The Courage to Be Authentic

My friend, John Maxwell, has said there are six people within us that dictate our actions.

1.  Who others think you are
2.  Who you are expected to be
3.  Who you were
4.  Who you wish to be
5.  Who you think you are
6.  Who you really are

As a child we act without thinking. Then as we mature we try to act as we are expected. We want to fit in. As we get older and hopefully wiser, we begin to think deeper about our actions. We discover that the actions are a reflection of who we are and who we can become.

To know and act like how you truly are, you must know yourself, and have the courage to be that person. Each step grows our courage.

What percent of people live courageously? I would guess about 20%, maybe less. There is no easy measure, but most people are held back by fear – fear of what others might think, fear of the unknown, fear of losing what they have gained, fear of failure,  just fear.

Living courageously every single day is nearly impossible. But knowing the edge of your comfort zone, and being able to cross it once a week, or once a month, can lead to authentic personal growth. It is a challenge worth the effort. I need to do it more often.

How often do you act courageously?

Courage Keeps Us Moving Forward

The decision to move forward is a personal decision we are capable of making. Many times it is not the first option we think about. Thomas Edison said, “Be courageous! I have lived a long time. I have seen history repeat itself again and again. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has come out stronger and more prosperous. Be as brave as your fathers before you. Have faith! Go forward!”

We tend to fear moving forward. When times are good, we get comfortable. When times are bad, we would like to go back to when times were more comfortable. In reality, the best course of action is always forward regardless if times are good or bad.

The battle to move forward is within us. It is not an external battle. Courage to change allows us to have a greater tomorrow. For me, I work to win this battle every day. I constantly review habits and routines revealing what to keep, what to drop, and what to change.  What is your method to overcome fear and move forward?

 

Time Is Money

Time is money. You can spend it. You can invest it. You cannot put time in a bank, even though it has value.

When I was very young, time did not seem to have much value. I felt time was plentiful. But the older you grow the more valuable time becomes. As we age, we make our time more useful and more treasured.

We make our time worth more by investing it in activities that make us more valuable. Isn’t that the fundamental premise for personal growth? If we grow ourselves, then our time will become more valuable. It only makes sense that we spend some time each day investing in ourselves.

Here are questions to ponder. What are you doing to make your time become more valuable? What would you like to do to make it more valuable?

The Gap? Knowledge and Action

I was reminded this week about how many of our challenges can be summarized by the interaction of knowledge and action. There are two opposing situations that can slow our progress toward success.

1. Action that lacks knowledge. At times our actions don’t generate the right outcome. Afterwards we may learn something that would lead to better actions in the future. Knowledge can come from many sources. Better results can occur just through using the knowledge of other people. If we are taking action but not getting the results we desire, then knowledge and resources can help.

2. Knowledge that lacks action. The second situation is when we know what to do, we just don’t do it. This is also very common. When I exercise first thing in the morning, my day is more productive, and I feel better. Do I exercise first thing every morning? No. There are many reasons, or… excuses. If we have the knowledge but fail to take action, then finding a means of accountability usually helps.

The interaction between knowledge and action can ultimately define our success. As a coach, I help people continually navigate both of these situations. For complex challenges, we experience a fluctuation between both of these situations. On a day when I feel stuck, I find a way to shift my energy to either action or knowledge. This helps me achieve success for the day. What helps you get through these two situations as you go through your week?