Right Risk

Right Risk

West of Kilkenny, in the heart of southern Ireland, is the little town of Galmoy, the birthplace of my great-grandmother, Mary McCormack. Years ago, during a visit to the Emerald Isle, my wife and I journeyed to the small thatch-covered home where Gandy, as we called...
Fear of the Known

Fear of the Known

Last week we talked about how fear of the unknown can hold you back. In my opinion, fear of the unknown is overrated. The real fear, and the hardest to overcome, is fear of the known. Few things inhibit our ability to take a risk as much as an early bad experience. In...
Fear of the Unknown

Fear of the Unknown

A lot has been written about the natural tendency to fear the unknown. In my opinion, the first (and perhaps best) description of this phenomenon comes from the 4000-yearold masterpiece of Plato. In The Republic, Socrates (an early Right Risk-taker) describes fear as...
The Day I Wasn’t Courageous

The Day I Wasn’t Courageous

Morning weddings are more vibrant than those held in the afternoon. In the morning, flowers radiate with more intensity, people smile wider, and the sun is more forgiving. In Jacksonville, Florida, where summer temperatures can reach into the 90s before noon, getting...
Build Your Confidence, Not Your Fear

Build Your Confidence, Not Your Fear

Fear and excitement prompt the same neurological responses. Think for a moment about what happens to you physiologically when you are really, really afraid. Your heart races, your palms sweat, your breath gets faster and shorter, and your stomach teems with...
So You Want To Be Mentored?

So You Want To Be Mentored?

Mentors are supremely important to an aspiring leader. They are the voices whose feedback reaches our heart and head. They are the steady hands that firmly hold us accountable to our own potential. They are the polishers of our conscience, the magnifiers of our...