"I long to accomplish a
great and noble task, but it is my chief
duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and
noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves
of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of
each honest worker." - Helen Keller
Webster's Dictionary defines courage as mental or moral
strength, to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or
difficulty. In Latin, the root word meaning of cor means 'more
at heart.'
This past week I was in awe and gratitude walking through the
airport and seeing all the courageous men and women in uniform
who are serving our country. And yes, some will even give their
life for us and our freedom.
As I observed these brave men and women, it conjured up many
questions for me. What defines courage? Do you have to die for
your country to be considered brave? Or can you be courageous in
your everyday life?
I say yes. The opportunity to be courageous is inside of all of
us, and there are many occasions around us for us to practice
this state of being every day.
Sometimes courage isn't just simply being brave enough to go to
war to protect our freedoms. It is finding the courage to be
yourself and say YES to what you believe in, despite of what
others may think of you. It can often be very hard to go against
traditional viewpoints, as we risk being made fun of or not
'fitting in' with the crowd. At times we may even be called a
rebel for holding our ground and standing up for our
convictions.
People in business face this challenge almost daily. Perhaps
true courage is having the strength of will to say to a client,
"What you're asking me to do goes against my core values, so I
won't be able to fulfill your request." Or to tell someone you
care for the cold, hard facts such as, "If you continue to
pursue the choices you've made, then I'll have no other choice
but to stop being friends with you."
The act of courage has many faces, but it's always based in
reality - being as authentic an individual as you can possibly
be. Not all of us are meant to rush into burning buildings to
save a life, nor can we be expected to. Yet sometimes courage
will catch us by surprise and show up when we least expect it
to. I believe that the finest human qualities such as true
courage, bravery, kind-heartedness to name just a few, are
within each and every one of us. It may take a bit of digging at
times to find these jewels, but they're there - we just need to
know where to look for them and draw upon them when we need them.
As I said above, for some people, true courage is serving your
country in its hour of need. For everyday folk like us, it could
be the courage to say NO to the corporate rat race and YES to
starting your own business. It could be the courage to say NO to
working late every night and YES to spending more time with your
family. It could be the courage to charge what you know you're
worth. It could be the courage to expect MORE success in your
life and quite settling for LESS mediocrity. I think you get my
drift.
Just because you are courageous doesn't mean you are without
fear. Courage is taking action in the face of fear. There will
always be fear when you take a new action, but use it to propel
yourself to the next level and don't let it stop you dead in
your tracks.
So, what is the key element that separates the men from boys,
the girls from the women so to speak?
It is the DECISION they made and the answer YES to their burning
desires. They chose to be courageous in spite of their fears.
I challenge you this week to ask yourself, "What is one small
action that I can take that would make me feel like a hero in my
own life?"
Your answer (and the outcome) may surprise you.
By Cookie Tuminello is founder of Success Source, LLC and creator of
the 8 step People Pleaser No More™ System. In this powerful new
program, women learn how to go from being overwhelmed, overworked,
and overpowered, to having more productivity, more profit, and more
power in their business and personal lives right NOW. She is a
published author and powerful keynote speaker as well. To sign up
for Cookie's FREE Report "50 Ways To Take Back Your
