Yes, You Can Take Risks in Life — And You Should

A Leadership Speaker’s Case for Overcoming Fear and Choosing Growth Over Comfort

I’m a leadership keynote speaker, and I never saw it coming. They say wisdom comes with age. Often, that’s true. What also comes with life is decisions — a staggering number of them. Choices and directions we select every morning, afternoon, and evening, whether we realize it or not.

Yes, you can ask for a promotion or a raise — just be ready to back up the ask with reasons, and you very well may get what you want. Yes, you can move on from a relationship if it no longer serves you. It’s your life. Yes, you can move cities, towns, countries. More often than not, the biggest obstacle isn’t the move. It’s you.

There’s a kind of magic in keynoting conferences and events that’s hard to put into words. It’s humbling to be chosen to speak. The one-on-one moments afterward — when someone shares something deeply personal — give me a rare human-to-human connection that’s hard to find anywhere else. And then people applaud. Sometimes standing.

Why Taking Risks in Life Feels So Hard

Yes, you can start a family. Yes, you can change jobs. Yes, you can stay single. Yes, you can move. Yes, you can come out. Yes, you can fight for what you believe in. Yes, you can decide to be kind and help others. Yes, leadership begins with you.

Don’t make the mistake of settling into complacency. Don’t take the easy road just because it’s safe. Take control of your life. You’re old enough to take risks — and reap the rewards. The formula is simple, even if it’s not easy: remove fear, and move forward without it.

The Grit Behind Every Bold Decision

I didn’t set out to become an author. I didn’t envision becoming a keynote leadership speaker. I worked my corporate job, did well, and had an idea pop into my head. I acted on it and wrote my first book, Kidjacked: A Father’s Story.

Yes, I could change course after 20-plus years in corporate. Yes, I could take the risk, because it was my life — no one else’s. Yes, I fully expected I might fall on my face. But I didn’t.

What Grit Research Teaches Us About Taking Risks

“We’ve greatly exaggerated the risk of sinking, without celebrating the value of swimming.” — Seth Godin

How about you? Something is buzzing in your brain. An idea. A goal. Maybe a dream that feels too big to accomplish — zany, unreachable, even foolish. The voices and stories we create in our own minds are powerful. But the actions we take are stronger still, and they can lead to remarkable results.

How Fear Holds You Back From Taking Risks in Life

Yes, you can. And you should. The results will fall where they’re supposed to, and fear has no place deciding your outcome — unless you let it.

“There’s something liberating about not pretending. Dare to embarrass yourself. Risk.” — Drew Barrymore

Real Stories of Taking Risks in Life

Maya’s Story: Grit, Height, and Ground-Level Perspective

Maya approached me after a keynote and waited patiently while I listened to other attendees share their thoughts — on the presentation, on their jobs, on their lives. I caught a glimpse of her before we spoke. She’s hard to miss, standing over 6’2″, towering above most people around her.

“I’ve always let my height get in my way,” she told me. “I’ve always been tall for my age, and now, at 32, I have a different perspective. I look at things from ground level.”

I listened, intrigued. “During your presentation, you mentioned a study on grit. That resonated with me. A lot of what I’ve accomplished — professionally and personally — comes from deep within. I think I have grit.”

I smiled as she shared pieces of her journey. I was impressed, and humbled, as I so often am when people trust me with something that personal. It reminded me, again, why I love what I do. We talked for a few more minutes, and I thanked her for sharing — because underneath her words, I heard yes, I can. And those two empowering words, paired with and I should, can take you places you’ve only dreamed of.

Final Thoughts: Yes, You Can. And You Should.

Take action. Grab the opportunities waiting for you. Dare to risk, to dream, to act. There is much to gain when you do — and little to show for it when you don’t.

Yes, You Can. And You Should.

Continue the Leadership Conversation

The ideas in this article are part of a broader conversation about leadership, employee retention, workplace AI, and organizational change. Scott helps organizations across healthcare, government, manufacturing, financial services, technology, human resources, safety, early childhood education, and professional associations develop stronger leaders and build more engaged workplaces.

Explore Scott’s keynote programs:

• Leadership Speaker – Build stronger leaders, improve communication, and create high-performing teams.
• Employee Retention Keynote Speaker – Strengthen engagement, reduce turnover, and build workplaces where employees want to stay.
• Workplace AI Speaker – Help leaders and employees prepare for the future of work while keeping people at the center of organizational success.
• Change Management Speaker – Equip leaders with practical strategies for navigating disruption and leading organizational change with confidence.