For a very long time, many people have associated courage with war, firefighting, explorations or working in professions that pose risk to your body physically. These may include investigative or professions that deals with legal matters and state security. In these professions things are bound to go wrong, criticism are inevitable and may impact on your self esteem and later on your productivity and finally you may end up losing your job. People may plan a gang to end your life either through a road accident or like in the case of the infamous 9/11 attacks or you may even be exposed to literal beating in the public. This is the physical aspect of courage. However it is not the only value.
Life is full of challenges and tough decisions that we should make however we require courage to propel us through. Things will often go wrong in life; roads we are trudging will always seem to be an uphill task, smiles will often turn into sigh due to humiliation or criticism from others who would also want to have their way. These confrontations will be associated with emotional side effects that will leave you tired and disillusioned.
Lack of enthusiasm in everything we do and focusing so much on self satisfaction is the mother of complacency. A person with such a character is unaware of the best and bad this that life presents. This is dangerous as it can bring an illusion that you are always doing the right things without mistakes.
Negative thoughts will practically run through your mind like whirl wind, but with lack of stand you are unlikely to control any force. However, worrying should be the last thing. Courage is about thinking positively being positive in all endeavors. If you are to stick to negativity, you are in for a waste of time and energy that may have been useful in achieving a worth task or goal.
Like Ms. Musau once said in her Book titled “Lost laws of success”, failure to follow your dreams positively will lead to creating a ‘finite pie mentality,’ such people always act as if it is their last opportunity and success in what they do remains a dream come true.
Without hope to accompany our troubles humanity will be filled with despair. St. Augustine once stated that faith is the only option that offers hope,all other roads leads to hopelessness and confusion which is the worst of human experience.
Hope is a belief that a positive outcome is possible. This makes it passive in a sense that it is an emotional state and unless activated,converted into an idea and then a plan we will continue to wallow in despair. Remember that it is our mentality that paves way to possibility or impossibility. Courage comes out of positive thinking.
By CONRAD ONYANGO
