Confusing Risk With Movement Keeps You Stuck

Dr. Jan Souman once discovered that when people try to walk straight without landmarks, they wind up circling back to their starting point. It's an apt metaphor for how we mistake flux—mere movement or change—for real risk. In modern life, most people steer clear of any flux, believing it's always a risky leap, but the evidence shows that flux is just the natural flow of growth, while risk only exists when there’s something to lose.

Too often, workplaces and families slow down change, clinging desperately to routines. The logic is, 'no surprises, no failures.' But this isn’t how high-performing teams operate. Cognitive-behavioral researchers find that people who accept flux as normal report far less burnout than those who see every transition as a threat.

By naming movement for what it is—a necessary part of life—you free yourself from the paralyzing fear that keeps you static. Growth comes only through repeated, managed movement, not through total stasis.

Think back to a time you dodged change because it felt too risky—did you really stand to lose something real, or was it just the discomfort of more movement? Write down the instance, decide if genuine risk was present or if you only confused newness with danger, and then ask yourself what potential benefits might have come from leaning into the flux. Let yourself explore more opportunities for movement this week, knowing that not all motion requires you to gamble. Sometimes, moving is simply how you find your next big success.