Risks and Challenges

I was having an interesting conversation about risk taking the other day.  I think I am typically risk averse; I don’t have a home loan (oh, the commitment and the debt!?!), I always validate my train ticket, I have a million different insurance policies, and I always wear a helmet when riding my bike.  But in other aspects of my life I have what some might see as a stupidly high risk tolerance.  I left the country at 19 to travel and work overseas for a year; I moved states to chase the “dream” of being a public servant (which thankfully didn’t come to pass!); I quit a permanent job to go travelling for a year after getting married; I quit another permanent job to strike out on my own as a consultant, and I decided to do a Masters by research rather than coursework because I wanted the “challenge”. 

In taking these risks I always knew I could rely on support if it really hit the fan; from my family, my friends and especially my partner.  In this conversation about risk it became clear that many of these risks – particularly some of the more crazy ones, were done with a safety net ready to catch me if I needed it. 

This year I will step off into some brand new challenges – maybe not risks but massive challenges!  Next week I will take my first trip to Africa, one of only two inhabitable continents I am yet to visit.  My role as Course Adviser on the Australia Awards Africa program will allow me to do something I love – talk about higher education to people who aspire to make a difference for themselves and their countries.  And not only that, I will get to learn about countries and people in a part of the world I don’t know much about (yet!).  It will also mean leaving my family behind at least three times – which will be a challenge in itself (what was I saying about having great support!).

The other big challenge I will begin to tackle this year (‘cos this one is likely to take a while) is a PhD.  To everyone I told I would never study again after my Masters, I’m sorry – it seems I was wrong.  And to those I will whinge to over the next few years – I am sorry in advance!  I am excited, and just a bit daunted, by the prospect of reading, researching, interviewing and learning a whole lot more about scholarships and public diplomacy.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be in a position to take these risks, and take on these challenges – I have benefited from an excellent education, I have the ability to type fast (great for getting admin jobs in far off lands) and a saving ethos that I can thank my parents for!  And perhaps most importantly, the confidence in myself and my abilities to know that even if it is a challenge, I can do it.

In the meantime, my family deals with the prospect of dealing with me, dealing with these challenges!  My oldest daughter starts school this year, so will no doubt have many of her own challenges to face, and risks (calculated I hope) to take.  I hope as parents we can help her to gain the confidence to do whatever she needs to, to make herself happy and fulfilled.  And of course, always be the safety net. 

At the risk of ending this post on a particularly sappy note, I will take this moment to quote from one of my favourite movies, with a line that often crosses my mind as I step onto a plane heading somewhere new -  “A life lived in fear is a life half lived” (from Strictly Ballroom of course!).