I came across this introvert/extrovert quiz by Susan Cain recently and decided to take it even though I knew the answer.
These kinds of quizzes are mostly silly and I don’t believe in diminishing myself to a few letters spit out by some easily-manipulated and incredibly flawed test. A personality assessment isn’t as simple as answering yes/no questions.
But one of the questions struck me as interesting.
True or False: I’m not a big risk-taker.
Most people would probably choose False for me. I know this because I’ve been called a risk-taker far too many times to count. I choose the far more accurate True for myself. I’m risk averse.
The issue is most people’s definition of risk is flat out, unquestionably, wrong.
For example, some people would say me jumping out of a plane or bungy jumping is risky when, in fact, driving your car to work is riskier. (If we’re talking life/death.)
“You would have to jump 17 times per year for your risk of dying in a skydiving accident to equal your risk of dying in a car accident if you drive 10,000 miles per year.”¹
And that’s if you drive just 10,000 miles per year. Most people drive more.
Fear ≠ risk.
This isn’t to say skydiving isn’t scary. Logically it may not be risky, but our fears can still get the best of us.
In other words, just because you’re afraid of something doesn’t make it risky.
So what is risky?
Is starting a business risky? Scary, sure. Risky? Hmm …
Is quitting your job risky? It may be scary, but is it risky?
Is dropping out of school risky? Again, scary, yes. But risky?
Is traveling to far off lands risky? If you’ve never done it before it’s likely very scary. But the question remains, is it risky?
Truth is, under most circumstances, none of this stuff is particularly risky.
More often than not we convince ourselves into believing something is risky based on fears that have no logical relation to risk.
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Risk and fear, at the end, is almost the same as «courage != foolness».
Interesting observation Pau. It’s true, we often confuse courage with foolishness. Although those are more subjective since there’s no easy way to quantify them. Risk is quantifiable.
Interesting thoughts. I hadn’t thought about it that way before. The skydiving vs. driving comparison really made me think!
Thanks Robert. Happy to make you think.
So true. Spoke with one of my entrepreneurship professors about this, most people think entrepreneurs are huge risk takers. But really, the best ones are risk mitigators – they have the vision to see challenges that will come, and plan for it as much as possible. So yea, risk-taker, no way. Risk-mitigator, hell yea!
Risk-mitigator: interesting. It’s true, entrepreneurs take what may seem like risks, but what’s the risk in a learning experience?
Thanks Sachit.
Karol,
Thank you for this thoughtful redefining of risk. I’ve often thought we needed a better word/idea/concept than “risk” for these sorts of actions like starting your own business, traveling alone in foreign countries, etc.
So often when I read your writing, I’m nodding my head yes, thinking, “me too – I feel that way”.
I am living in Mexico again and mostly what I hear from others is how “risky” it is. But no one says that about living in Chicago where I grew up.
Now I can reference your post as part of that conversation. Thank you!
Oh goodness, last month I went on a weeklong private retreat ~90 minutes south of Cancun and at least a handful of people thought I should know how risky it is to go there. haha
It’s difficult to state just how much more risk there is in many US cities because facts don’t seem to matter when someone has made up their minds otherwise.
Thanks Lisa!
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