Monday, January 26, 2009

Taking Risks

If you had to come up with a name and song that represented your industry or sector, what would be your answer? This was the challenge facing over 70 members at the recent Company of Women mix & mingle dinner.

We’d pre-arranged for people to sit at tables with their peers and encouraged a sense of abundance instead of competition among the women.

As I wandered around the room, I could see that some groups were really getting into it, while others struggled, particularly those in the finance industry. “we’re black and white, not creative” explained one member of the group, and you certainly could feel their anguish at the task assigned.

One group – the coaches – had us all on our feet, clapping our hands and singing “yes I can” and another did a take on Desperate Housewives, but guess who won? The financial planners or the “Money Honeys” as they may prefer to be called. And their song – the 12 months of financial planning, sung to The Twelve Days of Christmas.

All of which goes to show, that when you step outside your comfort zone, take a risk – you’ve got nothing to lose, and sometimes you actually win.

As the late Dr. David Viscott, author of Risking wrote “If you cannot risk, you cannot grow. If you cannot grow, you cannot become your best. If you cannot become your best, you cannot be happy. If you cannot be happy, what else matters.

So kudos to the Money Honeys.

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