What is risk, really? If you choose not to take advantage of an opportunity, you risk not accomplishing great things. If you go for it, you risk losing things that are important to you. You can’t escape risk. The only question, then, is, what are you willing to risk?

This is certainly not an original thought. Smarter, prettier people than I have explained this point much better and in much more detail. Right now, though, I need this reminder. I’m working on an amazing opportunity—putting together an event for World Usability Day.

It’s the first time I’ve done anything like this, and the task is daunting. But I see it as an opportunity to build a stronger local community of user experience practitioners. Should the event flop, though, I risk looking like a fool and losing credibility within the local community. What’s more: we’re late to the game. The event is little morethan 3 weeks away and we’re still in the planning stages, so the pressure is definitely on. And, as with all risk, (at least, all risk that I’ve encountered), the self-doubt is as great as the opportunity. But it’s just self-doubt, a side effect of risk. I can either have the courage to push forward with the event or give in to the self-doubt and throw in the towel. What am I doing? With the help of several friends, I’m going to organize an amazing event. And when my self-doubt hits me again, and it will, I’ll push through it. I’ll win.