Go big or go home: Why playing it safe is a one-way ticket to regret

Exhausted but all in — because playing it safe isn’t an option. 💥

People fear experimenting or innovating because they’re afraid of overshooting—going too far in a trial or decision and being unable to go back.

But here’s the thing: in most cases, overshooting isn’t dangerous.  In the long-term ‘undershooting’ is more detrimental because you grow less – and it compounds over time.

You can go on too many dates, work too hard, over-explain something or buy more food than you can eat. None of these will ruin your life. The real danger comes in extreme scenarios—getting caught in a rip at the beach, climbing without a safety harness, or my personal favorite: misjudging a staircase.

Recently, I overshot. Walking downstairs, I decided to grab the bottom of an overhead step. To do that, I had to lean forward, feet still on the lower stairs. The moment I grabbed the step ahead, I was swinging freely over a much bigger drop. And guess what? I couldn’t swing back. That’s a classic overshoot—you think you’re in control until you’re not.

In this case, I simply had to let go and enjoy the fall. Fortunately, I landed flat on my feet, and it was fine. But even if I hadn’t, the worst injury would likely have been to my pride. On the upside, it taught me more about my approach to risk than any book ever could. And it showed me when I need a better "downside strategy" (more on that in a future post).

But here’s the real takeaway: in most cases, overshooting is the fastest way to learn - and more often than not, it’s completely reversible.

What’s the worst that happens if you send too many LinkedIn invites? Or apply for too many jobs? Probably nothing.

So, overshoot. Experiment. Take risks. You might just find your edge.

👉 When was the last time you “overshot”? What happened? Let me know by sending me a message.

#Innovation #Leadership #GrowthMindset