Courage is a muscle

Courage is a muscle – and so you can train it

Lea Vogel

You have courage, don’t you? Not true. (Source: unsplash – Anete Lūsiņa)

I would never have that much courage! Have you ever said that sentence before? Coach Lea Vogel explains to us how you can learn this trait.

Training is healthy!

That it is healthy,  to train our bodies is clear to all of us. We know that regular exercise is good for us, that we can build up our muscles and that we gain strength if we exercise regularly. Many of us also know that training is not always fun. On the contrary, we sweat and snort and still do it. Knowing that we can change our body.

In contrast to our body, we always assume in our mind and thoughts that they are fixed as they are.
A few have been given a portion of courage and self-confidence in the cradle, the rest are unlucky. The thought that with practice we can really change our minds still seems strange to us. And if we are willing to try something out, then sometimes there is simply a lack of patience. At least that’s how it was with me.

Training is the enemy of the coward!

I want to tell you something: In my basic nature I am a coward. If I had done a fitness test at the beginning of my independence, I would have failed. I am infinitely grateful that there was no such test, because independence has become for me the most beautiful form of work I can imagine. Today I know that Mut trainable is. It comes in small portions and only when we always venture a little bit further out of our own comfort zone. And it can also come to sweating and snorting. But it’s worth it.

I want to give you the following points that still help me to train my courage muscle:

1. In case of doubt: Action!

Every book I’ve read, every success story I’ve heard and every situation I’ve mastered well is based on these three words. Nothing builds up self-confidence and courage as effectively as the decision to become active. Especially if the action involves a risk or can fail. Action ensures development and this strengthens the courage muscle!

2. Don’t brood, do it!

When it comes to courage, our brain isn’t exactly our friend. We waste far too much time thinking about things. Although this  Grubelei under the guise of profundity, it usually leads to nothing. For even more brooding will not strengthen our courage muscle, it will not let our self-confidence grow and most likely it will prevent us from making decisions. Counterproductive. However, our courage muscle likes it when we get out of our worries with a loud STOP – then breathe in and out and act.

3. Reprogram!

We tend, unfortunately, to emphasize the negative things. With our ancestors, this also made an extraordinary amount of sense: When everyone was sitting around the campfire, it was important to mention where a sabre-toothed tiger was lurking and on which branch poisonous berries were hanging. This helped us survive in a world that was simple but dangerous. Today we do the same, with the difference that we live in a complex world where we know pride, vanity and fear of existence. Anyone who thinks only negatively now is preventing themselves from making progress. A tip: Buy yourself a nice booklet and write down three things per day (in writing!) that you have succeeded in doing well. It helps your brain to reset your focus.

4.  Be ready for failure!

The basic idea is not new, for me personally it is still challenging. Actually I want every text to be well received, every coaching to bring aha-moments, every workshop to be full of energy and every training to be simple and sovereign. Surprise: It’s not always like that. To have really and internally anchored that failure is a real option can be a frightening thought. But now that I’m getting used to it bit by bit, it’s equally relieving. Failure is no longer just the enemy, it’s actually a teacher. The faster you fail, the faster you know where you can readjust. Do not give up. Failure is one of them.

5. Practice, practice, practice!

Who wants to train his courage muscle in the long run must practice, practice and practice again. Sometimes I don’t like this part myself, but I know from my own experience that it is the only way to strengthen it. If we want to be more courageous – at work, in love, in life – then we have to move out of our comfort zone. In concrete terms, this means that we do things that we believe we can grow from, even though they are in our stomachs. The unwanted telephone call, the argument with the superior, the conversation with the friend, the salary negotiation. It may feel uncomfortable at the beginning – it’s over, it’s just growth pains! Your bicep does not grow over night.