“Oh, c’mon. Don’t be a chicken!”
Likely many of you heard those words from a sibling or a friend or even a parent when you were growing up.
Maybe you were being challenged to ring a doorbell and run. Or, maybe it was to call up a business and ask the owner if they had Prince Albert in a can.
On a more serious level, maybe you were being challenged to smoke a cigarette, or a joint, or take your first drink when you were WAY under age. Maybe it went to even another level to steal a car or do some acts of vandalism.
Often, the words were followed up with, “What are you afraid of? Show a little courage.”
While I love speaking and writing about fear and courage, I also recognize there is a very fine line between courage and stupidity. Particularly when we’re young we can get the two confused very easily. Especially when we are egged on by our peers.
As a high school athlete I was “encouraged” my some of my friends to attend parties where alcohol was being consumed. While I don’t remember the first time this happened I do remember the thoughts that went through my head each time someone told me, “Don’t be a chicken.”
Along with the fear of letting down my mom, the biggest reason I never gave in to these dares was a fear of getting caught and losing my eligibility for sports. The risk was not worth the so-called reward.
Even as adults peer pressure is alive and well. It may not be as blatant and upfront as it was when we were kids but it’s still there.
When you think about courage, you always have to weigh the risk/reward ratio. Will the price of courage be worth it? You need to also recognize there is a price to be paid when you choose fear. Is it worth it to you to stay in fear? And, are you really being challenged to a call to courage or a call to stupidity? When peer pressure is involved it’s often hard to tell the difference.
It takes courage to walk away from stupidity and to be able to recognize the difference!
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
