Ever feel that little nudge something inside you wanting more but a louder voice screams "What if it all goes wrong?" You're not alone. That feeling of standing on the edge, wanting to leap but terrified of the fall, is something we all experience. But what if taking that chance is the very thing you need for a truly good existence?
I get it. For years, I let fear call the shots. Whether it was the fear of failing another diet when I was over 110 pounds overweight or the fear of stepping away from unhealthy habits like excessive gaming and binge eating that offered false comfort. Change felt monumental. But eventually, I learned that staying stuck was scarier than taking a chance on something new even if it meant stumbling along the way.
Why Bother Taking Chances Anyway?
Life is full of "what ifs." What if I start that business? What if I pursue that passion? What if I finally decide to change my lifestyle for the better? Taking chances isn't about reckless abandon. It's about consciously choosing growth over comfort. It's about opening doors to possibilities you can't even imagine right now.
Stephen Montagne, the founder of GoodExistence.com, knows this well. His journey from battling addictions and obesity to finding a balanced, healthy, and purposeful life was paved with countless small chances. The chance to try one healthy meal instead of giving in to a craving. The chance to dedicate a short burst of deep work to a meaningful project instead of succumbing to laziness. The chance to open his heart to faith and find strength in God. Each chance, big or small, moved him forward.
Taking chances means you might fail. True. But it also means you might succeed spectacularly. And even if you don't get the exact outcome you hoped for, you always learn something valuable. Regret often stems from the chances we didn't take far more than from the ones we did.
30 Quotes to Inspire Your Leap
Sometimes, a few well-chosen words can spark the courage we need. Here are 30 quotes about taking chances to get you thinking and maybe even inspire your next step:
- "The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that is changing quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks." – Mark Zuckerberg
- "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." – T.S. Eliot
- "Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing." – Denis Waitley
- "Don't be afraid to take a big step. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps." – David Lloyd George
- Sometimes, that initial commitment needs to be bold.
- "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do." – Mark Twain
- This one always gets me. It’s a powerful reminder.
- "Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow." – Mary Tyler Moore
- "If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary." – Jim Rohn
- "Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first." – Frederick B. Wilcox
- "To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself." – Soren Kierkegaard
- "You must take chances for things to happen. Taking a chance is a process, not a single event." – Michael Jordan
- Just like building healthy habits or faith it’s a journey.
- "The dangers of life are infinite, and among them is safety." – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- "If you don't take risks, you'll have a wasted soul." – Drew Barrymore
- "Do one thing every day that scares you." – Eleanor Roosevelt
- A great way to build your courage muscle.
- "What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it is another matter." – Peter Drucker
- "It is only by risking our persons from one hour to another that we live at all." – William James
- "I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it." – Pablo Picasso
- "Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." – Helen Keller
- Helen Keller knew a thing or two about overcoming immense challenges.
- "If you opt for a safe life, you will never know what it's like to win." – Richard Branson
- "The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." – Mark Twain
- "Go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is." – Jimmy Carter
- "Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?" – Frank Scully
- Great minds think alike. The reward is often just beyond our comfort zone.
- "You can't be paralyzed by fear of failure or you'll never push yourself." – Arnold Schwarzenegger
- "Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one's ideas, to take a calculated risk – and to act." – Andre Malraux
- "A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." – John A. Shedd
- We were built for more than just playing it safe.
- "Risk something or forever sit with your dreams." – Herb Brooks
- "If things seem under control, you are just not going fast enough." – Mario Andretti
- "Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." – Martin Luther King Jr.
- This echoes Stephen's journey in faith finding purpose through a closer relationship with God started with a single step of trust.
- "Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear." – George Addair
- "Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- "What if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?" – Erin Hanson
- Perhaps the most hopeful question of all.
Making "Taking Chances" Less Scary
Reading inspiring quotes is great but how do we actually do it? How do we move past the fear?
- Start Small: You don't need to quit your job and move across the world tomorrow (unless you really want to!). Taking chances can be as small as trying a new recipe speaking up in a meeting or starting a 10-minute daily walk. Stephen’s transformation didn't happen overnight. It started with small wins. He decided to try short bursts of deep work just 2-4 hours instead of forcing an 8-hour grind. He focused on one healthy meal at a time. These small chances built momentum and confidence.
- Reframe Failure: What if "failure" is just feedback? When Stephen was overcoming unhealthy habits he surely had days where he slipped. But instead of seeing it as a total failure he could see it as a lesson. What triggered the slip? What can be done differently next time? Every chance taken is a learning opportunity regardless of the outcome.
- Know Your "Why": Why do you want to take this chance? What's the deeper purpose? For Stephen strengthening his Christian Orthodox faith gave him a powerful "why" that helped him navigate challenges and take chances on a more fulfilling life. When your "why" is strong the "how" becomes easier.
- Focus on the Effort Not Just the Outcome: We can't always control the result but we can control our effort. Celebrate the courage it took to try. Celebrate showing up. This mindset shift takes a lot of pressure off.
- Seek Support: Share your fears and aspirations with a trusted friend family member or mentor. Sometimes just voicing your intentions can make them feel more real and less daunting. For Stephen his growing relationship with God provided immense support and guidance.
Taking chances isn't about being fearless. It's about feeling the fear and doing it anyway. It's about choosing hope over hesitation. It's about believing in your potential for a truly good existence.
What's one small chance you've been hesitant to take? Maybe today is the day to take that first tiny step. You might just surprise yourself.
