How risky are ideas? For many people they are terrifying; notice how distinctly unpopular thinking is. Notice society's tendency to censor, to control, and to spy on what people say. But does that really mean ideas are actually risky? Well, they can be, in the sense that they are the precursor to progress. I suggest you take all the risks you can muster when it comes to thinking for yourself. To do that, you might need to tune in to the ways you were conditioned not to think for yourself, which includes everything from unquestioned prejudices to going along with the crowd to believing something is true because a parent or partner says it's true. And herein lies the trap—the fear that if you dare to be original, or to question consensus reality, you will be cast out of the tribe. That's about the last thing you have to worry about now; you are more likely to be considered in a position of leadership, specifically because you possess and use your capacity to think, and to think creatively. Here is a formula you can try, which can turn problems into solutions: Catch yourself every time you go into safe/narrow/prejudiced mode. Pause right then, and prompt yourself to question. Step over the nonexistent barrier and consciously allow your thoughts to unfold.