“Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat- Fortune favours the bold”- No wonder there is a great deal of profundity in this phrase. This phrase elucidates the gravity of developing an attitude where we are able to live in the moment and take our chances, as they come. This attitude and mindset acquaint us with a slew of opportunities that come our way in life’s treasure trove. On the other hand, a risk-averse, laid-back mindset confines us to a limited set of ideologies and perspectives; and thereby advocates a rudimentary approach of looking at life. For people who are reluctant to take risks, opportunities to make it big in life can be very slender.

The world around us is competitive, dynamic, and many a time, it is harsh as well. So what do we do about it? Do we become timid and restrict our aspirations, limit ourselves and be content with things even when we feel that we were meant for something else? Or do we pull ourselves together, analyze the situation, be decisive and make the leap of faith? We must be able to show some spine in testing times and believe that we would be able to cross the hurdles. Being fearless helps eliminate perceptual boundaries and thereby augments one’s imagination and power of contemplation. Fearlessness castigates the ideology of blindly accepting things as facts. It presses for the practice of questioning, of taking the road less traveled and still managing to come up trumps.

In life, we often encounter situations where we find ourselves on the horns of a dilemma. We want to make it big, but at the same time we want to play it safe. Mind you, it is not always possible to have the best of both worlds. This is the point where our shrewdness and courage are needed the most. Very often when we think things are going to go wrong, if we hold on to them, they kind of turn around. Just that last brink is always the most important. Also, this is the moment when fortune kicks in. I strongly believe that fortune favours those who have the temerity to do the unexpected, to take on challenges, and to hold on to things in difficult times. We ought to take those chances and create opportunities for ourselves. If we will be too apprehensive while taking tough calls, we choose to follow the herd, we choose to relinquish our desires because we succumb to the fear of failure. We do not give fortune that window of opportunity to do wonders for us.

Boldness exposes us to a seemingly unending world of new possibilities. Our thought process should not be constrained by anything as there is plenty to ponder upon. The captivating factor to be considered here would be that with the help of our risk-taking ability, tremendous transformations can be made in an innocuous manner. With the help of this fearless approach, people have managed to cut loose and have been able to make a significant impact.

When we make decisions under highly uncertain circumstances, being a little nervous is instinctive. We will have cold feet at times- Make no bones about it. But should that stop us from treading ahead? The answer is No, a big, blatant No. The world around us is ruthless. But can we still make the leap of faith? Why not? There are possibilities of falling flat on the face in the process of making that leap. But if we fall, we should have the belief that we are capable enough to get up, gather ourselves and take the world by storm, yet again!! We can’t just rest on our laurels and wait for good things to happen to us. We have to make them happen. We should have faith in our abilities. So when we are met with trying circumstances, why not go all guns blazing and let fortune take care of the rest?

Along with being fearless, it is important to keep our wits about us. Some decisions are ought to be taken in the spur of the moment. I am an ardent supporter of this ideology. There are certain situations where excessive contemplation may lead to missing out on momentous opportunities by a whisker. By this, I do not intend to advocate a reckless approach of dealing with things. Rather, what I mean to say is that we have to bite the bullet when it is meant to be. Once we are able to wrap our heads around this, life does become a lot easier, and definitely a lot more fascinating.

Developing a venturesome personality is the need of the hour. An unleashed mind seeks to inspire out-of-the-box thinking and immensely contributes to the overall development of an individual. This reminds me of the famous Latin aphorism “Carpe Diem” by the Roman Poet Horace. It means to seize the day. We have to be up for every opportunity that comes our way. We have to make the most of those opportunities and believe that fortune will do the needful. And more often than not, it will! If there is a risk involved, think about where you want to be and if taking that risk takes you a step closer to your goal. If the answer is Yes, GO FOR IT!

As they say, a ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for. We can’t play safe at all times and develop a utopian ideology that things will always fall in place for us. There are times when it is considered best to go with the flow and be optimistic that fortune is by your side. Some routes are unfathomable, and so be it. The exigencies of our social and cultural system require us to get cracking and try to explore new destinations. It is time for us to raise the bar and try to create a better world. So let us rejoice over our own emancipation. Let us dwell in possibility. As they say, every individual is the architect of his own fortune.