“The data show that courage is significantly correlated with high performance.”

Brendon Burchard, High Performance Habits

Perhaps you would have guessed that courage and high performance are linked. But what is courage? In his book High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way, author Brendon Burchard devotes an entire chapter on courage. He states that courage can be thought of “as taking determined action to serve an authentic, noble, or life-enhancing goal, in the face of risk, fear, adversity, or opposition.”

Noble Goal

Turns out most people don’t consider an act courageous if there is something harmful or destructive about it. Burchard illustrates the point by using the example of a teenager taking a dare to jump off a high balcony to gain acceptance into a peer group. While the young person no doubt needed to overcome fear, we probably don’t consider it courageous (maybe stupid or foolhardy).

Overcoming Fear

Acting in the face of fear is a component of courage. How do we get over fear? Researchers, according to Burchard, found that the more people face their fear, the less fearful they are. Makes sense, doesn’t it? The first time you do something new that scares you, you feel courageous for doing it. But once you’ve done it many times, the fear and stress subside.

In my own life I have seen this play out over and over at Toastmasters meetings. Toastmasters is an organization that helps people overcome their fear of public speaking. How? Club members speak in front of other club members again and again. Think it takes courage to come to your first Toastmasters meeting and then again when you give your first speech? Absolutely! But it doesn’t take too long for the fear to lessen and confidence to take its place.

Big or Small

Courage can be demonstrated in big ways or small ways. Burchard says, “Demonstrating courage doesn’t mean you have to save the world or do something grandiose. Sometimes, it means taking a first step toward real change in an unpredictable world.”

In my experience, demonstrating courage leading to small results over and over will lead to being able to demonstrate courage leading to big results. Using the Toastmasters example, coming to a club meeting for the first time takes courage and leads you to perhaps becoming a member. Giving your first speech gives you a bit of confidence. Give a half dozen speeches and you’re probably blazing through the education program. Then you get the opportunity to do a presentation outside of a Toastmasters club…this will take courage again, but the results may be a little bigger than at the club level. Before ever going to a Toastmasters meeting you would never have entertained the idea, but because you’ve built upon a history of courage and practice, you’re ready for the next challenge.

Honor the Struggle

“…high performers have a bias toward action even when that action’s outcome is scary, risky, or uncertain.”

Brendon Burchard, High Performance Habits

In order for us to realize results and explore our potential, we must take action. And many times, this involves demonstrating courage. A phrase Burchard uses a lot is “honor the struggle.” We can’t avoid struggle if we want to be a high performer. Burchard encourages us to “[see] the struggle as part of growing our character.”

Not only do those that excel honor the struggle, they anticipate, welcome and leverage the struggle. It’s not a surprise to the high performer that the journey isn’t easy. And they know there is growth through challenge.

Share Your Truth and Ambitions

Burchard also encourages us to share who we are. (Does that statement make you uncomfortable just reading it?) Some will criticize you for sharing your dreams and goals. His research turned up something surprising. Many people don’t want to share because they think it will make others feel bad about themselves. Burchard considers this fear, not humility. It’s an excuse not to be courageous and state who you are. It’s difficult to attract the people who will help you to the next level and cheer you on if no one knows what is in your heart.

Find Someone to Fight For

In interviewing high performers, Burchard noted that often one person inspired the high performer to excel. Sometimes it was more than one, like their kids or extended family, but most often it was one person. From the start we said courage is linked to a noble goal. Turns out, “for high performers, that noble cause usually happens to be just one person or a few people.”

tl;dr

One component of courage is acting in the face of fear or uncertainty. Another component is having in mind a noble goal.  When we face our fear over and over, the courage that was needed the first time is replaced by confidence. At this time we are then ready for the next challenge that requires courage.

engineer your life

  • What in your life would be possible if you took action towards it, even in the face of fear or uncertainty?
  • What needs to be true for you to take that action?
  • If it’s the right time, take your action.