Risk and the Modern Brain

This is from the Tim Ferriss 4 hour work week blog.

Overestimating risks and avoiding losses is a fine strategy for surviving dangerous environments, but not for thriving in a modern career. When risks aren’t life-threatening, you have to overcome your brain’s disposition to avoid survivable risks. In fact, if you are not actively seeking and creating opportunities—which always contain an element of risk—you are actually exposing yourself to more serious risks in the long term.

It is counterintuitive, but I've read the same thing from other sources too.  We don't see the risk in standing still, or NOT innovating.  In reality, in our new modern reality, the risk/benefit calculation is not the same as it was when our brain was being wired.  So we have to counteract our "natural" inclinations.  Not an impossible task, we do it all the time, just a matter of being convinced of the benefit of it. Godin often speaks of the "lizard brain."  The part of the brain that wants you to stay where you are, safe and comfortable.  He also says that as you closer to completion of a project, the lizard brain comes out in force and tried to derail your efforts.  I have found that to be incredibly true.