Focus Word of the Year: Courage

Courageous. What comes to mind when you hear this word? Images of heroic soldiers braving the onslaught of bullets and shells and charging the hill to gain position?? Or perhaps, children who have been diagnosed with cancer and are without hair, connected to tubes, and yet are encouraging us to be happy and grateful?? Are these the images you see in your mind's eye when you hear the word courageous?

When we are born research shows that the years that follow significantly impact who we will be as we grow into adulthood.? If you live in a home with chaos and abuse, you could be forever scarred as you move into adult life. Even the slightest transgressions by an adult towards a child may impact how they think, how they conduct themselves in public, or their ability to interact with fellow human beings.?

If this is true, children who grow up in an encouraging and safe environment have a head start as adults. When your parents warned you not to “hang around with the wrong crowd,” they were onto something: who you hang with impacts who you will be and the belief system you adopt as you advance into adulthood.?

So where do courageous people get the belief that no matter what the circumstances, they must charge that hill or persevere through a cancer diagnosis? Where do people who are faced with dire and abusive conditions get the courage to move forward??

In his paper, The Emotions of Courage, Daniel Putnam describes moral or psychological courage through the eyes of a recovering alcoholic struggling to end his addiction to drinking. The ‘self’ is discovered through the abuse of alcohol per the belief of the alcoholic. It’s likely the other way around. We’ve seen and witnessed among our friends and family members the devastation that alcohol or drugs can bring to a household. The authentic self appears when the layer of pain and suffering is lifted through abstention and recovery.?

“To embark on the journey towards your goals and dreams requires bravery. To remain on that path requires courage ...” – Steve Maraboli

We see public displays of courage and applaud those motivated to do what is necessary, even in the face of obstacles. However, we all experience emotional pain and suffering. The pain and hurt we experience as individuals due to any number of factors can require as much courage as what we witness publicly.?

My inability to get something done, my procrastination, my unpreparedness, and the masking of my authentic self to those I interact with are all outcomes of the life I have programmed and the stories I believe about myself and others. These stories (our beliefs), we tell ourselves, can get in the way of success and, more importantly, personal growth.?

Everyone is courageous in small bites and pieces. And there is no need to compare yourself with the soldier or dying child. Your obstacles to personal growth and happiness are just as daunting in your mind as they face. To overcome these obstacles and have the courage to do so resonates with you and you only.

Yet the public-facing outcomes of overcoming these obstacles are palpable indeed. Suppose you muster the courage to overcome your personal demons, and we all have them. In that case, you are on the path to success and happiness, generating additional self-confidence that can impact you for years.?

I have chosen Courage as my focus word for 2024. I have never had a focus word, but considering what I am currently doing and working on in my business and personal life, Courage is the right word.?

In 2024, every part of my work will be focused on that word. I have spent a lifetime hiding behind my real talents and desires due to a lack of courage. Don’t get me wrong, there are times that I have had excessive courage, but deep down inside, I can chicken out, avoid conversations, take my ideas (all brilliant, by the way), and shove them into the proverbial garbage can.?

Courage requires you to act in ways disregarding what others will say or think of you. It must be tempered, however. You can go over the line. Total and unregulated actions under the banner of courage can also take you down, so be careful.?

While this quote appears to have many attributions, I like the version? Anthony Hopkins? is reported to have said:

“My philosophy is: It's none of my business what people say of me and think of me. I am what I am, and I do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. And it makes life so much easier."

That takes a certain amount of courage, doesn’t it??

Are you trying to overcome something and become more courageous? Talk to me, and we can work on this together. Be courageous this year. This will be the key to my success and open doors to bliss and happiness this year and in the future.