One of the reasons we admire people who take risks is that most of us are scared stiff at the prospect of taking risks ourselves. “I could never do something like that,” we say. The “something” we could never do might be anything from starting a new career to learning how to cook something. It doesn’t matter. Sometimes, it seems that the only people who can take risks successfully are the people who have nothing to lose.

You’ve got to go out on a limb sometimes -- but not so far that you fall off. To help you in these perilous times, I’ve come up with my ABCs of risk-taking:

A is for apprehension. Taking a large or small risk comes with a degree of apprehension.

B is for bravery. Afraid to try something new? Most people are.

C is for challenging. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks. If you win, you will be happy. If you lose, you will be wise.

D is for differentiator. Some risks can make or break your business.

E is for enterprising. Thinking outside the box to find the information you need or to get the project accomplished is one of the traits that I really admire in people.

F is for flexibility. Nearly all the successful people I know have dealt with defeat, slumps, failures, change and adversities of every nature. The reason they are successful despite all that is they had the confidence and courage to face those setbacks and find a way to overcome them.

G is for genius. Recognizing a genius idea is one of the traits that characterize serious risk-takers.

H is for healthy. Approach risk with a healthy skepticism, then assess the real hazards and benefits to reach a reasonable path to fulfillment.

I is for inherent. From taking your first step to investing your life savings in a new venture, nearly every activity we undertake in our lives involves taking risks.

J is for jealousy. Never take a risk out of jealousy for another’s accomplishments, because it will end in disaster. Instead, study their success and learn how they turned risk into success.

K is for knock it out of the park. You can’t hit a home run unless you take a swing at the ball.

L is for leap of faith. Every major decision requires a leap of faith. In the final analysis, what your inner voice tells you is the best advice you can get.

M is for mission. A clearly defined mission makes managing risk considerably easier. If you know where you want to go, you can anticipate some of the landmines along the way.

N is for nerve. Risk-taking often requires nerves of steel to face the inevitable challenges and failures involved with big risks.

O is for originality. Hanging around with creative people helps you understand different ways of looking at the world and stimulates your thought processes to more original ideas.

P is for possibilities. When you see what is possible, you are more inclined to take a risk that will pay off.

Q is for quit. Quit complaining, quit dragging your feet, quit talking yourself out of what could be a fabulous opportunity because you are afraid to take a risk.

R is for realistic. Taking risks can reap big rewards, but only if the venture is realistic.

S is for stepping out of your comfort zone. No risk, no success.

T is for turtles. A turtle only makes progress when it sticks its neck out.

U is for undaunted. Understand that failure will happen. There will be some pain and failure. It’s part of life.

V is for visionaries because risk-takers don’t see things as they really are. Visionaries exercise a lot more control over the outcome of events.

W is for willpower, which keeps people hammering away. Determined people possess the stamina and courage to pursue their ambitions despite criticism, ridicule or unfavorable circumstances.

X is for eXhilerating. Young people especially take risks for the thrill and as part of normal development.

Y is for yes, you can. When others say no you can’t, but you see a better way forward, ignore the nay-sayers and tell yourself yes, you can.

Z is for zinger. When you get a zinger of an idea, zero in on how you can make it happen. There’s no greater feeling in business than to know the risks you take are paying off.

Mackay’s Moral: Sometimes it’s risky not to take a risk.

I know it’s already August, but this summer my thoughts can finally turn to the crack of the bat as I watch my Minnesota Twins “Bomba Squad” launch dinger after dinger! As much as I love basketball and football, there’s a certain magic about the great national pastime.

For me, baseball is a learning experience, full of life lessons!

In one "Peanuts" cartoon, Charlie Brown is having a bad day. He strikes out for the third straight time. In disgust, he says, “Rats!”

Back in the dugout, he laments to Lucy, “I'll never be a big-league ballplayer. All my life, I've dreamed of playing in the big leagues, but I just know I'll never make it.”

Lucy responds, “You're thinking way too far ahead, Charlie Brown. What you need are more immediate goals.”

“Immediate goals?” asks Charlie.

“Yes,” says Lucy. “Start right now with this next inning. When you go out to pitch, see if you can walk out to the mound without falling down.”

Moral: Most importantly, goals need to be realistic: beyond your grasp but within your reach in the foreseeable future.

When it comes to getting things done, I have a philosophy: “Find a way, or make one.” I don't tolerate excuses, and you shouldn't either.

A high school baseball coach was frustrated with his first baseman, who made error after error. At practice, the coach grabbed a glove to show the player how it should be done. The first grounder took a bad hop and clobbered him in the chest. Next came a pop-up that he lost in the sun, and it smashed into his forehead. Later, a wild throw from the shortstop caused him to stretch, tearing his pants. Exasperated, the coach turned to his first baseman and shouted, “You've got this position so messed up, even I can't do a thing with it.”

Moral: The person who wants to do something finds a way; the person who doesn't finds an excuse.

