“The more you seek security, the less of it you will have. And the more you pursue opportunity, the more security you will achieve.” Brian Tracy

I talk to people all the time who tell me that want to start a business or leave their job because they either hate what they do, are just plain ole’ miserable or both. Even though they despise where they work and what they do, for some reason they are still too afraid to leave! Their reasoning as to why is they believe, somehow, that they have security. Well, if you think you’ve got job security just ask some of these folks who, after working at major corporations for 15-20 years and were suddenly laid off, if there’s any such thing as job security. You’ll quickly find that the answer is no.

When you really think about it, nothing in life comes with out a risk… after all when you wake up in the morning and walk out your door you are taking a risk. Everything you do comes with some level of “risk” but I guess in the end you have to decide if the “risk” is worth the “reward”.

This week I was presented with an awesome opportunity. One that seemed… well too good to be true honestly! It was everything I have wanted and wished for and without looking for it… it found me. Because we are still in negotiations I can’t go into many details but I can tell you this… I almost passed it up. Why? There’s a lot… no, make that a ton of risk involved but the reward… well let’s just say it’s priceless.

While contemplating this opportunity, I had a really good friend tell me that “I needed to decide if this was what I really wanted for myself and if so then I needed to take action and move forward with confidence.” I coach people on how to live successful lives and how to have anything they want by just going after it and this friend had to put me in my place by telling me “don’t preach what I don’t practice”.

Wow! The nerve of him! Who does he think he is! But guess what… he was right.

See, sometimes we are so hell-bent on “not rocking the boat” or preserving what we have because we feel “secure”. If you do this enough times you will get to a point that you are no longer willing to gamble on yourself and what you believe, and know, in your heart is your calling, and ultimately your true destiny…

This opportunity will literally change my life and ultimately the life of my family. So if it all works out… well then it’s the best decision I’ve ever made and if not… well… I don’t have to tell you but there’s one thing I do know for certain. That I will know, without any doubt that I moved forward with conviction and that I live with no regrets…

I guess when you really look at it the same thing applies to everything you do in life. Like in business, I mean sometimes your risks are calculated but in most cases they are not. Even when you have the best laid out business plan that details out the who, what, when and why… you can still fail because nothing in life is guaranteed.

For all of the business ventures I have started, some have done well while others have failed miserably. Sometimes things sound great on paper but do not work in the real world. There are also times that you start something that works for a while and then suddenly, it slows down or even worse – it stops altogether. Unfortunately, that’s one of the joys of being a business owner and it’s also part of life! Just like in life, with a business you will have ups and downs but the important thing to do is to keep going and not give up.

When I think back to when I first started out, I wasn’t necessarily seeking security…. I was seeking an opportunity to control my own destiny. As I get older, I now find myself seeking security however; I still don’t want to miss out on opportunity.

I guess that being said – that’s the true makings of an entrepreneur. The only difference is I now know that when it’s all said and done you can get the security that you so desire. Perhaps not financial security but you’ll be free from care, anxiety, or doubt because you’ll know that you took a gamble and played the game… knowing that you only live once. And most of all you can feel confident in your mind that your fear did not cause you to miss out on the “opportunity” of a lifetime.

"Never Let The Fear Of Striking Out Keep You From Playing The Game.” Unknown

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Pam Lawhorne

Pam Lawhorne is a serial entrepreneur, small business expert and creative marketing consultant, who provides advice, guidance, and encouragement to aspiring CEO's around the nation in her popular seminars and publications. She is the Chief Empowerment Officer of Empower U, Incorporated, a training and consulting firm that specializes in interactive workshops, seminars and coaching programs.

Ms. Lawhorne is the author of From Minimum Wage To Getting Paid! - How To Become A Successful Entrepreneur With No Money, Education Or Experience! and she is also a syndicated columnist who writes articles on empowerment, entrepreneurship, personal development, creative marketing and real estate investing. Her articles appear nationally in newspapers, magazines, and on numerous business websites and on-line publications. For additional information please visit her website: www.PamLawhorne.com.

The above article is copyright 2003-2008 by Pam Lawhorne. Permission to repost is freely granted so long as the text is not altered in any way, and the copyright and link are included.