Do you have the courage to lead?
Once upon a time, a young lady had to find her courage to lead. She did not know how to tap into her potential but she was willing to do whatever it took. But her dream was that important to her. I am that young lady and here is my story.
I was asked to be the keynote speaker for a conference about leadership. Because I was nervous and filled with doubt, I wondered what ‘did I get myself into”. The butterflies were fluttering. I even felt nauseous at times as I prepared. This was new territory for me, but I was determined to not let my fears and anxieties hold me back from achieving my goal of being a valuable leader. This was a step I needed to take to inspire others for growth.
You Must Believe In Yourself
You Must Believe In YourselfBefore I walked on the conference stage that day, I collected myself and visualized success. Confident in my command of the subject matter, I convinced myself there was really nothing to fear. I knew that the audience wanted an engaging and capable speaker, which is what I always expected when I was in their seats as a listener.
Then, I paused, took a deep breath and exhaled. And just like that, the butterflies in my stomach rested their wings. When I was introduced, I threw my shoulders back, put one foot in front of the other, approached the podium mic and started my presentation.
Let Others Encourage You
Before I knew it, I was engaging with the audience, and they were engaging with me. Because I gave to my audience, my audience gave back to me. My audience gave me encouragement!
We all doubt ourselves from time to time. But when those moments of doubt happen, we must be aware of our need to overcome our uncertainties. And we must remember our purpose. We must desire to achieve our goals. We must remember we have the courage to lead.
You Are Not the Only One
Because each of us has our own story of courage, we need to be encouragers. Sometimes you might think it’s only you that needs courage or I might think its only me. But, I can further relate the experience from my story to another example when I attended a conference that covered a lot of fundamentals about running a business.
You see, being an entrepreneur takes courage.
So, when I got to the conference, there was something more to this gathering. Something was evidence at this event that I had not seen at previous conferences I attended.
Then it hit me. As I met the many attendees at the forum, what I saw beyond the fundamentals of how to run a business, was the courage to lead!
Drive Your Success
Women from all over the world attended to learn how to build and grow a business. And what we all found there by the end was the courage to stay the course, conquer our worries and fuel the determination to drive our success.
So this experience got me to think about why most leaders and businesses never take the next step to strive for something they really want. I now know that one of the biggest, if not the biggest barrier to any leader’s personal or business growth, is the fear to confront the fear of failure.
Your fear of failure will keep you back from achieving your goals.
Your Courage To Step Forward
So, do you have the courage to lead? Do you know how to tap into your potential? And what can you do to tap into your potential and learn to fight rather than take flight?
Because you and I are alike, we need someone to encourage us. Someone who believes we have the qualities and skills to succeed. Someone who cheers us on to the finish line.
Our obligation as leaders is to first summon the courage it takes to face and overcome our fears.
Fear holds us back, but if within those moments of fright, we marshal the courage to step forward, we possess the foundational skill needed for success.
And that skill is courage!
Fail Forward My Friend
Valuable leaders know that life, whether personal or professional, holds risks. But only when we have the courage to face the risk of failure can we enhance our opportunities for success.
Leaders know that leading is about envisioning the future and believing that success is right around the corner. Leaders embrace risk as an empowering motivator to their success.
Click here to learn the 7 steps that can help you increase your courage and become a valuable leader.
Courage Is Not The Absence Of Fear
When we face the fear of the unknown for the sake of greater achievements, when we step outside our comfort zone, we learn more about ourselves. We learn that we are over-comers and that through determination and a little bit of grit and real hard work, we can achieve the goals we set for our lives and businesses.
Having courage means you are moving forward regardless of the fear you feel. That’s how you find your courage to lead. You move forward in spite of your fears.
Stop letting your fears steal your life. Lead like you know you can’t lose because don’t lose you learn. Be a leader who is willing to fail in order to win. Why? Because to win means mustering the breadth and strength of your leadership skills, which include courage. And, as the saying goes, no risk, no reward.
Leadership Takes Courage
Take your leadership to the next level. Be a super hero. When you do take your leadership to the next level, you will see doubt and fear as the enemy. And you will see courage and confidence as your super powers.
Take one step at a time. That’s what leaders do. They act, and they know that leading is more about their character and composure than their comfort. More rewards are waiting for you — what are you waiting for? Be encouraged. You got this.
Listen here to the 4 mistakes that could be holding you back from having the courage you need right now.
So, do you have the courage to lead? Yes, you do my friend. Step up to your mic.
Remember you have the courage to lead when you face your fears, step outside your comfort zone, and be willing to fail.
