Day 722 - Risk as an essential need - https://golifelog.com/posts/risk-as-an-essential-need-1671766412113
Read this from recent James Clear's newsletter:
> Philosopher [Simone Weil](https://www.amazon.com/Need-Roots-Declaration-Routledge-Classics/dp/0415271029) on the value of risk:
>
> "Risk is an essential need of the soul. The absence of risk produces a kind of boredom which paralyses in a different way from fear, but almost as much."
This resonated loads! Now I know why I chose to do what I do, why this indie solopreneur path. Why even when employed, I chose to do riskier special projects. Because risk is an essential need for a human being.
Just as she alluded, yes, being in constant fear isn't good. But a constant absence of risk in life is also just as bad. Just many things in life, the dosage makes the poison. It's beneficial in moderate dosages but harms in large dosages. This process is called hormesis.
I think this mirrors what they say about stress, a physiological consequence of risk. There's good types of stress, called eustress, where you feel excited but there isn't any real threat. There's acute stress which isn't harmful in itself as long as the stressor's been dealt with and you discharge and relax after. Bad stress is chronic stress. Likewise you can say that about taking on risk in life. Some risks are fun and exciting, with no threat or ruin. Some risks are acute but dissipate quickly. It's the constant risks that feel inescapable that becomes toxic.
Another parallel is exercise. In moderate amounts, exercise actually helps you grow stronger. It's like lifting weights. During the exercise you actually tear micro muscle fibres. It's in the recovery that you grow stronger. But if you overdo it, your body can't recover and you injure yourself sooner or later.
That why I love this indie solopreneur path. When done right, it gives me just the right level of risk that I can have fun with, or recover from, thus making me stronger and smarter each time. That's also why I'm not a fan of back-to-the-wall scenarios where you take the leap of faith and go all in. That's waaay too much risk or stress, especially now when I have family to feed (it might be more manageable if I was single).
The risk makes me feel more engaged with the work I do, and I get more personal growth and fulfilment out of it. It keeps me on my toes ever so slightly, making me feel more alive than the stability of employment. I could never take anything for granted as an indie, make no assumptions, and offer no certainty.
Every action is a bet, and every result is at best a hint.
I'm never bored on this journey. That's why I love it so much and want to keep doing this for as long as I'm healthy and clear of mind.
Risk some, or die (inwardly).
> Philosopher [Simone Weil](https://www.amazon.com/Need-Roots-Declaration-Routledge-Classics/dp/0415271029) on the value of risk:
>
> "Risk is an essential need of the soul. The absence of risk produces a kind of boredom which paralyses in a different way from fear, but almost as much."
This resonated loads! Now I know why I chose to do what I do, why this indie solopreneur path. Why even when employed, I chose to do riskier special projects. Because risk is an essential need for a human being.
Just as she alluded, yes, being in constant fear isn't good. But a constant absence of risk in life is also just as bad. Just many things in life, the dosage makes the poison. It's beneficial in moderate dosages but harms in large dosages. This process is called hormesis.
I think this mirrors what they say about stress, a physiological consequence of risk. There's good types of stress, called eustress, where you feel excited but there isn't any real threat. There's acute stress which isn't harmful in itself as long as the stressor's been dealt with and you discharge and relax after. Bad stress is chronic stress. Likewise you can say that about taking on risk in life. Some risks are fun and exciting, with no threat or ruin. Some risks are acute but dissipate quickly. It's the constant risks that feel inescapable that becomes toxic.
Another parallel is exercise. In moderate amounts, exercise actually helps you grow stronger. It's like lifting weights. During the exercise you actually tear micro muscle fibres. It's in the recovery that you grow stronger. But if you overdo it, your body can't recover and you injure yourself sooner or later.
That why I love this indie solopreneur path. When done right, it gives me just the right level of risk that I can have fun with, or recover from, thus making me stronger and smarter each time. That's also why I'm not a fan of back-to-the-wall scenarios where you take the leap of faith and go all in. That's waaay too much risk or stress, especially now when I have family to feed (it might be more manageable if I was single).
The risk makes me feel more engaged with the work I do, and I get more personal growth and fulfilment out of it. It keeps me on my toes ever so slightly, making me feel more alive than the stability of employment. I could never take anything for granted as an indie, make no assumptions, and offer no certainty.
Every action is a bet, and every result is at best a hint.
I'm never bored on this journey. That's why I love it so much and want to keep doing this for as long as I'm healthy and clear of mind.
Risk some, or die (inwardly).