Courage That Changes Your Life

"The scars you acquire while exercising courage will never make you feel inferior." D.A. Battista

"Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought no to be feared." David Ben-Gurion

"Courage is fear that has said its prayers." Dorothy Bernard

Courage. It is a word that conjures up images of great and dramatic actions. And yet I realize that we all have the opportunity to be courageous every day, in small and large ways. And it is when we choose to be courageous that we change our lives and the lives of those around us.

Can you name anything of any significance that did not emanate from some sort of courageous decision? I can't. Think of the changes that we have experienced in the last few decades and trace them back to their initial decision. Chances are, someone exhibited courage.

So what is courage? It is simply acting on what we want to do, regardless of any fear we may have. It is the choice to disregard worry. It is the choice to do right, to pursue our dreams, to be successful people, to lead the way for others.

Courage changes lives. Yes, it changes lives.

First, the day you begin to stare down your fears and worries, and instead act courageously, your life will change. You will be set free to fly like you never have before. You will accomplish things you once only dreamed of. You will experience things you thought were only for others - the courageous ones. You will realize that your fears were baseless and just paper tigers, a mirage. You will begin to live your dreams. You will become a person of character!

You will also change the lives of others. Simply put, courageous people pull others along with them. Everybody benefits from courageous people. I have a friend who I admire greatly. A little over a year ago he decided to leave a lucrative career and pursue a dream. All obstacles were thrown his way. The day he left his company, he found out that his wife had cancer. He went into a great deal of debt to finance his dream. He raised millions of dollars, putting his name and reputation on the line. He acted courageously. A year later, he has over fifty employees and growing monthly. Those employees are reaping the benefit of his courage! And his wife, who beat cancer, is acting courageously with him!

Here are some quick tips for acting courageously:

Know what you want. Courage is about choice. If you are to act courageously, you need to know what the right choice is. Be clear about your dream and vision.

Do not worry. I heard recently that worry is the wrong use of the imagination. That is perhaps the best definition I have ever heard. Worry is just thinking about all of the bad possibilities, isn't it? Well, courage is just thinking about all the great possibilities and then acting upon them!

Do your homework. It helps to get the facts. It helps because then you can make an informed decision that will put your heart and mind to rest. There will probably be a downside but we understand it, choose alternatives, and act decisively instead of those.

Act. There is no substitute for the first step. Do you know what you want? Have you thought of the possibilities? Have you done your homework? Then what are you waiting for? The next step is to take the first step, and ACT!

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

---

Healing The Abandonment Wounds

I have counseled individuals, couples, families and business partners for... Read More

Giving Importance

I call myself semi-retired. I work at a job that... Read More

The Red Ribbon

Everyone wants a blue ribbon. Blue. First place. The best.... Read More

Material Girl

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 16,... Read More

Change Begins With Choice

Any day we wish we can discipline ourselves to change... Read More

Finding Inspiration to Realise Your Dreams and Ambitions

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.... Read More

20 Ways To Improve Your Life

People often ask me how they can improve their lives.I... Read More

Contemptable Temptation

Let's look at the lesson we should all pay attention... Read More

A Life of Purposes Extraction

Purpose. What is purpose? Drinking coffee when you wake up... Read More

Everyone Has Been Hurt ....Part 6

Continued....I have since grown a lot. I have grown through... Read More

Put To The Sword

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 23,... Read More

Have You Ever Felt GOD in You?

God is the primordial Creative Force that is believed to... Read More

Self-Validation: Living an Empowered Life

Sometimes we are concerned with being right and we don't... Read More

My Lost Immortality

Oh my God, I'm not immortal anymore! What happened? Where's... Read More

One Woman, One Leg, No Job

What is social acceptance? Why is it so important? What... Read More

Without Love

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 30,... Read More

What Forgiveness Is Not

Is a grudge-laden heart sabotaging your success in business and... Read More

The Bouncer (Turning Defeat into Victory)

I'm a pretty competitive guy, though I try to keep... Read More

Thoughts on Loving

Loving. It seems like such a simple concept. But those... Read More

What is My Life Purpose?

Why am I here?If you haven't already asked this question,... Read More

Searching for the Meaning of Life!

Are you looking for the meaning of life?You work all... Read More

The Best Policy

Direct Answers - Column for the week of July 28,... Read More

Jerrys Yo-Yo

The blaring sound leapt under Jerry's skin and strangled him... Read More

Wisdom of the Worlds Proverbs

You don't have to excavate diamond mines or oil fields... Read More

Moment of Grace

The bedrock of the Christian faith is the good news... Read More

7 Perks to Living a Life on Purpose

1. We all have a purpose in this life time.The... Read More

Bad Blood

Direct Answers - Column for the week of August 26,... Read More

Blasting Out of the Shadows: The Power of Your True Voice

First, let me share a quote from Ashlee Simpson's latest... Read More

A Resurrection Story

My mother often wound up in the hospital during the... Read More

Struggling With Addictions

What kind of bad habits do you struggle with? Most... Read More

Growing From Good To Great

I have never been fond of white-water rafting, probably because... Read More

Small Steps, Great Strides

Sacred space, sacred timeBelieve in your personal power, retrieve if... Read More

The Angels on My Path

I'm leaving on a TV tour in a few weeks.... Read More