This is how a dream dies

Sometimes your courage isn’t for you.

I’m reminded of two women I know. From a young age, each had big talent and big dreams.

One dreamed of music school. She wanted to sing and perform for a living. She saw herself on stage. The other dreamed of medical school. She wanted to be a doctor with her own practice.

They were making serious life decisions. Both were excited about what was possible but also nervous for the same reason.

Each of them shared their dreams with their parents.

The first girl’s parents said: “We’re not sure about that. There are a lot of talented singers out there. You’d probably have a hard time getting in. Even if you did, what then? The chances of success are so small. We think you should follow a safer path.”

The second girl’s parents said: “That’s a worthy dream. We have no doubt you will succeed. The path will be difficult, but you are more than capable. If anyone can do it, it’s you. How can we help?’”

One girl became a doctor. The other never applied to a single school.

Sometimes your courage isn’t for you. It’s for who you can give it to.

When you discourage, you take heart away from someone else. You take strength away from their heart and weaken it. That’s what the first girl’s parents did. When she needed courage, they drained her of it.

When you encourage, you give heart to someone else. You strengthen their heart. That’s what the parents of the second young woman did. When she needed courage, her parents gave her the strength she needed to make the jump into her life.

In your life, be an encourager not a discourager. Give people the strength of heart to live a courageous life. Don’t drain people’s courage, build it.

But you can’t give what you don’t have.

If you are weak in courage, you have none to share with others. If you are strong in courage, you can give strength to others when they need it most.

Someone, somewhere will need your courage soon. They’re counting on you to be a source of strength for them, just as others have been a source of strength for you.

Event + Response = Outcome. Do the work.