What’s in your heart?

The word courage refers to your heart. It originates from the Latin word for heart (“cor”). Over time, the word courage developed in Old French (“corage”) to mean qualities that can only come from within your heart.

Courage describes what’s in your heart—the root mindset, attitude, and strength of character—that drives disciplined action.

To act with courage means to act with the qualities of a strong heart. Strong enough to overcome fear and the friction of resistance.

To lack courage means to lack the qualities of a strong heart. It’s a heart too weak to overcome fear, impulse, or temptation. Not incapable, just too weak.

It’s through this understanding that I realized my courage was not predetermined. I was not born with a strong heart or a weak one. I was born with a human heart. My courage is up to me.

Your courage is up to you.

It depends on what you put into your heart. It depends on whether you strengthen it and use that strength in your decisions and actions. Your heart will be as strong as you make it or as weak as you allow it.

Take step one to grow your courage with these self-awareness questions. Use 30 minutes to think and write down your answers:

• What is in my heart?
• How am I strengthening my heart?
• Where/why will I need a stronger heart in the future?

Event + Response = Outcome. Do the work.