One definition of courage is the ability to do something that frightens one. Another definition I came across is extraordinary behavior in ordinary times. There’s also grace under pressure. No matter how you define courage, I often get asked the question “How do we get courage?” I can share what’s worked for me, and I’ll share what I’ve read on the topic.

What’s worked for me is plain old – feel the fear and do it anyways. Heard that advice before? How do I get courage? In some situations I felt like I had no choice, like giving a presentation at work. I can choose to not do it or I can focus on making an impact with whoever I’m in front of. I do what I can to minimize the fear. For example, if I have to give a presentation in front of a new group, what can I do to minimize that fear of speaking in public? Here’s what I did:

1. Prep. I find out what I can about the audience. Who are they? What matters to them? If I can, I
   find out ahead of time what they are interested in about the topic I’m going to cover.
2. Visualize myself giving the talk to people who are responding positively.
3. Practice my talk– over and over and over again.
4. Before my talk, I get rid of nervous energy by stretching and walking around, so that when I’m in
   front of the group, I don’t have so many nervous ticks!
5. Post presentation – get feedback. This is how we learn and grow. How did the audience react?
   What made an impact? What fell flat?

What articles are out there about courage? I found one on HBR.org which I enjoyed reading. It’s more about courage at work. The title is Cultivating Everyday Courage by James Detert. In this article he talks about laying the groundwork, choosing your battles, persuading in the moment, following up, and getting started. Look it up to read the details. My takeaway: courage can be learned. Courageous behavior is dependent on effort and practice, rather than on some superhero personality trait, which few possess.

There’s a piece on Psychology Today called New Research Shows How to Facilitate Social Courage What makes us willing to speak up and take a stand? By Melanie Greenberg Ph.D. In this article the author talks about a few studies on courage. One looks at different factors such as personality traits (grit and proactive personality), job characteristics (e.g., complexity, autonomy or social support) and demographic factors like age and sex. The findings show that courage is more of an internal quality, although workplace environment and leadership may have a role in empowering people to speak or act courageously. Read more for details! Research on this topic is still new. I personally find it fascinating.

What pearls of wisdom can you share about courage? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Thank you for reading.