When it comes to choosing how much risk to take while investing, I can't help but think of relationships. Call me a romantic if you like.
There is always a certain amount of risk involved when we open up our hearts to someone. The bull can get in the china shop; we can get hurt along the way.
But there's also a fair amount of risk for the future if we don't open up, wouldn't you say? It can be the difference between something fleeting or a lifetime of happiness together. Being too cautious early on could lead to ending up alone later.
With investing, this is the classic "now risk" vs "later risk" - taking greater risks now means reducing them later, and vice versa: taking too small a risk now means it will loom larger down the line.