From this photo of our honeymoon, where would you guess we'd been?
Thailand?
Australia?
No... Scotland. Our two-week stay in the Outer Hebrides and Inverness brought us breathtaking sunsets, swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, turquoise waters and pure white sands. We took a risk with our choice of destination, rejecting more obvious options for somewhere we knew virtually nothing about, with unpredictable weather. We were rewarded with warm sunshine, the sight of seals bobbing around in the waters, and a glorious double rainbow that we could see both the ends of. The experiences we had were made possible by the few visionary people who took risks - financially, emotionally, time and energy-wise - in order to create the guest houses and self-catering accommodation in which we stayed. I asked them: what made it worth the risk?
David Milne runs Ness Bank Guest House in Inverness, a place that we chose because of its great vegan breakfasts. He says, "The B&B had been an idea on the back burner for ages. We had stayed in so many bad ones with awful food we wanted to open one that we would like to stay in. I think every now and then you have to shake things up a bit otherwise life gets very stale. Giving up our jobs... it was a fair chunk of cash to give up. But once you don't have it anymore, you don't really miss it. We'd saved a fair bit and did things quite cautiously - moved to a rented house, did a business plan. The current place came on the market and although a touch too much, we had to have it; it's a great location. I love earning my own cash and not being stuck in a computer studio 50 hours a week."
Ian at Broad Bay House on the Isle of Lewis doesn't even know if he'd call it a risk, having seen it more as a "great opportunity that might have a downside". He focuses on the upsides - "running our own business, living somewhere great, seeing the reaction of guests when we show them the house and location, and meeting loads of fun, interesting people".
The guest books in these places are full of praise and gratitude, testimony to the owners' commitment to providing wonderful holiday experiences for people. These people leapt, the nets appeared, and those nets are now little sanctuaries where others can stay in order to enjoy beautiful parts of the world. Inspired to open your own?
Do Things Differently
This week, challenge yourself to go that little (or big) step further. Push the boundaries, take a risk, focus on the opportunity as being more compelling than the drawbacks. Notice your relationship with this idea of 'risk' and how it feels to know that others could really benefit from you taking that leap.
(c) Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2008
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If you're considering creating an inspirational venture like these, do get in touch and let me know. I support people at various stages of turning an idea into reality, through one-to-one coaching and group workshops.
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