Issue of Risk in Life

In Risking, Dr. David Viscott analyzes the issue of risk in life and considers the fact that living is itself a matter of risk. He begins with the proposition that any change in life will entail risk, and in order to accomplish any improvement at all, it is necessary to take risks. People fear risk, however, and it is dispelling this fear that Viscott proposes to accomplish so that people will be free to improve their lives. He offers this book as a way to helping the reader understand his or her fears of risk and ways to overcome those fears and make the reality of risk work for them instead of against them.

Viscott first considers the fact that it is always necessary to take a risk in order to change or to grow. He says that growing and risking involve the same basic processes--giving up false beliefs, compromised allegiances, misdirected investments, superficial attachments, and destructive habits. None of these elements in itself is outrageous, and there may be good reasons for all of them. Yet, it is necessary to get past them and to surrender them rather than to surrender to them in order to achieve anything worthwhile. Every risk also involves an unavoidable loss, something that has to be given up in order that we can move ahead. There is the danger of getting hurt, and there is a feeling of separation anxiety that Viscott says is related to the survival instinct. In fact, there are any number of ideas we may have, emotions we may feel, and concerns that may

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on might have, including fear of not being ready to take the step, fear of bad consequences, fear of looking foolish, fear of failure. Viscott then considers completing, the final step, and this is where the fears raised in the first step are tested to see if they come to pass or if they are unfounded. Viscott says that the most important risk one can take is to be honest in expressing their feelings, for if they fail to do so, they are forced to use defenses to keep unwanted feelings away. He suggests that people who do not experience their true feelings do not experience the world. Defenses are defined as lies that are built into your character and that rob you of your energy. An important risk that is inherent in Viscott's discussion is the risk of admitting fear, for if one cannot admit the fear of taking a risk, one cannot take that risk. The fear itself becomes something that has to be risked, and what you risk is losing that fear. Once you have lost the fear, you will have to commit and to act. The fear is itself a defense and a barrier. Viscott examines a number of emotional risks, including the risk of expressing anger and the risk of admitting hurt. Growth itself is defined as a risk, and growth is not easy f

Category: Psychology - I