The Edge of Becoming
Rule No. 8: RISK IS OPPORTUNITY
The Calculated Leap & The Cost of Playing it Safe
Sat at the edge of purpose:
Faith in hand, legacy unfolding.
Standing at the Edge
It’s been more than a month since my last entry. Life has unfolded in full—my mother spending time in the hospital, challenges ranging in scale and severity, and a lingering feeling of recalibrating systems, even while knowing the One who controls it all.
Still, I’m here, and not just here, but standing in purpose. I ended March with a commitment to continuing to build legacy. Continuing to move forward, regardless of everything going on around me. And that simple truth—breathing, writing, bearing witness, stimulating young minds through my poetry, and commanding the spaces younger me dreamed of—reminds me that unyielding faith is also a form of courage.
As Cleo Sol’s voice floats in the background and sunlight turns dust to gold across my windowpane, two question rise:
"Was I being honest about what I was afraid of?"
"Am I failing to recognize the fullness of what stands before me?"
With March closing and April approaching—the first month of the second quarter—I find myself at another edge. An edge of time. Of decisions. Of certain uncertainty.
I think back to the moments this year when possibility stood on the other side of the glass, daring me to move. To step forward with conviction. To believe.
And I smile. Thankful.
Thankful for the lessons that steadied me.
Thankful that I’m still learning.
Thankful that I’m in the hands of my Creator.
The Point of Certain Uncertainty
There is always a moment before the leap. A hesitation. A pause. A breath held too long.
It’s the space between what is and what could be—where fear and possibility collide. Where the mind replays every cautionary tale, every excuse disguised as logic.
I call it the point of “certain uncertainty.” Where comfort is tested against growth’s rubric. Where old patterns whisper. Where doubt lingers at the threshold.
The pages of my journals—inked with my most frantic handwriting—hold the weight of these moments.
“What if this goes wrong?”
“What if I fail?”
“What if I lose everything?”
But then comes the counter-question: "What if I don’t?"
What if everything I’ve been waiting for lives on the other side of the risk I’m too afraid to take?
Fear is natural—maybe even rational. But often, fear is nothing more than false evidence appearing real. A master illusionist intent on keeping you downcast and downtrodden.
I’ve stood here before—overthinking, overplanning, waiting for certainty. Those deeply rooted patterns of caution were tunneling long before I arrived at this version of myself.
Over time, those roots grew into a network of control. A system built around one message:
Control it all.
But here’s the truth:
Risk doesn’t offer guarantees. Control doesn’t offer comfort. Risk offers opportunity. Submission offers a chance to grow your faith.And opportunity never arrives wrapped in certainty.
Planted on stage, rooted in faith
Risk Is a Door, Not a Cliff
We’ve been conditioned to view risk as recklessness—a blind jump, a free fall, a gamble.
How could we not?
We were raised on caution. Told to be careful. To stay safe. To avoid disruption by Well-meaning parents, teachers, mentors, friends.
But what they rarely say is this:
True risk—the kind that leads to growth—is not a cliff. It’s a door.
Some never knock .Some knock and walk away when it doesn’t open immediately.Some press their ear to the wood, waiting for a sign.
And some?
Some turn the handle and step through.
The ones who move—the ones who take the calculated leap—are the ones who discover:
Risk is not the enemy of security. It is the price of possibility.
Defining Risk and Opportunity
Let’s return to the framework:
Look it up.
Read it.
Let it sink in.
Risk (noun):
A situation involving exposure to danger, loss, or uncertainty.
The possibility that an investment may yield loss rather than return.
Opportunity (noun):
A set of circumstances that makes something possible.
A favorable juncture of events leading to progress or advantage.
Risk is the threshold. Opportunity is what lies beyond it. You cannot separate the two.
The Dichotomy of Risk and Opportunity
People who fear risk ask, “What if I fail?" People who embrace risk ask, “What if this works?”
Both questions live in uncertainty. Both hold the possibility of truth. But only one moves you forward.
Risk is the currency of success.
Every business. Every innovation. Every leader who’s ever changed the world had to risk.
Even faith requires risk. To trust what you cannot yet see. To step into the unknown. To believe without a blueprint.
And without it, we forfeit every opportunity designed for us.
Staying Safe Has a Cost
Yes—some moments of stagnation were circumstantial. But others?
Others were fear, dressed in logic.
The fear of the unknown.The fear of choosing wrong.The fear of not being enough for what lies ahead.
But I’ve learned something important:
Staying in place is its own kind of risk.
We often mistake inaction for safety. Avoidance for strategy. Minimized exposure for wisdom. But in doing so, we minimize the chance of success. Not choosing is a choice. Not moving is movement—in the wrong direction.
If you spend your life avoiding risk, you risk missing everything worth having.
Taking the Leap: Biblical Principles on Risk & Faith
1. Step Out in Faith—God Honors Movement
“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." — James 2:17
2. Fear Is Not from God—Do Not Let It Paralyze You
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind." — 2 Timothy 1:7
3. Trust the Unknown—Your Steps Are Ordered
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him.” — Psalm 37:23
4. Be Bold—Great Things Require Great Faith
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
5. Playing It Safe Is Not Always Wise
"Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” — Ecclesiastes 11:4
This last one grounds me—again and again.
Waiting for perfect conditions means missing every opportunity that comes before them.
Risk Is Opportunity in Disguise
Some spend their lives standing at the edge of risk, waiting for a permission slip. Waiting for clarity. Waiting for certainty.
But certainty is an illusion.
Risk will always be there. So the real question is:
Will you let it stop you—or propel you?
Before you go, ask yourself:
What risks have I been avoiding?
Where have I been playing it too safe?
What opportunities are waiting for me—on the other side of fear?
Risk is a door. The handle is in your hands.
Turn it. Step through. See what’s waiting.
