Risk[ad#posts] As I was driving to work, I thought about the hundreds of other cars sharing the road with me. I’m certain that a majority of them were driving to work, a place where they do not want to be. See I’m one of the few people who actually enjoys their work and loves the company that they work for. Yes there are other things I would love to be doing instead, such as going to Safeco Field and watching the Seattle Mariners, but I have not placed myself in the opportunity to do so right now. I am still a part of the Rat Race, though I am taking steps forward to get out.

Now 97% of the population follows a formula. My mentor Jerry “dRhino” Clark calls it the “Formula to Success” and I am more than positive everyone has heard of this formula before. In order to be success, simply follow these basic steps, and you too can retire rich and travel al over the world. Ready for the formula:

  1. Go to College
  2. Study Hard
  3. Get a job
  4. Work Hard
  5. Become Middle Management
  6. And retire at the age of 65

That sounds simple and we have all be taught that growing up, but why aren’t there more people who are living the dream? The answer is simple, it doesn’t work!

Now I want to be financially independent, and in order to get there, I am going to have to leave the Rat Race. And the number 1 way of doing that, do the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of what everyone else is doing. When you hear the word “Risk”, what goes through your mind, heart, etc. I asked a few people working at a local retail store and these were the answers that I got back:

The thought of risk can only be based on assessing the situation and the gravity of the consequences.

I don’t take risks because you always gamble on loosing something. If I take a risk and it doesn’t work, I just lost.

The thought of taking a risk makes me nervous. Why risk losing something if I don’t have to.

I then asked a millionaire friend of mine who enjoys a 3-million dollar a year income the same question.

To live your life in abundance, you HAVE to take risks because that is the only way you are going to get ahead of everyone else. If everyone takes one step at a time, they move forward. Well what if instead of taking a step forward, I jump forward 2 spots? Anything can happen, I can fall down, I can lose my way. But I can also be ahead of everyone else. It’s by taking risks that got me and my wife out of the “Rat Race”.

I find it incredibly interesting that the average person associated Risk with Loss, while the successful person associated Risk with Gain. In all of my financial adventures when I am about to make an investment or start a new business, all of my friends have always discouraged me and tried to protect me from “taking a risk”. Well it has been through those risks that I have been able to enjoy a freer life than the same friends who did not want me to take the risk.

If you want to take a look at your financial forecast, take a look at your philosophies that are associated with the topic of Risk. This will give you great insight as to your future.