More often than not, we shy away from things that we determine we wouldn’t be very good at. We just never start.

It takes courage to begin something that we sense we might not quickly master and feel good doing. We worry what others might think of us as we are learning.

Some will go a lifetime avoiding public speaking from the uncomfortable sense they get from just thinking about it. Others displayed the courage to learn and apply in practice to speak in all settings. They have become more than competent despite their initial fears.

What action or activity might you be leaving behind in your life that may be of great benefit to yourself and others at this time? One you’ve never tried and therefore never learned.

The aim of someone new to public speaking shouldn’t be to have a viral TED Talks session a month later. We shouldn’t pick up the game of golf expecting to win tournaments shortly thereafter. To learn with something we are uncomfortable with, just start with the decision to learn and practice for improvement over time.

Better to have tried and grown from the experience than to defer from fear.

“Fear is a reaction, courage is a decision.” — Winston Churchill —

MITM