Take a Risk and Live the Life of Your Dreams

Kalei Beamon Jul 25, 2013 · 3 min read

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Take a Risk and Live the Life of Your Dreams

Two and a half years ago I packed a suitcase and booked a one-way ticket to Los Angeles.

I was living in Chicago at the time and had gone through a period of great personal and professional growth, followed by a period of stagnation.

I think one of the worst things that can happen to you in life is to get too comfortable. When things are comfortable and predictable, it’s very easy to get complacent.

There is a tendency to stop challenging yourself.

And frankly, when that happens, life can get a little boring.

It’s only in times of discomfort, that you discover what you are made of.

My first taste of this was back in 2004 when the company I was working for went out of business.

Long before the doors closed, I knew I should have moved on.

But I didn’t because I was comfortable.

And I believed in the illusion of job security and a steady paycheck.

After that myth was shattered, I started to see the world differently. I did something I never did before…start my own business.

For years, I had the time of my life.

I traveled the world doing freelance video production projects.

I took up dance classes and performed in a number of dance shows.

But after a while, I started to feel that stagnation.

I was comfortable. And to be honest, I wasn’t really challenging myself either.

And I was stuck.

I always had a dream of acting on a dramatic television series. And I knew if that was going to happen, I had to leave Chicago. So I started taking steps in that direction.

When I landed an agent in Los Angeles, I knew it was time to go.

With no plan, whatsoever, I just left.

That was a risk!

Some people thought I was crazy.

And there were some that thought I was straight up stupid.

But I did it anyway because I understood the bigger risk was not doing anything at all.

You see in life, you are either moving forward or you are moving backward.

You never stay in the same place.

So how do you keep moving forward?

It starts by knowing when you are resting on your laurels.

If you are coasting along day by day without any real challenge or hardship, you’re probably moving backwards because you are not challenging yourself.

So start looking for areas in life where you can take a risk.

It doesn’t have to be huge, like moving cross country.

But start asking yourself in what ways can you step up your game.

Know what the next level in your life or in your career is, and get out of your comfort zone to make that a reality.

It could be meeting new people. Or taking on a project that you have never done before.

Taking a class. Starting a business.

Whatever it takes to expand your mind and your skills.

And to be honest, that past 2 and a half years have not been easy. But they may turn out to be the best two years of my life. I have grown so much personally and professionally, that it makes all the discomfort worthwhile.

It’s amazing how taking one little risk can open up a whole world of possibilities.

Join me know and I’ll show you how to use a blog to start creating success and wealth in your life.

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