You know I talk about courage a lot, and with good reason – courage is what helps us take those chances and make those leaps to become better, stronger leaders (and people!) who truly make a difference! My ‘7 Laws’ blogs have been really popular with you all, so I thought I’d make courage the subject of this latest one. Here are my 7 Laws of Courage, set out a little differently than usual. I hope they inspire you!
Compass to courage – This means finding and following the way to you that’s full of courage! You can build up your courage by doing things like confronting your fears, standing tall for your convictions, and challenging yourself. It’s never going to be easy, but it does get easier to conquer your fears when you have the courage that no matter the outcome, you’ll learn from it and gain valuable experience.
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
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Own who you are and what makes you rock – Being yourself is one of the bravest things you can do! Authenticity and uniqueness are courageous because it takes an incredibly brave person to stand up and say: “This is who I am, and I won’t compromise on that. My unique traits and qualities make me the person I am, and that person is great! I don’t let my fears hold me back!”
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
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Understand who you are and what you fear – Self-discovery is the most courageous journey in leadership, so dig deep and practice self-reflection so that you can understand who you are, fears and all.
Resilience – Things will rarely – if ever – go 100% perfectly, and as a leader how you adapt and react to the hard times affects your mental health, your next moves, and the people around you as well. You need to acknowledge and honor the power and struggle you have within yourself, then move forward from the fear. This takes a lot of guts (and a lot of practice) but resilience is a courageous trait that will serve you well in all areas of life.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
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Act with courage – Always act with integrity; whether it’s to do with your beliefs, values or anything else you believe in, staying true to yourself is acting with courage. A great leader is courageous; they stand by their convictions no matter what is going on around them or what others are saying.
Gratitude – Be grateful for everything in your life and journey, even the rough patches, because there are always things you can learn and take away from any experience. Own the lessons, own your mistakes and practice gratitude often.
Embrace all your qualities, and your potential for greatness – Embrace excellence for yourself, because you deserve it! When you embrace this potential, you’re ready to truly rock it!
It’s also important to embrace your uncertainty and embrace your vulnerability so that you can harness them and use them to become a truly authentic leader.
It can be so hard to take that first step and start building your courage, but the best way to get over your fears is just to do it anyway! Courage is a quality that all the greatest leaders have, and you never know – you could be the next leader to change the world!
All you need is courage, and I hope you’re ready to rock it now that you’ve read my 7 Laws of Courage!
Find our more about my courageous leadership coaching and keynotes HERE
About Sonia
Sonia McDonald believes we should lead with kindness, from the heart, doing rather than telling and is known for her mantra ‘Just lead’. She leads by example in all these areas and through her one on one practical coaching, leadership training for teams and organizations encourages others to do the same. Sonia has helped hundreds of people on their leadership journey to become the best version of themselves and in turn, inspire and bring out the best in others.
For more than 25 years, Sonia has been on the front lines of HR. She has held leadership positions worldwide and through experience, research and study come to realize what it takes to be a truly great leader.
Sonia has an ability to speak bravely and authentically about her own development as a leader, personal and career challenges in a way which resonates with her audience. She is recognized as a LinkedIn influencer and has become an in-demand keynote speaker, starts important conversations.
She is an award-winning published author and writes regularly for publications such as The Australian, HRD Magazine, Smart Healthy Women and Women’s Business Media. Sonia has become recognised for her commentary around the topic of leadership, developing work-life balance, championing the up and coming leaders of tomorrow and advocating for women in business and male-dominated industries.
Keynote Topics
Sonia will give you peace of mind when booking a speaker. She is a proven world-class professional speaker with the skills to “rock an audience”. Her energy, empathy, kindness, sensitivity, and humor will enhance any event she appears.
- Leadership Attitude
- Just Rock It
- Leadership for Small Business
- Leading the Next Generations
- Courageous Leadership
- Future Leaders of Leadership
- New Kindness of Leadership
Phone 1300 719 665 or +61 424 447 616
