Taking Risks

Without hesitation, I believe that it is better to live life when risks are taken. The act of going outside the box, stretching your comfort zone, and exposing yourself to things you are uncertain about helps you. By taking risks, we realize what our full potential actually is. Gymnastics is a sport that is full of risk taking. Sprained ankles, broken bones and pulled muscles are all common within the sport. My teammates and I always heard of broken bones that lead to death, and being paralyzed resulting from falling from the high bar, or landing on your neck after a vault. For many people, gymnastics is not a good sport and a definite out for them because they do not want to take the chances of having a life changing injury.

For me, gymnastics was my sport. I welcomed the risks that were being thrown at me. People around me would tell me and even my parents that they were crazy for putting me in a sport with such danger. But my parents would always respond on how being in the gym for 24 hours a week was a life lesson for me. It taught me to acknowledge dangers of doing certain skills, gauge capabilities on what I could and couldn’t do, that working hard will reward you in the long run, and taking risks in the right way and working through tough times with help you overcome many fears in your life.

It’s a fact that I did sprain my ankles multiple times, I did break bones, and I did pull muscles. I had mental blocks on a daily basis that kept me from doing certain things. There was a certain point in my career that I refused to flip backward on the beam. During this time I was attempting to transition from level 8 to level 9 and if I didn’t figure out a way to execute these skills on the balance beam I would be held at the same level for the second year in a row. I was told by my coach that ‘if I didn’t take the risk and do the skills then I am risking my chances of moving up a level.’ When she first said that I didn’t really pay attention, but that night it really sunk in. If I don’t take a chance of performing these skills I will be stuck behind. This really made me realize what risk taking is about.

The more risks you take, the more you learn about yourself, after this, I had so much more confidence within myself. I wouldn’t trade the lessons I learned or the skills I acquired by taking the risks I did in the sport for the world. I am grateful for the athleticism, mindset, lessons, and life skills gymnastics presented to me. It is better to take risks, and figure out what our strengths and weaknesses are early so that later in life we are not hiding behind our fears, and wondering how life would be changed if you had done something differently. Instead, take risks, find them early, and live a fearless successful life.

Photo by Erin Costa

DMU Timestamp: July 04, 2024 18:20

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Jul 10

Paul A's Question Paul A and/or Improv Teammate (Retired) (Jul 10 2024 2:00PM) : What do you think about my first paragraph? more

Improv Teammate (Retired) with Paul A's edits:

Leaping into the unknown, what a thrilling way to start! Your paragraph paints a vivid picture of the adrenaline and danger inherent in gymnastics. It’s like you’re inviting the reader to step onto the mat with you. Now, imagine if you could weave in a personal anecdote, maybe a moment when you took a risk and it paid off, or even a time when it didn’t but you learned something invaluable. How did those experiences shape your perspective on risk-taking?

Sep 17

Paul A's Question Paul A and/or Outlining Tool (Sep 17 2024 12:01PM) : Can you suggest how I might reorganize? more

Outlining Tool with Paul A's edits:

Absolutely! Let’s dive into three different outlines for your text, each with a unique organizational approach:

Outline 1: Traditional Logical Flow

1. Introduction: Importance of Taking Risks
– “Without hesitation, I believe that it is better to live life when risks are taken.”

2. Benefits of Risk-Taking
– “The act of going outside the box, stretching your comfort zone, and exposing yourself to things you are uncertain about helps you.”
– “By taking risks, we realize what our full potential actually is.”

3. Gymnastics as a Risk-Taking Sport
– “Gymnastics is a sport that is full of risk taking.”
– “Sprained ankles, broken bones and pulled muscles are all common within the sport.”

4. Potential Consequences in Gymnastics
– “My teammates and I always heard of broken bones that lead to death, and being paralyzed resulting from falling from the high bar, or landing on your neck after a vault.”

5. Conclusion: Risk vs. Reward in Gymnastics
– “For many people, gymnastics is not a good sport and a definite out for them because they do not want to take the chances of having a life changing injury.”

Affordances:
This structure provides clarity and logical progression, making it easy for the reader to follow your argument and understand the risks and rewards of gymnastics.

Outline 2: African American English Rhetorical Patterns

1. Introduction: Embracing Risks
– “Without hesitation, I believe that it is better to live life when risks are taken.”
– “The act of going outside the box, stretching your comfort zone, and exposing yourself to things you are uncertain about helps you.”

2. Implied Connections Between Risks and Potential
– “By taking risks, we realize what our full potential actually is.”
– “Gymnastics is a sport that is full of risk taking.”

3. Repetition and Emphasis on Risks in Gymnastics
– “Sprained ankles, broken bones and pulled muscles are all common within the sport.”
– “My teammates and I always heard of broken bones that lead to death, and being paralyzed resulting from falling from the high bar, or landing on your neck after a vault.”

4. Parallelism: Comparing Different Risks
– “For many people, gymnastics is not a good sport and a definite out for them because they do not want to take the chances of having a life changing injury.”

5. Conclusion: Risks as a Path to Growth
– “Without hesitation, I believe that it is better to live life when risks are taken.”

Affordances:
This structure leverages repetition and parallelism to create a rhythmic and engaging flow, emphasizing the interconnectedness of risks and rewards in gymnastics.

Outline 3: Narrative Style

1. Personal Belief and Introduction
– “Without hesitation, I believe that it is better to live life when risks are taken.”

2. Personal Experience with Risk-Taking
– “The act of going outside the box, stretching your comfort zone, and exposing yourself to things you are uncertain about helps you.”
– “By taking risks, we realize what our full potential actually is.”

3. Gymnastics: A Journey of Risks
– “Gymnastics is a sport that is full of risk taking.”
– Personal anecdotes or stories about sprained ankles, broken bones, and pulled muscles

4. Real-Life Consequences and Reflections
– “My teammates and I always heard of broken bones that lead to death, and being paralyzed resulting from falling from the high bar, or landing on your neck after a vault.”
– Reflections on these potential outcomes

5. Conclusion: Reflecting on the Value of Risk-Taking
– “For many people, gymnastics is not a good sport and a definite out for them because they do not want to take the chances of having a life changing injury.”

Affordances:
This narrative style makes the text more relatable and personal, allowing the reader to connect with your experiences and reflections on risk-taking in gymnastics.

Now, each of these outlines takes a different approach to your content and will likely evoke a different response from your audience. Which one speaks to you the most? Or maybe you see a blend of these approaches that fits your vision better?

Take a moment to choose one, or feel free to create your own based on these examples. Write out a plan for reorganizing your text, detailing what you will do step-by-step.

And hey, is there anything else you want to work on as you revise? Let’s make this piece shine! 

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