He that would fish, must venture his bait.

"He that would fish, must venture his bait," describes the process of success. In order to achieve a goal, one must be willing to risk something. Be it an investment or time, the greater the risk corresponds to the higher reward. This is the way it is in almost all ventures. There is always the chance of losing everything, but on the other hand, one might gain so much more. This is what Benjamin Franklin is saying. He implies that if one is not willing to risk anything, they should be prepared to gain nothing. From the colonial days to today, this saying has held true and will continue to do so.