In advance of Saturday’s TEDxMileHigh, we caught up with some of the presenters to talk about risk, reward, and success. (Learn about more of the presenters in Part One.)

Natalie Baumgartner, Co-Founder and Chief Psychologist, RoundPegg

The following are all inherently risky and rewarding, but if you had to choose one word (risk or reward) to describe each of the following, which would it be?

Getting married: Reward

Relocating for a job: Reward
Relocating for a significant other: Reward
Taking a year off from school to work or travel: Reward
Starting a business: Risk
Karaoke: Risk
Public speaking: Reward
Ordering something new at a restaurant where you always get the same thing: Reward
Approaching someone at a bar or party: Reward
Stepping in to stop two people from fighting: Risk

In six words or less, define what success means to you.

Living a life that fits.

Woody Roseland, Entertainer; Five-Time Cancer Survivor; Motivational Speaker

The following are all inherently risky and rewarding, but if you had to choose one word (risk or reward) to describe each of the following, which would it be?

Getting married: Reward
Relocating for a job: Risk
Relocating for a significant other: Risk
Taking a year off from school to work or travel: Reward
Starting a business: Risk
Karaoke: Reward
Public speaking: Reward
Ordering something new at a restaurant where you always get the same thing: Risk
Approaching someone at a bar or party: Risk
Stepping in to stop two people from fighting: Risk

In six words or less, define what success means to you.

Making a difference for others.

Adam Lerner, Director and Chief Animator, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

The following are all inherently risky and rewarding, but if you had to choose one word (risk or reward) to describe each of the following, which would it be?

Getting married: Risk
Relocating for a job: Risk
Relocating for a significant other: Risk
Taking a year off from school to work or travel: Risk
Starting a business: Risk
Karaoke: Big risk
Public speaking: Reward
Ordering something new at a restaurant where you always get the same thing: Risk
Approaching someone at a bar or party: Reward
Stepping in to stop two people from fighting: Risk

In six words or less, define what success means to you.

Pursuing my passions for a living.

Kayvon Coffey, Award-Winning Violinist

The following are all inherently risky and rewarding, but if you had to choose one word (risk or reward) to describe each of the following, which would it be?

You can’t distinguish between risk and reward. Risk and reward are two sides of the same coin: There can be no reward without first taking a risk, and taking a risk is itself rewarding.

In six words or less, define what success means to you.

Successful performance inspires feeling through music.

Top image courtesy of Chris Anthony

Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer is an award-winning writer and editor based in Denver. You can find more of her work at daliahsinger.com.