Author of inspirational books, Alan Cohen says: "It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."
The real challenge is the ability to get yourself totake action despite your fears and doubts.
People who demonstrate courage still face the fear, but they don't let it paralyse them.
People who lack courage give into fear more, which, in the long term, strengthens the fear.
When you avoid facing a fear and then feel relieved that you escaped it, this acts as a psychological reward and will make you more likely to avoid facing the fear in the future. So the more you avoid taking some action, the more paralysed you'll feel about taking such actions in the future which does nothing for your confidence.
A good example of courage can be found in the lives of notable courageous people who changed the world. Historical figures who stood up to make a difference in the world: William Wilberforce, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. Their story will inspire courage, determination, and a belief that anyone can change the world.
Leadership in your life requires you to step out. The philosophy of avoidance in risk-taking can cause you to live reactively. Instead of stepping out and trying something different and seeing what you are capable of doing or becoming, you keep on doing the same routines, day after day. Even though they don't offer you fulfilment.
The general popular wisdom dictates that you go with the flow. Your only hope there, of course, is that the currents of life will pull you in a favourable direction. Indeed, there are real dangers and risks in life which should be avoided but you can't predicate your future on avoidance.
Many people demonstrate real courage and character when faced with a challenge. When aspiring actress Heloisa Vinhas was struck by a car in a hit-and-run in 1996 in Santa Monica, California. Actor Tom Cruise happened to be passing by and swooped in to help. He called 911, waited with her until the paramedics arrived, and when he found out she was uninsured, paid her $7,000 medical bill. Cruise's spokesperson also told Entertainment Weekly that the "Mission: Impossible" actor followed up with Vinhas after her release "just to check in on how she was doing."
This week, recognise the quiet strength of those whose acts of courage may never make headlines but serve as powerful examples for us all. Take a step today—face a fear, embrace change, and lead with courage in your own life.