The Career Risks You Want to Take

There are many stories about how people became successful by taking extreme leaps of faith. Like Bill Gates who dropped out of Harvard U, Sara Blakely spending all of her savings on Spanx, and Jack Ma turning his wildest dreams into a reality when everyone told him it won’t work.

For these people, playing it safe was not how they reached their career goals. Of course, the disclaimer is you shouldn’t make any reckless moves that can potentially damage your career. You don’t necessarily need to quit your job, invest all of your savings in a new business, and move to a different city…. sometimes, the risks you take can be small but at the same time take you a step closer to your dreams whether it is owning a business or going up the career ladder.

Like these ones:

1. Ask for More
Heard of “If you don’t ask, you don’t get?” You can apply to that your career. If you want more responsibilities to pick up new skills or if you think you deserve to be considered for a promotion, well – you gotta ask.

It’s not likely that your boss will tell you no, especially if you’ve proven yourself worthy of it. Instead is you and your boss will have a conversation to find something that works both ways, and when that happens, do your best to negotiate! Think about what you want. Are you growing in your current position where you can prove your worth? If not, figure out what you need to succeed. Create a plan to help get where you want to be in your career. Even if you don’t get what you want, know your value and explore opportunities that will help you reach your full potential.

2. Be a Yes Man
Another risk you want to take is to accept tasks, more often than not… even if it is out of your comfort zone or if no one else in your team wants to! It’s important not to pass up an opportunity to learn. By saying yes, you may pick up a new skill or knowledge that you can apply later on in your career as you grow more confident to enhance it. Who knows – maybe dipping your toes in unfamiliar waters will help you find a new interest.

3. Go for a lower salary
Gasp, we know! But hear us out: It’s natural to want a job that pays. But remember the phrase “Money can’t buy you happiness”? There are a lot of things to consider when accepting a job, and of course, the numbers on your paycheck is just one of them. But also ask yourself these important questions: Does this company share your values? Will your work be appreciated? Will you have the flexibility you desire? And most importantly, does this job give you the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally?

Your job should allow you to have a healthy work-life balance. It needs to contribute to your happiness and give you enough time to flourish in and outside of your work. If you continue to work with a pace and way that you don’t enjoy, your large paycheck may create more damage than otherwise.