This may come as a shock to you but then again it really shouldn?t.
We are either taught how to live in COURAGE or how to live in FEAR!
I talk with several small business owners weekly, and then part of a group of several hundred small business owners. The main difference that I am seeing in the mindset of these two types of business is that some have chosen to live in fear and some are living out their lives through courage.
What makes the difference is based on what we have been taught. Some of the teachings are of no choice of our own. Our family structure, the culture within which we were raised, or our current society is teaching us what is right or what is wrong. Some of the teachings are through our own choice, the instructors we choose to listen to, the books we choose to read, or the news that we choose to listen to.
When children are born they do not have a long list of phobias and they don?t know how to act in courageous ways. Babies just spent the first part of their life in almost total darkness, but by the time they become aware of that darkness, suddenly they are afraid of the darkness. While I may not be able to explain all the reasons, it is possible to recognize the fears that the parents pass down. The fear of heights, the fear of spiders, or snakes, etc.
What is the difference?
Courage is defined as the ?ability to do something that frightens one.?
You might want to go back and read that again. The ability to do something that frightens another. Courage is action, it is the movement forward. The courage to think creatively when solving the challenge in front of you. The courage to think outside the box. To design and pursue the dream of your new ?normal?.
Fear is defined as ?an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat.?
When you allow fear to be your controller, it will result in no action. Anything that is outside of what you currently know is going to be considered different, and thus could be dangerous or a possible threat. Many humans are trained to live without the discomfort of danger, to avoid the threat, and thus choose inaction.
As a leader, you have a choice. You can choose to live in fear and inhibits the growth of yourself, your company, and those that are around your influence, or you can choose to live as a courageous leader, moving your personal growth forward, your company into a better position, and influence others around you to become stronger leaders.
What will you choose?