5 Ways To Build Up The Courage To Take Your Next Big Leap

Your dreams are getting tired of how you continuously let your fears get in the way! Don’t wait another day to build up the courage to take that next big leap. The courage you need is already inside of you. It’s time to move through life courageously. 

“Sometimes even to live is an act of courage,” said Roman Philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca. I began to remind myself of this quote every day since the pandemic began, to prevent the fear of uncertainty from swaying my goals.

Through the power of courage, we can speak confidently and pursue the opportunities we’ve been holding off. Business leaders exemplify courage when leading and exploring new pursuits to improve their operations. As corporations laid off a majority of women during the pandemic, they acted with courage and founded their own businesses. A year later, key statistics show there are 13 million women-owned businesses making up 42% of all firms in the United States.  

We are all courageous beings. Every day, we show up fiercely in the world and face our fears. Knowing this is one thing, but to believe this is life-changing! It can be challenging to believe through an act of courage we can begin cultivating the life we want to live.  

Fears, doubts, and excuses often cloud our minds, preventing us from taking the next big leap. However, courage is indeed the key to living a life you love, rather than living a life you settled for. That is the mere difference between the “doers” and the “sayers.” Here are some reminders to build up the courage you need to take that next big leap: 

When hearing the word courage, many of us may remember the lion from the Wizard of Oz. As children, we laughed and embraced his character. As adults, we can see how he allowed his fears to control him. As a lion, he was expected to always be strong, mighty, and fearless. Trying to live up to the expectations of others, the lion didn’t believe in his capabilities to be the king of the jungle due to his own fears and lack of courage. After receiving the courage juice from the Wizard, he then started to act in courage. Instead of recognizing his fears and developing inner strength, it was easier for the lion to believe in the courage juice. 

From the lion, we can learn the lesson that our capabilities can be controlled by our fears if we let them. Understanding the root of our fears can allow us to embrace and overcome them. Start with thinking about the next action you need to take to live the life you envision.

Any fears that arise when thinking of the next big leap must be embraced. Combat it with self-encouragement. After all, the idea of fear is only in our head. 

After recognizing your fears and choosing to embrace them, ask yourself “What’s the worst that can happen when overcoming them?” If you were to say “no” to the chance to do something new, you are agreeing to be stagnant. That is not what living is about.

Yet, if you say “yes” you are committing to a life of opportunity and growth. From having this conversation with yourself, you are negating all possible fears from stopping you to do something new. Life is all about perspective. Instead of fearing the unknown, view it as a chance to create a new experience. 

This is something we’ve all heard before, but you must continue to be challenged and pushed out of your comfort zone in order to reach new heights. If you’re comfortable, it’s likely you are not learning about yourself or growing.

Doing the unexpected will allow us to build confidence in ourselves and the decisions we make. To even have the thought to do something new is courageous, but carrying out the act is what makes the difference.

Stepping out of your comfort zone doesn’t mean you have to do something drastic either! Small steps still count as progress and remember to stay true to yourself about your boundaries.

You can start off by ordering a new beverage at your local cafe or learning a new recipe to develop your cooking skills. The key is to get familiar with trying new things. Gradually stepping out of your comfort zone in different ways can build your courage. 

The journey to the “big leap” doesn’t have to be lonely. Here’s a fun fact: we all have fears to face! Talking to others or watching motivational content can serve as a valuable resource for building courage.

I personally confide in my friends and family for encouragement and love to tune in to Ted Talks for my motivational fix.

Especially in this day and age where we can easily connect with role models who have accomplished goals we are yearning to do, remind yourself “if they can do it, so can I!” I recommend reaching out by direct message on Instagram or LinkedIn to set up a virtual meeting and ask them about their journey! You can also join communities of like-minded women who are on a path of overcoming fears and accomplishing goals. 

Everything you need to be successful is within you. We all have one life to live and the goal is to live it to the fullest! Being led by your fears will prevent that from happening. Each day you procrastinate to make the next big move, is a dishonor to the life you were created to live. There is no such thing as “perfect timing.”

The time is NOW. The big leap may seem intimidating. Once you take that first leap, you have already built up your courage and the next leaps will be a piece of cake. 

Building courage requires you to make an effort in facing your fears. As Ruth Gordon said “Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it with use.” To live a life you love, it’s going to require you to take that next big leap and to prove to yourself you were made for this.