Where Does That Courage Come From?
The Cost of Independence
Happy 4th of July.
I’ve always been fascinated with battle, wars, protectors. And I’ve always been drawn to military and police officers, and others who move toward the danger.
One of the biggest honors I’ve ever had in my life is the opportunity to be trusted by warriors to share knowledge and train with the people who fight for our freedoms. Since I first stepped onto a military base to teach, back in the early ‘90s, right up to today, it’s one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had.
Imagine going to battle in 1776 — getting ready to fight for freedom. Some of them were 17, some were in their 50s. Think about the fear. It had to be terrifying. Then add the archaic equipment, the improvised medical care, no body armor. And yet they fought anyway.
Where does that courage come from? Fear and managing fear is a subject dear to my heart. And nothing threatens our personal freedom more quietly than mismanaged fear.
Most of us will never face a war like they did in 1776. But we’re still at war. The battles we face today are psychological. The mechanism inside us — the fear response — is exactly the same.
If you don’t know how to manage that fear, it manages you. It dictates your choices. It limits your independence.
That’s why I love the fear piece in our coaching. It’s the one skill set we all need to protect ourselves, our minds, and our independence.
To my friends on the front lines this weekend — military, law enforcement, everyone who runs toward the danger: stay safe.
To everyone else: enjoy the holiday and the family time, and remember what it took to earn it. But take a minute to think about what it was like back then, and share a moment for all the great warriors — past and future.
And of course, practice courage.
See you next Saturday.
Coach Blauer
BONUS READ
Joe Zagami and I sat down a while back and got deep into fear — where it comes from, why it’s not the enemy, and how it’s the raw material for courage. He turned that conversation into this. Good one to read this weekend, while courage is already on your mind.
→ How To Turn Fear Into Fuel — SaltWrap
My mission is to make the world safer, one good person at a time. Everything I build — the SPEAR System®, Be Your Own Bodyguard®, Know Fear® — exists to give good people the tools to protect themselves and the people they love.
If this hit home, you probably know someone who needs to hear it.
Forward it their way.