By: Teresa Gong

“In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” Abraham Harold Maslow once said. Maslow (1908-1970) was an American psychologist who was best known for creating his hierarchy of needs. His quote teaches us that taking higher risks can lead to bigger and better rewards and has changed many people’s lives.

My own family has experience with this quote. My aunt recently quit her job as an accountant and started taking classes to try to get a higher-wage job. She took a risk when quitting her job, as the chances of getting a new one are not easy or high. However, my aunt worked hard when applying, and got a new job as a software engineer. Because she took the risk of quitting, she has greatly benefited from her decision.

The grocery store Whole Foods Market also took a huge risk. Founded by Renee Lawson Hardy, John Mackey, Craig Weller, and Mark Skiles, Whole Foods was a successful supermarket. However, during the 1980’s there was not much organic, natural food. The founders took a huge risk when they decided to devote the whole store to organic foods, as it meant restarting an already successful business. However, they took the risk and today Whole Foods is worth over $14 billion.

The founder of Microsoft is another person who stepped into growth. Bill Gates took a huge risk when he dropped out of Harvard to invest in his own company, Microsoft. If his business was not successful, he would have been impoverished or homeless. However, Bill Gates is one of the richest people alive, and the risk he took led him to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the time.

“It is better to be safe than sorry,” some may say. Even though this statement is somewhat true, stepping back to safety is not always a good option. Though one may lose in certain situations, no risk means no reward. Many of the world’s most successful business owners and entrepreneurs took risks in order to be so successful. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.