What Courage Looks Like For Me Right Now

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about courage.

Not because I feel particularly courageous, but because I’m becoming more aware of how much I need it in this season.

The more I think about it, the more I’m reminded of how uncomfortable courage actually feels. I’m working on growing in this area, which means my courageous moments still feel fewer than most. But when they come, they hit hard. Courage has a weight and a tension to it, and it rarely feels clean or confident in the moment.

Courage, I’m learning, isn’t about feeling ready. It’s about welcoming responsibility before you feel prepared.

Lately, I’ve been working through a definition to help anchor me when that discomfort shows up. Something to remind me what I’m choosing when I take the next step.

Here’s what I have so far:

Courage is taking ownership of your growth and inviting others into theirs, even when you’re unsure how it will turn out.

I’m sure it will change over time, but it’s been helpful for me to come back to and look at as I grow in this.

Two Types of Courageous People

As I’ve been thinking about courage, I’ve noticed there are different reasons people take responsibility.

Some people step up because they want to be seen. They take risks, lead from the front, and carry weight, but much of their motivation is tied to recognition. Their courage is real, but it’s often aimed at validation rather than responsibility.

But there’s another kind of courage.

It’s the courage that takes responsibility because something matters. Not because it will be noticed, but because it needs to be carried. It’s rooted in belief, not validation. You step forward because you feel accountable for who you’re becoming and who the people around you could become, even when the cost is real and the outcome is unclear.

Most people don’t avoid courage because they’re afraid of risk, but because they’re unwilling to carry the responsibility that comes after the decision.

My Relationship With Courage

I’ve had moments of courage. I had the courage to leave a ministry job that was no longer healthy for me — staying would have cost me more than leaving did.

Leaving made my future uncertain, risked my reputation, and forced me to start over in ways I didn’t expect.

I also had the courage to go full-time with my business, Grow or Die, stepping away from predictability to pursue something that didn’t exist yet.

That decision threatened my financial stability and removed the support system I had relied on at work. There was no safety net.

Those were real risks.

But lately, I’ve felt the need to step into a deeper version of courage. Not just making hard moves, but leading others into a future that hasn’t been built yet.

That kind of courage puts my business on the line, risks losing people prematurely, and constantly surfaces insecurity around what I’m building and whether it will actually last.

I second-guess myself every day. And at the same time, I’m deeply confident in the direction I’m moving. Doubt and conviction live in the same space as I learn to lead while still becoming.

What I’m Learning About Courage Right Now

Courage starts with ownership.

For me, courage begins internally. It looks like taking responsibility for who I’m becoming instead of waiting for better conditions or more confidence. Most days, courage doesn’t feel bold at all. It feels heavy. It feels like choosing ownership when it would be easier to explain, delay, or stay comfortable. But that weight is honest. And it’s necessary.

Courage invites without forcing.

As I grow into leadership, courage has also meant inviting others into their own growth. Not forcing it. Not convincing anyone. Just setting direction and extending a clear invitation. Some people walk with you. Some don’t. Leading clearly doesn’t mean shrinking the vision to keep everyone comfortable or resenting those who choose not to come. It means staying steady either way.

Courage commits without certainty.

This is the tension I’m living in right now. Courage hasn’t been confidence in the outcome. It’s been commitment to the responsibility. Moving forward even when I don’t have all the answers. Even when I second-guess myself. I keep taking the next step not because everything makes sense, but because staying where I am would cost more over time.

What responsibility are you hesitating to carry because the outcome isn’t clear yet?

Still Growing

I’m still learning what courage looks like in this season.

For me, it’s showing up daily and taking ownership of what’s in front of me, not chasing dramatic moments or trying to prove anything. It’s staying faithful to the responsibility I’ve been given, even when it feels ordinary or heavy

I don’t feel fearless, but I do feel committed to continuing the work, and that feels like enough for now. 💯