This past weekend, the martial arts association I’m a part of hosted a tournament for 500+ local and out of state competitors.
…And I don’t think a single one of them wasn’t nervous about competing.
From the outside looking in, as a spectator, it might seem as though many of the people who stepped into the ring were, in fact, without nerves… but, I can assure you, it’s almost never the case.
What happens is the competitors feel the nerves… and then get into the ring anyway.
Which is precisely what courage is: feeling fear and doing the thing anyway.
And it’s so important to remember this—especially when we’re confronted with a fear-inducing opportunity in our lives. Because while choosing to be a spectator will dissipate the fear… it also dissipates the courage you stand to build.
See what happens when you choose to step into the fear is you challenge and flex your courage muscle which, by and by, increases your fear tolerance and ability to manage your physiological response.
…Something that’s undoubtedly correlated to what’s required for you—us—to live and lead your—our—best lives.