The Courage to Just Do It.

Courage is a wonderful quality, right up there in my top three qualities in life. We admire courage we are inspired by it,  especially when it is an act of self-sacrifice when someone puts their life in danger to save the life of another person. There is moral courage where people stand up for what they believe is right often in the face of great adversity. There are many other types of courage we rarely think about, spiritual, emotional and entrepreneurial courage,  in fact courage is not the reserve of the brave it is the domain of those who push themselves beyond the normal boundary of their personal level of comfort. It is within us all.

I think in times of hardship the natural reaction is to retreat into our shell, to pull in the sails and keep them out of the wind, and survive the real or imagined danger until such time passes that we think it safe again. But right now that seems a long way off. The powers that measure these things tell us people are no longer spending money in the retail stores, the fact that so many workers are being made redundant from normally bullet-proof industries is proof of the seriousness  of the economic climate, if any were needed.

I really believe we are living through a little piece of economic history, in years to come books and articles documentaries and one or two films I dare say will be made recalling the crash of 09.  The question that occupies my mind at the moment, is in every chapter of history there are victors and there are victims. I believe, the victors will be those who demonstrate courage, who push themselves out of their own comfort zone. It may be those who completely re-invent their businesses, or just re-invent themselves, those who see the opportunities that are being missed by everyone else or maybe it will just be those who get their sails back up into the strong winds, earlier than anyone else. Whoever it is and whatever they do they will be taking a chance. They will be risking failure they could see their business wiped out or the financial situation create great personal hardship.

It won’t be easy, it never has been, if it was we be doing at all the time and there will be no risk at all. But, it is worthwhile, because if we fail,  we can start again,  we can learn the lesson, determine not to repeat it, and start again. On the other hand, we can do nothing, we can wait and see, and in time the recession will pass, money will flow, and we will feel reassured that staying in our comfort zone  was the right thing to do.

For many people this is not a matter of being a victor or a victim; it is simply a matter of surviving and I understand that, but I also understand that opportunities in life ‘pass they do not pause’, I do think there is opportunity in this moment in time and we need to find the courage within ourselves,  to and the great sports manufacturer so succinctly put it, to  “go for it.”