The gamble

“The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.” - Leo F. Buscaglia

What's the biggest gamble you've ever taken in your life? That's a question I find myself asking errr... myself. For many of us, a common gamble is that of post-secondary education. We go to pursue an education. We pay thousands of dollars so that we may become more marketable as individuals in the "Real World." It doesn't guarantee employment, but it definitely improves your odds.

Outside of that, how far have you pushed yourself? Have you ever put everything you've cherished on the line? How much of your life is dedicated to playing it safe?

There is a neat shift in life as we age. As we get older its easy to fall into a rut. This rut is in fact the safest path to achieve those things we want in life. As you grow wiser, you know its unwise to put all your eggs in one basket. You realize that risk-taking can be extremely irresponsible if you do so with undue care. Sometimes though, I think age and wisdom shackle us. It makes us fearful of stepping through possible doors of opportunity. We stick to the plan. We make safe choices. We do what we think is right for us and our families.

I think there needs to be a balance though. Risk-taking separates the do-ers from the dreamers. The "have's" in life who have built themselves up likely did so by taking many calculated risks. Some have gotten there on gut feeling. If you always play it safe, then you miss out on the excitement of achieving those things you may have thought were unachievable.

I think I'm talking about this today because today was not a bright point for the Green Traveller. I found out that a possible contract that could have helped finance portions of our project was given to someone else. At first i was bummed. I quickly realized though, this helps my resolve. It makes the challenge of bringing the Green Traveller to fruition, even harder. It makes the story behind the dream even more meaningful.

I realize this is a huge undertaking with no clear path. It's a huge personal investment without any guaranteed pay-off. The whole thing may fizzle, even after the pilot is complete. I could very well fail at the pitching level. We may not even get the weather to cross the Hecate Straits. Well my friends that's what you call playing the odds. The odds don't look favorable at the moment, but in the end when a gamble pays off, those odds are quickly forgotten.

In this moment, I choose to bet on Green. I choose to weather all the storms. All those who would rather dismiss this project then take it seriously only are giving me the fuel to do this on my own terms. For those that are with me, I hope we can all share in the achievement of a fully realized dream.