Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk [Hardcover]

Ben Carson M.D. (Author), Gregg Lewis (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 2007

No risk, pay the cost. Know risk, reap the rewards. In our risk-avoidance culture, we place a high premium on safety. We insure our vacations. We check crash tests on cars. We extend the warranties on our appliances. But by insulating ourselves from the unknown---the risks of life---we miss the great adventure of living our lives to their full potential. Ben Carson spent his childhood as an at-risk child on the streets of Detroit, and today he takes daily risks in performing complex surgeries on the brain and the spinal cord. Now, offering inspiring personal examples, Dr. Carson invites us to embrace risk in our own lives. From a man whose life dramatically portrays the connection between great risks and greater successes, here are insights that will help you dispel your fear of risk so you can dream big, aim high, move with confidence, and reap rewards you've never imagined. By avoiding risk, are you also avoiding the full potential of your life? The surgery was as risky as anything Dr. Ben Carson had seen. The Bijani sisters---conjoined twins---shared part of a skull, brain tissue, and crucial blood flow. One or both of them could die during the operation. But the women wanted separate lives. And they were willing to accept the risk to reach the goal, even against the advice of their doctors ... As a child on the dangerous streets of Detroit, and as a surgeon in operating theaters around the world, Dr. Ben Carson has learned all about risk---he faces it on a daily basis. Out of his perilous childhood, a world-class surgeon emerged precisely because of the risks Dr. Carson was willing to take. In his compelling new book, he examines our safety-at-all-costs culture and the meaning of risk and security in our lives. In our 21st-century world, we insulate ourselves with safety. We insure everything from vacations to cell phones. We go on low-cholesterol diets and buy low-risk mutual funds. But in the end, everyone faces risk, like the Bijani twins did with their brave decision. Even if our choices are not so dramatic or the outcome so heartbreaking, what does it mean if we back away instead of move forward? Have we so muffled our hearts and minds that we fail to reach for all that life can offer us---and all that we can offer life? Take the Risk guides the reader through an examination of risk, including: * A short review of risk-taking in history. * An assessment of the real costs and rewards of risk. * Learning how to assess and accept risks. * Understanding how risk reveals the purpose of your lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Carson (Think Big) retells stories from previous books, focusing on the idea of risk. As one of the world's top pediatric neurosurgeons, Carson has a lot of experience weighing the odds—and in most cases, lives are on the line. His Best/Worst Analysis for any situation includes four questions: What's the best thing that can happen if I do this? What's the worst thing that can happen if I do this? What's the best thing that can happen if I don't do it? What's the worst thing that can happen if I don't do it? Carson's decisions are also rooted in his faith, with his greatest priority being to use the talents God has given rather than simply to preserve his reputation. By the end, his four-question formula wears thin, however, and he uses the idea of risk to launch into apparently unrelated subjects—the creation/evolution debate, his own belief in God, sharing his faith, problems with public education and even fiscal policy (where he suggests getting rid of money altogether in lieu of handprints and retina scans). Carson can be inspiring, but this book would have been better with a tighter focus and greater depth. (Jan.)
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Review

Carson (Think Big) retells stories from previous books, focusing on the idea of risk. As one of the world's top pediatric neurosurgeons, Carson has a lot of experience weighing the odds---and in most cases, lives are on the line. His 'Best/Worst Analysis' for any situation includes four questions: 'What's the best thing that can happen if I do this? What's the worst thing that can happen if I do this? What's the best thing that can happen if I don't do it? What's the worst thing that can happen if I don't do it?' Carson's decisions are also rooted in his faith, with his greatest priority being 'to use the talents God has given' rather than simply to preserve his reputation. By the end, his four-question formula wears thin, however, and he uses the idea of risk to launch into apparently unrelated subjects---the creation/evolution debate, his own belief in God, sharing his faith, problems with public education and even fiscal policy (where he suggests getting rid of money altogether in lieu of handprints and retina scans). Carson can be inspiring, but this book would have been better with a tighter focus and greater depth. (Jan.) -- Publisher's Weekly <br><br>

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; 1ST edition (December 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310259738
• ISBN-13: 978-0310259732
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,352 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Ben Carson discusses taking appropriate risk, January 1, 2008

By 

Faye M. Layne "Jonece Layne, Carson Scholar" (Beltsville, Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk (Hardcover)

Dr. Carson has written many books, but his recent book (2008) "Take The Risk" is a page turner. Once you open this book it is difficult to put it down. I enjoyed this book immensely. It is the best book Dr. Carson has written. His comprehensive analysis of risks, Best/Worst Analysis,(B/WA) is thorough yet simple. I highly recommend this book. His description of his experiences with Laleh and Ladan Bijani, 21-year-old twins that were conjoined at the back of the head, were very moving, and it showed that he takes appropriate risks everyday in his profession as a pediatric neurosurgeon, and we should too.
He described how to determine whether to take the risk, or play it safe. For example, on pages 188-189, he described how he used his analysis to determine what to do about his youngest son's driving habits. His son had crashed the car twice. He said "But if ever a situation required some careful risk analysis, this was it. So Candy and I discussed the issue thoroughly." They did a B/WA on this topic, something that many people can relate to. In the end, they decided that he was responsible for getting himself to and from wherever he wanted to go, but his son decided that he would get a ride from a sibling or friend.
Dr. Carson, thank you for the gift of this book and for sharing your wisdom with us.
Jonece Layne, Carson Scholar - Beltsville, Maryland

