Vulnerable is defined as 1. susceptible to being wounded or hurt 2. open to attack.
We sometimes talk about being vulnerable as being a positive attribute—being open to others and open to experiences and even open to risks. These are all good.
But by the original definition of the word, we have a responsibility to protect ourselves, our families and our livelihood from danger.
The question to ask is, “Where are we vulnerable?” What could happen that could tear the wheels off and run my life and/or my business into the ditch.
I’m not advocating being paranoid, here; I’m just recommending that we be prudent. Life and business involve risk, but we should do our best to minimize those risks.
I walked on fire with Tony Robbins in 1984. He was just getting started—24 years old. I was 33. I remember it as being a real breakthrough in terms of what is actually possible.
One of the processes we went through in preparation for the fire walk was to look at our worst-case scenarios. The idea was to really assess and acknowledge the worst thing that could happen—to directly face a specific fear rather than just allow the fear to be nebulous.
In a similar way, we also need to be willing to look at how things could go badly for us in order to properly protect ourselves. Not to dwell on them, but to acknowledge them and explore ways to protect ourselves.
What have you done to increase your security? What steps have you taken to reduce your vulnerability? What CAN you do? What are our GREATEST risks?
Risk assessment is generally a three-step process . . .
- All risks or hazards are identified
- The probability of the occurrence of each risk/hazard is estimated
- The severity of the consequences of each risk/hazard is also estimated
- Spend some time thinking about the different areas of your life and why and how they can be better protected. Here are some areas to think about how you can reduce your vulnerability:
- Attitude
- Bank Accounts
- Business
- Competition
- Computers
- Family
- Health (mental & physical)
- Home
- Identity
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property
- Investments
- Licensing
- Networks
- Passwords
- Taxes
We all hope for the best, but managing the downside of things is simply prudent and responsible.
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