he past is the future, apart from courage and perseverance. Success is persistently taking the next step. Taking the next step takes courage.
“You will never do anything in this world without courage” Aristotle
“In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm… in the real world all rests on perseverance.” Goethe
The real power of our courage and perseverance is they inspire courage and perseverance in others.
Inspiring courage:
- Explain that courage and fear always dwell together. Courage doesn’t eliminate fear, it answers it. Acknowledge the fears of others.
- Elevate courage by acknowledging your own fears. Avoid focusing on fear, however. An occasional acknowledgement of fear, opens a window on your courage. Danger, too much acknowledgment makes others fearful.
- Focus fear effectively. “If people are more afraid of the boss than they are of the competition, the competition is certain to win.” Joe Tye.
- Give fear a name and it becomes just a problem; it’s easier to solve problems than it is to conquer fear.
- Prepare for what you fear. Hurricane Sandy is on it’s way to our home in Central Pennsylvania. We’ve been preparing. I purchased gasoline and tested our generator, for example. Courage translated fear into preparation.
- Create points of certainty. “People are not afraid of change, they are afraid of uncertainty…” Joe Tye. During change, for example, highlight things that aren’t changing.
- Focus on purpose. Why must you move forward? Facing uncertainty without purpose makes chickens of us all.
- “Lighten up and laugh – it is physiologically impossible to be frightened when you are laughing.” Joe Tye.
This post is a collaboration with my friend Joe Tye.
How do you face your fears?
How do you inspire courage in others?
