Most are confused that in order to create something big or do something original, you have to take some huge risk.

You can do it that way, but your chance of success will increase by taking that risk from a position of strength – which is to say, lowering the risk.

An example might be waiting to quit your job until your side-hustle is producing more income than your full-time job.

Or, only making a risky equity investment when 80% of your net-worth is invested in bonds.

And don’t be afraid to start small.

For small things can become big things.

Understand: Lindy proofing your decisions is not a bad place to begin .

This is to say that, we all grapple with “fear, ambivalence, and self-doubt.”

I want to debunk the myth that originality requires extreme risk taking and persuade you that originals are actually far more ordinary than we realize. In every domain, from business and politics to science and art, the people who move the world forward with original ideas are rarely paragons of conviction and commitment. As they question traditions and challenge the status quo, they may appear bold and self-assured on the surface. But when you peel back the layers, the truth is that they, too, grapple with fear, ambivalence, and self-doubt. We view them as self-starters, but their efforts are often fueled and sometimes forced by others. And as much as they seem to crave risk, they really prefer to avoid it.

-Adam Grant, Originals