Today, there is too little courage in the world of business, education, the arts, entertainment and life in general.
Dependence on anything is a weakness, not a source of power.
One dictionary defines courage as, “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.”
Some define the word as being brave in spite of fear or danger while others define courage as “bold and brave, unafraid to face tough challenges.”
Whether you’re afraid or not, courage comes down what we choose to do.
NY Times bestselling author Grant Cardone wrote, "It’s been said that FEAR stands for False Events Appearing Real, which aptly implies that most of what you’re afraid of doesn’t ever come to pass. Fear, for the most part, is provoked by emotions, not rational thinking. And in my humble estimation, emotions are wildly overrated – and the scapegoat many people use for their failure to act."
And this thing called courage is the what comprises the best of us. We see it in:
the best artists,
the best writers,
the best entrepreneurs,
the best leaders, and
the best innovators.
Why?
It comes down to:
The courage of our convictions.
The courage to stand up against compromise.
The courage to say no when it’s easier to say yes.
The courage to challenge being satisfied with one’s achievements in light of even bigger future goals.
And the world progresses in direct ratio to the amount of courage we collectively display and act upon.
These were the thoughts and ideas I was engaged in last year after seeing more people feeling “entitled” and less people displaying the courage to take a stand, do something possibly uncomfortable and withstand any oppostition.
Like the great Muhammad Ali said, “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
Courage, Success and Action
NY Times bestselling author and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk said, “You aren’t entitled to success.”
Fact is none of us are.
Unless we demand more of ourselves. And our colleagues. And business partners. And wake up the next day all ready to do it all over again.
Bringing so much value to every interaction that it redefines our every gesture professionally and in business.
My Most Personal Video
And that’s what inspired me to write, narrate and edit this video.
It’s the most personal one I’ve ever created. (Thankfully, my "What is Branding" and "What is innovation?" videos have collectively exceeded over 400K views on YouTube. This is the newest in the "What is..." series of videos.)
It took some courage to even put the words down on paper.
Because this message is very raw.
Authentic.
Real.
And hopefully inspiring to you—to raise your level of courage in everything you do.
No matter what you do: business person, artist, entrepreneur, writer, entertainer or musician.
If this video had any impact on you, share it around.
The world needs courage more now than ever.