How to Share Risks

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“Remember: Not all positive change feels positive in the beginning.” – S.C. Lourie

This is a friendly warning: It’s risky to comment on this blog. I’m joking, of course, but have a great example of no good comment goes unpunished. 🙂

A couple of weeks ago Brian Hannon commented that he approached finding positivity from another perspective on the How to Share Optimism podcast I did with Mark Petruska. To hear Brian describe it, it’s like peeling back an onion. The outer layers are the risks of a thing, whether it be an idea, invitation, initiative, or something else. Those layers need to be dealt with before reaching the savory goodness on the inside.

At which point, I invited Brian on the podcast to talk about his approach of sharing risks.

As a corporate communications professional, Brian Hannon has incredible wisdom about identifying risks and communicating effectively. In this episode of the How to Share podcast, Brian shares his unique perspective on optimism, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging risks and challenges before moving towards a positive outlook.

Brian discusses the role of authenticity in communication, the balance between optimism and realism, and how humor can help navigate difficult conversations. Our conversation also touches on parenting and the lessons learned from life’s challenges, ultimately highlighting the value of embracing discomfort for personal growth.

Takeaways

  • Brian sees risks and challenges first before finding positives.
  • Acknowledging failure is crucial for a realistic perspective.
  • Authenticity is essential in communication and leadership.
  • Humor helps in delivering downsides without negativity.
  • Writing helps clarify thoughts and learn from experiences.
  • Embracing discomfort can lead to long-term growth.
  • Balancing perspectives can enhance collaboration and understanding.
  • Life’s challenges often provide valuable lessons.
  • Parenting influences how we perceive risks and challenges.
  • Finding a middle ground between optimism and realism is key.

Here’s a preview of Brian’s grounded and resilient approach:

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this incredible episode:

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

Unleash Your Humanity: Courage, Resilience & Purpose with Yasmine Sherif – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

How can courage, resilience, and authentic leadershiptransform adversity into meaningful change? In this episode of The Life of Try, Wynne Leon talks with Yasmine Sherif—human rights lawyer, longtime United Nations humanitarian leader, and author of Unleash Your Humanity—about choosing humanity over fear and living with faith, joy, creativity, and purpose.Yasmine traces her journey from a multicultural childhoodand a life-changing promise to serve humanity to decades of humanitarian work in conflict zones. She shares how persistence opened the door to the United Nations, what she learned while helping refugees return home after the DaytonPeace Accords, and how trust and intuition helped her act courageously when lives were at risk.Together, Wynne and Yasmine explore how courage becomes a habit, why growth often begins outside the comfort zone, and how personal awakening can inspire collective change. Their conversation offers a hopeful perspective on resilience, human potential, service, empathy, and purpose-driven leadership—while reminding us that every person can help move the world toward greater humanity.Listen to discover:·       How to build courage through repeated choices·       Why adversity can become an opportunity for growth·       How authenticity and intuition support resilient leadership·       What it means to lead through service and shared humanity·       How joy, empathy, and creativity can fuel meaningful changeFollow The Life of Try for more inspiring conversations about courage, curiosity, personal growth, and what becomespossible when we keep trying. After this episode, listen to The Way Will Open: How to Trust Life’s Timing for more on faith, patience, and moving forward when the path is unclear.
  1. Unleash Your Humanity: Courage, Resilience & Purpose with Yasmine Sherif
  2. Stop Hustling For Your Worth: A Better Way to Grow
  3. Way Will Open: How To Trust Life's Timing
  4. How to Stop Procrastinating and Start: The 10-Minute Rule for Taking Action
  5. The Art of Meaningful Conversations: Lessons from 200 podcast episodes

Links for this episode:

⁠Brian’s blog: Writing from the Heart with Brian⁠

⁠Brian Hannon⁠ on LinkedIn

(featured photo from Pexels)

36 thoughts on “How to Share Risks”

  2. Brian brings a refreshing and necessary dose of realism to the optimist/pessimist/realist perspective. Thanks to Brian and to you, Wynne.

    Liked by 2 people

  4. I agree with Brian that we need to see and search for the risks and challenges before embracing the positivity. I recently watched a tv show, where someone was offered everything they ever dreamed of. They didn’t realize there was a terrible cost. Before we embrace the positives, we have to know the realistic details and expectations.
    From the podcast, I liked where Brian mentioned about looking at not necessarily a perfect solution but “how can we help everyone”. I love his wife’s nickname in college – “Rainbow Brite”. And your point Wynne near the end of the podcast, on looking at both life and death, is so important. Reminds me of this quote: “Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.” Quoted from Edward Whymper, a British climber and explorer best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 (Scrambles Amongst the Alps).

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Wow, what thoughtful comments, Rose. Thank you for tuning in and sharing what resonated with you. That is a great quote from Whymper. I’d never heard it before but it’s so good!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Embracing the suck builds resiliency. When I’ve got something on my mind that needs taking care of, I like to jump in early and take care of business instead of having it hang over my head all day.

    That doesn’t mean you’ll ever find me out running with Brian. Swimming maybe?😊

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Oh, I love these lessons Wynne. I’m glad you were able to pull those from our conversation. I have to add I always love chatting with you. Lots of fun!! And to repeat, Mark from Midwest Mark and you are the most positive two people I know. Love it. Ha, ha.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. great discussion, great points and approach. about finding that sweet spot, a mix of figuring out the risks/challenges and the rewards that make it worth trying even if you might fail. yes

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Great points. I especially like “Finding a middle ground between optimism and realism.” Also the conversation about accepting failure is very helpful. That’s how we learn. It’s impossible to learn to walk without falling.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Great conversation, Wynne and Brian! I like both your pragmatic approach with sharing risks and challenges – direct and not Pollyanna-ish – which fosters trust and resiliency. I like the quote from Gwen’s podcast interview that there are no failures in life, only those instances when we don’t learn from them. I think this frame of mind and mindset is what helps the successful people and companies thrive through the adversity.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, I love your takeaways. That approach from Gwen is so good. I think you are right that is what helps us thrive through adversity! Thank you so much for tuning in and sharing your thoughts – I appreciate it, Ab!

      Liked by 1 person

  14. A great conversation, Wynne and Brian! This takeaway stands out: Humor helps in delivering downsides without negativity. I love humor, and it always comes in handy regardless of the scenario, along with lessons being found through challenges. Thanks to you both! ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Great takeaways, especially the one about “balancing perspectives can enhance collaboration and understanding.” So important. While reading your post, the term SWOT analysis came to mind. In the Army, we were always assessing things based on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. I’ll definitely be listening to the podcast this weekend.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. You have the most interesting conversations. I tend to be the Pollyanna type, and I get flack for it. But I’d rather be that way as it’s how I’ve got through life.

    Liked by 1 person

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