Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk
by Ben Carson M.D.
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Book Summary Information
Author: Ben Carson M.D.Contributor: Gregg Lewis
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-12-18
ISBN: 0310259738
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: Zondervan
Book Reviews of Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk
Book Review: Take the risk -- and buy this book.
Summary: 5 Stars
What happens to a society that is so fearful of risk, that common sense seems to go right out the window so often? The answer is that we live in a world where McDonald's has to put "Warning: Coffee is hot" on its coffee cups to head off silly lawsuits. And beach-goers drive hundreds of miles to get to the beach -- only to avoid swimming in the ocean because of an irrational fear of sharks [when in fact you're statistically far more likely to be killed in a car accident while driving to and from that same beach].
More importantly, society in general, and individuals in particular, miss out on opportunities to do the types of great things that only come from taking calculated risks. That's primary thrust of the book by Dr. Ben Carson - the famous pediatric neurosurgeon at John Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore.
If you've read any of his previous books (such as "Gifted Hands"), you probably already have a good idea of his rough background being raised by a poor, single mother in the ghettos of Detroit. And indeed, Dr. Carson does go over much of his past in this book, as well as how he overcame adversity and low expectations, to become the world-famous neurosurgeon he is today. However, in this book, he looks back at his past decisions in life through the prism of the risks he took -- and how they often paid off.
I highly recommend this book as a concise guide on how to arrive at good decisions using risk analysis as a primary tool. The main idea behind this book is that despite our best efforts, life is itself risky -- to wit, it is virtually impossible to eliminate all risk in life.
However, we can choose to realize that not all risks are necessarily bad, and that the secret to living life fully is by choosing to take acceptable risks. And quite often, these risks can yield incredible rewards.
Dr. Carson provides a matrix for determining what risk is acceptable, called "Best/Worst Analysis." Specifically, by answering the following questions in an informed way, it will be vastly easier to handle risk and make informed decisions:
- What is the best thing that can happen if I do this?
- What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
- What is the best thing that can happen if I don't do this?
- What is the worst thing that can happen if I don't this?
Dr. Carson then proceeds to show how he has applied this type of risk analysis in his life, with very positive results. He also provides anecdotal evidence for how this means of decision-making can also lead to creative and innovative solutions to long-standing problems in our own lives and in government.
I should note that Dr. Carson's book also is infused with a spiritual perspective that comes from his Christian background -- which I definitely appreciate. That said, I think that his book "Take the Risk" is one of the most refreshing and helpful books I've read thus far on the important topics of risk analysis and decision-making.
Summary of Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk
No risk, pay the cost. Know risk, reap the rewards. In our risk-avoidance culture, we place a high premium on safety. We insure our vacations. We check crash tests on cars. We extend the warranties on our appliances. But by insulating ourselves from the unknown---the risks of life---we miss the great adventure of living our lives to their full potential. Ben Carson spent his childhood as an at-risk child on the streets of Detroit, and today he takes daily risks in performing complex surgeries on the brain and the spinal cord. Now, offering inspiring personal examples, Dr. Carson invites us to embrace risk in our own lives. From a man whose life dramatically portrays the connection between great risks and greater successes, here are insights that will help you dispel your fear of risk so you can dream big, aim high, move with confidence, and reap rewards you've never imagined. By avoiding risk, are you also avoiding the full potential of your life? The surgery was as risky as anything Dr. Ben Carson had seen. The Bijani sisters---conjoined twins---shared part of a skull, brain tissue, and crucial blood flow. One or both of them could die during the operation. But the women wanted separate lives. And they were willing to accept the risk to reach the goal, even against the advice of their doctors ... As a child on the dangerous streets of Detroit, and as a surgeon in operating theaters around the world, Dr. Ben Carson has learned all about risk---he faces it on a daily basis. Out of his perilous childhood, a world-class surgeon emerged precisely because of the risks Dr. Carson was willing to take. In his compelling new book, he examines our safety-at-all-costs culture and the meaning of risk and security in our lives. In our 21st-century world, we insulate ourselves with safety. We insure everything from vacations to cell phones. We go on low-cholesterol diets and buy low-risk mutual funds. But in the end, everyone faces risk, like the Bijani twins did with their brave decision. Even if our choices are not so dramatic or the outcome so heartbreaking, what does it mean if we back away instead of move forward? Have we so muffled our hearts and minds that we fail to reach for all that life can offer us---and all that we can offer life? Take the Risk guides the reader through an examination of risk, including: * A short review of risk-taking in history. * An assessment of the real costs and rewards of risk. * Learning how to assess and accept risks. * Understanding how risk reveals the purpose of your lives.Personal Transformation Books
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