What Is Courage?
Many people equate courage with fearlessness, but this is a faulty interpretation.
Courage involves taking action in spite of the fear you feel.
Getty Images / gregepperson
It is the willingness to respond even when you havefeelings of anxietyand worry.
So, never beat yourself up or assume you are not courageous if you feel fearful.
To be courageous means that you are able to act even when fearful.
Benefits of Courageousness
Being more courageous can help us respond appropriately to risks.
Another benefit of being courageous is that we can accomplish positive things in our lives.
Courage gives us the power to chase things that are important to us.
It can alsobolster self-esteemand help us to believe in ourselves and our abilities.
Everyone has the ability to become more courageous with the right training and practice.
It’s also important to recognize that fear is not a bad thing.
For instance, fear triggers survival instincts designed to keep you safe.
Without fear, you may not respond to risk appropriately.
Add that to the understanding that we have the power to build our courage and we become unstoppable.
Rather than minimizing your fear or denying that it exists, recognize what is holding you back.
But doing this just makes it less likely that you will feel courageous.
Many times, comparing the two extremes is all that is needed to move beyond your fears.
Regularly using comparisons like these can help you stop letting fear control you over time.
Additionally,visualize scenarioswhere you do something you’re afraid of.
Run through each possible scenario in your mind, including how you might respond or what you might say.
Changing this requires that you become intentional.
Building your courage muscles means that you must push yourself to step outside of your comfort zone.
Choose some scenarios that make you uncomfortable, but where the stakes are not as high.
By starting small, you could get used to being courageous with minimal risk.
With enough practice, you will get to the point where you could take bigger risks.
It’s hard to feel courageous when you are stressed out.
So, if you feel overwhelmed, frazzled, or bogged down, look forways to relieve stress.
In some instances, this might mean taking a short vacation or some much-needed time off work.
Everyone needs a break now and then.
Learningeffective coping skillscan also help keep stress from growing too large in your life.
Celebrate Courageous Actions
Every courageous act should be celebratedespecially if living courageously is new for you.
It’s important to pat yourself on the back and recognize the effort it took to overcome your fear.
In fact,celebrating small winscan help you stay more motivated to continue this change.
Of course, you don’t have to shout it from the rooftops or blast it on social media.
Doing this can keep you from engaging innegative thoughtsor assuming that you will never be courageous.
Welcome Failure
Being afraid of failure can keep you stagnant or stuck in the same place.
But failure is an experience that should be embraced.
Failure is an opportunity to grow as a person.
It allows you to learn something new, change directions, and see what you’re made of.
Summary
It’s never too late to start living a courageous life.
Courage is simply another trait that can be developed with intentional effort and practice.
All it takes is the determination to recognize your fears and the willingness to choose to act despite them.
The determinants of organizational change management success: Literature review and case study.Int J Engineer Bus Manage.
2021;13:184797902110162. doi:10.1177/18479790211016273
Loscalzo J.A celebration of failure.Circulation.
2014;129(9):953-955. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.009220
Talesnik D.Hurt inspires us to build ‘courageous cultures’.
National Institutes of Health.
