Betting On Yourself: How to Do It and Why It's Important

Too Long; Didn't Read

There’s something about being an entrepreneur that seems to attract the risk-takers. Well, it makes sense, doesn’t it? If you’re going to forge a new path in the business world, there are no footsteps to follow. There’s no one to say, “Yeah, that’ll work!” because there’s no certainty in a new endeavor. It’s a bit of a gamble, and that means we have to bet on our only horse in the race — ourselves. But it doesn’t come naturally to everyone; in fact, some of us feel held back by invisible barriers, and pushed down by intangible ceilings. Life has taught us to be careful and to play it safe. If you look at the most successful entrepreneurs, though — Jeff Bezos, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, and even Thomas Edison — you’ll find that they all have one thing in common: they had to bet on themselves to find success. At points in all of their careers, they were their own sole supporters. So why don’t we bet on ourselves? Why do we choose to play it safe instead of taking a chance and going for broke? Let’s explore some of the reasons and then look at how to overcome them.