Given a choice between taking chances (that can result in great success or great failure) or not taking chances, what do you think is in the end better for your career?

For purposes of mutual understanding, I see ‘taking chances’ as large positive and negative swings in your career progression as a result of your choice to not always play it safe. I see ‘not taking chances’ as more of the idea that you are risk averse in your career and job decisions, thereby mitigating a lot of risk, but also giving up certain potential successes.

If you take chances (some of which waste company money and/or cause you to be reprimanded), do you think you’ll end up overall making more money, being happier with your success, etc even though your risks might result in you missing promotions/raises or even being fired now and then?

If you don’t take risks and therefore never draw attention to yourself for significant success or failure, do you think you will end up making more money, being happier with your success, etc even though you’re forgoing the opportunity to really stand out?

Are you risk loving or risk averse? Do you think that will get you further than the alternative or would you be safer somewhere in the middle?

Tags: career path, career progression, failure, job satisfaction, risk aversion, risk loving, success

This entry was posted on Friday, November 21st, 2008 at 11:53 am and is filed under questions, work. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.