The Match of a Lifetime: A Parable

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Re: The Match -- and Risk Taking

From: Dale Williams
Date: 10/12/00
Time: 1:56:37 PM
Remote Name: 131.91.248.210

Comments

Steve,

Thank you very much. It is certainly a thrill to get positive feedback from someone so respected in the field.

Yes, as the essay evolved, risk taking emerged as the central theme in my mind. Not risk taking as in jumping off a cliff to see what happens, but more in line with the old clichés: Without risk there is no reward, take one step backward to get 2 steps forward, the only people who never fail are those who never try, take your shot, go for it, etc. (i.e., risk with a discernible goal).

In many activities, as you note, one can not improve without trying something new. And one can not immediately excel at this something new. Thus, facing challenges (sometimes unsuccessfully) is a necessary part of growth. In tennis or golf, I can play the safe shot and do so without error, but I will never improve, never develop the better shot, if I never attempt it. At lunch, I can eat the fries plain or use a preparatory set and ask for "keh-keh-keh-ketchup." In each case, the former strategy has the short-term reward of getting me through the moment safely (albeit at a cost of reinforcing some unhealthy fears). The riskier tactics may be initially uncomfortable (unless, as you imply, I learn to embrace risk taking), but they could lead toward long range benefits, be it adding another shot to my arsenal or loosening the grip that nasty /k/ has over me.

In any case, I'm doing a lot of restating of what you wrote. As you can tell, this issue is one that has been on my mind a lot lately.

Good luck on the course Saturday.

Dale


Last changed: September 12, 2005