Insider Tips from the Pocket Mentor: Be a Risk Taker

Vince Reardon, author of The Pocket Mentor: Insider Tips from America’s Most Successful People, is back to share the final secret he learned in his book. Over the past several weeks, we’ve learned the importance of being yourself, having compassion, being for others, being a learner and being persistent. In the final installment of Insider Tips, Vince shares the value of being a risk taker through the example of a 9-11 hero, David Lim.

Vince explains, “the fifth piece of advice I heard from a lot of people is that if you want to get anywhere in your life, you have to take risks. Big risks – calculated risks – but big risks.” He shares his favorite quote from Peter Drucker, who said:

“Most people who take risks generally make two big mistakes a year. Most people who don’t take risks generally make two big mistakes a year.”

So, why don’t we all take more calculated risks? The people in Vince’s book believe in risk taking, and do it instinctively.

A good example of a risk taker is David Lim. He is a retired Lieutenant police officer in the Port Authority Police Department. On the morning of September 11th he was in his office in Two World Trade Center when he heard of the explosion in One World Trade Center. He immediately locked his office headed to the lobby where he saw hundreds of people taking the elevators and escalators to down to get out of the building. He then saw a body fall from the building outside. He knew immediately that something very bad was happening.

He could have stayed in the lobby, but he realized he would be more useful upstairs. So he went up the stairwell to the 44th floor. He wanted to stand in front of the elevators and direct people to use the stairs. That’s when Two World Trade Center collapsed. When he realized he was in imminent danger, he headed to the stairwell where he was helping a woman named Josephine Harris get down to ground level. He got her to the 4th floor when he heard the upper stories collapsing. He got down on the ground and covered her with his body. The amazing thing is, the building imploded, leaving the stairwell he was in standing.

To Vince, David Lim exemplifies risk taking and tremendous physical courage and he finds his example inspiring.

For more inspirational stories, click here to read more of Insider Tips from the Pocket Mentor.