As artists and business owners you're faced with far more "play it safe" decisions each day than "take a risk". Sometimes risks become incredible opportunities for growth and taking your business in new directions - they also help you fine tune your skill set.
by Skip Cohen I tweeted a quote yesterday from T. S. Eliot: "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go." It's Sunday morning, a great time to just ponder so many questions about life. Take a minute and just think about that quote. We're an industry of artists and we all have our heroes. I'm not talking about the icons that pack a room at a convention with a standing room only crowd, but our personal favorites. People who have come into our life, motivated us, helped spark an idea and supported us when we fell, helping us to get up and start all over again. In 2009 I made a decision that a lot of people suggested was a "risk going too far". I gave up a great job as President of WPPI and Rangefinder Magazine and decided to start my own company. I remember having serious second thoughts and my best friend, now my wife Sheila, said to me, "What are you afraid of?" My answer couldn't have come out quicker, "I'm afraid of failing!" I hate it when I repeat myself in various posts, because I've written about this before, but here's the point. There's no such thing as a sure thing in any business. We all have our hopes and aspirations and if you're lucky enough you've got a good buddy or two in your life to help you through the fog of business, the economy and technology. Like a lighthouse for a sailor, they're beacons that help us stay focused on our passion and protect us from the negativity around us. They help us dream. This is a business of risk and if you hold back on your potential you'll be looking back the rest of your life wondering what you might have accomplished. That means you have to give your best every day - no compromises on the quest to achieve your goals. "Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it! George Halas Illustration Credit: © iQoncept - Fotolia.com
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