Today, I want to share a reflection on taking risks in life, based on my personal experience from being on Married at First Sight, the most watched TV show in Australia.
I’ve been asked so many times, “Why did you go on MAFS, Richard?”, because people know that it’s a risky thing to do. And yeah, signing up and committing to being a participant on MAFS was a massive risk for me. And that’s why I did it.
Is the world a risky place?
It’s easy to think that the world is a risky place and life is a risky business. Just watch the news or any other current affairs program.
Because the media focuses on “newsworthy” events – plane crashes, wars, natural disasters, car accidents, and crime – we are left with the impression that we live in a dangerous world, and taking risks is silly business.
Or, as my parents used to say to me, “Don’t be stupid!” Many people said that to me when I told them I had signed up for MAFS. Was I stupid and was MAFS a risk I should never have taken? Well, I didn’t come out of it smelling like roses. And it was one of the toughest experiences of my life.
But when I got the call saying I had been chosen to be on the show – as the oldest groom ever – I had to jump or die wondering.
You must jump
Life is for living, not surviving. Too many people hang around on the edge of the cliff of life, surviving and watching others soaring by with a skip in their step, a smile on their face, and a happy voice.
And do you know why they are soaring by with a skip in their step, a smile on their face, and a happy voice? They are soaring because their parachute has opened. But there’s a catch. The only way to get your parachute to open is to jump. You must jump, regardless of the risk.
Jumping IS scary
I’m not saying that’s an easy thing to do. Because when you jump, I can assure you of one thing – your parachute will not open right away. You’ll fall fast, panic, and curse the second you jumped. Your whole life will flash before your eyes as you prepare yourself for failure and being the butt of other people’s jokes.
Don’t beat yourself up about it. Don’t hold yourself accountable for other people’s arbitrary bullshit expectations and fantasies. Put in the hard yards, enjoy crawling through the dirt and eating shit, and keep grinding away without caring a fuck about what anybody else says or thinks.
And then, eventually, your parachute will open. And you too will be one of those people with a skip in their step, a smile on their face, and a happy voice.
Those who don’t jump will never soar
But if you don’t jump, I promise you one thing. Your parachute will never open, and you will be safe, and you will make it safely to death, and you will never soar.
We need to take more risks, even if it’s scary and makes us uncomfortable. Especially if it makes us uncomfortable. The greater the risk, the higher the tension and the more compelling it becomes. And MAFS was about as tense as it gets.
And now for some good news
If the world seems like a riskier place, it’s not. The world today is healthier, richer, and better educated. We are living longer, homicide rates are the lowest ever, child mortality rate isn the lowest ever, and way less people die in car accidents.
So, stop living your life with the handbrake on. Be stupid, break free, be bold and take more risks.
