Risk Taking 101

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Recommended: Understand the importance of risk taking in everyday life

“So in conclusion, for Americans to lose weight, they must EAT...” were some of the final confident words that escaped my mouth as I firmly clinched the win for best impromptu. I found myself smiling as the judges laughed and applauded my comical yet thoughtful speech. But I wasn't always a good speaker. In fact, only a year earlier would you find a nervous, bullet-sweating version of me standing in front of another group of judges. Speaking in front of others was definitely not my forte, but neither was my ability to take risks. I soon found out just how important that ability is and how to properly use it.

Like many students, I was deathly afraid of any form of public speaking. Unlike many students, I would keep to myself most of the time. As a result, the normal signs of this fear were all there and well magnified: shaking, profuse sweating, and stuttering. It became so bad that no matter how much practice I had earlier, words would always allude me when the time came to speak in front of my peers. There had to be a way out of this terrible introversion. That is when I decided to take one of the biggest risks of my life: joining the speech and debate team. If diving head first into my fear didn't cure me, then what else will?

Meeting the debate coach turned out to be different than initially expected. Mrs Janewski was a very unassuming, yet cheerful and confident person. The strangest thing was that these values were somehow magically transferred to her audience as she spoke. Somehow I knew she was the key to all my problems. On the very first meeting she sat us all down and imparted her secret. “I know it may seem that speaking in front of people is an exclusive ability, but in reality it's an easily acq...

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...d into laughter. “...they must EAT. E – exercise everyday for a healthier lifestyle. A – accept that sometimes it's okay be an elephant. And T – teach our future children the value of a salad,” I proclaimed with a look of confidence plastered across my face.

Later, at the awards ceremony, it came as no surprise that I received the trophy for best impromptu speech. I was finally over my fear of speaking in front of others. As long as I took a risk to make people laugh, I knew I would be alright. Words no longer alluded me as I became a confident person in front of everyone. While taking risks could lead to disastrous consequences, they could also lead to glorious outcomes as well. This is the lesson I learned and what I continue to use to this very day. Thanks to Mrs Janewski and my friends Greg and Elliot, I will never forget how I learned to take risks.

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