Embracing Risk as the Pathway to Personal Growth
Created at: May 19, 2025
To thrive, one must risk stepping beyond the horizon. — Clarissa Pinkola Estés
The Call to Venture Beyond Comfort
Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ assertion—that thriving requires us to risk stepping past the horizon—issues a bold call to abandon comfort’s confines. Our horizons symbolize known limits, both literal and figurative: the routines and certainties that shelter us from uncertainty but also from opportunity. To truly flourish, Estés implies, one must find the courage to leave these safe harbors behind.
Historical Parallels in Exploration
This ethos has played out on the grand stage of human history. When explorers like Magellan set sail in pursuit of unknown worlds, they physically crossed horizons at immense personal risk. Their journeys show how the act of crossing into the unknown, though fraught with danger, often yields both transformation and great discovery. In this way, Estés’ words echo the adventure narratives that have propelled civilization forward.
Personal Transformation Through Uncertainty
Moving from grand exploration to internal journeys, many psychologists contend that personal growth emerges from embracing uncertainty. Carl Jung, for instance, viewed individuation—the process of becoming one’s true self—as requiring a confrontation with the unfamiliar aspects of our psyche. Facing this uncharted territory may be daunting, but as Estés suggests, it is the only route to authentic thriving.
The Role of Risk in Creativity and Innovation
Innovation, too, relies on risk-taking. Artists and entrepreneurs must often leave behind tried-and-true methods to forge new paths. Steve Jobs’ career at Apple demonstrates this principle: his willingness to challenge established norms led to leaps in design and technology. Estés’ invitation to go ‘beyond the horizon’ captures this essential component of creative and professional success.
Fostering Resilience by Facing the Unknown
Ultimately, stepping beyond the horizon builds resilience. Those who repeatedly venture beyond their limits develop adaptability and tenacity in the face of setbacks. Like Estés’ characters in ‘Women Who Run With the Wolves’ (1992), who confront wildness to reclaim their vitality, we, too, grow stronger when we brave the unfamiliar. Thus, thriving is not found in stasis, but in the willingness to risk—and rise—anew.