![Cultivating Courage to Inspire Action [Innospiration #11]](/content/images/size/w300/2023/02/innospiration11.png)
We're canceling hustle and (not-so) subtle burnout behavior as a correlation to taking action. Whether slow and steady or in sprints, action with intention empowers us to take our gifts and share them with the world to create impact.
Most of us know how to take action and have sampled all styles and flavors of productivity without addressing the resistance that can come with working towards what you truly want.
Cultivating courage plays an invaluable role in unblocking the path to taking inspired action.
Personally, I chose the phrase inspire action for my 2023 intention because I not only want to inspire myself to take more action (on Everyday Innovation, my fractional COO work, and launching a venture studio👩‍🔬) – I intend to also create actionable opportunities and resources that support your unique innovation process.
Looking forward to building and innovating alongside you this year!
Wise Words
Dreams don't work unless you take action. The surest way to make your dreams come true is to live them.
~ Â Roy T. Bennett (Politician and Author of The Light in the Heart: Inspirational Thoughts for Living Your Best Life)
Knowledge is power: You hear it all the time but knowledge is not power. It's only potential power. It only becomes power when we apply it and use it. Somebody who reads a book and doesn't apply it, they're at no advantage over someone who's illiterate. None of it works unless YOU work. We have to do our part. If knowing is half the battle, action is the second half of the battle.
~ Jim Kwik (Author of Limitless)
Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others.
~ Aristotle
A sense of purpose doesn’t come from thinking about it. It comes from taking action that moves you toward the future. The moment you do this, you activate a force more powerful than the desire to avoid pain.
~ Phil Stutz (Psychiatrist, Author of The Tools: 5 Tools to Help You Find Courage, Creativity, and Willpower--and Inspire You to Live Life in Forward Motion)
Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.
In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
~ Thomas Jefferson
Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear.
~ Norman Vincent Peale (Author of The Power of Positive Thinking)
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
~ Mark Twain
When you’ve had a life of overthinking, you have the same reaction time and time again. Shyness becomes habitual. When you’re put in an unfamiliar situation, all you want to do is retreat and hide by default. You watch but don’t participate. You listen but don’t respond. You read, but rarely comment. You take a photo, but you rarely post. You write, but you rarely publish. All of this is because your overthinking mind cannot stop thinking about how you will be perceived by the outside world.
~ Joel Annesley (Psychotherapist and Coach)
‌Playlists
Innospiration #11 Music Playlist
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Innospiration #11 Podcast Playlist
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‌Featured Reads
The Tools: 5 Tools to Help You Find Courage, Creativity, and Willpower--and Inspire You to Live Life in Forward Motion
Phil Stutz & Barry Michels
The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage
Mel Robbins
The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work
Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer
Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness
Steve Magness
Reply to this e-mail, message/tag me on Instagram or Twitter, or post in the community to share your thoughts on these books or suggest other favorites!‌
‌Featured Practices
[Replay of Live Event Love Your Process: Cultivating Courage to Take Massive Action + Visuals]
The Comfort Challenge - Dru Riley
Make stepping out of your comfort zone a scheduled event and/or habit! The importance of putting it in your calendar or tracking it as a streak allows for greater accountability and commitment.
Examples: Scheduled time to work on a new creative project/skill that you're a complete beginner at, themed task to develop a skill - going live or hosting a Twitter Space to practice public speaking, one-off action that is out of your comfort zone - go to a networking event, post a vulnerable/honest piece of writing, etc.
[Dru Riley - Trends.vc]
The Tools - Reversal of Desire - Phil Stutz
1. Face the Pain - Focus on the pain you are avoiding; see it appear in front of you as a cloud. Silently scream, "Bring it on!" to demand the pain; you want it because it has great value.
2. Move Toward the Pain - Scream silently, "I love pain!" as you keep moving forward. Move so deeply into the pain you're at one with it.
3. Freedom - Feel the cloud spit you out and close behind you. Say inwardly, "Pain sets me free!" As you leave the cloud, feel your self propelled forward into a realm of pure light.
Fear Setting - Tim Ferriss
Use this exercise when trying to make a decision about what to do next or to reduce irrational/inflated anxiety around an action that you already know that you want or desire to do.
Other Featured Resources
Mentorist (iOS, Android)
Innovative app that allows you to take actionable steps from the wisdom provided in your favorite self-development books.
Sunsama (Desktop, iOS beta)
My absolute FAVORITE productivity tool (I don't say this lightly). Its impact on my process has been immeasurable over the past few years. I love Sunsama's approach to planning weekly and daily, and its integrations make it the perfect HQ for all of your projects.
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