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars could have been shorter, but still worth the read, June 17, 2008

By 

Mark Oestreicher (La Mesa, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk (Hardcover)

ben carson, in case you haven't heard of him (i'd only vaguely heard of him), is a world renowned neurosurgeon. i mean, world-renowned, like, he's one of the top pediatric neurosurgeons in the world. and, he's probably the number one neuro-dude when it comes to separating conjoined twins, joined at the skull. oh, and he grew up in a poor, single mom, household, on the tough streets of detroit.

so it's fair to say the guy knows a thing or two about considering risk.

this book is a story-rich explanation of how to consider risk, and how to make risky decisions. it's especially worth the read for anyone struggling to make a tough decision, and i've already recommended it to a couple people.

there are a few places where i felt the book wandered a bit -- i didn't think it was helpful to hear the long-ish excursions into the author's politics (deep into the book, and neither helpful nor necessary) as examples of risk.

BUT, the book has two significant strengths:

1. it is full of wonderful stories. seriously. rarely have i read a book with a single propositional or methodological point that has so many engaging stories. we see carson's risk-consideration formula played out in dozens and dozens of examples -- from his own life, and in the world around us. examples from his childhood, and lots of examples from the risk-filled world of pediatric neurosurgery. carson's a good storyteller (honed, i'm guessing, over years of speaking to teenagers -- nothing hones storytelling skill like speaking to audiences who aren't impressed by your resume), and effectively wields this throughout the entire book.

2. carson unveils a simple, yet very helpful, process for considering and deciding on risk. he calls it the bwa, or best-worst-analysis. many of us, i'm sure, when attempting to make a difficult decision, have made lists of pros and cons. carson's bwa approach is similar, but takes things a bit further. simply put, the bwa is:

- what's the best that can happen if i do this?

- what's the worst that can happen if i do this?

- what's the best that can happen if i don't do this?

- what's the worst that can happen if i don't do this?

of course, he gives chapters full of nuance to this. but i have actually found myself using this little memorable (the fact that it is simple and memorable is part of its strength) approach since i've been reading the book, a bit at a time, over the past month or so.

carson also ties all of this in with his christian faith. he doesn't overdo this point (i assume carson has gone into this in more detail in some of his earlier books), which is good. but it is very interesting to hear some of his story (again, great examples of considering risk, in stories like the one where he considers whether or not to be a part of a panel on science and faith at a prestigious gathering of minds), especially given his scientific cred.

anyhow, take the risk is a helpful book. it's not a "you must rush out and read this now" book. but it's helpful, and an enjoyable read thanks to the stories. it's one i'll continue to recommend to people who are struggling to make a decision.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Practical and inspiring advice, February 14, 2008

By 

Demetrios A. Pahno "Jim" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk (Hardcover)

This is a very good book on how to approach the decision making process in our personal and professional lives with greater awareness, clarity and wisdom. Ben Carson is truly an inspirational figure who knows something about risk. As a world-renowned neurosurgeon, he routinely faces risky life threatening decisions. Growing up in the tenements of Boston and Detroit he achieved success through faith, and hard work that leveraged considerable gifts, but also through a willingness to take on risks in his personal and professional life.
In this book he offers some lessons about how to perceive risk and eliminate distorted thinking that can cloud the process. He takes the reader through a simple framework that is powerful because of its simplicity. He also provides numerous examples of how he used this framework to deal with tough issues he has faced as a doctor, a parent and a concerned citizen. Some key points:

· Everything has risk including getting up in the morning and going to work.
· People develop distorted perceptions of risk that vary widely from actual probabilities.
· These distorted perceptions inhibit people from taking acceptable risks that can greatly enhance their life.
· Distorted perceptions can also lead to foolish decisions that can cause catastrophic results.
· A simple framework that explores the best and worst potential outcomes of any decision can be a powerful aid in minimizing biased and distorted thinking and provide greater clarity in decisions.
· The framework should be based on a strong value system that is centered on others rather than self.

Tightly bound to his framework is his powerful Christian faith, which he believes reinforces his simple framework by weighing outcomes on the basis of key Christian values. Even though the book has many references to the bible it does not have a preachy proselytizing tone. Quite the contrary, Dr. Carson's attitudes communicate tolerance and acceptance. There are plenty of books that provide more detail and rigor on risk and decision making along with prescriptions on how to improve the process--"Decision Traps" is one of my favorites. If you are looking for rigor and detail, this book will leave you wanting, however I found Dr. Carson's book a pragmatic guide that also provides a great deal of inspiration.