Taking risks

Taking risks a leap of faith

by Christian Suen

One day, my English teacher asked me to stay behind after class to discuss something important. She pulled a poster from her folder. It advertised the annual English Public Speaking Contest hosted by HKFYG. Saying she had been observing my interaction with classmates, combined with the ideas I proposed during group work, convinced her I might do well in the competition public speaking.

It may not sound like such a daunting proposition to you, but to a nervous 12-year-old with limited experience of standing up and speaking, gained only in school oral exams and mini speeches to rubber ducks in the bathroom, the suggestion seemed preposterous. Then she asked, “What’s the worst that can happen?”

That was what persuaded me. Looking at the worst possible scenarios, perhaps a couple of hours might be “lost” preparing for the contest, or maybe a few hundred dollars lost in a registration fee. However, there were possible benefits too, maybe a new skill, or even success. I took the plunge ‒ the risk of trying something outside my comfort zone.

It may sound clichéd but I attribute what has happened since then to my risk-taking. Six years ago, my most “impressive” achievement was ranking among the top 16 players in a card game! Since then, I’ve represented Hong Kong in public speaking tournaments, scored top marks in this year’s IB and am planning to do a degree at Cambridge University on a scholarship.

If you had seen me as a kid, you would never have guessed. I would hide behind my mother’s back hoping to avoid relatives or neighbours. It wasn’t endless hours of all-star tutoring or a life-altering event or a secret IQ-boosting pill that changed me. It was being prepared to take risks. Perhaps I can incentivize you too “to take a leap of faith.”

That doesn’t mean that you should jump at every risky opportunity just because you believe fallout will be minimal. We need to find the right balance between overand under- achieving by taking on risks that bring the highest chance of success. This is where advice can be useful. My teacher had years of teaching and coaching experience. That’s how she recognized my potential.

Yet, you have to deal with the fear of failure. With all the encouragement in the world, even if it makes logical sense to give it a shot after analysing all the pros and cons, the person making the active decision is you. Sadly, fear cannot usually be overcome quickly. It takes time, practice and constant reassurance.

Making the best of opportunities

Think logically, analyse risks and compare potential loss and gain.

Listen to the advice of your elders when deciding which risks to take on.

Rather than trying to get over your fear, learn to use it as a motivator.

Be determined in everything you do to make your dream into reality.

To this day, when faced with a new scenario or an unfamiliar activity, I still get that sinking feeling in my gut and just want to politely decline and go back to watching a Netflix show. Truth to be told, that’s the situation I find myself in right now as I type this article. Writing has never been my strong suit. However, instead of letting fear get to me, I use it to motivate me to try harder and do better. Once you acknowledge your fear you can use it.

My last piece of advice is to visualize your goal, whether it is learning a new and valuable life skill, entering a top university, or preparing yourself for your career. Remember, every risk you take and all the effort you put in can bring you a step closer to that goal. This is what gives you the motivation needed to pull through, even at the most difficult of times.

Christian Suen went to St. Paul’s Co-educational College and will study Human, Social, and Political Sciences at Cambridge University from October 2020. He was selected as champion in the 2019 HKFYG English Public Speaking Contest and was the champion in that year's "21 st Century Cup" National English Speaking Competition, Hangzhou, China.