It was the most frightening thing I’ve done in my life. I am terrified of height and here I was climbing without any gear up a 500 feet vertical cliff, as I followed others along our route to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I had specifically told our guide I was scared of height before I even booked the trip, and it didn’t help there was a cross at the bottom of the rock face where a tourist had fallen and died earlier. I did it because once I started up there was no way in the world I could reverse my steps and retreat; I was stuck and so had to continue the climb. Was I brave? I don’t think so, but we often hear courage defined as being scared and doing something anyway.
When I ask participants in my classes what’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done, the answers I get are always extraordinary. Once I finish hearing my participants’ responses I’m always in awe of the strength and courage most people possess and demonstrate when needed. And something else I hear from almost everyone is the realization that for them courage is moving forward without a clear ending, only knowing they have to continue, regardless of how fearful they might be.
Perhaps that is how courage would be defined for most of us. We don’t think we’re capable of something and yet when we have to take action, we find a way. We don’t see ourselves as particularly courageous, but with tenacity we succeed.
Where can you demonstrate courage this week for others? So often the “doing” is a lot less frightening than the idea of what has to be done. The late author and speaker Dr. Wayne Dyer once defined fear with the acronym F.E.A.R. (False Expectations Appearing Real). Courage is standing up for someone else who cannot, courage is being the follower when no one else will,
and courage is resorting to kindness and tolerance when no one else is able to. People are badly in need of our courage, in all its splendid forms.
