Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
How would you define courage? I recently came across a website that highlighted stories of courage from diverse individuals. They included stories of people who stepped out of their comfort zones to help others; overcame fear to make significant career changes; quit their dream jobs for their family; and admitted their need for help in the midst of struggles with mental health. While the stories may assume varied proportions on the scale of significance depending on where you stand, the common threads were that:
- Each person took an action that was uncomfortable or scary.
- Each person was propelled to act by the realization that the cost of not doing so would be too great.
Fear needs no introduction. At one point or the other we’ve been caught in its grip and odds are that it will rear its head again at some point. In Christian circles, a popular description for fear is: false evidence appearing real. It’s catchy and juxtaposed against faith, which is the Biblical prescription for fear, is right. Fear is an emotional response to our assessment of a situation; which usually doesn’t evaluate the accuracy of the assessment. An inaccurate assessment will almost always lead to an inaccurate response.
Fear can seize you but it doesn’t have to stop you.
A couple of years ago, I visited the Capilano suspension bridge in beautiful British Columbia with a friend. During our tour, we came to the Capilano suspension bridge which not only stands at 140m long and 70m above a river but was the only way across! Now, you should know that I’m not a fan of heights and I unashamedly steer clear of anything that involuntarily elevates my heart rate. I watched people go across hoping that an alternative path would miraculously appear before me. It didn’t.
As I reflected on the experience, I identified 5 factors that helped get me across that bridge in spite of my crippling fear of heights:
- I shifted my thinking from “I cannot do it” to “It can be done”. People around me were making the same trip and there was a mountain of evidence to demonstrate that even more had gone before. In that moment, the only obstacle to getting across was in my mind. I had to stop viewing the bridge as a death trap and see it as a passage way.
- I put one foot in front of the other. Every distance is covered one step at a time. I had to take the first step and keep moving forward. There were no shortcuts available and I had to cover the distance.
- I held on tight to the sides. I drew some laughter as I gingerly navigated the bridge but funny as I looked, I made progress. Using supports is not a sign of weakness but an awareness of our need for help and the courage to accept it.
- I kept my eyes on the other side. An inspiring goal provides clarity, focus and motivation to get us over the hurdles that may otherwise stump us.
- I had a supportive travelling companion. Don’t underestimate the value of encouragement! As the Bible says, “two are better than one…If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”
What one thing can you do to move towards your goals in spite of fear?
Recent Comments