Career Boosting Tip: How To Build Up Your Courage

Here’s a key career boosting tip so you can build up your courage to do all the things you really wanna do – so you can live the life you wanna live.

Do you keep threatening to pursue your truest passions – but keep coming up with excuses not to move forward?

I relate. Truly!

I wasn’t always a full-time bestselling author and designer.

Over a decade ago I was a Sr. Vice President Creative Director in advertising, who was always threatening to quit my high-paying, high-stressing, low-free-time job to pursue my passion for writing.

But I was like the girl who cried wolf. Always saying I was gonna quit. But not doing it.

Admittedly there was a huge part of me that was afraid.

Not just about the money angle.

I was afraid to let go of a lovely fantasy about a parallel universe in which I existed as “Happy-Go-Lucky Author Girl.”

I was afraid to potentially risk giving up this fantasy – in case my fantasy didn’t come true.

Chogyam Trungpa wrote this beautiful quote about courage.

“True fearlessness is not the reduction of fear;

but going BEYOND fear…

by fear-less we don’t mean ‘less fear’ …but ‘beyond fear.'”

I knew I needed to get to this beyond-fear place.

Here’s how I finally built up my courage.

I thought about how it’s easier to walk a plank that’s on solid ground, instead of a plank that’s plunked above an alligator-infested lagoon.

Why?

Because the fear of those yapping hungry alligators makes you less focused on what you desire.

The same is true with building up courage in your career.

• You must avoid staring at your metaphorical alligators.
• Instead you must stay focused on your supporting plank.

In the land of your career your supporting plank is composed of two strong fibers:

• Confidence — what you know you have going for you
• Passion — what you know you really want

When I finally did quit my ad career, it was because I finally stopped staring at my metaphorical alligators – which consisted of these yapping thoughts…

“I’ll never be a published book author!

Heck, I’ve never even written one itty bitty magazine piece!

Geez, what will I do for income if I fail?

After all, I have a child to support… MYSELF!”

Instead I focused on my supporting plank, which consisted of…

confidence (in my writing-skills, discipline, persistence, resilience, optimism, meeting people, learning quickly, following-through)

passion (my excitement to be a writer in a BIGtime way!)

Recap: Career Boosting Tip To Build Up Courage

• If you’re stuck in a job you hate it’s probably because you’re staring at your metaphorical-alligators.
• Today re-focus on your supporting plank – and trying things like AAI Career Technical Training Programs
• Make a list of your areas of high self esteem and reasons for high passion.
• Whenever fear strikes, strike back with these lists!

Get more tools to build up courage

Check out my bestselling book, Think Happy

Whether you’re feeling stressed, need motivation, dealing with haters, or struggling  with a challenge or crisis, Think Happy will help you to move forward with optimism and resilience.

It’s the perfect gift for someone you want to cheer on or cheer up – including yourself!

Reset your mood to be happier. Check out my book, Think Happy.