Risk

Why do you think some people are drawn to risk and adventure? What is the attraction to danger? Do you like to take chances? Why or why not? Describe a risk or adventure you have had or would like to have—perhaps due to something you have seen someone else do.

To be completely straightforward, life is boring. Sure, you may have the occasional surge in adrenaline as you dodge a scooter on the streets, or you may have to fight a mental breakdown when you realize you’re out of instant coffee powder, but generally speaking our typical, everyday lives are blunt, unstimulating, and blissfully eventless. People are drawn to risk and adventure because some like to live on the edge – they want to be capricious, to live without boundaries, and most importantly to experience how life is without constants. They want to experience events where their very lives hang on a thread, where they have no idea when their next meals will be, or where they have nothing to trust except for themselves and luck. Experiencing life in the great unknown is mentally stimulating and extremely exciting, and essentially becomes one large game of Chicken.

Taking chances is risky, scary, and unpredictable, and logically unappealing in every possible way. Most people hate taking chances and taking risks (HARDCORE ASIANS!), which makes them very unsuitable for Vegas. I don’t gamble with money and I will probably never visit Vegas (I hope), but given the correct circumstances I like taking chances. They’re exhilarating and put you on the edge, and I believe some risk is necessary for a person to make discoveries, gain experiences, learn about life, and to create opportunities. In the words of Morgan Spurlock, “If you take chances and if you take risks, in those risks will come opportunity. I believe when you push people away from that, you are pushing people towards failure. I feel that when you train your employees to be risk averse, then you’re preparing your whole company to be reward challenged… We need to encourage people to take risks. We need to encourage people to not be afraid… We need to embrace fear.”

There exists a balance, however, between a slow and peaceful life and an exciting and stimulating one.

I want to have the opportunity to travel to another country to conduct community service activities. I want to experience another mission trip, where I was challenged spiritually and physically.