THE BRAVERY OF BEING

For me, being brave, in some way, is framing possibility, offering a new way for us to define ourselves, to think, act and lead far and beyond. Being brave evokes all senses to higher ends – it implies that we are open and connected to what the world, people or circumstances demand, and then reflect, think and act to improve them.

By Carlota Ribeiro Ferreira, Founder & CEO, The Collection of Inspiring Businesses

I always loved the word brave. I have no idea where this fascination comes from, but perhaps it is because I have been incredibly fortunate to live surrounded by brave people and to feel tremendously protected and inspired by them.

I was born in a brave family, my best friend since I was six is an extraordinary brave woman and a reference for me since then, the people I look to get along and the people I look to work with are brave. I love brave people and I really pursue the bravery of being – I try to understand it the best I can and of course, I try to inspire it all around. Because it is good.

But what is this of the bravery of being? Well, it is not a common concept neither something we discuss frequently out there but I believe it is something great that may exist inside all of us and today, more than ever, we should not ignore it or be afraid of it. And that’s why I decided to do an essay on the bravery of being. So let us go for it!

2021 is running and the world calls for brave women and men in action. But what does that mean to be brave?

Most dictionary definitions refer to brave as having or displaying courage, resolution, or daring; not cowardly or timid. Some definitions go further and explore that being brave means having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty. I like this because it seems we can start by setting a brave mindset and because of that, we are giving ourselves the chance to be what we believe in. It’s a beginning. 

Another thing I like is the verb: to brave, which means to dare, to confront with resolution. Again, this does not mean one is not afraid – it means one faces fears but is focused and pragmatic enough to move on.

For me, being brave, in some way, is framing possibility, offering a new way for us to define ourselves, to think, act and lead far and beyond. Being brave evokes all senses to higher ends – it implies that we are open and connected to what the world, people or circumstances demand, and then reflect, think and act to improve them.

One of my favorite leadership books is The Art of Possibility, by Rosamund Zander and Benjamin Zander – the outstanding Boston Philharmonic conductor with whom I had the enormous pleasure of working, among other projects, in a huge and unforgettable conference at Casa da Música, in January 2010. The book is unmissable and I always say that it should be mandatory to all students in year 10. Yes, mandatory. And why? Because it inspires possibility and bravery in a beautiful and candid way, whatever happens. In my view, this book helps not only to structure the mindset but also to embrace it deeply and passionately.

In this book, there is a passage saying that Nelson Mandela is reported to have addressed these words of Marianne Williamson to the world at large:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? – Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

These words take our breath away and at this point, you may want to make a pause, go back and read this last passage again. Do it.

For me, these words are of extraordinary meaning and I could even say that they have become my daily mantra since I first read them in 2001, when I bought the book in Singapore. I read this quite often and try to be as connected as possible to these inspirational verses as a way to return to love and have the courage to accept it, embrace it and expand it in everything I do.

Well, as with any other concept, the meanings and scopes of the bravery of being can be expressed in different ways. So, I thought it would be interesting to hear the ideas of friends and team members to make this a joint narrative and take it further.

Benedita Sampaio Nunes, head of content at WIN World, touches the point when saying that we are all climbers of a special type of Everest – the one within ourselves. For her the bravery of being is to discover and become who we truly are.

Rafael Lopes, our marketing and communication man, adds that if we are brave enough to be ourselves, genuinely and truly, then we will always be brave, no matter the adversity. He says that 2020 was undoubtedly the year to go from ‘having’ to ‘being’ – and this is an amazing opportunity to fully assume our bravery and take ourselves to greater good.

Our beautiful Anaisa Rato says she has never seen so much bravery around as in 2020 and even with hugs and kisses in stand by, we gained comfort in discomfort and got equipped to change or reinvent whatever is need – from ourselves and our routines to products, services or entire companies.

To enrich these views, Joana Teixeira da Cunha, the person who loves planning and organization the most at WIN World, says that for people like her, being on a boat adrift in the middle of a storm, without knowing what awaits them the next day, it's really frightening! And she says that it is necessary to assume that fear to be brave. She cites Paulo Coelho to better explain her point “fear is not a sign of cowardice. Quite the opposite. It is what gives us the possibility to act with courage and dignity in the face of life's situations. Anyone who is afraid is giving herself a test of courage. Whoever faces risky situations without realizing dangers and fears, demonstrates only irresponsibility.” Joana concludes her reasoning by saying that we are living atypical years, and there is still not enough distance for a deep analysis but one thing is for sure: 2020 was not only a direct call to our bravery but also the year that made us appreciate everything that until then we took for granted. Actually, refocusing on what really matters was the brave move of the year!

