Are you courageous?  Do you have to climb the highest mountain or go around the world in a hot air balloon to be courageous?  Do you have to face down an angry bear, or save a person from a burning building? These are amazing acts of courage that most of us will not have the aspiration, or opportunity, to conquer.

What we all do have though, is a heart, which is the root of all courage. Courage comes from the Latin root cor, which translates to heart. When your heart is filled with compassion, love, openness, respect and confidence, you possess the ingredients that you need to be courageous. Anxiety, self-limiting beliefs, greed, self-centeredness, and regret are destroyers of that courage.

In a world ruled by self-indulgence and self-aggrandizement, we all require courage now more than ever. We also require courageous leadership.  Individuals inspired to lead from the heart and to rely on strong, positive values and principles to make decisions that influence nations and corporations, as well as communities and families.

Leadership is really what courage is all about. It means leading and acting from within. Being true to yourself and not conforming to the expectations of others. We all need more courage in our lives. At work and at home we need the courage to do what is right, even if it means personal sacrifice.

When you refuse to sign off on a dubious expense claim, when you insist on full disclosure before recommending a wage package, when you insist on a full audit of your accounting and financial control systems, you are being courageous. These and many activities just like them occur every day. It just takes awareness to see them for the bold acts that they are.

When you start living your life with more courage and conviction, following your courageous heart, you will meet today’s challenges from a place that is real and authentic.This is the foundation for real personal accomplishment and professional success. It also sets off a positive cycle of courage. Other people admire courage and are more likely to emulate it when they see it in motion every day.

Consider the following life coaching tips to foster your personal sense of courage include:

  • When faced with a decision or problem, search your inner core for answers.
  • Analyze each situation using your core set of values and principles as your decision criteria.
  • Ask yourself, “Is this the right thing to do, or the easy thing to do?” Choose to do the right thing.
  • Prepare yourself for less courageous responses to your actions and decisions. Hold onto your convictions despite negative reactions or sacrifices.

Being courageous is not always easy. If it were, doing the right thing would not even have to be defined.  Unfortunately our society is not yet at that point, but through your courage you will emerge as a leader. The kind of leader we need more of. Hold fast to your values and principles and remember that you don’t have to be a superhero to live a life of courage. Simply follow your heart and be true to yourself.