Thought it may seem scary at first, making the leap into blogging and social media can bring greater rewards than you ever imagined.

This week we asked: When was the last time you took a risk with your marketing and business development?

1) Within the last month – 13%

2) Within the last 6 months – 18%

3) Within the last year – 20%

4) Within the last 2 years – 46%

5) Within the last 5 years – 3%

My Thoughts: I’m sorry—but not surprised—to see that most readers haven’t taken a risk with their marketing and business development in over a year. I know attorneys are busy people, but taking a risk and trying something new is an important step in not only building relationships and brands but in keeping your marketing efforts fresh and exciting.

The pieces I want to share with you today talk about exactly that. The author, Adrian Dayton, talks about how after a training program with a group of bright attorneys, only half ended up putting the ideas to use and achieving positive results. Why? Because the other half didn’t follow through. Why? Because they were AFRAID of putting themselves out there. Writes Adrian:

What if nobody likes what I have to say? What if people disagree with me? What if someone at my firm doesn’t like my opinion? What if a client dislikes my blog post? What if I commit and then later get too busy? There are plenty of things to be afraid of, but if you focus on those things you will never make it out of your front door in the morning.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Another one of my favorite bloggers, Seth Godin, approached the issue this week as well. His take? Go with the momentum that propels you toward something great—and don’t be afraid.

We look at a project launch or a job or another new commitment as something that might get out of control,” he writes. “We’re afraid of being part of something that feels like it might be too big for us.

If we don’t take risks we never open the door to possibilities.  If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would write three books for lawyers… I would have told them they were CRAZY!  I guess crazy is a good thing!

Black Pearl: Here is the rest of Adrian’s post, entitled “The Parable of the Blogger.” I think you’ll find it will make you think hard about the value of taking a risk… and as a bonus, here’s the full post from Seth Godin “Avoiding Momentum.”