Courage is the pathway to confidence
Courage has to be one of my favourite human traits to talk about. Not because I am a paragon of courage, but because I need to be reminded of its importance in my own life so often. Since the dawn of humankind we have taken inspiration from the classic hero’s tale, where the hero or heroine overcomes insurmountable odds to save the day. We all love a good underdog story and it probably doesn’t take much for you to think of your favourite example where a fictional character, sports team or athlete, a person or group from real life managed to do achieve something incredible.
Hollywood likes to portray courage in a very romantic way. Think of the average romantic comedy (from the ’90s): the underdog, awkward guy simply has to build up the courage to run to the airport boarding gate, kiss the girl and they will live happily ever after. Easy, right?
Would it not have been wonderful if life was so neat and tidy?
A couple of weeks ago we took my son and his friends roller-skating for his birthday. It was so much fun watching the “experts” elegantly and effortlessly gliding around the track like they could do it forever. It was even more fun watching the novices, young and old, go from being scared stiff one moment to gaining enough confidence to let go of the side railing a couple of minutes later. It took plenty of courage to put on those skates and take the first couple of very nervous steps (and learning that falling down is not the end of the world).
It’s easy to stand on the sideline and watch the experts do their thing (with admiration or jealousy) and wishing we could be as confident and capable as they are. But we forget that they also started out looking like dummies, holding on to the side, scared of what might happen if they let go. Realistically we can only be confident doing something we have done many times before. It is impossible to have confidence when doing something completely new. You cannot wait for the confidence to fall in your lap. It will only start growing when you take the first couple of unsure steps.
So, if you are standing on the edge of something, needing a boost of courage to let go of the railings, this post is for you. If you are scared of starting a new business, buying that house, applying for a position you don’t feel qualified for, asking out that special someone, saying no to something that is bad for you, asking for the help you need, walking away from something you know needs to end or jumping in fully on the next chapter of your life – know that it will take courage. Being scared, unsure or insecure is not bad. It’s natural. It’s a reminder that it’s time to have courage. And even if you don’t feel confident yet, don’t let that hold you back. Courage comes first, then the confidence will follow.
Thank you for reading. If you know of someone that needs some encouragement or a boost of confidence, please share this piece with them. Until next week, have a great weekend!
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