Three guiding principles of courage (and it's development)
I have come under the personal belief that everyone is a leader
to someone. Whether that someone be an employee (or thousands of
employees), your spouse, a child or at the simplest level,
oneself - you are a leader. As a leader you have the
responsibility to develop a level of courage first within your
self, then to instill that level of courage in those that look
to you for your leadership. It is key to note here that you must
first achieve a level of courage within yourself before you even
attempt to instill it in those around you. Why? Well the answer
is simple... how on earth can you pass on that which you do not
have? You will never be able to encourage others beyond the very
level of courage that you carry and demonstrate on a regular
basis. Your level of courage is the only limiting bar. Raise
that bar and you raise your ability to encourage others.
The three guiding principles around raising that courageous bar
are:
1. Courage = Controlling you fear. Growing up in a military
environment taught me one thing that I know is fact - Everyone
is afraid of something (often many things). From the 6 foot Army
Veteran who has served many months on the front lines, to the
CEO of a Fortune 500 company, fear is a fact in each of their
lives. But throughout history our true heroes were not the men
and women that were not afraid, but rather those that faced
their fear, acted in spite of it, and moved forward to overcome
its choke hold on their lives.
2. Face your fears. Realize that your fear is going to exist and
maintain its control on your life, until you face it. Once you
face it -YOU will gain control and your fear will falter, thus
lessening its grip on your life. However, let us not forget that
the opposite is just as true. While moving towards that which
you fear weakens that fear, avoiding it and heading away from
that very same dread will empower and strengthen it, thus
increasing its strangle hold on your life.
Make facing your fear a habit-knit part of your life.
Consciously and continuously take steps to chip away at that
fear. Look at every situation or task that induces fear in you
as a challenge, or an opportunity for you to become more than
you are today. To become more of what you want to be.
Last but not least - this one has almost said itself...
3. Do what you fear and that fear's demise is certain. At the
risk of repeating myself - do what you fear over and over again
and your fear will lose its hold on you. A perfect example comes
to mind. For many, public speaking is a number one fear. I have
been a member of an outstanding Toastmasters International Club
in Atlanta for 7+ years. In our weekly meetings we watch those
that would never willingly get up in front of an audience and
speak overcome that fear. They do so by taking a little step
closer each week. First they get up and answer a simple
impromptu question - a quick thirty-second answer and they rush
back to their seat. Next time they will give a two to three
minute speech about themselves. Shortly after that a three to
four minute speech on a topic they are passionate about. Step by
step they build their skills and remove the chokehold that the
fear of public speaking had upon their lives and their careers.
Take what you fear and break it down, face it step by step until
you are the one empowered.
Zig Ziglar said it quite well in a presentation I attended,
"Fear = F.E.A.R or False Evidence Appears Real." Time and time
again you have thought about taking the action that you fear.
Your mind ran through all the possible outcomes positive and
negative. Then your imagination, fed by your fear, led you
further down the negative path. Thus feeding your fear again.
Leading you further down the negative path... I'm sure you see
the pattern developing here. Break that pattern! Turn and face
your fear! Take conscious and continuous steps towards it, as
often as you can, until you are the one with the control.
Think Successfully & Take Action. Tracy
http://www.SuccessAtlas.com (C) Tracy Brinkmann 2000-2005 all
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