“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
-Nelson Mandella
Last week, my daughter started a new sport – new for her and new for Natalie and me – lacrosse.
My sisters played it in high school, and my roommates played it in college (there are differences between men’s and women’s lacrosse). I have a lot of learning to do. How to throw a pass, how to cradle a ball, what are the rules, etc. We started “practicing” having a catch this week, and…I have a lot of learning to do.
Our kids are trying new things every day and conquering their fears. Fear of heights by climbing a tree and going across the monkey bars. Fear of needles at the doctor’s office. Fear of social situations. Fear of bugs.
But for some reason, when we get older, we start losing the opportunity to conquer fear and demonstrate courage.
We get comfortable with the status quo. We like stability. We don’t want to make ourselves or others uncomfortable. BUT what are we missing out on? What are we not improving? If we can’t push ourselves, who will? If we can’t push our teams, who will?
How will we get better if we aren’t learning something new? If we aren’t getting comfortable being uncomfortable? As Steve Jobs said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” As leaders, we have to be focused on delivering today, but we can’t lose sight of taking risks and getting ahead of tomorrow. Innovation is leader business, and we are all leaders! We are responsible for leading ourselves, our families, our project teams, etc.
When was the last time you tried something new?
What’s stopping you? What are you waiting for?
If you are stuck, personally or professionally, let’s talk. I’d love nothing more than to help push you to break through the status quo. Don’t be shy…even if it has nothing to do with what our team does at MCFA. Our WHY at MCFA is Inspiring People & Places. Sometimes we need a little dose of confidence and another perspective to break through.
BJ Kraemer, President