Grounded courage

I was sitting with a couple of friends yesterday trying to help one of them pull together a business plan that incorporated his passions and the need to make a little money.

It struck me that this was a wonderful example of what I call ‘grounded courage’. 

Our friend has an enormous range of interests and skills and is capable of many things.  However, this is also his problem as he struggles to offer clarity to potential clients as to what he could do to help them (as he can do a lot of things).  Our conversation yesterday involved listening to him discuss his passions and frustrations, skills, likes and dislikes.  Through reflection he became aware that he needed to let go many of his existing ‘products’ and focusing on one.  However, defined well, this one product could be targeted at a very specific client base who will see the value of his set of skills.  Although he risks losing income in the short to medium term, the prospect of developing a business which can be easily communicated to others and allows him to develop his passion for connecting people left him buzzing with excitement. 

Grounded courage – the willingness to let go of the known and take a risk based on solid research, existing skills and passion.

Stepping into the unknown can be scary but there is a lot you can do to understand the risks and measure the consequences of your choices – including the choice to continue as you are.  Any courageous action requires you to take a risk, but grounded courage allows you to build on your existing strengths.