There’s a powerful saying that to me epitomises both owning the change you desire and being in action; If not me, then who. If not now, then when. Humans often underestimate the transformation that can take place simply by being focused on taking steps toward what it is you desire. Transformation and change however, cannot take place without courage.

Joseph Campbell’s legendary work around self-discovery and the hero’s journey, defines courage as:

“Courage is knowing what to do and then doing it. Lack of courage is knowing what to do, and not doing it.”

Brene Brown defines courage as":

“Courage is fear walking.” Courage is not the absence of fear, courage is being in action alongside the fear.

Coaching provides a powerful combination of motivation, knowledge, and accountability to shift you from thinking about change, into creating change. Often you spend too much time in your head convincing yourself to stay small, or all the reasons why you can’t possibly commit to change, or to ‘just suck it up’ instead of using that time and energy to be in action and create the change you’re feeling nudged toward.

I love the analogy of courage being much like a muscle; use it and it gets stronger, don’t use it and it gets weaker. Courage helps you lean into challenges and opportunities. The greater the challenge in your career or your life, the greater the confidence surge on the ‘other side’. Why? Because challenges prove to yourself that you can do it; you are both worthy and capable. The flipside is also true; stay small and ignore the call to action and your confidence will decline. I have been there and experienced both. Finding courage gets easier over time, as you collect more experiences to prove that without action, nothing will change, or that if something ‘fails’ you will always (even if it’s in years to come) be able to see the gift in that experience.

Career change requires courage. So too does moving beyond your thoughts and into action. Coaching supports you to be in action and to move through fear. In any moment you have two options; to step forward into positive growth, or step back into comfort.