Courage First

This past Week, I shared a bit on Stoicism and its connection to what I call (and am studying now)... COOLness.

In that previous post, I shared that there are 4 core Virtues at play in Stoicism.

Today, and as part of examining those 4, I offer up on the Virtue that is Courage.

• Bravery in the face of fear.
• We do the right thing, no matter how hard.
• We choose to do the things we truly want, in the face of doubt and fear.
• We don't give up. "When the swords flash", we go forward.
• We try new things unafraid of the missed takes. Those missed takes do not define us. They refine us.

Courage First

I met an ex-marine in 1988 who shared an incredible story of his experience in Vietnam in the 70's. He was sharing the story in a Dale Carnegie Course in Vancouver... some then 10 years later.

At 28 years of age, I remember then asking him afterwards, "Weren't you scared?"

He pointed at my chest, poked it and said that his next words I should remember for the rest of my life. Those next words, I have remembered, so far. Those next words went "Courage first, Confidence second". I knew of what he meant.

So many of us are trying to build our Confidence when we are best advised to practice our Courage.

Courage is the soil from which the cool kind of Confidence grows. If we wish to gain true and sustaining and mindful Confidence, we practice Courage. And Courage can help forge our own best sense and practice of Congruence. That said, both our past and future can be mines of Courage... looking at what we have already overcome as much as what we can choose to overcome in the future, immediate through long term. Both are reservoirs of Courage.

The Practice

How and where do you most need do same now? What would that look like? With whom or what? Do that.

Last evening I posted...

"That moment when you realize your answer... your coolest?#Clarity?on a matter ... was always right there in front of you. Sometimes, it is less about exploring and discovering... and more about accepting. #Acceptance?can be a freeing?#Virtue?indeed." I think I might add Courage to that Acceptance thing.

As simple as it might sound, after trying to figure on what I call my work... where I teach, coach, mentor, speak, facilitate, train, entertain, sing, dance, cartoon, write, blog, vlog, box and create to advance?Character?and?Purpose?and?Unity?driven leadership at school, work, business and community... I am The Unity Guy.

I am all about advancing the forces of Character and Purpose to build high functioning Unity. Moving forward, together, stronger. Humans. Together. Strong. But I am The Unity Guy. The Courage to fully, deeply, wholly own what we do in the face of well intentioned others who might suggest another title or name; this is important. This too is COOLness, in practice.

Again, I ask... how and where do you most need do same now? What would that look like? With whom or what? Do that. I will continue exploring COOLness (as part of my reclamation project) and through conversations... and with a look at another Virtue of Stoicism (Justice) next up me thinks.

Peace, passion and prosperity...

Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy with Epic Engage

Your Code of Character