No Pain No Gain

When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?

Peter L. Bernstein wrote a series of books dealing with market forces, capitalism, and the value of dealing and trusting gold.

What struck me as cliché was the repetitive mantra that there can be no reward without risk.

One of my friends actually added that there can be no reward without a measure of sacrifice.

Both assertions hold true.

In fact, I swear by both.

My life, all our lives, are imbued, steeped in sacrifice. Some of us make it in this life to a liman, which means harbor in TUR and safehaven in RO.

That this Liman might be money, professional accomplishment, or a happy family, that is reserved by God Almighty to each and every one in proportion to their level of effort, luck, and repetitive dedication to the task at hand they individually put towards getting there.

But without risk, nothing can ever be achieved.

We take risk when we sign a 30-year mortgage with a bank.

We take a risk when we get married. The odds to get divorced are almost equal to those of staying happily married. Same odds with winning against the house at the casino. You combine the two, and you get a match made in Heaven… not. Just kidding.

We take a risk when we go to work or change jobs.

We take a risk when we meet someone new or we start a new job, hobby, or go on a trip.

My point is risk is everywhere all the time. Life is fraught with risk.

The idea is for us to recognize it and manage its impact on our existence.

It is up to us to do it. Nobody else can.

But the reward is there waiting for us.

At the liman.

To quote General George Armstrong Custer played magisterially by Errol Flynn:

Our job is to make this the finest regiment that the United States ever saw. I needn’t tell most of you that a regiment is something more than just six hundred disciplined fighting men. Men die. But a regiment lives on; because a regiment has an immortal soul of its own. Well, the way to begin is to find it. To find something that belongs to us alone. Something to give us that pride in ourselves that’ll make men endure – and, if necessary, die… with their boots on. As for the rest it’s easy: since it’s no more than hard work, hard riding and hard fighting. Thank you, gentlemen, I know I can count on you.

They died with their boots on (movie) – 1941