changes Big Results® daily radio show. It is closer to a reality than ever—a dream that I’ve had in my heart for a very long time. This article has been just one of many “encouraging words” I've needed to hear that has given me courage to take a risk on something that I believe.

What do I believe? Our culture needs to change. We must, as a nation, live healthier lives--to eat better and exercise regularly or we are going to live shorter, disease-prone lives. For those of us who are married, we need to stay married. Period. If we are parents, we need to raise emotionally healthy and secure children who have values, self-esteem and security modeled at home. And as a nation founded on faith, our daily lives need to reflect it—beginning with the Golden Rule.

And because I’m passionate about faith and family and fitness, I’m planning to launch a daily call-in radio show in Southern California (with my husband, Dr. Roger Tirabassi as my co-host)—that can be heard “live” or streaming online for anyone to access between 1:30 and 2 pm PST, Monday through Friday. My goal is to be a part of changing our culture by giving listeners little changes to make in their lives—physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally—that will give them big results: healthy bodies, better relationships and a stronger faith! (As I take more risks and get closer to a launch, I’ll let you know the details each week on this blog--but I hope to begin by or before June 1, 2011.)

If you have any thoughts or encouragement for me, let me know! Meanwhile, consider taking your own risk and following the dream that has been in your heart for a very long time!

Be encouraged,

Becky