Risk-taking--get Your Feet Wet!
We often use the phrase, "Get Your Wet" when we are just beginning to learn how to do something or are about to pioneer a new initiative. When we participate in a project for the first time, there is usually a hesitancy to step out into the unknown.There's no better way to learn than by doing. This requires that we move away from our comfort zones and step out into the unknown, which usually exceeds our reach and makes us stretch to get it.Stepping Out Into the UnknownThe unknown elicits strong emotional responses, the chief of which is fear. We're afraid to take chances or that we will make mistakes. While mistakes are embarrassing, they can be used to jumpstart and enhance our learning.

Other reactions to the unknown include:

• Hesitancy. Being cautious and tentative; playing it safe.
• Discouragement. Disappointment and worry; backing up and settling for less than our best.
• Pessimism. Focusing on the problems and challenges instead of the solutions and opportunities.

1. Courage. Prepare for your next challenge or opportunity by doing your homework. Learn as much as you can and apply that learning when working in indeterminate assignments

   Cookies with httplib
   <p>I needed to do a simple http get in the other day, the only catch was that I had to send a cookie. My first thoughts were that this might be tricky, but in practise it's a doddle. Below is a simplistic example passing a cookie (called "Fish", with a value of "Cod") using Python's <a href="http://docs.python.org/lib/module-httplib.html">httplib</a>.</p> <pre> import httplib conn = httplib.HTTPConnection( "www.example.com" ) Headers = {"Cookie" : "Fish=Cod"} conn.request("GET", "/fishfinder.html", None, Headers ) response = conn.getresponse() data = response.read() </pre> <p>How hard can it be?</p>
   Easy security blanket
   <p>Back in May del.icio.us announced some changes to their api, in a post curiously titled <a href="http://blog.del.icio.us/blog/2006/05/feel_secure.html">Security blanket</a>.</p> <p>It took all of two minutes to update my <a href="http://feetup.org/blog/dev/projects.html">linkblogging script</a> (a different url, and https rather than http), source code for which can be found in the usual location: <a href="http://feetup.org/code/py/pydelicious.py.txt">pydelicious.py</a></p> <p>One gotcha for Pythonistas is that the default win32 build of older versions of Python doesn&#8217;t have any ssl support, I&#8217;ve tried <a href="http://alldunn.com/python/">Robin Dunn&#8217;s drop-in replacement for _socket.pyd</a> and it seems to work fine.</p>
   

   or dealing with vague requests. Take a leap of faith into the unknown and just do it. Don't wait until everything is perfect and you are entirely ready—physically, emotionally, and financially.

   You'll never be absolutely and totally ready or ultimately prepared. Most times, you just have to begin, so build up your courage and take the plunge!

2. Commitment. Once you've decided to do it, dedicate yourself to accomplishing the task. It's a good idea to get your wet by completing smaller action steps related to the task in order to "test the waters" without expending all your effort and energy at once. In any event, start small and see what works. Make course corrections as necessary, and remain focused and committed to completing the task, overcoming the main challenge, or taking full advantage of the opportunity.
3. Conviction. Cultivate a passion and fervor for the task.

   Don't doubt or waver in your belief and confidence that you can succeed. Sure, you will make mistakes and encounter problems along the way, but you must be persuaded and have complete assurance that you can jump over these hurdles to achieve the goal.