I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. — Nelson Mandela
Leadership is impossible without courage. Often times when we think about courage, we think of scenes from movies or stories in the media—acts of courage that feel so unattainable that many of us can only dream of accomplishing such feats.
And those mighty acts of courage are incredible and necessary. However, if you have only been thinking about courage in terms of milestones—you know, the bungee jumping, skydiving, and public speaking in front of a million people type of milestones—you may be missing out on opportunities for courageous moments in your daily life. There are likely moments every day where you are presented with a choice to show courage or to give in to fear. Here are 3 ways to exhibit courage in your daily life:
Stand up for what is right
Use your voice for those who are voiceless. If you see an unjust act or someone being mistreated, stand up for what is right. This takes courage.
Take risks
There is no reward without risk. You don’t have to do everything all at once, but decide on one small risk you can take immediately. This takes courage.
Stay true to yourself
In a world where authenticity is becoming harder and harder to come by, choose to stay true to yourself. You were born to be real, not perfect. This takes courage.
Courageous milestones are important and critical. Many great leaders in history demonstrated levels of courage and bravery that should be admired and imitated. By focusing on showing courage every day in those moments when your life is calling on you to be courageous, you will be ever more prepared for your courageous milestones when they come.