Most People Won't Take Risks That Lead to Life-Changing Opportunities Because of This Little-Known Paradox

Be careful of supposed do-gooders taking a piss in your face

Image Credit-Midjourney

My legs shook non-stop on national TV yesterday in front of millions of viewers.

People think I’m some confident badass. Not quite. I felt like I would black out at any second. Somehow I got through the grueling TV interview alive.

When millions are watching, it’s easy to think just one slip-up will ruin your life forever. That’s how I felt.

After my story about a bad neighbor hit the newspapers this week, it became a media frenzy. Everyone wanted a piece. It turns out when a charitable organisation claims to do good and does harm, people get real pissed off.

This short story will help you take more risks.

When it feels scary, it’s a hidden opportunity for growth

I don’t like attention.

And I’ve never wanted to be on TV. When my bad neighbor thought it was a clever idea to hang outside my house and intimidate me, everything changed.

For the last 10 months a charitable organization has blasted music in our local area. They’ve shone large floodlights into the bedrooms of kids in my street.

Children wear ear muffs to bed because of the noise.

When the bad neighbor knocked on our doors, they told us each time some version of we can do whatever we want.

That they have friends in our local government.

That last line got me raddled. Anyone pretending to do good while hinting at corruption should be locked away. No one is above the law.

As this matter gained momentum it became more intense. These supposed do-gooders were taking the piss. And they knew it. I didn’t like it and decided to fight it.

Everyone told me not to.

“This is a huge risk. They’re a global charity. If you speak out against them it won’t reflect well.”

But what does one do…stand there while someone abuses their power over you, and every one of your neighbors? Hell no.

I got our local council involved. At first they agreed to solve the issue. Then they decided they didn’t want to enforce the law because it could harm their reputation.

Council employees were worried about their reputations too.

So they stood back with popcorn in hand and watched the havoc unfold. Police. Shouting matches. Words that should never have been said. Courts. Lawyers.

As things progressed I felt like I had to turn up the heat. First a petition. Then a speech in front of local government about their possible corruption. Then a legal trial. And yesterday, every large media outlet in Australia.

But I never wanted to be the face of it. I always hoped someone else would put a voice to the issue, to the abuse of power.

No one would.

My neighbors want the problem solved but they don’t want the risk. They think if they speak out their businesses could be boycotted or their 9-5 bosses will fire them.

So they hide. They say nothing. They live in a fantasy.

I took the risk. It hasn’t paid off yet, but it’s already created enormous value. Whenever I see something I want to run from, I change my mind and run toward it. These are the inflection points in life that lead to life-changing opportunities.

Life is asking you during the hard moments that feel scary, are you awake? Are you alive? Is this all you got?

The paradox stopping you from reaching your potential

Through this whole ordeal I’ve met scared little adult babies who’re afraid to stand up or do what’s right.

They’d rather maintain the status quo. They’d rather let abuse occur. They’d rather hope things get better without a plan to make them better.

Spineless, lifeless zombies existing but not living. It’s sad.

What traps them is a paradox called “The Spotlight Effect” coined by psychologists. In simple terms it just means people think they are being noticed more than they actually are.

They think life is some reality TV show and everyone is paying attention to their every move. Let me squash that idea like a bug, as it set me free.

No one is f*cking watching you. Not even your boss because they’re too busy.

How do I know? I appeared in every major media outlet this week in Australia. My face was everywhere. Audiences full of millions of people. And guess what?

I didn’t get one phone call, email, or text from anyone. No one saw any of it. Tomorrow, no one will remember this story that has destroyed my neighborhood.

While I waited to go live on air today, I could hear the morning news. There are multiple wars going on. People aren’t worried about me and my bad neighbor who thinks they are above the law. Nope.

So what makes you think strangers are watching your every move? They’re not.

What’s more, as a result of taking this supposed risk, people somehow thought I’m a community hero. Or that I’m smarter and more successful than I am. But I’m a nobody. I didn’t do anything remarkable.

All I did was the opposite of what everyone else was doing in this situation.

The Spotlight Effect is a paradox. Our human wiring makes us think we’re special, but in reality, we aren’t.

This might sound negative. It’s not. If nobody gives a sh*t then you’re finally free. Post the essay. Start the business. Change job. Stand up for yourself. Because if you don’t do these things, you’re taking zero risks by default.

Takeaway: Take a risk or you’ll be doing the same boring sh*t for the rest of your life.

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