Penelope Trunk knows something about risk. A nationally syndicated columnist, Ms. Trunk shocked the business community when she revealed intimate details of her personal life on her blog. At the time, many weren't sure this was the right move, but the blog shot up in popularity and eventually garnered over 30,000 subscribers.

    If not for that loyal following, Ms. Trunk might not have been able to make a case for her current venture, Brazen Careerist （BrazenCareerist.com）, an online professional network for Generation Y.

    Launching a new company is a perilous endeavor, but Ms. Trunk thought the risk was worth it. 'This world isn't set up for writers to get anywhere,' she says. 'Although I went into massive debt and ended up sacrificing my marriage, it was essential that I take my career into my own hands.'

    As a result, she is no longer dependent on publications for her livelihood and has achieved one of her lifetime goals -- to serve as a mentor to twenty-something employees.

    Big Risks, Big Rewards

    If you think about it, most accomplished people in our culture are entrepreneurs who have taken big risks to net proportionally high rewards.

    Tough as it is for cautious people like me to accept, if you don't occasionally take calculated gambles, you won't get ahead as quickly as those who do. You will also never get over your fear of the unknown, and life will be predictable and dull.

    How do you go about deciding if a career risk is necessary and will bear fruit?

    First, it helps to think long term. Where do you want your career to be in five years, and what actions will you have to take to make sure you get there? Next, clearly define the challenge and the opportunity -- or the upside if the risk goes well.

    Then, consider the downside. Will the worst-case scenario be career-ending, or something that can be overcome?

    What's Your Backup Plan?

    Finally, what are some clues to assess if the risk is going bad, and what is your backup plan if your risk isn't successful?

    In thinking through these questions, you might determine, for example, that quitting your well-paying job and spending your savings to pursue an invention idea isn't a risk you find tolerable.

    The smartest risks have a limited downside and a huge upside. They involve research and the counsel of experienced people -- but also the willingness to step back and let the cards fall where they may.

    Believe that you've made the right choice, and have faith that everything will turn out all right in the end. Insecurity and negativity won't serve you well, because you'll be constantly holding your breath, waiting for things to fall apart.

    Speaking of which, if a risk doesn't work out, don't let it stop you from taking similar actions in the future. It's normal to feel disappointment and even embarrassment. But it's essential that you pick yourself up and move on.

    Take stock of what went wrong and make a note to do it differently next time. There is no shorter path to career fulfillment.

    佩尼洛普？特倫克（Penelope Trunk）對風險有些了解。作為一位全國知名的專欄作家，特倫克在博客中自揭私生活的隱密細節，這讓商界震驚不已。當時，很多人都懷疑這是否是明智之舉，不過她的博客卻大受歡迎，最終吸引了3萬多名注冊用戶。

    如果不是有這些忠心的用戶，特倫克或許根本無法找出一個說得通的理由推出自己的網站Brazen Careerist （BrazenCareerist.com）.這是一個面向80后的在線專業網絡。

    本文作者Alexandra Levit成立新公司是個危險的舉動，不過特倫克認為值得冒這樣的風險。她說，這個世界并不利于作家的發展；盡管我陷入了重重債務，最后還犧牲了我的婚姻，但重要的是我將職業把握在了自己手里。

    結果是，她的生計不再依賴出版物，并且已經實現了一個人生目標──當20多歲年輕員工的導師。

    高風險，高回報

    你可以想一想，在我們的社會里，大部分有成就的人都是冒了很大的風險、并相應地獲得高回報的企業家。

    這讓像我這樣的謹慎之人難以接受，不過如果你不偶爾地在審時度勢后冒些險，你就不能像別人一樣很快進步。此外，你永遠無法克服對未知的恐懼，你的人生一眼就能看到底，了無生趣。

    你該如何確定一項職業上的冒險是必要的、會有所收獲？

    首先，要放眼長遠。你希望自己的職業生涯5年后是什么樣子的，你將必須采取什么措施來確保實現這一目標？其次，明確定義面臨的挑戰和機遇──或如果冒險成功了，會有什么好處。

    然后，考慮不利方面。如果出現最糟糕的情況，是否會葬送了自己的職業生涯，還是能夠克服？

    你的B計劃是什么？

    最后，你要評估哪些線索來得知冒險正在走向失敗。如果冒險不成功，你的B計劃又是什么？

    好好想想這些問題，你可能會發現，辭掉自己的高薪工作、把存款花到一個發明想法上，這樣做的風險超出了自己的承受力。

    最明智的冒險"弊"有限而"利"很大。需要研究、向有經驗的人咨詢，還要甘愿在必要的時候退一步、順其自然。

    堅信你的選擇是正確的，并篤信一切終究會圓滿成功。不安全感和消極態度不會給你帶來裨益，因為你要不斷屏住呼吸、等著事情失敗。

    說到這兒，如果冒險沒有成功，不要讓它阻礙你今后采取類似的措施。感覺失望甚至尷尬是很正常的。不過重要的是，你要振作精神，繼續前進。

    從錯誤中汲取教訓，避免下次重蹈覆轍。職場成功沒有捷徑可尋。