07/23/2025
Fundamental #13 Take Intelligent Risks by Roxanna Mayas
Let's take a moment and be honest with ourselves. Not many of us feel comfortable with navigating uncertainty. Most of us are creatures of habit. I could be wrong and only be speaking for myself. I can openly say that I am one of them, but I know that I am not alone. Navigating uncertainty can be scary and the thought of failure can be terrifying, but if you take a step back and consider sound and reasonable decisions along with thoughtful choices, you might be surprised by the wonderful outcomes that may transpire. Repercussions and harmful outcomes that you were afraid of diminish. Because we work with a vulnerable population, we tend to stick to offering the same opportunities. The very same ones that result in familiar outcomes. We don't realize that sometimes if things don't have the results that we are expecting, we may find ourselves in a teachable moment. What experiences are those that we support missing out on when we don't take the risk of trying new things? Or offering a new approach that helps those that we support get closer to meeting a goal?
"Without risk, there is no reward." In order to create huge achievements, we have to take that leap and trust that in taking that chance, we are minimizing missed opportunities. In history there were many amazing people who took great risks, sometimes even risking their own safety and lives in doing so. Sojourner Truth was a great example as she traveled speaking publicly about abolishing slavery and women's rights. Speaking against societal norms in her time put her in grave danger as well as landing her in situations where threats sometimes turned into physical violence. Mahatma Gandhi is another example of someone who had the courage in taking a high-stakes risk in leading India to its independence. He did so despite the potential of violence by creating a resistance movement against British rule, even being imprisoned multiple times.
I recently took a great risk in my personal life by going back to school. I did so a little late in life where I was working full time and becoming a caregiver to one of my parents. At first, it seemed like I was either out of my mind, or on my way there by burning the candle at both ends. Ultimately, I found that I was heading in the direction of greater life opportunities as well as becoming a better version of myself. I not only gained a degree, but I also became a person that has so much more to offer while learning that taking that huge risk wasn't as scary as I thought it was.
I respectfully challenge everyone to make it a priority in taking an intelligent risk in some aspects of your lives. When you do, share your success and encourage others to do the same!
Bio: My name is Roxanna Mayas, and I am a Sr. Person Centered Plan Manager in the ISS department. I've worked at The Arc for 15 years and originally started as a DSP in Day hab. My favorite part of the job is having the opportunity to witness firsthand the successes that the people on my caseload experience.
