Don’t be fearless

I have a fear of open water. Though it doesn’t feel irrational, it sort of is. I’m a former competitive swimmer and lifeguard, so I have no reason to question my swimming abilities. I didn’t discover my fear until I signed up for a relay triathlon, where I would swim a half mile in the dark waters of Lake Washington. I had trained in pools and a week before the race, a few of us decided to do a dry run of the course.

We got to the lake and I started to feel anxious. When we got in the water, I started hyperventilating. I had to flip on my back and force myself to take slow deep breaths and I secretly thought, “There’s no way I can do this.” I desperately wanted to back out of the race and if I didn’t have teammates that were counting on me, I’m sure I would have. I knew had to find some way to do the swim because I couldn’t let my teammates down.

Thankfully, my sister agreed to help. Every day that week I practiced swimming in lakes with her with my heart racing, feeling like I was going to die. I’d swim so close to my sister that our arms would hit each other until she would tell me to back-off.

Long story short, I summoned up my courage and swam the race. Looking back, I can see it was an act of courage to complete the swim despite my fear. But, at the time, all I remember is feeling like a wimpy scaredy-cat, petrified of something I had no reason to fear.

Courage and Fearlessness

Courage is often thought of as fearlessness. But, what I learned from the race is that courage can’t exist without fear. If something isn’t scary, it doesn’t take courage to do it. I don’t fear taking a shower, therefore it doesn’t take any courage to do so. I don’t fear flying, so it’s not a courageous act to travel.

The day of the triathlon, I was far from fearless. In fact, I was absolutely terrified and shamelessly zigzagged from one person to the next during the race, so I could swim near another human.

So, if courage doesn’t feel like fearlessness, what does it feel like? John Wayne said it best: Courage is being scared to death . . . and saddling up anyway.

Courage and Business

We don’t often hear about or talk about courage as it fits into business and entrepreneurship. I never learned about courage in any of my business classes. But having sat across from countless clients at my coaching table, I know in my bones that courage is vital to success. Entrepreneurs need mountains of courage every day.

You need:

• The courage to say yes to great opportunities
• The courage to say no to that which no longer serves you
• The courage to make firm, quick decisions
• The courage to take massive action
• The courage to be vulnerable and give your best
• The courage to make mistakes and fail
• The courage to lead your team
• The courage to market your services and products
• The courage to start
• The courage to quit
• The courage to pick yourself up and start again
• The courage to believe in yourself

Courage isn’t fearlessness. Don’t strive to be fearless. Don’t wait until you feel ready or more comfortable. Don’t assume because you are scared, you shouldn’t do it. Be courageous, feel the fear and saddle up.