Courage Creates Confidence
Courage creates Confidence! It sounds upside-down, right? I am sure you are thinking that confidence gives you courage. Let’s explore this a little more.
Everybody wants more Confidence. It’s been said, published that confidence enables us to tackle life’s challenges with more certainty and clarity. With CONFIDENCE, we can do more, be more and live more … right?
While there’s no question that confidence is a valuable attribute, there is another quality, often undervalued, that may well be even more effective. In fact, it might just be the key to building truly sustainable confidence! COURAGE…
Let’s define Confidence and Courage:
Confidence: A feeling of self-assurance. A state or quality of being certain. The feeling or belief in one’s own abilities or qualities.
Courage: The ability to do something that even when you scared. Act on one’s beliefs despite danger or disapproval. The ability to do something that you know is right or good, even though it can be the most difficult thing.
Courage Creates Confidence
Confidence lives in the comfort zone. It loves to operate within the realm of safety. It excels in what is known. This where confidence thrives. The power and certainty is based on past experiences and a build-up of achievements over time. This comfort zone is limiting. Let me give you an example. A person can be extremely confident at a task, but at the same time avoid trying a very different type of work because they don’t want to risk appearing foolish.
Now Courage is the willingness to try new different things. Take action even if we are not feeling sure of ourselves. For example, leaving a successful profession to strike out on your own requires great courage. If you’re painfully shy, learning to speak up at meetings or social functions is courageous. True courage is the willingness to risk discomfort. Doing things while being scared. We break-up with fear and move forward, building boat loads of confidence along the way.
In my opinion, courage is the most important trait for developing resilience and creating positive change in your life. Courage provides the commitment that you need to start change and the passion stay on your path during times of doubt and insecurity. Life is unpredictable and can create roadblocks on our path when we least expect it. Only courage can take you forward.
3 ways to be Courageous
- Taking it one step at a time
It’s so easy to YES to life. No can be very challenging and tricky. No offends yet we forget that it also protects us. Learning to say No builds courage and confidence. Saying No helps you from making poor decisions. This tactic can help you stay focused and prevent unnecessary complexity and wrong turns.
2. Bend, Don’t Break
Learning to flexible and adaptable to life challenges and roadblocks build courage and resilience. This in turn makes one confident. You will be like a bamboo during storms. The roots are firmly in the ground but the bamboo bends in the direction of the wind. They rarely break. Changing your game plan and letting go will be easy, when things don’t go your way.
3. Saying NO
Choose one thing that you have been avoiding. The one thing that makes you uncomfortable. Write down what do you need to do to take the next step. Maybe reading more about it or asking for help. This way an understanding can be developed about the situation.
Starting today, why not challenge yourself to celebrate each encounter with fear as an opportunity to strengthen your courage muscles and grow your confidence
