What Is There to Lose?

This is standard rhetoric, right?  It's twin is, "hey, give it a chance... what have you got to lose"?  So, let's talk about it.

I recently wrote a post about risk aversion and people having the fear of losing their money.  OK.  So this is on the table.  If things don't work out for you, you stand to lose some money.  I get it.  No judgment here.  Many need to choose the safe route and consider it the mature and responsible thing to do, especially if living month to month and hand-to-mouth.  If this is you, God bless you.

But for those willing to take the next step, what else is there to lose?  Time invested?  Personal credibility, especially if you are not successful?  Failed aspirations and not achieving a goal?  Suffice it to say that there are may things "riding" on success or failure.  This is the reality.  This is life.  You can probably add items and create your own list of how you stand to lose.

When I studied abroad, about two weeks into my experience I was really questioning my decision to go to Columbia (he country).  I didn't understand the language, I was a very tall guy in a very short culture, I could not express myself adequately... and then one of the faculty members said this to me, "It is better to regret having done something than to regret never having done it at all".  That brief bit of sage advice changed my attitude toward that experience and is advice I have relied on in the balance of my life.

As such, let me frame, "what you have to lose" this way.  You lose knowing if you could have made something work for yourself.  You lose the possibility of a brighter future that more stable finances will enable.  You miss out on finding out if a community actually exists that will help you learn and grow and prosper.

This is not a cheesy attempt to appeal to the devil and the angel on each of your shoulders whispering in your ear.  It is simply meant to be something to consider in evaluating information - as you gather all the facts in deciding whether or not to join us.

We encourage your hard analysis and wish you the best in your decision-making process as we hope to welcome you into our learning community.