Tag: Bold actions

Unyielding Gutsiness

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

There will be many occasions when all that separates you and your goals is a gutsy move. Being gutsy is doing what others won’t. Not forcefully. Not stupidly. Just doing it.

It starts with a queasy jittery uncomfortable buzzing feeling that comes from within. Part fear, part anxiety, part excitement. Some people feel it in the pit of their stomach right before they ask someone out. Others feel it when their heart starts to flutter before giving a speech. Whatever flavor you have, it typically shows up before you do something that may fail, or that makes you stand out from the majority. It’s a feeling that doesn’t go away—it’s something you get used to with practice.

What I find most interesting about this feeling is that it happens before we’ve made a move. Like it’s calling us forth, and testing us—are you gonna go through with it, or are you gonna back down?

I’ve backed down many times, and it doesn’t feel good. You know you should have done or said something but you didn’t. Next time though. I can’ t think of one time I regret listening to my intuition and take a gutsy action. Even when it didn’t work out as I wanted it too, I still learned something about myself and was able to work my discomfort zone muscles.

If you are looking for an extraordinary life, think of it as a compass for what you should do. As the Novelist, Chuck Palahniuk has said, “find out what you’re afraid of and go live there.”

Follow what scares you. With every bold action you may take, you are adding a little more originality and resilience to your character. Because it takes guts to think differently.

If you want to be gutsier, you have to practice being gutsy. Feel the fear. Revel in it. Then make your move.

STAY BOLD, Keep Pursuing,
— Josh Waggoner | Daily Blog #926

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Life Principle #8 Act Boldly Live Boldly

Give me even ONE successful idea that changed the world that wasn’t crazy or “impossible” before it became reality.

Ideas that change the world are BOLD ideas. They capture the hearts and imaginations of generations. They resonate with all age groups and ethnicities. They are a piece of the human experience. 

Before there was print, people copied books one at a time by hand.

Before electricity, light bulbs, heat & air, computers, and space travel were mere fantasies.

Flight was only for the bird until the Wright Bros soared.

Look at all the things around you are right now and I’d make a strong bet that 80% of it would be impossible a century or two ago.

And yet someone was bold enough to try.

Bold enough to try.

Impossible is just an excuse for the rest of us to say until someone does it.

Life Principle #8 Act Boldly Live Boldly

In order to create the life that we desire we must act boldly, and live boldly.

Boldness is a lifestyle.

Being bold is taking smart risks while mitigating the downsides. To live boldly, we must do things that most won’t. Are you complacent with your life? Your job? Your body? Your friends? Act like the person you want to be, and you’ll become the BOLD person you were meant to be.

Boldness is freedom.

You have to be bold when you step into your discomfort zone. People are going to criticize you. They are going to tell you’ll never make it. That your dreams are impossible. Fear will be a constant companion in your pursuit of creativity. But the difference between someone whose bold and whose not is what you do with your fear: Give in to it and never pull yourself out, or see fear as a challenge. A challenge to do something different. Boldness means not hesitating.

We can plan, prepare, talk and research until the cows come home 🐄 🐄 🐄, but at the end of the day, if we are going to create our own Renaissance we need to act.

How to Practice Boldness

Do that thing you’ve been putting off because of fear.   

Ask him or her out. (or go on a dating fast)
Take that trip you been dreaming about.
Apply for a job that doesn’t suck the life out of you.
Start a YouTube channel.

The only thing that separates you and your dreams is a little boldness. 

People might think you are crazy. But you know what, 

We all need to be a little crazier.

Crazy as in, I’m probably definitely gonna die if I do this? 

No.
 
But crazy as in, I might fail, look like a fool, go against what people say, tear a hole in the fabric of the universe know as the ‘status quo’, or do something against the norm?

Abso-friggin-lutely.
 
Because being BOLD requires you to be different. And for me, at the very least, 

I choose to be different.

Stay BOLD, Keep Pursuing,

— Josh Waggoner

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Related Insights

“Freedom lies in being BOLD.” — Robert Frost

“Boldness doesn’t mean rude, obnoxious, loud, or disrespectful. Being bold is being firm, sure, confident, fearless, daring, strong, resilient, and not easily intimidated. It means you’re willing to go where you’ve never been, willing to try what you’ve never tried, and willing to trust what you’ve never trusted. Boldness is quiet, not noisy.” —  Mike Yaconelli

“Make bold choices and make mistakes. It’s all those things that add up to the person you become.” —  Angelina Jolie

“Though we may have desires or bold goals, for whatever reason, most of us don’t think we can achieve something beyond what we’re qualified to achieve. Why, I ask, do we let reality interfere with our dreams?” — Simon Sinek

Looking for the perfect life in Barnes & Nobles

Gabriella and I did something fun tonight.

… No not that, get your mind out of the gutter.

We went rollerskating!

The Skate Place was my jam back in the middle school days.

Tricks. Pizza basically made out of cardboard. Trucking and Jamming.
Aka living the dream.

I bought a pair of skates for Gabriella for Christmas 🎄 so we went to go try them out.

The place hadn’t changed an ounce. The only thing that has changed was me. I had grown wiser yet also more anxious about my world. (Also taller, I’ve gained a few inches since middle school. I was definitely the tallest person there and I’m only 6 ft)

Before we went, we grabbed some dinner and hopped into Barnes and Nobles for a bit.

We always have fun in booklandia. (Well… aren’t you the life of the party Josh)

I wanted to find a book that will change my life, help me simplify and handle overwhelm better.

I asked Gabriella to help me find some and as we were looking she wisely said,

“If you’re looking for the perfect life in Barnes & Nobles, you’re in the wrong place”.

She’s right of course.

If you’re looking for the perfect life in Barnes & Nobles, you’re in the wrong place.

Books are windows into mastery and wisdom.

Books can give you the insights and answers you seek. But there comes a time where books aren’t going to work for you. To change your life you must do the work. You must make the hard decisions and take action towards the life you dream of. Same goes for talking, daydreaming, complaining, wishing — eventually you must decide whether you are just going to talk the talk for the rest of your life or also walk the walk.

The difference between those who have and those who don’t is consistent, persistent actions towards the life they want. Dreams don’t fall from a book, or plow into you as you go around the skating rink; Dreams happen through Bold actions.

Stay BOLD, Keep Pursuing,

— Josh Waggoner

Related Insights

“When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go.” — Carol Burnett

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” — Norman Vincent Peale

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” — Maya Angelou