Courage Is A Gift

"It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters. -Epictetus, the 1st Century Greek Philosopher

Courage is daring to be? Brave. Enterprising. Bold. In your business or personal life, how often do you question your thoughts, your actions, or your motives? When you don't exercise the ability to always test yourself, you may lose not only your confidence, but more importantly, you lose the ability to focus, to know yourself, your friends, and your customers.

When faced with decisions and challenges, asking yourself questions every day, every hour, every moment gives you the courage to discover what is important to you and what a particular situation means to you, and what result or solution you'd like to accomplish.

Not many people experience life the way they want it to be. If things don't work out the way you want, don't find someone else to blame. Know what goals you want, then question your actions in reaching them. Compare your answers to what others may wish for you. After all, having a successful business or a life of contentment, requires you to know yourself and the goals that are best for you.

Courage is getting in the habit of looking inward and going with your highest feeling of what's true and what feels right for you. Apply this inner evaluation in your business and in your personal life. This is important if you wish to grow and stay successful. It works!

Have the courage to be curious (not nosy!). A quest for knowledge about life and the people you interact with is good. Look for answers to whatever you plan to do. This keeps you thoughtful. Keep a journal if it helps. Over time, you can look back and discover the results of your actions (or reactions) to certain problems. Then when faced with future or similar problems, you'll have a ready solution.

Realize your weaknesses and work toward improving them. Continue to renew yourself and remember that life has a way of constantly testing your ability and courage to deal with it. When you can learn to appreciate the challenges in both your business and personal life, you find inner strength. Then you're able to bring about an inner peace and spirituality that gives you a good tool for building self-confidence and self esteem.

There's something inside each of us that fuels our motivation, our passion, and our reason to succeed. Keep encouraging yourself to take the necessary risks to refuel your confidence. Question your motives. Then search for the answer. Question any doubts you or others may have about your courage to succeed. You are what's important.

Don't let negative thoughts get in the way of your progress and your goals. Control your thoughts. Think about what's important to you. When your thoughts are positive, they have a way of replenishing your courage. No matter how often unpleasant or difficult challenges get you down, don't give in to negative thinking. Just pick yourself up and move on. Focus on what gives you your strength and uniqueness.

Remember: motivation, passion, and your reason to succeed in life, as well as in business, are essential requirements to reaching your goals. Live life in a constant state of awareness, with peaceful thoughts, a dash of forcefulness, and a good measure of faith and spirituality. You will then be exercising your gift of courage.

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About The Author

Gerri D Smith is publisher and host of multiple Gateways to inspiration, motivation, and information for individuals, small business owners, and entrepreneurs. Gerri's internet business resource creates ways for you to unlock the doors to success and income. To help you reach more of your personal and financial goals, become one of the exclusive subscribers to her Free Monthly Newsletter.

For details, visit: http://www.distinctivebusinesswomen.com. Or, send your correct email address with: "Subscribe to DBW's Newsletter-9AC" in Subject Box and mail to gerri@distinctivebusinesswomen.com


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In The News:


Boston Globe

Atoning for Week 3 debacle vs. Miami should be ample motivation
Boston Herald, United States - 5 hours ago
If the Pats need any more motivation than that, they don’t deserve to make the playoffs. The Pats were flat out humiliated from top to bottom. ...
Patriots Out for Revenge in Miami Sports Network
Miami mouth runs; Patriots pass Boston Globe (registration)
Joey Porter on Pats: 'We don't like them, they don't like us' USA Today
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Cal still has plenty of motivation
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - Nov 22, 2008
Cal's preseason goals of winning the Pac-10 title and playing in the Rose Bowl are no longer attainable, so senior defensive end Rulon Davis called a ...
The Big Game will be a big game for Stanford Arizona Daily Star
Cal players motivated to get Axe back San Jose Mercury News
Cal still smarts from '07 defeat Contra Costa Times
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Lowell's Grubbe draws motivation from teammates in football semistate
Munster Times, IN - 2 hours ago
Grubbe said he received motivation from Lowell senior running back Cody Midgett, who ran for a 44-yard touchdown earlier in the third quarter. ...
Saints seek to avenge loss to Devils Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
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Washington Post

UA/OSU notebook: Motivation present
Tucson Citizen, AZ - 17 hours ago
“He is very confident and very motivational too us. He is an emotional person. We all feed off that,” UA offensive guard Joe Longacre said. ...
Rivalries spice up Pac-10's final weeks Arizona Republic
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Bombing suspect's ex-wife questioned his marriage motivation
Canada.com, Canada - 6 hours ago
OTTAWA - The American ex-wife of a man accused in one of Europe's most shocking terrorist incidents suspected their marriage may have been a ploy to get an ...

Army football preview: Mooney has plenty of motivation
Times Herald-Record, NY - Nov 21, 2008
But personal achievements aren't Mooney's motivation when he takes the field at Rutgers Saturday. "It's really for the program right now as far setting them ...

Boston Globe

Michigan has plenty motivation to beat Buckeyes
Chicago Tribune, United States - Nov 18, 2008
"Our current players have not gotten a win over Ohio State, so that's probably the motivation for us, particularly our seniors. ...
Rich Rodriguez coached by many on OSU-Michigan tradition Detroit Free Press
OSU-UM Rivalry Up Close: Antwerp's Bryan Gray in his senior season ... Defiance Crescent News
OSU chasing Big Ten title Independent Collegian (subscription)
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Bleacher Report

Oakland Raiders: 41-14 Will be the Motivation for Sunday's Rematch
Bleacher Report, CA - Nov 21, 2008
by greg pitsch (Columnist) When the season was just getting started, the Raider Nation was in full force to deter the haters that always seem to find us, ...

Oklahoma's Stoops: This game is motivation enough
Dallas Morning News, TX - Nov 17, 2008
"We've got all the motivation you need without having to bring up the fact they beat us a year ago," Stoops said. "It's all about this year and what the ...
Sooners looking for victory, not revenge RedRaiders.com
Oklahoma’s win earns lots of BCS style points Muskogee Daily Phoenix
Huskers gearing up for Fast finish to Regular Season against Colorado DeathRattleSports.com
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Pitt State running back cites mother as motivation
Pittsburg Morning Sun, KS - Nov 20, 2008
His mother’s motivation does not take away the love he has for his son, who lives in San Jose, Calif. “I always think about him,” Brandon said. ...
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