We all have weaknesses, whether it’s baseball or business.

Baseball great Stan Musial was having a field day against the Chicago Cubs’ pitcher Bobo Newsom. Stan “the Man” first slammed a single, then a triple and a home run. When he came to bat for the fourth time, the Chicago manager decided to yank Bobo and take a chance on a rookie relief pitcher. The rookie trudged in from the bullpen, took the ball from Bobo, and asked, “Has this guy Musial got any weaknesses?”

“Yeah,” replied Bobo, “he can’t hit doubles.”

Moral: The greatest of all weaknesses is to be conscious of none.

Maintaining a good reputation can help you in bad circumstances by giving you the benefit of the doubt.

Rogers Hornsby, considered to be among the greatest right-handed hitters in baseball history, had a lifetime batting average of .358. In 1924, he hit .424 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also had a reputation for excellence, good judgment and integrity.

The story goes that Hornsby came to bat one day against a flashy rookie pitcher with a blazing fastball.

Whoosh went the first pitch to Hornsby, who kept his bat cocked.

“Ball one,” said the umpire.

Second pitch and third pitches, same story.

Angry and frustrated, the young pitcher shouted at the umpire, “Those three pitches were all strikes!”

“Young man,” said the umpire, “when you throw a strike, Mr. Hornsby will let you know.”

Moral: You can't buy a good reputation; you must earn it.

Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder Paul Waner was asked when he would know when it was time to quit baseball.

“Well,” said Waner, “as you get older, you slow down and the infielders back up, because they've got more time to throw you out at first base. At the same time, you lose a little power, so the outfielders move in because you aren't hitting the ball so far.” Then he added, "When they can shake hands, you've had it."

Moral: A person doesn’t become old until regrets take the place of dreams.

Mackay’s Moral: No matter when the season begins, start business “spring training” so you can win the World Series.

(Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times best-seller "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive." He can be reached through his website, www.harveymackay.com, by emailing harvey@mackay.com or by writing him at MackayMitchell Envelope Co., 2100 Elm St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.)

Many people have lost their jobs during this pandemic through no fault of their own.

For my book, “We Got Fired! ... and It’s the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us,” I interviewed 29 people who landed on their feet and excelled after they were furloughed or given a pink slip. These were high-profile people, often fired in a very public arena. To sum up each of their inspirational stories, I asked everyone what advice they would give to people looking for a job.

Pat Mitchell was the first woman president and CEO of PBS at the time. She had been working as a researcher/writer for Look magazine when it went out of business.

Her advice was: “Be determined ... I was determined not to give up. I figured it would all come around if I could find a way to survive financially while I stayed focused on what I wanted. It didn’t come easily. If you look at my resume, it seems like one exciting jump from one run to the next. Every one of those moves was somewhat of a risk. Some didn’t work out as I planned or hoped. I didn’t follow a straight line to get where I am, but I never went backward either.”

She added: “Seize every chance you have to learn. It’s amazing how many skills we seem to acquire by accident.”

Bernie Marcus was CEO of the Handy Dan Home Improvement Center chain when the parent company declared bankruptcy. Marcus was fired by a vindictive board even though the Handy Dan division was not in bankruptcy. “They threw me out of my office and put bars on the door. They searched my files. It was pretty terrible -- one of those corporate things. You hear about them, but you don’t really know what they are like until you live through one.”

He was convinced to drop his lawsuit against the company by a mentor who encouraged him to get on with his life. Another friend advised him to open the store he had always dreamed of. And that’s how The Home Depot was born. He was fired from a top spot in hardware retailing and went on to redefine the hardware industry.

Billie Jean King, winner of 39 women’s tennis Grand Slam titles, experienced a series of career setbacks. She said: “Have faith and believe in yourself. It’s OK to feel what you’re feeling. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This was one of my weaknesses. I was embarrassed to ask, but I’ve since learned that people want to help. Develop skills and try your best.”

King, who became the first woman in any sport to earn more than $100,000 in prize money in a year, added: “Understand delayed gratification. We live in a society of instant rewards. You must learn your craft and earn what you get. It takes a lot of work and sweat, but you have to be willing to pay the price.”

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told me that he first had a vision for his Bloomberg media empire the day he was fired from Salomon Brothers. He and 62 other partners were summoned to a conference center and told the firm was being merged into another company.

One message from Mayor Bloomberg really stuck out: “People remember two things in life -- who helped you on the way up … and who kicked you on the way down."

Lest you think these examples don’t relate to your situation, stop and think again. These folks could have wallowed in self-pity, spent fortunes in lawsuits and harbored bitterness that would taint their future job searches.

But they chose a different path. They traded on their strengths and determined to forge ahead. And they didn’t give up. That’s the most important lesson of all.

If you would like a free copy of my book, “We Got Fired! ... and It’s the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us,” visit www.harveymackayacademy.com/fired to complete a form to download the eBook.

Mackay’s Moral: Tough times don’t last; tough people do.