Risk for Reward, Baby!

by Jason Torres
The ART of Entrepreneurship

What are you waiting for?
 
Why are you waiting to pursue your art?
 
Is it because you are afraid to take the risk?
 
Here’s what you need to know about risk- It’s a requirement my dear friends. Perhaps that’s something you were not taught in any of your art classes or the classes you take for your respective discipline. However, I’m here to tell you that there is a level of risk you must be willing to take if you are to pursue your art. Anyone that tells you otherwise is simply doing you a disservice.
 
If you talk to anyone that has created a career in the arts, I guarantee they will tell you that at some point in their journey, they made a decision to take a risk and bet on themselves.
 
You may ask, “What am I risking if I do this?”
 
It’s a valid question because I feel that if you have an idea of what you may be facing once you make the decision to pursue your art, it won’t come as such a surprise.
 
From meeting different artists and from personal experience, here’s what you may come up against when you decide to jump in: Criticism coming from different directions, angry parents, disappointed and/or confused family and friends, seasons of loneliness because people don’t understand what you’re doing, failure at different levels, moments of sadness and confusion, moments of frustration and anger, moments where you may want to quit, no financial security, no career security, and I can go on and on.
 
For those that are still with me after that list (and I do hope that’s everyone), you may be asking this follow-up question:
 
“Well, if it’s that risky, then why do it?”
 
Another fair question and here’s the response that I want you to reflect on:
 
Because the rewards on the other side is greater than the risk.
 
As you close out 2015 and prepare for the new year, I want to challenge each and every one of you to take a chance on yourself; just see what happens. The worse case scenario, I believe, is that you end up right back where you currently are; but, imagine the possibilities if you take that risk. Understand that the greatest artists the world has ever known all took a risk at some point in their journey, so you can either do it now or just keep waiting until you believe the time is right. If you ask me, I believe NOW is the best time!
 
I promise you that no one will take a chance on you if YOU don’t first take a chance on you. Go all in for 2016.
 
-JT