What do you think is the most important quality we need to face change and uncertainty?
Might it be our speed of learning and adaptation, perhaps resilience or maybe greater levels of curiousity and experimentation?
Those are all of course very good contenders to be the most important quality.
I think though, there’s something important that sits just befopre that.
I think it’s courage.
Courage can be a single decision.
Courage can be a single conversation.
Courage can be a single step forward.
Thinking differently matters greatly - the learning, the curiosity, the resilience, the experiments. But it’s the doing that counts — taking action when you don’t have all the answers.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines brave as “showing no fear of dangerous or difficult things.” Bravery somehow implies the absence of fear. It’s like a kind of bold fearlessness we often associate with heroes and headlines.
But courage, by contrast, is defined as “the ability to control fear and to be willing to deal with something that is dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant.” Courage doesn’t deny fear; it recognises it, studies it, and still steps forward.
To me, courage is thoughtful. It’s standing at the edge of uncertainty. It’s about being self aware of the risks, being aware of the doubts and still choosing to take one small step forward.
That’s what we need most right now: not blind fearlessness where we hold our breath and leap, but mindful courage where we take the next step.
Here’s three experiments to play with.
💪 The 2-Minute Experiment
Think of one thing you’ve been avoiding. Take a breath and do the first micro-step towards it. Send the message. Make the note. Take the step.
🔥 The 5-Minute Experiment
Reflect on a moment recently when you did feel fearful or uncertain, but acted anyway. Write down what happened. What you felt before, during, and after. Notice how courage often feels uncomfortable at the start, but freeing in hindsight.
🎬 The 2-Hour Experiment
Watch The King’s Speech. An incredible story of courage through vulnerability. As you watch, ask yourself: where in your world are you being called to speak up, even if your voice shakes?