The Courage To Be The Person You Dream Of Being
The courage to become the person you desire to be begins with a quiet decision to stop abandoning yourself or catering to others wishes. Then taking small and consistent steps with your quiet decision: to stop abandoning yourself.
Many people are shaped early on by messages—explicit or subtle—that who we are is too much, too different, too inconvenient, too sensitive, or too idealistic. Over time, we internalize those voices and begin to dim the light of who we truly are to fit in or be accepted. The courage you’re looking for often lies in reclaiming those silenced parts.
Here are a few steps to cultivate the courage to create the person you desire to be:
- Acknowledge the desire
If you long to be someone different from how you’re living now, that longing is sacred. It’s not foolish, selfish, or unrealistic. It’s a message from your deeper self. Listen closely. - Understand the fear
Ask yourself gently, “What am I afraid will transpire if I live as the person I desire to be?” Often the fear is not of failure, but of rejection, isolation, or the unknown. Naming the fear shrinks its power. Each time that fear or another fear pops up or pipes up you can say, “CANCEL” firmly and authoritatively. - Start in small ways
Courage isn’t all-or-nothing. It builds with small, consistent acts. Speak your truth in a low-stakes conversation. Wear what seems most like you. Choose the book, the food, the music that resonates. These micro-acts build inner strength and courage. - Surround yourself with resonance
Seek out people, ideas, and spaces where the person you desire to be is welcomed—or even celebrated. You don’t need everyone’s approval, just a few who see you clearly. - Recognize resistance as part of the process
You may hesitate, stall, or even sabotage yourself. That doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re growing. Be patient and kind to yourself as you stretch into the unknown. - Remember your “why”
Remember to return to the reason you desire to become this fuller version of yourself. Write it down. Feel it. Let it guide you through moments of doubt.
Executives face a complex web of interconnected challenges spanning economic, geopolitical, social, and technological domains. Addressing these concerns requires agility, strategic foresight, and a proactive approach to risk management and business adaptation.
You don’t need to be fearless. You just need to be willing to flip your thoughts of fear to strength and courage. And every time you choose authenticity over approval, truth over comfort, and growth over living small—you are becoming that person already. No one is perfect 100% of the time. Big girls and boys shake in their boots sometimes, yet, they muster to the occasion. Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s the decision that your desires matter more than the fear. Fear doesn’t exist, it is only what you believe it is. Certainly, if you climb to the top of the Empire State Building and jump off the railing and splat on the sidewalk you will be a bag of broken bones. That isn’t courage that is a stupid decision. No one is saying to make stupid decisions. You can feel the fear of doing something different and become more of who you truly are.