Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
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Should You Be Taking More Risks in Your Life?
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
When the word “Risk” is mentioned in conversations, many people emotionally step
back.
“I’ve never been one for danger” I was told just last week.
“I’m not much of a gambler” another said.
Why is the idea of risk so challenging?
Certainly, there are pros and cons to taking risks in one’s life. And it’s
obvious that there’s a large difference between an Evel Knievel lifestyle and
choosing a different option off a menu.
Billy and I have taken many calculated risks in our lives,
retiring early being one of them. We had faith in the
financial markets to perform as the norms had
shown over decades and
we had confidence in ourselves to make
necessary
adjustments along the way. That was 34 years
ago!
We believe that a certain amount of risk-taking enriches our lives
and - from our experience - we would encourage our Readers to
add some risk to
their lives as well.
Pursuing the safe and the predictable
It’s
easy to talk ourselves out of taking a risk, opting for the
patterned and
reliable instead. It’s far more appealing for some to have the perceived safety
of a secure and predictable path rather than experiencing the discomfort of
doing something – anything – out of their tried and true.
However,
learning to live with
a
certain level of uncertainty can help us to grow – in
self-reliance, self-esteem, confidence, personal creativity and in developing
personal skills.
Taking
something other than the standard choice encourages innovative thinking, expands
our minds and we are able to develop new ideas.
This is
a good thing.
When we
focus excessively on security, that, too, can cause stress, anxiety, and an
increased sense of fear. We can isolate ourselves needlessly, becoming less
likely to participate in social activities, thus curtailing our personal freedom and
autonomy.
Fear of failure
Fear of failure is a big deterrent, and our culture often doesn’t support the
idea that having initial failures is all part of having eventual successes. How
many times did Thomas Edison fail before success with the incandescent light bulb?
If we avoid risk-taking out of fear of failure, it can result in a lack of
fulfillment in life and a sense of boredom. Trying new things can bring about a
satisfaction that comes with achieving new goals.
The
modern education system often emphasizes a structured and safe learning
environment, which can foster a risk-averse mindset. Inadvertently, this can
lead to discomfort with taking risks, making it difficult for people to embrace
risk-taking behavior in other areas of their lives.
Depression and anxiety
When we avoid taking risks, we don’t expose ourselves to novel challenges,
thereby stimulating our mind and emotions. Not invigorating our lives with something new
can lead to sadness, a feeling of hopelessness and a perception of our having a
lack of control.
Those emotions can contribute to our sense of overall anxiety or a feeling of
depression or
loneliness.
This is not healthy for us on many levels.
The benefits of risk-taking
The driving force behind innovation in economic, scientific, technological and
creative progress is risk-taking. Unique ideas and inventions may come to fruition,
advanced products and services can come to market and new jobs are created in the
process.
This promotes growth and development in our society and in our economies.
On a
personal level, you could start a business or pursue a career
opportunity resulting in significant gains in terms of your career advancement
and
financial stability.
Trying
different things can bring excitement and joy into your life. It can help break the
monotony of daily routine and add a higher level of fulfillment and satisfaction.
Recommendations and tips for risk-taking
We are
not suggesting you throw caution and common sense to the wind. There are plenty
of ways to take risks that are not dangerous or future-harming and will enlarge
your experience of life.
Shake up
your daily routine by utilizing any of these recommendations or tips. You’ll
find that even small steps will add some vigor to an ordinary day.
Choose an
unfamiliar menu option
Wear a
different color of something
Wear a
Panama hat or fedora
Take a
different way to work
Walk on
the other side of the street
Use your
non-dominant hand for an hour
Choose a
different music selection
Take a
Latin dance class
Learn to
play a musical instrument
Learn a
new language
Take a
class at your local community college or university
Try out
at your local theater
Buy a
stranger a cup of coffee
Learn a
new word a day
Buy a
house plant
Try a
new hobby
Take a
spontaneous day trip or weekend getaway to a never-before-seen location
In
general, the value that risk-takers bring to society is that they help drive
innovation and progress. Their willingness to take risks can lead to
discoveries and advancements that benefit us all.
Even if
you are not the personality type to brave an expedition to Antarctica, or invent
the next “Big Thing,” adding a bit of spice to your life by trying something
different
will open your mind and bring a spring to your step.
Why not
try it out?
Remember,
Thomas Edison failed 9,999 times before he succeeded in refining his light bulb.
Fortunately, he persevered, and we have all benefitted from his discovery.
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About the Authors
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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