Hard work versus risk: which wins out?

Subject: Hard work versus risk: which wins out? Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:30 pm

I want you to meet Daniel. Daniel is 35 years old and he has lived in Belgrade his whole life. At the height of the violence in the former Yugoslavia, he was offered a chance for a new life through a full scholarship at San Francisco State University. He turned it down.

Daniel wanted to stay in Belgrade and be part of rebuilding his home country when the war eventually finished. He wanted to start a business.

Daniel has since received two degrees in art and history, runs his own tour guide business and is working on his first book - a tourist guide to the sites and history of Belgrade.

He and his fiancÃ

recently bought their first investment; a house on the outskirts of Belgrade for 35,000 Euros.

Now I want you to meet Leotrim, the son of a Swiss banker whose name means 'brave one'. Leotrim is in his late twenties and is the smartest of the smart.

He is one of less than 100 graduates selected across Europe and the Middle-East for an exclusive development programs with one of the world's leading computer software companies.

He has worked hard throughout school and university and is committed to his work.

The problem is, like Daniel, he too wants to be an entrepreneur. Only he thinks he is 'too young' and is afraid of leaving the security of full-time employment in pursuit of his dream.

I came across these two fine young men in one 24 hour period this week during a business trip through Europe.

Leotrim was in one of my audiences, and Daniel was my paid advisor on Serbian history in preparation for my meeting with their economic and trade ministries.

I could not help but wonder, if they were both living in Australia, who I would put a bet on to be the most successful. I would have no hesitation to put my money behind Daniel!

Ask yourself; what really separates the successful from the unsuccessful in business and in life? Is it that they started with more money? Is it that they had a better education?

Or is it that they were more willing to take risks, in spite of the fear they may have had, than the rest of us?

I want to put to you that your level of success in life is directly proportionate to the level of risk you are prepared to take, followed closely by the amount of work you are prepared to put in after taking that risk to make it pay off.

But NOT the other way around! It is not about how hard you work. Leotrim has a tremendous track record of working hard only he will never put himself on the line to get the big pay-off.

All he has risked to get where he is today is fewer nights out with his friends. Daniel on the other hand risked his life and his livelihood.

They both work hard, but Daniel will be the more successful, because he is willing to take more risks.

Are you willing to take the same sort of risks? When was the last time you put it all on the line?

LNK

Hard work versus risk: which wins out?

Hard work versus risk: which wins out?

Anarcho-Capitalist Categorical Imperatives

AnCaps' Laissez-faire Free Trade Zone