Postanly Weekly is a reader-supported newsletter. To support my work, you can upgrade to a paid subscription for $9 per month or $60 for an entire year. Or use this special link for 50% off forever. Plus free access to The Thinking Edge: 27 (with future updates) thinking tools, models, principles for life and career. Inspired by the wisdom of brilliant minds.
A quick intro.
A Fast Company editor reached out last month. I’ve joined their creator network to write on life and career success. These are my first three posts: The surprising power of being a generalist, 4 habits to outsmart your own biases and How to network so you’re impossible to ignore.
Now onto today’s post.
“He who is brave is free”― Seneca
Every day is courage day.
“20 seconds of courage” is often how I take bold or challenging action. Sometimes, all it takes is a brief moment of bravery to make a significant impact. It’s popularised by actor and film producer Matt Damon. In the movie “We Bought a Zoo,” Damon’s character advises his son that all it takes is 20 seconds of courage to do something that might seem intimidating or daunting.
The idea is to push past initial hesitation and take that brief moment of courage to start or do something new. That means overcoming fear, taking risks, and seizing opportunities with a short burst of action. It’s the courage that pushed me to apply for a two-year software entrepreneurship sponsorship.
I was one of twenty selected for the program.
It’s also the courage I needed to call back a prestigious software company and refuse an offer of a marketing position. I didn’t have a plan B. But working for myself has been a fantastic journey.
“If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.” — John Irving
20 seconds of courage is the reason I published my first post online. It’s why I travelled to Spain to speak on “starting up” at one of the top online travel companies in the world. That moment when you quickly decide to take action changes everything. Think of the child raising their hand in class despite the fear of being wrong. Or the teenager standing up to a bully, their voice trembling but resolve unwavering.
These are 20 seconds of courage, tiny flames defying the wind of doubt. They may seem insignificant, but within them lies the power to change our lives and those around us. That short span of time where you make up your mind, gather your strength, and take that first initial step changes everything.
Something amazing happens after that.
You often find that subsequent actions become easier. The first 20 seconds break the inertia, creating a momentum that propels you forward. It’s about realising that the first move is often the hardest, no matter how small.
Break the chain of hesitation
Twenty seconds of courage is the bridge between inaction and action. It’s the writer putting pen to paper, the artist picking up a brush, the entrepreneur taking that leap. It’s the whispered “I love you” finally spoken, the email sent, even though rejection stings. These moments propel us forward, breaking the chains of hesitation and propelling us into the unknown.
But 20 seconds of courage aren’t always about grand gestures.
Sometimes, they’re about the small acts of kindness that ripple outward, creating a kinder world. It’s the smile offered to a stranger, the helping hand extended without expecting anything in return. Fueled by 20 seconds of courage, these seemingly insignificant moments can get us closer to what we want.
The domino effect of bravery
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”― Anais Nin
Remember the butterfly effect? What if 20 seconds of courage is the butterfly wingbeat that starts a chain reaction of small but life-changing steps? Your courageous decision to pursue something that truly matters to you could inspire others. A whistleblower exposing corruption could lead to systemic reforms. The ripples of courage, even those starting with a single 20-second ripple, can have far-reaching consequences.
The willingness to act
20 seconds of courage don’t appear out of thin air. They require nurturing, a conscious decision to face our fears rather than succumb to them. We must train our minds to recognise the opportunities for courage. The moments when taking a step, however small, can make a difference. It’s about remembering that courage isn’t the absence of fear but the willingness to act in spite of it.
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”― Vincent Van Gogh
Courage is also about the willingness to expose yourself to the possibility of failure or rejection. Those 20 seconds may involve embracing vulnerability, knowing your growth depends on it.
Start a chain of life-changing actions
“Courage doesn’t happen when you have all the answers. It happens when you are ready to face the questions you have been avoiding your whole life.” ― Shannon L. Alder
Next time you find yourself paralysed by fear, remember the power of 20 seconds. Take a deep breath, count to twenty, and then take that one step, speak that one word, or do that one thing. You might stumble and falter, but even the smallest act of courage is a victory. It’s a testament to the human spirit. We are capable of so much more than we think.
20 seconds of courage might spark a fire, start a chain of actions, or inspire others to do the same. Even the smallest acts of courage can make a difference. You can apply it in almost all areas of life.
20 seconds is all it takes to start expressing your feelings, apologizing, or addressing issues, which can lead to stronger and more meaningful connections with others. It’s also all it takes to experiment with new approaches or challenge the status quo.
“20 seconds of courage” is the first step
It’s the initial step you need to start negotiating a job offer, ask for a promotion, or assert your needs. Those 20 seconds can be crucial in expressing your worth and standing up for what you believe you deserve. Whether in personal development, relationships, career, or leadership, it’s the force for meaningful and transformative experiences. But it starts with making up your mind. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear,” says Rosa Parks.
So, be brave, one 20-second burst at a time.
Courage has wings.
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.” – Helen Keller
Free post on Medium
>5 signs you’re secretly winning at life
1. You don’t need validation to feel alive
“He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.”— Marcus Aurelius
If you need to be seen to enjoy something, you don’t enjoy it, you enjoy being seen enjoying it. That’s a whole different game. On another reality. One is living; the other is marketing. And marketing drains your life because the product you’re selling is yourself. The “proof of life” method on social media is not sustainable. The minute you need evidence that you had a good time, you’re no longer in the good time. If your joy depends on an audience, you’ve outsourced your sense of self. Get rid of the need to feel seen and simply be.
You don’t need “witnesses” to feel good.
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson on showing up for yourself
“This is not a spectator sport. It’s not just billionaires and politicians who will decide our future – it’s small business owners and students and citizens; it’s whoever steps up and whoever you bring along with you. Take breaks but keep going. We shape the future.
Bring your superpowers.
Be gentle with yourself on the ‘What are you good at?’ question. Put your insecurities aside and simply consider what you have to offer – in your personal life, professional life, and civic life. If we each harness our superpowers, that will actually enable the radical changes we need.”
A question worth asking
‘What leverage do I have, and how am I using it?’
This is a particularly interesting exercise in relation to employment, where talented individuals often assume their leverage can only be exchanged for more salary and responsibility. But what about fewer working hours for the same pay? How we utilise our leverage can align with our personal values and priorities, rather than simply move us up someone else’s ladder.”
A piece of advice worth passing on
I make time to reflect on these words by Irish playwright and novelist Samuel Beckett: “I must go on, I can’t go on, I’ll go on.” The resilience we all require to move beyond the unexpected shocks that most of us will experience during our lifetimes must be learnt over time. We can, and will, overcome. Resilience is a feature of humanity, in all of us, to be tapped into.
A quote worth repeating
“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” by Simone Weil. You’ve heard that ‘where attention goes, energy flows’. Well, it’s true: we have this great power, and how we choose to wield it is essential. Who and what to give our attention to is critical. It is indeed an act of kindness and generosity.
NEW: A Short Book On How to Live
The book answers the same questions people asked 2,000 years ago: What matters? How do I live well? How do I suffer less? What do I do with this one wild, short, and strange life? Philosophers tried to answer these questions. So did psychologists, monks, scientists, poets and many thinkers.
I’ve read their work.
And summarised their wisdom in this book.
Get a copy now (free or donate what you want)
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Until Next Week,
Be Well.
Thomas
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Postanly Weekly is a reader-supported newsletter. To support my work, you can upgrade to a paid subscription for $9 per month or $60 for an entire year. Or use this special link for 50% off forever. Plus free access to The Thinking Edge: 27 (with future updates) thinking tools, models, principles for life and career. Inspired by the wisdom of brilliant minds.