The company I worked for was in transition. They sold to a larger corporation and we are all worried about our jobs. At that point, the executive vice president invited the best person in each department to lunch at a local hotel. There, we met with a bunch of investors looking to start another company. We weren’t told about the company they wanted to invest in, but we knew that this wasn’t one of those “get rich quick” schemes. There was real money in the room.
During the luncheon, my boss asked me if I was up to the risk of this venture they were starting.
“Just getting this company started will take a lot of legal maneuvering, and there is complete uncertainty of success. Are you seriously up for this risk?”
“All of my life, I have been jumping into the fire rather than out of it. I like the sizzle and the warmth of the frying pan. There is no fun in standing on the sidelines in the cold,” I replied.
He looked at me with this quizzical look, as if he expected me to play it safe, given my life situation. I smiled, shrugged my shoulder, and continued eating my lunch.
“Are you sure?”