Then we have Filipa Sampaio Nunes, our head of partnerships and corporate sales, and she comes up with an amazing statement about the bravery of being. Filipa says she is discovering the brave woman inside and starting to accept and love that! And this couldn't be more beautiful, because in fact Filipa is tremendously courageous and inspiring in our eyes and the way she sees the path of bravery as an endless and growing commitment to ourselves is totally enthralling.

Not even on purpose, today, Rita Cane?as, a very good friend and an enchanting fighter, was saying about the challenge of being brave: it’s like to be so deeply committed to our growth that we are willing to say no without guilt and yes without fear. And I love this because as any other challenge or goal we have in hands, it takes a lot to be brave but if we are committed to it, it’s possible and it is good to know that it takes many ‘yes’ and ‘no’ along the way.

Ana Gon?alves, another very dear and special friend of ours, brings us another interesting angle. For her, bravery is a belief, something that she doesn’t see but that she feels inside herself and of everyone who doesn't give up. To Ana, braves are those who do not give up on love, reconciliation, peace, smile and a better world.

Ana says she is fortunate, but even so, at times she feels lost, without hope. In those moments, her conviction in a greater existence, in the ability to dream and make things happen, has helped her to realize that bravery and inner strength are bigger and more powerful than anything.

Inspired by Ana's words, I take up the text again to dig a bit in a very important question. What about when tiredness or hopelessness knocks at our door?

It is normal and we have to accept, be generous, give ourselves time, stay tuned in life and learn to return with courage, knowing that life is there waiting for us. There is an excerpt from a song by Mafalda Veiga that somehow expresses and summons this strength that is expected of us:

“Mas é preciso morrer e nascer de novo

Semear no pó e voltar a colher

Há que ser trigo, depois ser restolho

Há que penar para aprender a viver.

E a vida n?o é existir sem mais nada

A vida n?o é dia sim, dia n?o

é feita em cada entrega alucinada

Para receber aquilo que aumenta o cora??o.”

This is so beautiful that I couldn’t resist to put it in Portuguese … But let me try doing a free translation to English too:

“But you have to die and be born again

Sow in the dust and be back on reap

It has to be wheat, then be stubble

You have to struggle to learn to live.

 And life is not to exist without anything else

Life is not every other day

It is made in every crazy delivery

To receive what makes the heart bigger.”

At this point, we may insist and ask ourselves how do we ignite this virtuous cycle of dying and being born again? Maybe we can say there is something of a miracle, of commitment and will.

Adriana Coutinho, another very close friend of WIN World brings, as always, interesting points for the discussion. She deconstructs the bravery of being and explains it under three perspectives. First, as a scientific miracle – Adriana says that the simple act of being born is a sign of bravery. Second, the ability to believe – and here she shares that for her the act of believing is absolutely fascinating and endearing. It is human nature, and if in children there is an innocence in believing, in adults, and after several deviations and disappointments, the act of believing is genuinely felt as the emotional engine that takes us into the future. Finally, she says that this bravery of being also resides in the instinct of curiosity! In Adriana's view, this insatiable desire to always want to know and discover more is magic in itself and a great act of bravery.

To close, I would go back to the beginning and to the context that provides safety to be brave. Yes, one thing I learned is that we can inspire as much braveness as the psychological safety we promote within our families, teams and communities at large. And to understand this, I suggest everyone to watch Sinead Burke’s TED Talk, about why design should include everyone and a lot more about life, love and courage.

Sinead is a brave little person, who inherited the condition of achondroplasia. She fights bravely for inclusion, appropriate design and living settings to little people and she says that she can only be so brave because her wonderful family cultivated curiosity and tenacity since she was a young girl. Her family protected her from the unkindness and ignorance of strangers and that armed her with the resilience, creativity and confidence that she needed to survive and manipulate the physical environment and society. Sinead goes further when saying that she is what she is, brave and fearless, because she is a loved child, growing up in psychological safety, in an environment of love and kindness.

For 2021, I wish that we can all be greater than our fears and inspire others to be the same, promoting love and kindness as a ground for the bravery of being to manifest.