When was the last time you tried a food you’d never tasted before?
Something that made you hesitate for a second. Maybe it looked unusual, smelled strange, had a weird texture or didn’t feel safe.
I once ate a live razor clam.
When I put it in my mouth, it was still alive. Even gave me a little wiggle.
Not for a bet. It was in the brilliant Michelin starred restaurant Hjem, here in Northumberland.
I dived in, my mate Gavin did too, Christine and Louise gave it a swerve and stuck to the fresh baked bread.
Most people would avoid that little risk. I know people who won’t try korma - too spicy and yoghurt - because they saw it was made during their national Service in 1957.
They’ll stick with what they know. And while it’s only dinner, it’s also a clue to something bigger: we’ve stopped taking risks in other parts of life too.
Not the safety kind of risks. Seatbelts, warning signs, safety procedures - they exist for a reason.
I’m talking about the human risks: tasting something new, making the call, asking the question, stepping forward when you’d rather stay put.
The risk of rejection is a big one. We convince ourselves that ‘no’ will hurt, so we don’t ask at all. We hold back ideas in meetings, avoid calling that customer and even stop ourselves from saying a simple hello.
And yet, what’s the worst that usually happens? Someone says no. You don’t like the taste. The door doesn’t open.
But what if it does? What if it’s a yes? What if that new flavour becomes your favourite, that call leads to a breakthrough, that introduction starts a friendship?
The real danger isn’t in trying.
It’s in never trying at all.
Go on… take a risk. Not a reckless one, just a human one.
Try a food you’ve never eaten. Make a call you’ve been putting off. Ask for something you want. Say hello to a stranger.
The moment you jump into jeopardy, you remind yourself that growth, connection and possibility live on the other side of even the smallest risk.
Be Brilliant!
Michael
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