20 Seconds of Insane Courage

The night that I proposed to my wife was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I have ever had. If it wasn’t for some liquid encouragement, I may not have pulled it off.

Photo Credit: Adventure Skydive Tennessee

Though I expected her to say yes, I was so excited and scared that I thought I would chicken out. So, I ordered a bottle of wine at dinner and proceeded to drink almost all of it myself.

I would relate the nerves of my proposal to those few precious moments just before jumping out of an airplane for the first time – extreme excitement bundled with sheer terror.

Sometimes all we need is a jolt of bravery. Literally, just a few moments where we try something new, do something bold, or push ourselves to the next level.

“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”

– Matt Damon, We Bought A Zoo

Courage Leads to Action

Insane courage can be just an impulse – a very quick decision to take action.

Courage can cause you to make a phone call you have been dreading, send an email to pitch your idea, or heave your body out of an airplane.

The real challenge is to push yourself to have insane courage for just 20 seconds, every day.

Work up the guts to put yourself on the line for just a brief time, every day.

Think small because taking big steps are hard. Baby steps taken frequently are what add up to big, bold change in the long run.

Bold Action Is . . .

While courage is the force that causes you to act, insane courage is the necessary fuel for truly bold action.

Bold action is the baby step that you will write on your do-to list, schedule on your calendar, and to which you will hold yourself accountable.

1. Bold Action is a valiant effort to do something for the first time
2. Bold Action is daunting from your perspective – it needn’t be daunting to others
3. Bold Action is worthy of your full attention
4. Bold Action is powerful enough to stretch your abilities and your mind forever
5. Bold Action is defining of who you are, how you live, and what your legacy will be

Create your own Bold Action List

• Part 1: Think back to what bold action you have taken in the last 12 months. Write down every major change you can think of that required some insane courage.
• Part 2: Write down every courageous goal you have in the next 12 months.

You can see my Bold Action List near the bottom of my About page.

I encourage to you to keep track of your major life achievements and to always have a tangible list of big goals for the near future.

Nothing is better for the soul than a goal that stirs you up, scares the hell out of you, and makes you do things you know will change your life forever.