Playing it safe might be your biggest risk

Most people don’t consciously choose safety—they default into it.

They stay in jobs they’ve long outgrown because it pays the bills. They live in the same postcode where they were born because it’s familiar. They repeat the same year over and over and call it “stability,” when in truth, it’s fear in disguise.

But here’s the hard truth: That’s not security. That’s stagnation.

The comfort zone illusion

Let’s get brutally honest: your comfort zone is lying to you.

A recent UK survey found that 95% of Brits never move more than 5 miles from where they grew up. Think about that. Nearly everyone is living within a short radius of the same streets they walked as children—not because it fuels their growth, but because it’s easy.

And the consequences go deeper.

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, a significant portion of people aged 24–32 have less than £1,000 in savings. While financial constraints are real, what stands out isn’t just money—it’s mindset. It’s about motion. Ambition. Momentum.

In psychology, there’s a concept called status quo bias—the tendency to prefer things to stay the same, even when change could improve our circumstances. It’s the emotional logic behind “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

But here’s what I’ve seen over and over in coaching clients: The longer you stay where it’s “safe,” the harder it becomes to leave.

The comfort zone, once protective, turns into a prison.

Why I decided to leap

I coach people every day to take bold steps. To bet on themselves. But this year, I had to ask myself: Am I still doing that? Or am I playing it safe under the guise of responsibility?

So, I made a decision that scared me:

I rented out my house.
Found a new home for my dog.
Packed up with my wife and left the UK.

First stop: Spain. Next? Southeast Asia.

What started as a six-week adventure might stretch into six months—or six years.

This isn’t a holiday. It’s a transformation.

This isn’t running away

Let’s be clear—I’m not escaping the UK, my business, or my responsibilities.

This is a business expansion. I’m taking my coaching brand fully remote, working with clients across time zones, and building a borderless, scalable model of impact and income.

But more than that, this is a test—a challenge of integrity.

You cannot lead anyone where you haven’t gone yourself.

If I’m going to push others to dream bigger, leap higher, and build fuller lives, I have to walk that path myself.

This is me practicing what I preach.

Playing to win

Most people associate “risk” with loss:

Losing money.

Losing control.

Losing face.

But rarely do we talk about the risks of not moving:

The risk of waking up a decade from now with the bitter taste of “What if?”
The risk of a life that feels smaller than it could have been.
The risk of never finding out what we were capable of because we let fear decide.

This is called regret aversion—a principle in behavioral economics that shows people are more motivated by avoiding regret than by pursuing reward. So let’s reframe risk:

What if playing it safe is actually the biggest gamble?

How to start betting on yourself

If you’ve been stuck on the fence, frozen by overthinking, let me give you some powerful coaching prompts:

What’s one bold move I could make this year that would move me closer to my dream life?
What permission do I need to give myself to take that first step?
What’s the actual worst-case scenario—and would I survive it? (Spoiler: Yes, you would.)

Most of the time, our fear doesn’t come from logic—it comes from anticipatory anxiety. This is when the brain imagines future threats, exaggerates them, and responds as if they’re happening now. The only way out is through action.

Why it’s worth it

When you take risks aligned with your values and vision, three powerful psychological shifts happen:

You build self-trust. Every decision reinforces the belief that you can handle uncertainty.
You expand your identity. You move from “someone who stays stuck” to “someone who moves boldly.”
You unlock new resources. Opportunities, networks, and ideas only emerge when you step into motion.

As Carol Dweck’s growth mindset research shows, people who view life as a series of challenges—not threats—develop more resilience, adaptability, and long-term success.