You can define courage as taking determined & persistent action to serve a life-enhancing goal, in the face of risk, fear, adversity, or opposition. You already demonstrate courage when you take just a first step towards real change. Taking this first step gives you the confidence and fearlessness to take bigger steps to ultimately reach your goal. Remember, the more you do something successfully, the more comfortable you’ll become with it. That’s why you should start living a courageous life now.

HOW

Firstly, you must decide what living courageous means to you and if your level of courage is sufficient enough at this stage of your life. To help think through this you can ask yourself the following: “If your future best self showed up and looked at your current circumstances, what courageous actions would that future self advise you to take right away to change your life? How would you advise to live?” Most probable answers: Don’t play small,  go for it in life! Secondly, you should plan for courage. If you know what you are afraid of, you can prepare yourself, study, get a mentor and face your fear to grow.

Questions to ready and condition your mind for more courage: “Which courageous actions might improve my family’s life forever? What could I do to truly change things for the better? How can I bring myself more to face a situation that usually makes me nervous or anxious? What have I wanted to say to those close to me and how can I declare that truth? Who needs me and who will I fight for?”

HONOR THE STRUGGLE

Only when you see struggle as a necessary, important, and positive part of your journey to grow, then you can find true peace and personal power (=”no progress without struggle”). Honoring the journey means that you adopt a mindset that loves to master new challenges, welcomes or anticipates them, faces hardships and sees learning as an essential way to overcome challenges. Ask: “What are your struggles and how can you change your view of these struggles (e.g. by thinking about their great outcomes)?”, “How will you welcome and embrace new hardships (=”embrace the suck”)?”.

Even when you feel overwhelmed, go for a walk, or breathe, and consider the problem rather than avoiding it. Ask: “What is the next right action for me to take right now?” If you aren’t yet ready to take action, make a plan. Trust that things turn out and have faith in the future. You will make it through!

SHARE YOUR TRUTH AND AMBITIONS

Don’t be fearful of expressing your true ambitions, joy, and powers, because the people around you could feel bad about themselves. Also don’t hold back on yourself, your dreams or your ambitions because others could judge you or give criticism. Be your true self in any aspect and pursue your dreams without restrictions. You can only connect authentically with others if you share your true desires with them. Don’t keep your ambitions, dreams or actions for yourself but speak up and share them with others. The people who are in your life for the right reasons will listen to your truth and help guide you in the right direction e.g. advise about skills, equipment, coaches,…. Speak up for what’s right for you and you’ll find freedom but also courage. Every day, share something with someone about what you really think and want in life. E.g. “I was thinking about doing X because of reason Y”. Think about what you want to share, and share it. Then take bold action each day to bring it to reality.

FIND SOMEONE TO FIGHT FOR

People tend to do more for others than for themselves. Usually it’s just in doing something for one person that we find our reason for courage, and our cause for focus and excellence. It’s important therefor to begin seeking things and people you care about and start to care deeply about something now. E.g. a better life for your family. In this way you will be more likely to find courage when it matters. Ask yourself who or what needs you to be courageous!

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