Last week moved at a breakneck speed. By the time I surfaced for air on Saturday, I had signed two new contracts and was prepping for a last-minute performance. It was the kind of whirlwind that reminds you you’re alive, and it handed me the very lesson I needed to share today.
This is your Monday reminder that the magic happens at the intersection of Risk and Readiness.
The Risk-Taker’s Default Setting
Let’s get one thing straight: I am a risk-taker. If you’ve been following my work for a while, you’ve probably picked up on that. If you’re new to this rollercoaster, welcome. Just know that any advice I offer comes from the perspective of someone who defaults to “yes” and “why not?”
My partner often reminds me that this isn’t a trait typically encouraged in women, and she’s not wrong. While a bias for action has opened incredible doors for me, it has, on occasion, landed me in hot water. In my younger years, risk often looked a lot like recklessness. With maturity, however, came its essential counterpart: readiness.
The Other Half of the Equation: Readiness
Being “ready,” for me, is the ability to articulate what I want, what I need, and the desired outcome—clearly and concisely, at a moment’s notice. It’s the result of forethought, of thinking several steps ahead and mapping out potential responses. It’s the discipline that gives risk its direction.
I suspect this is the product of my years as a Girl Scout under my mom’s troop leadership. It was a multi-year affair, from Daisies in kindergarten cookie sales to Juniors in high-school, I was a Girl Scout. And let’s be honest, one doesn’t simply stop being a Girl Scout; we just stop earning badges.
While risk-taking feels inherent to my personality, readiness was a skill honed by time, maturity, and one too many self-sabotaging disasters. I’ve learned that recklessness with purpose is just risk in a different outfit. The outcome is what defines it.And last week, this all crystallized for me.
Case Study: The Oakland Gamble
Oakland is a special place. I felt it three years ago on my first visit for a powerful Angela Davis exhibit at OMCA. I couldn’t explain why I felt so instantly at home, but the feeling was undeniable. Two years later, in a move that was both a risk and a hard-fought battle, I was bringing my children to First Fridays at that very same museum.
That first year back on the West Coast was unstable and, at times, deeply discouraging. But here’s the thing about taking a big risk: you have to be ready for the fallout. The year before the move, I’d fortified myself. I took online courses, committed to therapy, exercised, and strengthened my spiritual practice. I was building a foundation.
So when the challenges came, I wasn’t just winging it. I had the tools to face them. And because I had a clear vision for my life, I could recognize when I was finally arriving. I had taken a massive risk, but I had also done the work to be ready for it.
This brings us to this weekend.
The Black Cultural Zone, an organization doing critical work in East Oakland, put out a call for performers. As I’ve learned about their initiatives, my desire to be involved has only grown. But when I saw the call, the imposter syndrome hit hard. I’m not from Oakland. I’m an outsider just beginning to experience its magic. Was it my place?
But the desire to contribute, to authentically express my growing love for this place I now call home, won out. I quieted the self-doubt, took the risk, and submitted my name.I got the gig. With a caveat.
The poem I submitted was “revolutionary,” they said, but the event was meant to be more “celebratory.”
Challenge accepted.
When Readiness Pays Off
Being ready isn’t just about the big-picture prep; it’s about the small, tactical details.
- I was ready to perform. I accepted the challenge, wrote a new piece that fit the celebratory theme, and showed up ready to connect with a live
- I was ready to network. After the performance, as I connected with other artists and organizations, I had a HiHello digital business card queued up on my phone, complete with my contact info, website, and socials. No fumbling for pens or outdated cards.
- I was ready to share. When a respected community elder asked for a copy of the new poem, I didn’t say, “I’ll type it up later.” I had a digital copy ready and sent it to him on the spot.
- I took a risk by putting myself out there. And because I was ready, it paid off. Risk creates the opportunity; readiness allows you to seize it with both hands.
So, whatever you’re pursuing, ask yourself: Are you just taking the leap? Or are you also building the parachute?
Stick with it. Be brave, be bold, and most of all, be ready.
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