Sustainable Excellence Xtras # 130 - The Importance Of Having Courage

How often are you courageous?

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer."

Courage implies a firmness of mind in the face of extreme danger. But it is also a characteristic that allows us to challenge what we know to be right.

If we were honest with ourselves, most of us would know if we were courageous in a particular circumstance that we were involved in. However, do we bother to consider if we were courageous when a situation involves another person or group and we choose to not get involved?

These two short stories illustrate what courage looks like in action:

Navy SEALs are some of the toughest and most courageous members of the military.  But how much courage does it take to reach out and help those in need?

SEALs Alex West and Kyle Buckett spend their off time designing specialized surfboards  for wounded warriors to help them regain their confidence and strength through surfing.

How apt would you be to forgive the person who shot you in the face? Most people would never put themselves in a position to do that.

But when 13-year-old, Ian Manuel called from prison after being convicted of shooting Debbie Baigrie, to apologize for what he did,  Baigrie was willing to open a dialogue that eventually led to her forgiving her shooter. 

The world is filled with stories of people, from all walks of life, who have acted courageously for the benefit of themselves or others.

Please watch the short video below to hear the story of another person who acted courageously by standing up for what he knew was right.

Also, leave me a comment about a time when you acted courageously and who benefited from your actions.