By Abel Pagaling
How do you define courage? Is it being bold and facing situations that an average person might want to avoid such as an accident, a medical emergency, rescuing a person from harm, or protecting someone from a physical attack? Is it standing up to someone who is wealthier or more influential than you? Or is it facing the person – a relative, a boss, a co-worker – who behave in a way that is contrary to your beliefs? Whatever the situation might be, how you act when confronted with difficult situations will test your level of courage.
In my work as a coach and a publisher, I’ve come across individuals who are courageous. They faced one life challenge after another, overcame the challenges, and moved forward in life. They became stronger with every problem they successfully handled. They share common “pillars of courage” as I call it. These pillars allow them to face challenges and become better people because of it.
Pillar #1: Something to LIVE BY
Courageous people have something to live by. They have values and principles they use to direct their behavior. They have a code of conduct that guides their belief, which then guides their actions. A gentleman I know has deep-rooted Christian values. He lives by his values which allows him to resists negative pressures from his peers, friends, and coworkers.
Pillar #2: Something to LIVE FOR
Courageous people have something to live for. They have a “reason” they are committed to and will do what it takes to live for their reason. It could be their children, their parents, or their community.
For people with something to live for, failure is not an option.
Another individual I know became very successful in the engineering field even though she started at a disadvantage – culture, gender, visible minority, English as a second language to name a few. But because she wants her children to have a better life, she has something to live FOR and was willing to go through the challenges, persevere, and ultimately reach her goal of becoming a professional engineer
Pillar #3: Something to LOOK FORWARD TO
The last pillar that courageous people have is something to look forward to. They have a “vision” they want to achieve and will do what it takes to achieve their vision. They courageously face challenges.
A good friend of mine in Calgary has a vision for the Filipino community that is collaborative, cohesive, and prosperous. He formed an organization that highlights successful Filipinos in Calgary and has put out platforms to encourage dialogue on the challenges that the community struggles with. He did all this while facing criticism and objections from established groups, facing struggles within his own family, and overcoming skepticism from pessimistic individuals in the community.
We can never fully define or measure the depth of courage of a person, but through their actions, we can draw inspiration from it. And if we have one of these three pillars – something to live for, to live by, and to look forward to, I believe we can all be courageous.
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Abel Pagaling is the co-publisher of FCM. He is the founder of Next Level Coach. You can reach him at
abel.pagaling@nextlevelcoach.net
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