Courage
There are so many places in life where we need to step out of where we are to do, say or be something more or different. When confronted with this exact situation, so many people back down. They turn away. They put up with a situation that needs a change. They settle.
Just imagine for a moment that you had an unlimited amount of courage. That this courage comes from deep in you and is available to you in any situation that you call for it. That this courage helps you say or do what you need to do with great respect and care for the other person or the other situation. That this courage is yours to claim and to use whenever and wherever you need it. Imagine that this courage helps you achieve the outcome you want.
With this image, do you now feel even just a bit more courageous?
I regularly share that the most wasted emotion is worry. To worry about things that may never happen ruins the current moment. To worry about things that do actually happen just wears you down and limits your success with the situation because you have used your energy to worry and have less available to respond.
And worry erodes our courage. When we focus instead on what our courage can create for us, we replace worry with possibility. Imagining a successful outcome to a problem or challenge empowers us to try when we may otherwise give up.
Life will always require you to tap into your courage. It is one of the abilities we all have, but one that most of us have not developed. It is there to help us through the situations that feel larger than we think we can handle. It is there to help us face challenges, obstacles and problems with the goal of helping us get to the other side and see how capable we are. In fact, the way to grow courage is to use it. The more you take that courageous first step to doing something difficult, the less self-talk you need to use to get yourself ready for the next one. Soon, you can confidently look at life’s situations and know that you have what it takes to figure them out and successfully deal with them.
Take Action
What is one thing that needs your courage to address, discuss or solve? Image yourself on the other side of it, having had success with it. Stay focused on this image. Now, what is the first thing you need to do to take action?
Remember this quote from A.A. Milne, “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and stronger that you think.” You are capable to create for yourself what you want and need at work and in life. Sometimes, it just takes courage to go get it.
By Jay Forte
Consider reading Be Someone’s Hero
No Comments