Courage is inside everyone. People don’t just get so comfortable going through the motions of the day. Don’t discount what you have learned. You will prevent discouragement by leaning into what you have learnt and improve from that. High performers know that courage is not a dramatic superhero action. It is as simple as starting what they want and making that first step towards real change in an unpredictable world, despite fear.
Courage is not fearlessness; it is taking action and persisting despite that fear. The more experience you have in facing your fear, the less fear and stress you will feel. The bottom line is, that you are capable of remarkable things that you could never foretell and will never discover without taking action.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." - Mark Twain
We’re surrounded by memes and media and influencers telling us we’re not supposed to struggle, that life should just be an easy flow or we’re on the wrong track. To achieve excellence requires hard work, discipline, routines that can become boring, the continual frustrations that accompany learning, adversities that test every measure of our heart and soul, and, above all, courage.
No one who achieved greatness avoided struggle. When we learn to see struggle as a necessary, important, and positive part of our journey, then we can find true peace and personal power.
Those with a fixed mindset are five times more likely to avoid challenges than those with a growth mindset. There are only two narratives in the human story: struggle and progress. And you can’t have the latter without the former. To excel, you must teach yourself to view struggle as a stepping-stone to strength and higher performance. Embrace it and know you will make it through. You’ve already done this so many times in your life without realising it, so challenge yourself to remember the examples of something you considered a failure, that actually was an opportunity to learn, and think work out a place you’re operating from your comfort zone and chose one thing you can do to push yourself out of it.
One you start pushing those boundaries, there are 3 simple techniques you can use to help dispel the fear and encourage the courage.
Ask for help
There is a misnomer that successful people don’t need help – on the contrary they ask for help more, they are willing to show their vulnerability and not suffer in silence trying to do it all alone. I’m sire we can all think of things that we’ve tried to do all alone and felt the stress and frustration for. If you’ve aligned your vision and goals to serving others, then you owe it to them to get there as fast as you can – so the help of others is a valid tool to have in your armoury. And if those we ask as also focussed on serving others, then help comes with a generous integrity as it fulfils their vision too.
Start now by writing yourself a list of the help that you need today, and the people you’re going to ask for that help.
Celebrate the small wins
Achievement is achievement regardless of size, and if you can focus on every step you take, no matter how small then you will feel enough courage to take the next step and the next and the next. Every day have gratitude for your progress, every week find a way to practical celebrate the forward motion towards your goal in whatever way works for you – a drink, some chocolate, a bubble bath, a shopping trip, a meal out, guilty pleasure movie, extra hour in bed – whatever it is that you do to reward yourself.
Start now by recognising the wins you had in 2019 – write them down and then celebrate them.
Gain inspiration
Think of someone who is doing a better job than you and get inspired by them - research then, study then, follow them, gain guidance from them, ultimately incorporate them into your life, and make them part of your community so you can surround yourself with their insight all the time..
Start now by identifying areas you want inspiration in, and who in your immediate world could help you raise your skill level in the next 3 weeks.
The best way to start; is to start… and to make that public. Sharing your intent, your ambition, expressing your truth. Yes, judgement will always be there, just as there will always be cloudy days. But don’t let their criticisms sway you from your conviction. If you believe in your dream, stay on your path.
Do not dare play it small, do not feel guilt because you have high aims. No one can quieten you without your permission. No one can minimize you but you. And no one can open you up and release your full power but you.
If you have a dream, a vision, and are ready to take that plunge, why not start by telling me what it is. Reply today and take that first truly courageous step. You can do it…
In the next blog we’ll be pulling all of the HP6 together.
Until next time...
Comments