As a Forty Plusser I have my fair share of taking risks in life. Good risks (yippee! yes! good for you girl!), but also bad and irresponsible risks. I am an adrenalin junky and have bungy jumped, etc. I have made bad financial decisions, I have risked my health in many ways, I have made bad relationship choices. The list goes on. But I am only human, so I won’t be too hard on myself. Life happens! You gain wisdom! I know that risks are like gambling with life. I know that every risk has an effect that it will leave on your life. As a Forty Plusser I know that whether it be negative or positive, it is important to “test”life. You will never know what the outcome could be… without trying it. Hence, risk taking is a core element of human life and human existence. 
Risk means the possibility of suffering a harmful event. I know all too well that taking risks can either bring positive or negative results, because anytime we take risks in life, there is a possibility of loss which can cause tension. Without all the challenges/taking risks in life, I just wouldn’t be able to see what I am capable of doing. Taking risks is done with some purpose in mind as well. As a Forty Plusser, I have also experienced in life that people who are hesitant to take risks will become stagnant. Risk taking is the best way to overcome your own weaknesses and confusions. 
I don’t know. Maybe, taking a risk and having it result in a positive outcome has a lot to do with fate and luck. This might be true for various people, but in some cases, where the decision lies in another human and not on fate, taking a bold risk exemplifies your confidence in yourself and that is a valuable but rare quality in humans.
As a Forty Plusser, I know that staying in your comfort zone is safe, it’s easy and it’s comfortable. Playing it safe means you won’t fall, but it also means you won’t soar any higher than you already are. If you are the “play it safe type”, you may find that taking a risk that has a safety net will be your best type. Almost every individual finds it more convenient to take steps that are safe and secure. 
From my own experiences, I have learned that risk takers prefer all or nothing, dangerous acts and living on the edge. I love it!! (maybe it is part of having Bipolar, like me, not always thinking straight… LOL!!). The risk taker throws it all in with a grin or performs dangerous acts. Living on the edge is another factor, as the people who prefer playing it safe in life, do not feel comfortable with being on the verge of something negative happening.
So what is a bad risk? You keep doing that, you’re going to get killed. Complicated, insufficient history to gauge frequency and severity of bad outcomes, possibility of a ‘catch.’ You are playing with fire. Taking bad risks can have serious negative consequences or our health, education or relationships. 
So what is a good risk? Gives you the best chance to survive and prosper over the long haul. A good risk can push you outside of your comfort zone and helps you achieve a healthy goal. A positive risk is any condition, occurrence, event or situation that provides a possible positive impact for a project.
Risks cut to the heart of the matter. Risks are appealing. Sometimes we take risks, because we are bored and want to “spice up” our lives. Boredom is the result of some imbalance in how we are living. As a Forty Plusser I know that without risk, there is no reward and in most cases the greater the possible reward, the more risk involved… First determine is the payoff is worth taking the risk… 
Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have. – Oprah Winfrey
No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life in a great cause. – Theodore Roosevelt
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. – T. S. Eliot
If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary. – Jim Rohn
Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit. – e. e. cummings
The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open. – Chuck Palahniuk
No matter what kind of math you use, you wind up measuring volatility with your gut. – Ed Seykota 
Forty Something Life As We Know It 