When you think of a courageous person, who comes to mind? 

Maybe you think of someone like civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Maybe you think of an explorer like Magellan or Neil Armstrong. Maybe you think of someone who is fighting their way through a serious illness. Or maybe you think of a single parent you know who bravely raised their kids without the help of a partner. 

All these people are very different, but they have one thing in common. They were afraid but they acted anyway. They did what was necessary to rise above their circumstances and do what needed to be done. 

There is a good chance that you are facing some fears, too. Maybe it’s that book you are afraid to write and publish. Maybe it’s that blog or podcast you are afraid to start. Maybe it’s simply writing on social media or speaking at an event. 

Mark Twain wrote, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.”

You can still be afraid and take action. In fact, your fear can be the very thing that propels you to action. Whatever has you running scared, turn around and run the other direction—straight toward it.