Does Leveraging Courage Beat IQ?

Does Leveraging Courage Beat IQ?

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. Being the sharpest tool in the shed? That’s table stakes.

The real magic happens when you’ve got the guts to swing that tool. I'm cooking up a course on this exact topic – because, frankly, we've become obsessed with IQ and forgotten the real star: raw, unfiltered courage.

I mean, let’s be honest. IQ?

Yeah, it's your ticket to the game.

But once you're in the play, what matters more is having the guts, the grit, and the gusto. Courage is that fire in your belly that gets you facing challenges head-on, without flinching. And you don’t have to be Picasso or Elon Musk to need it. Every person, from the intern to the CEO, needs a dose of courage every damn day.

Most of your decisions?

They're not going to be a walk in the park. I’m talking about the gritty ones: decisions where there's no playbook, conflicts that feel like quicksand, or those moments you need to stare down your mistakes.

But here’s the good news: courage isn't just some mysterious gift bestowed on a chosen few. It's like a muscle. Useless if you don't flex it, but powerful when you do. So how do you beef up this courage muscle?

  • Self-audit: Dive deep. Reflect. Journal or meditate if that's your jam. See where you stand in the courage department by talking to peers, mentors, or hell, even your frenemies.
  • Train for it: Just like you'd hit the gym for a marathon, get comfortable with discomfort. Think creative problem-solving workshops, improv classes – anything that pushes the envelope of your thinking.
  • Redefine your routine: Shake things up. New routes, new lunch buddies, heck, even new socks. Sometimes the smallest changes spark the biggest courage.
  • Confront your fears: Newsflash – we all have them. Instead of letting them fester, stare them down. Find your metaphorical boogeyman and show it who's boss.
  • Curate your crew: This one's big. Surround yourself with go-getters, the brave souls who elevate you. Kick the Debbie Downers to the curb and buddy up with those who've got guts.

Remember, courage isn’t just about being a daredevil. It’s about seeing challenges, acknowledging them, and then diving in headfirst. Because in a world full of thinkers, what we really need are the doers.



Brian Fink is the author of Tech Talk To Me. He takes on the stress and strain of complex technology concepts and simplifies them for the modern recruiter. Fink’s impassioned wit and humor tackle the highs and lows of technical recruiting with a unique perspective — a perspective intended to help you find, engage, and partner with professionals.

Michael Wiley

Talent Visionary utilizing today's AI to create tomorrow's future via Cisco Systems!

1 年

Well said Brian Fink. I can vouch for this in more ways than one as I've never considered myself to be one of the "sharpest" tools in the shed but I can say that I have, am and will be on the forefront of taking chances as can be seen by my recent past working contract roles. Also, as challenging as it is to be in the "looking for work" group of technical recruiters in today's market, I can say there are positives that come from such challenges. It creates a sense of urgency. It pushes one to think well beyond the norm in terms of being creative due to the amazing competition right now. It creates resilience and so much more! Being challenged will create a sense of hunger that can only be found by being in my shoes. So WHEN I do find gainful employment (and it's coming), the employer is going to get a bargain and then some as a hungry animal that has been hunting is much more effective at their job than one that is content and well fed. Watch out... Keep it all flowing brother!

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Jim D'Amico

Globally recognized Talent Acquisition Leader - Talent Strategist - Raconteur - Named 2020, 2021, and 2022 Talent Innovator

1 年

Ah, courage... Many people think that courage is the absence of fear, which it is not. Aristotle holds the virtue of courage second only to honor. There are three parts to courage: 1. As you noted above, taking risks is fundamental to courage 2. Accept the outcome of that risk, even if it was not the outcome you desired, and 3. never let a set back from an act of courage slow your inexecrable march forward as a human.

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