How much courage do you have? Probably much more than you think, possibly massive amounts.
A previous article titled “Develop Confidence With Courage” presented the interrelationship among courage, confidence and fear and how to have more situational confidence using courage. In this article, you’ll learn how to consciously access and strengthen your courage.
Relationship Among Courage, Confidence and Fear
© TC North, Ph.D., 2015
As a reminder, here’s how courage, confidence and fear are related. When you have a lot of fear, you need great courage to take on what’s causing the fear. However, when you have a high level of confidence in doing something specific, your fear is generally low. The more courage you have, the greater the challenges you can face and the faster you can become confident in handling those challenges.
Consciously access your courage.
Accessing your courage is amazingly simple and profoundly effective. All you have to do is remember a time when you were scared but found the courage to do what you needed or wanted to do anyway. When you recall courageous memory this, you have entered the courageous part of your brain.
Your memories are linked in your brain by neurons; these linked neurons are called a neural network. Essentially, all of your courageous memories are linked in their own neural network. When you think from your courageous neural network, you experience more courage in your mind, body and emotions. It’s analogous to opening a software program of courage on your computer (your courageous app) — as long as you continue working in this program of the courageous neural network of your brain, you operate from courage.
Exercise: Instant Access to Courage (from my book “Fearless Leaders”)
Think of a time when you were your most courageous. This could be a time in your professional or personal life, and it could be from any age.
Describe that time. How did you think, act and feel?
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Allow the feeling of courage to return. Continue recalling as much detail as possible until you begin to re-experience some of the courage you had when this event occurred. You’ll likely notice feeling more courageous as you immerse yourself in this memory. When you can feel even the slightest bit of courage by reflecting on a time you were courageous, you’ve entered your brain’s courageous neural network.
Strengthen your courageous neural network. Each time you access a courageous memory and bring back even a little of the feeling of courage, you increase the size and strength of your brain’s courageous neural network. It’s similar to working out a muscle by lifting a weight. The more repetitions you do, the stronger the neural network becomes. Once you enter your courageous neural network, search around for other courageous memories. Most people find more than they expect. Each time you access one of your courageous memories, you’ve done another rep and strengthened your courage.
You have instant access to courage; just remember a time you were courageous. It’s that easy and each time you do, you’re stimulating your brain’s the courageous neural network making it stronger, giving you greater courage.
TC North, Ph.D., is co-author of the best-selling book on Amazon, “Fearless Leaders.” He’s a sought-after international speaker, high-performance executive and leadership coach and a thought leader on increasing courage, confidence and mastering fear, which enhance personal presence and the ability to be mindful. As a published scientist, one of his studies has been designated a landmark study. Dr. North’s work has been featured in business and scientific journals and on TV and radio. Learn more at www.TCNorth.com. Contact Dr. North at 303-665-8920 or connect on YouTube, LinkedIn or Twitter.
