WorldWide Drilling Resource

38 FEBRUARY 2019 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® in their ways. Ways which were prof- itable in the past, may not be today. To move forward - to innovate - one must be willing to take risks. The problem of risk-aversion begins as we grow up, attend school, and go through the socialization process. During this time, we are constantly told to con- form. When we don’t conform, we are frequently chastised or shunned by our friends, family, and classmates, and it can stay with us well into adulthood. And, the fear of what other people think of us can keep us from taking risks. We should- n’t let this happen, because as American businessman Olin Miller observed, “You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how sel- dom they do.” There’s nothing wrong with assessing risk before you act. It helps to under- stand what can be lost if the risk you take leads to failure. However, for something to be a risk, there must be something that can be lost. What are you putting at risk? What could you lose? Time? Money? Comfort? Friends? Reputation? Freedom? Life or limb? Finally, can you afford it? Maybe it’s not as big of a risk as you first thought. So what if you’re embarrassed, throw away some money, or waste some spare time? Oftentimes, risk is a matter of perspective. Go ahead and visualize the worst that can happen, then prepare yourself for it. And, keep this advice from Albert Einstein in mind, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." Many people, when they get older, regret not having been more bold when they were young. They will say things like, “I should’ve auditioned for the school play.” or “I wish I had tried out for the football team.” or “I could’ve participated in the science fair or math competition, but I didn’t.” or “If only I’d asked out that pretty girl I really liked.” The trick is getting comfortable with risk. It helps to understand it will feel uncomfortable at first, and you will get used to it. The problem is our imagination makes us believe failure will be worse than it actually is. Failure can be a good thing, if we learn from it. John Dewey understood this when he said, "Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes." Risk-takers didn’t get there overnight. They built up a tolerance for it over time. You will become more comfortable with risk, the more often you take one. One success will lead to another, and you’ll feel better each time. A shortcut for this is to hang out with people who are risk-takers. Before you know it, they will have you skydiving, snowboarding, or mountain biking, or maybe just riding a scary-looking roller coaster. There is an old proverb which says, “No risk, no reward.” It’s true. The biggest risk is never taking one, because without risk, you won’t find opportunity. You can get more comfortable with risk by taking small inconsequential ones - like I mentioned in my WWDR September 2018 article Dealing with Change You Don’t Want . If you drink coffee every day, switch to tea for a week. Rearrange one piece of furniture in your house. Read a magazine on a topic you know nothing about. Take a continuing education class in a subject not related to your career. Join a hobby or study group online. Taste a new food you’ve never tried before. Don’t let risk-aversion keep you from living your life to the fullest. Try something new today. Robert Robert is an author, humorist, and innovation consultant. He works with companies that want to be more competitive and with people who want to think like innovators. For more information on Robert, visit www.RobWilsonSpeaker.com or contact him via e-mail to michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com For more information: missouriwaterwellassociation.com Monday, February 18 DNR WIB Meeting, Registration, M&S Setup, Seminars, MWWA Board Meeting, and Nominating Committee. Tuesday, February 19 Registration, M&S Setup, Annual Membership Meeting, M&S Annual Meeting, DNRPermit Testing, Seminars, Displays, and Entertainment. Wednesday, February 20 Registration, Displays, Luncheon, Seminars, Ladies Bingo, and NEW Board Meeting. February 18 - 20, 2019 Ramada Oasis Hotel and Convention Center Springfield, MO Wilson cont’d from page 29. Washington Rotating Control Heads’ Series 1300 is their original rotating control head, constructed to seal off the drill string components continuously, and divert all cuttings and debris away from the rig. Designed for tophead and kelly drives, these units can handle up to a 5¼-inch hex and a 4½-inch square. The 1300 Series control device uses the company’s 1024 stripper rubbers, and will seal off drill steel from 2 inches to 8 inches outside diameter. Due to its much lower profile, the Series 1400 “Shorty” has become a popular design. It can be used with or without drive bushings. Washington Rotating Control Heads, Inc. is a Valued WWDR Advertiser. Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self- control - these three alone lead to success. ~Tennyson