Courage, Confidence and Thinking Bigger Why mindset is the key to unlocking your future

Sep 29, 2023

Courage vs. Confidence

Earlier this week, I had a conversation with a high-level exec from a large software company. She shared her aspirations of venturing solo, but she was nervous which is understandable.

It made me think about the fine line between Confidence and Courage

 

Is it confidence or courage that truly propels us forward in our careers and in life? 

After taking the leap from corporate to solo entrepreneurship, here's my take:

Confidence is knowing you can do something. It’s backed by skills, experience, and our past achievements. While it's invaluable, it can sometimes leave us in our comfort zones, often bound by the familiar. That is why so many of us stay in corporate careers for decades

Courage, on the other hand, is doing something despite not knowing the outcome. It’s venturing into the unknown, risking failure, and embracing uncertainty with a much greater reward

When I decided to leave my corporate confines, it wasn’t confidence in my abilities that drove the decision. 

It was the courage to face the unpredictability, to believe in my skills, and to trust that even if I stumbled, I'd learn and grow.

In essence, while confidence tells us “I can,” courage whispers “I'll try.” And sometimes, that leap of faith is all we need to discover new opportunities.

Beyond Courage- A Mindset Shift

Even after I had the courage to escape, my mind would race to "what if this doesn't work?"

It took me over a year to shift those thoughts to “look at all of this opportunity” and “Why not”

30 years in corporate can limit your thinking 

Anne O”Neil joined the Hardwired for Growth 2.0 Podcast this week to discuss. Link to the episode: https://bit.ly/466E3Fr

Anne is a former, high level division one athlete who now coaches other athletes and executives helping them unlock personal performance by shifting their mindsets.   

A couple of key takeaways:

  • Think bigger and what’s possible and NOT what could go wrong

  • The power of keeping it simple

  • Animal intuition- Lions, Elephants and Sea Turtles - it is spot on

  • Short term vision to drive long term success

The bottom line you as GenX corporate executive have the skills and experience to break free from the corporate confines and take control of your life. 

Contact me today and let me help!