Workbook:

Step 1:

• Tell a story that ends in “ I didn’t know I had it in me” 

Step 2:

• In what areas of your life do you demonstrate the most courage? This doesn’t have to be big, they can be little acts of courage but we all have areas in our lives where we demonstrate courage. 
• What separates the areas in your life where you demonstrate courage and those that you don’t? 
• What was the smallest example of you exerting courage in the last week?
• What is an example of you not exerting your courage in the last week? Why did you not use your courage? If this instance happened again what would you do differently to exert your courage? 

Step 3:

Immediate action step: 

Precommitment exercise- 

• The essence of this strategy is to lock yourself into a virtuous path. You recognize that you’ll face fears and temptations to stray from the path and that your willpower will weaken. So you make it unthinkable to get off course. 
• “When ___________________ happens, I am committed to:___________________ describe how you’ll step forward with courage next time you feel fear. 

When I’m feeling fear and like I don’t have the courage to do something that I know needs to be done in order to live up to my potential I do a simple routine. It’s a preprogrammed routine so that anytime fear kicks in I go back to this. It’s like a basketball player having a routine at the free-throw line. This is my free-throw line. Fear kicks in and I’m aware of it- I take a deep inhale through my nose and picture the word Arete (living up to one’s full potential), I do an extended powerful exhale and countdown 3.2.1 and take action. It is an automatic program I have. It didn’t work every time when I first started but over time my neural pathways got carved and each time it became easier and before I knew it this became a preconditioned response when fear set in. 

• I have a zero-tolerance policy with myself on this. It’s a non-negotiable.