CYBLN 036: How Taking Risk Is Necessary To Succeed In Life and Business

In this episode Leslie Samuel shares three steps that helps you to understand that taking risk is necessary to succeed in life and business. He gives very practical suggestions as to the path that you would take in doing so.

Leslie’s Background:

Leslie runs two very successful blogs, where thousands of people are helped by them. He offers some FREE training on becoming a blogger. He is originally from the beautiful Caribbean island of St. Maarten, where he spent many of his childhood years hanging out with friends and getting to know people.

At the age of 17, he moved to Michigan to go to Andrews University – Such a great experience. After graduating with a B.S. in Biology/Zoology, he went on for a M.S. in Biology/Neurobiology.

Currently Leslie is the Foundation Science Coordinator in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Andrews University. The classes he teaches are Gross Anatomy, Human Anatomy, Neuroscience, Pathophysiology I and II. He will be transitioning from this job in six months so he too is experiencing all the emotions that you probably are wrestling with at this moment.

SUMMARY SHOW NOTES:

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One of the things that you will realize by listening to this episode is that Leslie is passionate about what he does. However he is not just about passion. He shares very practical ideas and as you will find out, he is a very gifted teacher. 

Leslie operates two blogs – interactive-biology.com and becomeablogger.com. Not too many people can manage two blogs. Some have a hard time keeping up with just one, yet he does this while being a new dad, husband and holds down a full time job as a university professor.

As you will hear, he announced that he will be leaving his teaching position to follow his true passion – his internet business – on a full-time basis. 

Here are a few of the thoughts you’ll find in this episode that helps your dreams come true:

• Choosing your best life now requires passion
• A lot of people get stuck in routines they don’t like; they don’t enjoy … they dread going to work
• Following your passion requires hard work and long hours but the difference is that it doesn’t feel like work; it seems like you’re having fun
• Where I am today wasn’t where I thought I would have been months ago. I have made mistakes and then I learn from them and grow through them. Hence I am where I am today.
• On taking necessary risks to succeed in life: “Of course it’s risky. Tell me one thing significant that has been accomplished that didn’t have risk”
• What your dream will do and should do is bring you outside your comfort zone that doesn’t feel good but as time go by, you’ll begin to get adjusted to it
• Look for someone who have done what you’re trying to do… look at what they do .. dissect it a little bit and see what they’re doing … get a big picture then go through the process one at a time.

One of the questions that I ask is if he had a 6 month window to make a decision before that window closed, what steps would he take to decide how to live out his dream. Here are some of his answers:

• Step 1: Determine what your goal is; what do you see yourself doing
• Step 2: Identify the steps you’ll need to get there
• Step 3: Break down your goal in small bite sizes such as in month, week and then day

Using swimming as a metaphor to becoming an Entrepreneur:

• His personal story that made a strong point was him being thrown into the water not knowing how to swim and how that worked out. When it was his time to teach his own child to swim, he did what we need to do as entrepreneurs.

 Final word:

• Parting suggestion: pull out pen and paper and start writing down ideas .. what am I passionate about? what would I see myself doing when I leave where I am now? What do I need to do (action steps)? .. find people who are doing what it is you’re doing and emulate them .. invest in yourself .. find what is relevant to you.

 Books mentioned:

• Crush it by Gary Vaynerchuck

Tool / App  mentioned: 

• Base camp for keeping track of documents, etc.
• Evernote 
• To do lists: Wunderlist.com and Anydo.com

Where to get in touch with Leslie Samuel?

• www. becomeablogger.com 
• www. interactive-biology.com

(note: some of the links are affiliates)

YOUR FEEDBACK

This podcast is very practical and inspiring but also thought provoking. Both Leslie and I would love to hear your thoughts on what stood out to you the most within this episode. Leave your comments below.  If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear or a question about an upcoming episode, e-mail me.

Also, would you please rate this podcast on iTunes and leave a brief review by clicking on view in iTunes and then click the review tab. Don’t forget to subscribe as well. That would help tremendously in getting the word out! Thanks.