What My Vacation Teaches You About Risk

When I told various friends and colleagues I was heading to Mexico City for vacation this year, I got one of three responses:

• A negative response, “Careful, that’s very dangerous!”
• A positive response “I went there, you will have a great time!”
• A curious answer “Hmm. Why would you go there?”

I am an adventurer at heart and I like to take calculated risks, so I was happy to hear a few people had been before me and loved it.

Mexico City as Vacation Spot?

Once I dug in and started doing research, I was amazed at what I didn’t know about this great city and its people.

I was made aware of its varied history, thriving young culture, artistic heritage, and the world class museums – the most of any city in the world.

Plus the cutting edge restaurants, I had the best Waygu NY Strip ever last week.

Mexico City is like other major cities I have visited or lived in: Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, NY, Chicago, Dallas, etc. It has a rich inviting perspective when you take time to look under the covers.

No need for danger. The tour guides we hired told us which neighborhoods to stay clear of. It’s like my hometown of New Orleans…talk to the locals and you will be just fine.

Which leads me to the question:

How do you respond when eyeing new adventures and supposed risk?

• Do you listen to the naysayers, who have not actually done what you want to try?
• Do you get swayed by the by-standers wondering what you are doing?
• Or do you dig deep and go forth boldly, comforted that just a few others (or perhaps no one) have tried what you have in mind.

Fortune favors the bold!

Coincidentally, I was reminded last week that people on their death bed don’t regret their bad decisions, rather they regret the decisions they never took.

Next time you get a kernel of an idea, cultivate carefully the people with whom you share your idea.

Calculated risks, even big ones, are easy to take when you surround yourself with the right “guides” and peers.

Happy Summer!

Below are some photos from the first couple days of our trip:

The relaxing roof top patio with “honesty” self serve bar.

This Waygu was twice the price of what I have had in New Orleans, and twice as good! We also stopped for typical guacamole and green pepper sauce with lime.

Our first museum was the Frida Kahlo house. This woman was fiercely strong, innovative in her honesty and a true survivor. The movie with Selma Hayek which we watched before traveling follows true to her history

When we returned from celebrating my birthday this weekend I found this on my bed, with a notecard signed by every hotel employee. I had mentioned cherry cheese cake was my favorite and they surprised me. It’s a good lesson that creating brag-worthy memories gives meaning to our clients and even our employees.