If your life is ruled by fear and you want to become courageous to face your fear and improve your life, there’s always a way out. Developing courage is not an impossible journey; courage is a trait that can be intentionally developed.
There is obviously a misconception about courage which makes people think that they can’t surmount their fears and brave up. Here I’m going demystify this misconception through tips that can help you become courageous to face your fears.
Tips on How to Become Courageous
1. Cultivate a Positive Mental Attitude
One of the ways to become courageous to face your fears and improve your life in all aspects is by cultivating a positive mental attitude. A person with a positive mental attitude doesn’t believe in impossibility. He doesn’t believe that fear can stop him from achieving his goals in life. He confronts his situation with action despite the fear lurking in him. A person with a positive mental attitude is more afraid of not achieving his ends than whatever might be his fear.
People believe that those who display acts of courage are gifted at birth with the trait of mastering fear and, therefore, it’s not everybody that possesses it. While it’s true that courage maybe innate because of its connection with Personality traits, it’s important to know that courage can be developed through intentional training and practices.
It’s crucial to take cognizance of the fact that fear is not a bad thing. It’s in human nature to be naturally fearful. Fear is a safety instinct which triggers us to take appropriate actions in response to potential danger. When you see fear as not a bad thing, you will be more predisposed to recognize real fear and imaginary one. Some fears are actually those limitations we created in our minds which prevent from going after what we want. So, a positive mental attitude eliminates those limitations and spurs us to take action to overcome our fears.
2. Recognize Your Fear
Another way to become courageous is by acknowledging the existence of fear. Don’t feign the ignorance of your fear or pretend to be fearless when you are actually afraid. You water fear power to grow stronger when you deny its existence. There’s nothing wrong with being afraid; everyone has a fear instinct and there’s no shame about it.
Courage is not the absence of fear; but the ability to keep going despite the presence of fear. When you recognize your fear, you are more predisposed to conquer it.
3. Picture in Your Mind a Different Scenario
Instead of imagining the worst that could happen if you take that risk, shift your thinking to the worst that will happen if you fail take action. Courageous people are individuals who weigh risks and benefits of a situation and decide to damn the risks and grab the benefits.
So, consider and visualize the gain of success and the pain of failure and choose what you want. The different between successful people and failures is their willingness to bear the pain of failure and go after what they desire. Thus, visualizing these two extremes will place you in a better position to take a courageous move to get what you want.
In criminology, rational choice theory postulates that people indulge in criminality after weighing the benefits of their intended crime and the pain of punishment if they are caught, and embark on it when the benefits outweigh the pain of potential punishment. In your life, you can as well courageously take action in favor of your goals by visualizing the gain of going after what you want and fear of what will happen if you take that risk.
4. Discover Your Strengths and Weaknesses
In order to become courageous, you must analyze yourself to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Identifying your strengths and developing them helps to boost your self-confidence and self-esteem.
People who identify their strengths and develop them feel more courageous to take action in favor of their situation.
A lion knows that its strength lies in hunting and, thus, doesn’t fear to hunt other animals in the jungle. You, too, can become as courageous as a lion if you identify your own strength. If you have the talent of Public speaking, for instance, you will become more confident to speak in any gathering, if you identify the talent and develop it.
In the same vein, knowing your weaknesses helps you to improve on them and and become courageous and confident.
5. Embrace Failure as Opportunity for Growth
Another way to develop the spirit of courage is by embracing failure as a necessity for growth. Failure is nothing but a temporary defeat and discouraging experience which inform us to learn more and take more actions.
Courageous people see failure as an opportunity to learn more and expand their mental horizon. Courageous people are aware that every adversity contains the seed of a corresponding advantage. They see failure as not the end but a new beginning.
6. Face Your Fear
Fear can be tricky sometimes. It’s important you confront your fears to know their root causes. Knowing the reason why you’re afraid of taking an action in favor of you end will help you to deal with it.
Asking yourself, for instance, why you are afraid of speaking in public, may eventually reveal that you are only trying to protect your ego and people’s image of you, not really that anything could happen. You are afraid that people will ridicule you if you don’t perform well. So, finding out why you are afraid of taking action to change your life, situation and improve your life will place you in a better position to brave up.
7. Don’t Fail to Celebrate Your Courageous Deeds
Celebrating your courageous actions, especially if it’s the first time you are doing something courageous, helps to boost your motivation and confidence. Celebrate every courageous action you take and every of your victory. Celebration here doesn’t really imply hosting a big party. It can be a kind of mental refreshment and appreciating yourself for being able to do what you did.
8. Use Positive Self-affirmation
Fear can be a reflection of negative beliefs we internalize in our subconscious mind through negative mental attitude. Oftentimes we unconsciously plant fear in our minds, and it comes back to haunt us.
For instance, if you believe that you can’t take a leadership position in your workplace because you think you are inadequate, definitely, you will lack the courage to do so.
So in order to become courageous, you must use positive Self-affirmation to train your mind to exude courage. When you want to sleep at night or when you wake up, tell yourself that you are courageous and can do anything you set your mind to do despite whatever fear you have. Repeat it over and over again and you will begin to feel more courageous and confident. This is a psychological principle that works like magic. It goes into your mind to influence your beliefs. Remember, our belief system influences our actions.
9. Leave Your Comfort Zone
Remaining where you feel comfortable will keep you in perpetual fear and deny you the opportunities and good life you wish to enjoy. To become courageous, you must seek an environment or do something that makes you uncomfortable. You may want a better job, for instance, but you are afraid of the adjustment that comes with new environment and new job. So you feel comfortable with your current job. You have to brave up and step out of your comfort zone.
Adversities make brave men. You can’t cultivate the spirit of courage while remaining in your comfort. Dare to step out. Dare to explore new opportunities. Learn new habit. Learn new skills like language or tech skills. Be adventurous.
10. Seek Mentorship
Seeking mentorship will help you in developing your courage to confront your fears and take actions in favor of your goals. If there are people you admire their courage and confidence in your field of endeavor, try approaching them for mentorship. Being under their guidance and mentorship will help you master your fear and exude courage in all you do.
Read Also: How to Develop Self-confidence
Conclusion
Being courageous is not an exclusive right of a selected few people. It’s a trait anyone can intentionally cultivate through training and practices. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to keep going despite the presence of fear. You can become courageous if you desire it. You only need to cultivate the mental attitude that encourages courage and minimize fear. Remember that oftentimes, fear is nothing but an illusion which we created in our own minds.
