Book Excerpt: Quiet Courage

When Centratel was just a hair-breadth away from collapse, finding the resources to summon up quiet and not-so-quiet courage was not a problem. Figuratively, I had a gun to my head. The loss of everything was just in front of my face and I exhibited the same visceral protective reaction that I would have had if someone was physically pushing me toward a cliff edge (and for the record, and unrelated to this argument for quiet courage, note that personal desperation can be a highly effective motivator. Comer Cotrell said “The greatest inspiration is often born of desperation.” )

But without a gun-at-the-head motivator and when excuses flit enticingly in front of me, I can see that quiet courage’s number one nemesis, procrastination, is at work once more. The antidote? For me, there’s two: First, I consider that so often it’s just momentary laziness overtaking me – and that I must immediately take action. I see the laziness as something tangible. Once I detect my simple mechanical laziness – most often temporary indolence cloaked by some lame excuse such as “I’m too busy right now” or “I am too tired,” –  I simply get moving without a second thought. It’s worth repeating: simply get moving without a second thought.

Here’s my second ploy for when I am leaning toward loitering: As the excuses start to line themselves up, I ask myself why I am lacking courage. In a bit of a twisted way this inspires me and I react with fervor (it’s my guess that cowardice is the universally abhorred personality flaw).

Whatever. Just know that procrastination – the lack of quiet courage – will ruin your prospects if you let it in.