Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk
by Ben Carson M.D.
(Click here)
Book Summary Information
Author: Ben Carson M.D.Contributor: Gregg Lewis
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-01
ISBN: 0310259738
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: Zondervan
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780310259732
- Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
- Notes:
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
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
You can find our culture's obsession with avoiding risk everywhere, from multiple insurance policies to crash-tested vehicles. But is ducking risk the most productive way for us to live? Surgeon and author Dr. Ben Carson, who faces risk on a daily basis, offers an inspiring message on how accepting risk can lead us to a higher purpose.Guides Books
- Business & Investing > Job Hunting & Careers
- General
- Health, Mind & Body > Psychology & Counseling > Applied Psychology
- General
- Self-Help > Personal Transformation
- Success
- Nonfiction > Education
- Social Sciences > Sociology > General
- Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Christian Living > Faith
- General
- General
- General
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in BCNN1/BCBC National Bestsellers List - NonFiction-December 2009
Tony Evans Speaks Out On Spiritual Warfare (Tony Evans Speaks Out Booklet Series)by Tony Evans
Moody Publishers; Published: 2000-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.16
Price in other shops:
Don't Give In...God Wants You to Win!: Preparing for Victory in the Battle of Lifeby Thelma Wells
Harvest House Publishers; Published: 2009-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.79
Price in other shops:
Dry Bones Dancing: Resurrecting Your Spiritual Passionby Tony Evans
Multnomah Books; Published: 2004-12-22; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.85
Price in other shops:
Matters of the Heart: Stop Trying to Fix the Old , Let God Give You Something Newby Juanita Bynum
Charisma House; Published: 2002-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
How to Be Blessed and Highly Favoredby Michelle McKinney Hammond
WaterBrook Press; Published: 2001-08-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.95
Price in other shops:
What's Really Holding You Back?: Closing the Gap Between Where You Are and Where You Want to Beby Valorie Burton
WaterBrook Press; Published: 2005-03-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.74
Price in other shops:
Letters to Young Black Womenby Daniel Whyte III
Torch Legacy Publications; Published: 2006-08-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.17
Price in other shops:
How Did I Get So Busy?: The 28-day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclaim Your Schedule, and Reconnect with What Matters Mostby Valorie Burton
Broadway; Published: 2007-12-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
God's Gonna Make You Laugh: Understanding God's Timing for Your Lifeby Noel Jones
Destiny Image; Published: 2007-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.89
Price in other shops:
Ten Commandments of Working in a Hostile Environmentby T. D. Jakes
Berkley Trade; Published: 2009-10-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.90
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Outliers: The Story of Successby Malcolm Gladwell
Little, Brown and Company; Published: 2008-11-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.95
Price in other shops:
Gifted Hands TV Tie-in: The Ben Carson Storyby Gregg Lewis, Deborah Shaw Lewis
Zonderkidz; Published: 2009-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.45
Price in other shops:
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritanceby Barack Obama
Three Rivers Press; Published: 2004-08-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.75
Price in other shops:
The Shackby William P. Young
Windblown Media; Published: 2008-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Vintage)by Barack Obama
Vintage; Published: 2008-07-15; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.96
Price in other shops:
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson StoryDVD
Best price: $7.25
Ben Carsonby Gregg Lewis, Deborah S. Lewis
Zonderkidz; Published: 2002-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
The Big Pictureby Ben Carson, Gregg Lewis
Zondervan; Published: 2000-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.16
Price in other shops:
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Storyby Ben Carson, Cecil Murphey
Zondervan; Published: 1996-12-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.14
Price in other shops:
Think Big: Unleashing Your Potential for Excellenceby Ben Carson M.D.
Zondervan; Published: 2006-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.11
Price in other shops: