Success Is A Choice Ch 9

Courage: An Everyday Virtue

• Courage is not just for extreme situations. It's a daily virtue, essential for any worthwhile achievement, leading to a life without regrets.
• C. S. Lewis highlighted that courage is the core of all virtues when challenged.
• Talent often goes undiscovered due to a lack of courage. The word "courage" originates from the French "coeur," meaning "heart," implying the heart is tested continually

Courage and Truth

• Life presents tests, frequently internal and painful.
• These tests often involve facing truths about ourselves that we may not want to hear.
• The process usually involves: the issue, temptation to ignore it, the decision to face and change, the challenge of daily change, the response of others, and achieving respect.
• Herbert Agar noted that truths that liberate often aren't those we want to hear.
• Winston Churchill recognized both the courage to speak up and the courage to listen.

Courage and Change

• Courage involves leaving familiar comfort zones and embracing new ideas and ways of doing things.
• Greatness stems from bravery in escaping old standards, ideas and ways of doing things.
• Circumstances don't define us; our actions do. We can redefine our circumstances.
• Being willing to sacrifice current comforts for future potential allows us to surpass even greater talent.
• Sophia Loren understood the importance of believing in oneself for success.

Courage and Convictions

• Standing up for convictions often leads to opposition and challenges.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson stated that pursuing a course of action requires soldier-like courage, and peace also requires courage. Conformity is the opposite of courage.
• Living for convictions is key; beliefs are argued about, but convictions are died for.

Courage in Weakness

• Learning and growth require action, demanding courage, particularly in areas of weakness.
• Fear is often connected to weakness.
• Being courageous in areas of strength is easier than in weakness.
• Several quotations illustrate courage in the face of fear, like "Courage is fear holding on a minute longer" – George S. Patton.

Courage and the High Road

• The High Road principle in dealing with others involves treating them better than they treat you.
• Three routes: Low road (treating others worse), Middle road (treating others the same), High road (treating others better).
• Forgiving is key to maturity and getting along with others.
• Theodore Roosevelt connected getting along with others to success, and those who don't forgive are often unsuccessful.

Courage and Leadership

• Leaders face criticism and opposition when ahead of the crowd.
• Leaders who innovate are often misunderstood and criticized but are essential to progress.
• Adversity is necessary for progress, and should be seen as a learning opportunity.
• Obstacles are part of forward movement, and overcoming them fosters strength, wisdom, and confidence.
• Eisenhower's interaction with Churchill highlights the value of courage.

Finding Courage

• Courage, like character, is internal.
• It begins with a decision to take action and grows through consistency.
• Quotes and observations from Thomas Edison and Florence Nightingale illustrate the importance of courage, and choosing the right action over the expedient.
• Sheldon Kopp highlighted how significant battles are waged internally.
• Florence Nightingale connected courage with choosing the right over the easy.
• Courage is not granted by position; the position is made by the person.

Developing Courage

• Courage is the result of developing internal attributes.
• Several attributes are crucial for building courage: strong convictions, clear vision, spiritual sensitivity, strong self-esteem, commitment to discipline, dissatisfaction with the status quo, unshakeable poise, willingness to take risks, choosing right actions over rationalizations, a pursuit of potential over appeasement.
• Take small steps each day as a consistent approach to cultivating courage.