Steps to More Courage

In ordinary life, we tend to live in our own little area of comfort. Often referred to as our "comfort zone", this is the safety barrier that we build around ourselves to protect us from feelings of hurt, upset and a desire to react defensively. Every day, it helps to take a step outside this comfort zone to extend our limits and explore more life. Healthy challenges help us to build courage and strength! Valor is a gift. Those having it never know for sure if they have it till the test comes. And those having it in one test never know for sure if they will have it when the next test comes. From Carl Sandburg Do you dream of great achievements - if only you had the courage to take the risk of going after what you want? Would you like to be the dashing hero(ine) who rescues the helpless child from the fire - if only you had the courage to risk your own skin? Would you like to stand up to bullies, defend truth and honour, and be immune to peer pressure that conflicts with your values - if only you had the courage to risk being ridiculed, beaten up, or excluded? Courage is the internal strength that empowers you to continue on the path you have chosen, no matter how afraid you are. In order to have courage, you must value something more highly than your own comfort and security. Courageous people dare to take risks for the sake of their ideals, their hopes, and their loved ones, knowing that they may fail, but clinging to the conviction that success is not only possible, but probable. Courage requires a certain optimism, a belief that more often not, a gamble made for the right reason will pay off. Courage is socially contagious. It helps to hang out with courageous people, learn from them, and adopt them as role models. Imagine yourself in their skin, acting in courageous ways. Visualize yourself behaving courageously, and find ways to turn that visualization into reality. Some ideas that you can practice: 1. Take a stand for greatness. Like many important things in life, creating a wow experience begins with making a commitment. You must resolve in your own heart that you will not sell-out or settle. This isn’t necessary for every project, of course. But when you decide that the dream warrants it, you have to take a stand and play full-out. 2. Connect with the original vision. King Solomon once said, “Without vision the people perish” This is also true for wow. Before it exists, it is only an idea. The only place it exists is inside your head. Sometimes, you just have to close your eyes and once again become present to what it is that you are trying to create. 3. Remind yourself what is at stake. I have found that the best way to do this is to ask, “Why is this so important?” When I was writing my first book, I had a list of seven reasons why I needed to write the book. I reviewed it every morning before I began writing. It gave the project an almost epic significance, but it kept me going when I wanted to quit. 4. Listen to your heart. Most of us have spent a lifetime ignoring—or even suppressing—our intuition. I don’t know if this is a product of modern rationalism or American pragmatism. Regardless, I believe intuition is “the map to buried treasure.” It is not infallible but neither is our reason. And, it can point us in the right direction. We need to pay attention to this inner voice. 5. Speak up. This is he crucial step. You must give voice to your heart and go on the record. If you don’t, who will? You may be the original dream’s last best chance of staying alive. Most people will happily give in, give up, and move on. Most people have more to do than they can get done, so they are reluctant to go through one more iteration to get it right. But if they don’t, they will never get to wow! This is why you can’t afford to remain silent. 6. Be stubborn. This is perhaps the toughest part of all. We all want to be liked. We don’t want to be “high-maintenance” or unreasonable. But think back on your own history. Aren’t the people you respect the most also the ones who demanded the most from you? You may not have fully appreciated it at the time, but, looking back, their stubborn refusal to settle is what made the difference. Look, mediocrity is natural. You don’t have to do anything to drift there. It just happens. But if you want to create truly wow experiences, then it is going to require courage. Are you willing to be brave? Enjoy your Sunday, and I hope t oread your comments! Lorena