What do you know about your inner courage? You may think you aren’t courageous, but everyone can discover and use this priceless strength.
Ways to Recognize Your Inner Courage
Do you think of yourself as courageous or value your inner courage? This isn’t a question most people ask themselves regularly. Many likely don’t think about courage unless and until they encounter a situation that demands it.
In reality, though, each of us faces opportunities to demonstrate courage daily. You need to believe in yourself and really use your strengths.
Every day?
Absolutely.
However, even if you have self-doubt, you can overcome it. Here are two examples to illustrate the point.
Courage Is Being Able to Stand Up and Speak
Another example of recognizing your inner courage may involve a scenario like this. You and your partner are driving to a restaurant for dinner, and you’re stopped at a red light. Glancing over to say something to your wife, you see a teenage boy roughing up a smaller boy on the sidewalk. The little guy is getting pummeled, holding up his arms to shield himself from the blows.
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill.
- Do you call out to the perpetrator to warn him to stop?
- Or do you threaten to call the police?
- Alternatively, do you stop the car and get out to intervene?
- Perhaps you ask your partner to dial 911 while you chase off the beater.
- Lastly, do you shake your head and drive away when the light turns green?
Courage is what it takes to speak up. In this case, you demonstrate courage by your words and actions. Powerful emotions are a sign of emotional strength. Anger and fear may require you to summon your inner courage.
However, doing nothing is not courage. It is the lack of courage. You can’t excuse it by saying this isn’t your fight. When you see injustice, it has to be your fight. To allow injustice to continue unchallenged is to give it power.
Your Inner Courage May Mean You Sit Down and Listen
Suppose your team has worked hard to prepare a presentation that delivers on your objectives. However, instead of valuing their effort, you briefly look it over and tear it apart without realizing that they did what you asked. Furthermore, you send blunt feedback to the group, saying they need to start over and that this effort falls short.
Soon, Bob, one of the team members, comes to your office asking to discuss your criticism and potential solutions. You’re not thrilled at the interruption. But you put aside your annoyance and invite Bob in. Now, you have a couple of choices.
- You can give him your full attention as he offers the team’s collective thoughts on how to improve the presentation.
- Or you can wave Bob off and tell him to get the team back to work. You reinforce the need for them to pay attention to the deadline and give you what you want.
Courage here is what it takes to sit down and listen. You may not realize you have a blind spot regarding certain aspects of the presentation. Besides, you must be willing to listen to what might make it better, even if no one is overtly criticizing you. If you ignore their suggestions, you may need to reconcile yourself to mediocrity, to less than optimum results.
If you are a good leader, you know the value of your inner courage. You have what it takes to listen when the situation requires it. Besides, you have to be willing to take chances and make mistakes. What seems challenging is often the most rewarding.
