Given that Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all,” I believe it’s safe to assume she had an adventurous spirit. I admire adventurous people. They tend to go big or go home, swing for the fence, make a splash, and go for broke.

Our culture loves adventurous people, too. After all, it’s those very characteristics I just named that we turn into well wishes for those who are preparing to undertake something risky or exciting. Admittedly, it would be rather ill-mannered to pat someone on the back as they’re embarking on a new venture or chasing a lofty goal and suggest that they hold a little back or pull their punches. So thankfully, instead, we tell them to be bold, gregarious, and daring—to be adventurous—by encouraging them to swing for that fence, break a leg, or simply “Go for it!”

I’m not that adventurous. I’m a bit of an introvert, so I’m far more likely to want to just go on home than go big. It’s not that I’m timid or shy. I like taking on challenges and I even like shooting for the stars. But if the only way to reach those stars were to be big and bold, then I probably wouldn’t have gotten a foot off the ground. For me, it’s a discerning eye and a healthy dose of caution that give me the confidence to move forward. I’m much more of a “go deliberately and go smart” kind of gal.

Though if I’m being honest, I can’t deny that there are times I wish I could throw caution to the wind and face adventure with a hearty appetite for risk and a gutsy temperament. Those success stories are far more sexy than the “go smart” variety, aren’t they? Take that of Frederick Smith, the founder of Fed Ex, for example. After being denied a crucial loan, Smith flew to Las Vegas, where he proceeded to win $27,000 on blackjack bets that kept the company alive until he could raise the $11 million needed to keep the company afloat. Now that’s adventurous.

Please don’t misunderstand: I am in no way suggesting that doubling down or splitting your aces is the key to a great adventure. But in order to move forward in life, we often have to take a chance. And that means taking some sort of action. For me, introvert that I am, that will never mean putting it all on black or riding into a new situation Miley Cyrus-style, on a wrecking ball in my underwear. However, I’ve come to realize that nurturing your adventurous side doesn’t require giant leaps of boldness. Boldness can also be small, conservative actions—you know, coming in more like a chisel than a wrecking ball—that slowly and steadily lead us to the lives we were designed to have. The bonus of the more conservative adventure, of course, is that no salve is needed for a wrecking ball rash.