What a 19-Year-Old Basketball Prodigy Can Teach You About Conquering Self-Doubt. Thon Maker wants to skip college and go straight to the NBA. When did you first know when you were ready for the big leagues?

Thon Maker was born in Sudan and plays high school basketball in Canada. He's only 19 but he's also 7' tall, and so Maker feels that he is ready to skip hitting the books in college to go directly to hitting the boards with the likes of Lebron James in the NBA.

Maker's legal guardian Edward Smith told Bleacher Report, "We believe that Thon has fulfilled the academic requirements to be eligible for the 2016 draft. He will apply for the 2016 NBA draft and await approval from the NBA." Basketball experts say that Thon will likely win approval, as the NBA's draft rule states that a player must either by 19 years old or have completed one year of college to be eligible. (Plus, he's really, really good.)

So, Maker will probably go straight to big-time ball, but the question is: should he? The battle of "too soon" vs. "believe in yourself" is one that not only plays out in sports, but also in business. Is it the right time to start a new company? Will the bet you're making truly take your company to the next level?

For those having any "is now the right time?" doubts Entrepreneur contributor Alp Mimaroglu has created a list of 5 questions you need to ask yourself to determine if self-doubt or good sense is giving you pause. You might also read Mimaroglu's must-ask list of questions to help you decide if the time to jump on opportunity is now.

If it's any comfort, even Richard Branson, a daredevil who has bungee jumped off roofs and crashed hot air balloons into the Atlantic, is still conservative in business, always looking protect the downside. Striking that balance is likely the driver helping entrepreneurs everywhere fare better than their peers and make running a business less risky than you might think.