TAKE A RISK BY ANDY AUBLE

“Stranger, pass by that which you do not love”

–“Pilgrim’s travel advice” from Phil Cousineau’s:

As a graduating senior, I am asked at least once a day what I plan to do after graduating. Fortunately for me, this is my favorite question to answer. I say this not to brag but instead with hope of inspiration.

For much of my college career I was driven by the idea of being a strategy consultant in a Midwest city. I was not driven by a love for consulting nor a love for the Midwest, this desire was fiscally driven and much of the appeal was the associated prestige. After a few difficult decisions during my junior year and counseling from many of my mentors, I decided to take an alternate route which led me to Utah, a place that I have come to truly admire.

If I could boil down all of my creative experiences to one word, it would be risk. So frequently do we settle for the easiest way out, the first right answer. This is not the creative way. For me, the first right answer would have been taking a high paying, stable job near people I know. Instead, I decided to travel the world until I run out of money, work for a pre-revenue start-up in a place where I know no one. This is an adventure that I am passionate about pursuing however, it would be impossible without the ability to take a risk.

It scares me to think how I would answer the previously mentioned question had I not learned the value of risk in creativity. If you are not 100% satisfied with what you are doing, take a risk and “pass by that which you do not love.”