“Risk is better than regret”: Why taking risks leads to personal growth

The mantra “Risk is better than regret” resonates deeply with me, because it embodies the idea that taking risks is sometimes necessary to grow, evolve, and avoid living with regrets. This mantra has become a kind of guide, especially during a key moment when I made the decision to leave everything behind to pursue a bold dream.

Why is this mantra essential for personal growth?

Taking risks is not simply acting impulsively. It is giving yourself the opportunity to evolve, to think outside the box, and to face the unknown with confidence. Regret, on the other hand, is an emotion that paralyzes us and prevents us from moving forward. It is a weight that we carry with us, an unanswered question that can resurface at any time.

When you take a risk, even if it fails, you learn. Every failure becomes a lesson that brings you closer to your true goal. Conversely, staying safe keeps you in a zone where growth is limited. That is why, today, I firmly believe that "Risk is better than regret".

The power of action and audacity

This mantra taught me to act, to take the first step even if I don't always see the road. Every risk I took led me to new opportunities, new encounters and pushed me to become a bolder version of myself. The key lies in self-confidence and the conviction that every choice, every step, even uncertain, is an investment in our evolution.

Of course, taking risks is challenging. It involves stepping out of your comfort zone, facing the unknown, and preparing for failure. But it is precisely this boldness that allows us to grow. Regretting not having acted, on the other hand, is a pain that can haunt us indefinitely.

My Personal Experience: Leaving Safety for the Unknown

A little over a year ago, I was in a situation where I felt dissatisfied, although my life was stable. I had a stable job, a reassuring environment, but deep down, I knew that I was not aligned with my true potential. That's when I heard this mantra, and it profoundly changed my perspective.

I asked myself: What was the risk of staying in this situation? Comfort and security were attractive, but the idea of ​​living my life in routine and fear of the unknown seemed even more frightening. I was 23, in a management position, and now what? Was I going to wait for time to pass? I realized that in the long run, I might regret never having tried and that was the turning point.

So I made the decision to leave everything: my job, my apartment, my country, my family, my comfort... and move to Dubai to start my own business. It wasn't an easy choice. I had to face many fears, doubts and uncertainties. But I knew deep down that I didn't want to be thinking "What if I had tried?" in 10 years. I preferred to take the risk, even if it meant getting out of my comfort zone, rather than living with regrets.

How to apply this mantra in your life?

If this mantra resonates with you, I invite you to reflect on an area of ​​your life where you feel stuck by fear or uncertainty. Maybe you have a dream or project that you’ve been putting off for a long time? Or maybe you’re hesitant to take a big step because you fear failure? Take a moment to ask yourself: Would you rather risk and learn, or regret not trying?

Taking a risk doesn't mean doing anything. It involves thinking carefully, assessing the consequences and being willing to question yourself. But, deep down, it's this ability to get out of your comfort zone that fuels evolution.

Practical exercise

An exercise that has helped me a lot before making important decisions, such as moving to Dubai and launching my brand, is comparing my best-case scenario with my worst-case scenario . This simple exercise allowed me to clarify my fears and see things from a different perspective, and finally make the decision to take the plunge.

The idea is simple: imagine yourself in the situation you are hesitating to implement and take a moment to think about two extreme scenarios. What could happen in the best case scenario? And in the worst case scenario?

Here is my personal example, at the time when I had to decide whether to go to Dubai to launch my brand, or whether to stay in Belgium.

• Best case scenario : I leave everything, launch my brand, and create a life aligned with my deepest aspirations. I finally live my passion, I am free with my time, I work from wherever I want. I live in the city of my dreams, surrounded by ambitious people, who pull me up and motivate me to reach new heights. My brand becomes a French-speaking reference, I enjoy working on a project that makes sense to me.
• Worst case scenario : it doesn't work, I lose all my savings and I have to go back to Belgium. I go back to live with my parents and I have to find a job. But in the end, I realize that this scenario is very close to what I'm experiencing. It's ultimately my starting point: so in fact the risk is to resume my previous life, to return to my initial situation.

This exercise helped me put my fear of failure into perspective. The worst-case scenario wasn’t as dire as I thought. In fact, I could always start over if things didn’t go as planned. The real risk was never knowing what could have happened if I didn’t try.

Today, I prefer to take the risk of living the life of my dreams, with all the ups and downs, rather than staying in a comfortable but unsatisfying life (for me), and saying to myself in 10 years: " What if I had taken the risk, what if I had tried? "

My fear of regret has actually taken over my fear of failure. I invite you to try this exercise if you are in a situation where you have to make an important decision.
Obviously note that in my case, this decision only involves me, I have no children, no house, ... I am lucky to have made this decision early in my life and to have nothing really holding me back in Belgium.

Reminder

“Risk is better than regret” does not mean that you have to live in a state of constant risk-taking, but rather that you have to choose not to be paralyzed by the fear of the unknown. In my journey, this mantra has allowed me to take crucial steps towards achieving my goals and making my dreams come true. Today, I can say that the only regret I have is not having taken certain risks sooner.