Protect Against Ruin Before Chasing Upside

A positive opportunity can still be a bad bet when the downside is unrecoverable. Preserve the time, money, health, and trust needed to stay in the game.

Define the unacceptable loss

Before acting, name what you cannot afford to lose. That boundary helps distinguish a calculated risk from an exciting story about one.

Size the commitment

When uncertainty is high, make a smaller commitment that leaves room to learn. Durability is an advantage because it keeps future options open.