I was watching the World Cup this weekend, in a game in which Mexico and Iran played their way to a 1-1 tie at the end of the first half. Ranked 4th in the world, this was certainly a disappointment for Mexico. At halftime, their coach made what many considered to be a crazy move- he changed two of his players to start the second half. In the World Cup, you are only allowed to substitute 3 players for the entire game. This meant that if he had any injuries, he would have to make his last substitution, and any further injuries he'd be stuck. Well, 5 minutes into the 2nd half, Mexico's best player went down with an injury and the final replacement was made.

Sounds like a huge mistake, right? Well, his 3 substitutions were the major factor in scoring two more goals in the second half, and Mexico dominated the rest of the game, easily beating Iran 3-1. Their coach clearly saw an opportunity that he was able to exploit by taking a risk- had he played it safe, the players responsible for the last two goals wouldn't have even been on the field.

In business sometimes we try to take the safe route all the time. We protect ourselves, waiting for a problem that may never come. By taking a chance, we can maximize our efforts. What opportunities do you see in your business? How can you take a risk to capitalize on them? Risk is an essential element of business. Do you want to play it safe? Or score a goal?