Security is mostly a superstition.
It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men
as a whole experience it.
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than
outright exposure.
Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
A sense of security is one of the most basic human needs. Most people value security because feeling secure feels good. But is it possible that your need for absolute security and surety are actually inhibiting the fullness of your life?
If you look at most of the successful self-made people in the world, you will probably notice that many of them had to endure what would be considered a large degree of insecurity. For example, according to some studies, the average self-made millionaire went broke more than 3 times on the way to their monetary goals.
Most people crave financial security, yet how many would be willing to put themselves into situations where they might end up broke, just to achieve that security? So then the question is, do these successful people have less need to feel safe? Or perhaps they simply see security in a different way.
What’s the difference?
Most very successful people feel secure the majority of the time. They feel secure in themselves and in their abilities. They always have those two things available to them, regardless of their external circumstances. Not having enough money is just a nuisance. While not ideal, it is not really the end of the world.
Risk vs. Reward
Most people would say that they would feel more secure with $250,000 in the bank, a house that is completely paid off, a stable job, and good health insurance. The problem is that by the time most people achieve all of these things, they nearly out of time. No one lives forever.
So to achieve the things that make you feel secure, the fastest path is usually to take some action that might create a feeling of insecurity in the short term. Taking some risk may be necessary to create a life that is full of security. As with many other things in life, security frequently comes down to looking at the risk vs. the reward of a situation.
Starting your own business might be “risky.” You might go broke. You might have to sleep on a friend’s couch. But is that really the end of your world? Did you know that Sylvester Stallone was completely broke and his wife was pregnant when he was out hustling, trying to sell his script for Rocky?
He even turned down $200,000 for the script because that particular film company would not let him star in the movie. He ultimately took less for the script, just to be able to be in the movie because he knew it would be worth the risk. Stallone is now worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Would you have taken a similar chance? If your sense of security came from within you, then yes!
Inner vs. External Security
So, how can you change so that your feeling of security comes from inside of you rather than from outside?
First, you need to simply decide that you are going to change your perspective.
You also need to believe that you have the capacity to handle any bumps that occur along the way.
That’s it! Just those two things are all you need.
It is not always easy, but you need to avoid letting your need for security undermine the achievement of your dreams.
If you feel that you need to wait until all of your needs for security are met, all of your proverbial ducks are in a row, before you chase your dreams, you will very likely run out of time before you reach your goal line. Ask yourself if you really need all of those external things to feel secure. Then go get some real security.
Thoughts?
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