It seems I hear the commercial every time I’m driving somewhere in my car.
A major insurance company has built much of their marketing plan around the two words “Dream Fearlessly.”
I believe the point of their message is not dramatically different from what I try to encourage people to do, myself included, using their words, “Dream Courageously.” However, I do believe there is a dramatic difference in how those two messages are received.
When I think of someone who is fearless I think of someone who is, very simply, without any fear. How many people do you know that really, truly have no fear? I’m sure there are a few but they are few and far between.
As a little boy I remember climbing up the couple of steps on the low diving board at the municipal swimming pool in Wahoo, NE for the very first time. I took a few steps onto the board and then quickly went back and climbed down. I didn’t even make it to the water. It was still cement underneath me.
A little while later I climbed up those steps again and inched forward to the end of the board. As I looked down the three-foot dropped looked like twenty.
I can remember an older boy who was waiting his turn hollering, “Hurry up, ya big chicken! You’re holding up the line!” If I remember right there were a few chicken clucks that went along with his chiding.
Mustering up all the courage I could I jumped off and went feet first into the pool. I kept my eyes closed tight as could be. As soon as I hit the water I began kicking my feet to get back to the surface. It seemed like it took forever but I finally broke through the surface and I survived! At the time, the feeling of exhilaration was as if I had just won a gold medal in the Olympics. I did it!
That memory is so vivid for me because the feelings of fear before the jump and the feelings of joy afterwards were in such stark contrast.
At six or seven years of age that was a great act of courage for me. If I waited until I was fearless to jump off the board that day I would likely still be sitting at the pool watching everyone else have all the fun.
So, which would you rather be: fearless or courageous?
Which trait will allow you to reach your goal or dream sooner, being fearless or being courageous?
What is it that you want to accomplish someday but you are waiting until you are fearless to take the first step? What might happen for you if you began to be courageous instead?
Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!
Looking for a speaker for an upcoming event? I’d love to be that guy. You can reach me at dave@cultivatecourage.com or 952-200-7499.
You can now buy the book “Cultivate Courage” on Amazon! https://amzn.to/2N2PBVJ
