On Success: Know When NOT To Roll The Dice

The flipside of being willing to take risks is knowing when you should not do so.

The bad news is that there is no way you can get this knowledge without the experience of failure. The good news is that you don't have to do that failure experience. The capacity to review the failures of others, analyze what went wrong and why accurately, and then assimilate what you learn into your own practices is a vital component to lasting, long-term success.

One of those lessons? Recognizing when the risk is not worth taking. Maybe someone's trying to scam you. Maybe the info is misinformation or disinformation, in whole or in part, and therefore unreliable upon consideration and analysis. Maybe the conditions changed and now it's beyond your capacity to execute or your ability to absorb failure. Whatever the reason, knowing when you should not take the risk is as important as being willing and able to take the risk.

Know when to walk away.