# From the Stage: Take Risks
By 

## Article Content
From the stage On stage, I took on the excuse I hear in almost every organization: it's too risky. "We have to take risks in order to get ahead." My challenge to the room was a simple, practical one: "you should go home with a list of three things that you are going to try. Three things you haven't done before" Why it matters The world, your markets and your customers are going to change whether you take risks or not. Standing still feels safe, but it's the riskiest choice of all, because it guarantees you fall behind. Real innovators don't take reckless bets. They take a steady stream of small, deliberate risks, and they look honestly at where their own skills and confidence are holding them back. "You have to challenge yourself to try to do things that you have not done before." The takeaway Write down three things you've never tried, and commit to them this quarter. Look for the gap in your own skills that makes "too risky" feel true. Remember: not changing is a risk too. Related: Earlier: Daily Inspiration: “Failure? Take more time to learn from what went right, rather than focusing on what went wrong!” (2021) · Earlier: Daily Inspiration: "Don't be afraid of failure. Fear inaction instead!" (2017) · Consumer & Food From the Stage is a weekday series of short clips from more than 30 years of keynotes, and the leadership lessons that still matter.

---
Source: https://jimcarroll.com/2026/10/from-the-stage-take-risks/