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Taking risks and personal growth

Taking risks is an essential part of personal growth.

On Monday 12 October, I had the opportunity to speak at MoMondays in London, Ontario. The London venue is the biggest MoMondays event in Canada with on average an audience of over 400.

Taking risks
MoMondays London

It was an exciting evening with a good crowd even though it was Thanksgiving Day for Canada. For me it was an example of taking risks that I seldom flinch from. It was a bigger stage than I have spoken from and a larger audience than I have addressed for many years.

My message was: It’s not what happens to you in life, it’s what you do about it that counts

I told part of my story to show that we have the choice to remain victims of our circumstances and wallow in misery or to survive, overcome adversity and thrive.

It’s all about the choices we make.

Not about bad parents, unhelpful school teachers, spiteful siblings, too little or too much money in the household when we were children, our gender, race, religion or any of the other reasons blamed for making bad choices.

Interestingly, the other 5 speakers also mentioned choices in their stories.

There were other common threads in the speeches, several speakers had faced and overcome severe adversity. Others had dealt with challenges with their children.

All were taking risks standing on stage exposing their vulnerabilities to the audience. All were well received.

That’s how we grow, by taking risks.

Some personality types find taking risks easier than others. I know that I am comfortable with taking risks. Many have worked out well for me, some have been spectacular mistakes. A few have almost cost me my life. But I have learned from all of them and I know that I would not have had the interesting and exciting life I have if I had not been taking risks along the way.

MoMondays is the inspiration of Michel Neray, it is a sort of monthly variety show for speakers with an inspiring story. It has spread to 14 cities in Canada.

It’s fun both to attend and to speak at.

Take some risks of your own, go to one near you, or something similar if you live outside Canada, apply to be a speaker and tell your story.

leave a comment to share some of the risks you have taken.

p.s. This photo was taken by Sue yesterday on a walk with Mike the dog on the road down the side of the farm where we live. It has little to do with taking risks other than any walk with Mike involves some risk – of embarrassment if not injury.

The Fall colours have been brilliant this week.

T

2 Comments

  1. Tim Gibney

    Peter congratulations! As I know you story I am very pleased that you were able to share it to a larger audience. Yes the more you tell others how life is all about what you do when something happens and not remain the victim you take steps to help improve our world.

  2. Roberta

    Great post, Peter. Everything you wrote in today’s post is true and right on. A good philosophy of life is just to ‘keep on keeping on.’

    Love your wife’s picture. She should take more. Wish she had a blog to share more beautiful pics like this one.

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