The Cycle of Courage: The 3 Unexpected Triggers that Require Daily Courage
You may think that courage is something you need only for big, life-changing moments. Like moving to another country. Or quitting your job to start a business. Or pursuing a passion project (finally).
The truth is that opportunities for courage can show up in micro-ways, daily - we just don’t think of them as “courage triggers”.
A daily “courage trigger” could look like…
The courage to admit you’re still figuring things out - even when you’re in a position of authority.
The courage to say what’s on your mind.
The courage to hold a boundary the first, second and third time.
The need for courage doesn’t go away just because you’ve cleared a hurdle once.
It’s something that comes up time and time again as you continue to grow and evolve.
In fact, I see the need for courage as something that can happen in a cycle, especially when you’re making a conscious effort to do something meaningful. This cycle repeats itself as you continue to grow.
Here are the 3 Unexpected Triggers that Require Daily Courage
In Times of Transition
Have you ever felt that itch to do something different - something more meaningful?
That could look like moving to another country. Or changing jobs. Or becoming an entrepreneur. Or finally allowing yourself to be an artist.
That initial leap of faith is both scary and exhilarating. It’s an act that shows your acknowledgement to yourself that you’re serious, committed, and ready.
But it’s only the first step.
The reason why “transition” is a courage trigger is because times of transition require you to confront your identity.
Every single day, your identity will be challenged.
Let’s say you decide to finally fulfill your dream of becoming an artist.
You’ll need courage to show up each day to create art.
You’ll need courage to put your artwork out there.
You’ll need courage to launch an exhibition.
In other words, this confrontation of identity means that you need courage to see yourself as an artist.
When There is a Need for Visibility
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say things like:
“Katheryn, I can’t do networking because I’m an introvert.”
“Katheryn, I can be the people manager because I’m an introvert.”
“Katheryn, I can’t articulate my value because I’m not the star - my team is.”
“Katheryn, I can’t be a great leader because I don’t have the personality of someone comfortable with all eyes on them.”
I hear you. Visibility is hard.
Let me tell you a secret: I also identify as an introvert. At least, by the definition that I recharge by being alone more than I recharge when I’m with other people.
I consider myself a “learned extrovert”. It started when I was really into ballroom dancing and realized that I had to socialize with people as a means to practice dancing with a partner.
Then I realized that I couldn’t start a business and make an impact without drawing attention to myself. That meant marketing, networking, guest speaking on podcasts, and public speaking.
Each of those things is terrifying when you’re just starting out. And they continue to be nerve racking, especially when you’re meeting new people or talking infront of a new audience. But these moments are also a requirement of moving the needle on something that is important to you.
Courage is about recognizing that visibility is just a vehicle to your north star.
I find the key is to remember that being visible doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself.
Anyway, the reason why Visibility is part of the courage trigger cycle is because when you’re faced with identity friction as you experience transition, you also feel like all eyes are on you.
The times when you feel the most self-conscious about yourself are when it’s easiest to feel like everyone is watching you. It’s necessary to have courage to put yourself out there - it’s even more courageous to put yourself out there when you’re still figuring yourself out.
When you are creating boundaries
Boundaries are another thing that evolves as you evolve.
When I first started my business, I was open to accepting any work request so that I could build my experience and pay my bills. But once I started gaining traction, I realized that saying yes to everything was going to keep me scattered and that staying focused on the core area I wanted to grow would be essential. I needed a boundary with myself to say no to misaligned projects so that I could create space for the ones that fit my trajectory - and it required courage because there is always the fear that aligned projects won’t come along, or that the projects wouldn’t come before my savings ran out.
It’s not just that you need boundaries. You need courage to set and uphold boundaries.
When you’re changing your identity through transition, when you’re putting yourself out there through visibility, boundaries are a natural courage trigger that presents itself.
And just when you get used to all of this and you’re confidence is set…that’s when you start having the itch to do something new. Hence, a repeat in the cycle of transition - visibility - boundaries.
So, this is how I see courage triggers being a cycle. At the end of the day, having courage is about making sure your trajectory is aligned with your north star. Without it, you may be off course, building a life that feels out of alignment and that lacks meaning.
If you’re feeling out of alignment - where are you being called for courage?