Have you ever been afraid to speak up at a meeting? I have, even when I knew I had the solution. Courage starts when we choose to show up and have the hard conversations even though it’s scary. It’s where we find passion, joy and creativity because we chose to take the risk, be vulnerable and let ourselves be seen by others. “You Can Choose Courage or You Can Choose Comfort, but You Cannot Have Both.” ~Brene’ Brown
I thought I was courageous. I believed I took big risks. I was successful, but I realized somewhere along the process, I had lost my courage and was playing it safe. My risks were small in comparison and so was my passion for work.
I’m not the type of person to settle for mediocre. I strive to be better as a person and at work. I am at my best when I am working creatively to help others reach their goals. That’s what brings me joy, passion and purpose in my life.
So, what happened? To understand, you need to know what it means to be courageous. To be brave, you first must be vulnerable – to take a risk, be emotionally exposed and accept the uncertainty of the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness. Can you think of an example of courage without uncertainty, risk or emotional exposure? This is the question Brene’ Brown, author, speaker and researcher asked in her message, The Call to Courage added recently to Netflix.
“Vulnerability is having the courage to show up when you cannot control the outcome.” ~ Brene’ Brown
In her book, Daring Greatly, Brown shares the secret of leading courageously using 20 years of research and personal experience. The Call to Courage is warm, funny and demonstrates how to lead with courage. She shares about a time when she took a chance, was maliciously ridiculed, and lost her courage. Interestingly, the catalyst to find her way back was in a speech by Theodore Roosevelt in 1910.
When you choose to be brave, you will know failure and you will know pain. You have the hard discussions even though its scary because you know it is only through the risk you will find joy, creativity and success. Theodore Roosevelt explains, “It is not the critic who counts…The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; …who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly...”
“Today I choose courage over comfort. I can’t make promises for tomorrow.” ~ Brene’ Brown
It is easy to criticize, judge and condemn if you have never been in the arena. For those who live courageously, don’t let the words from critics stick or spend time dissecting them. Their opinions do not matter as they are not brave. Instead, be selective and about who’s feedback you solicit. “These are the people who love you, not despite your vulnerability but because of your vulnerability and imperfection,” explains Brown.
I’m choosing courage over comfort. I am a leader who creates an environment where people feel safe, creative, and innovative. I am living my life of purpose and passion. Source: www.workersmarts.com/blog
