Nationally acclaimed leadership speaker Cindy Solomon challenges us to ‘believe we are courageous’


On Monday, March 2, the “Inspiring Boldness” Speaker Series continued as we welcomed nationally acclaimed author, speaker and leadership coach, Cindy Solomon, to campus.  Cindy’s thought-provoking and powerful presentation focused on courage, passion, risk-taking, the value of failure and the importance of simply believing that “YOU CAN.”

After beginning her presentation by asking the two questions, “How many of you have thought,  ‘I wish I had the courage to...’” and “How many of you think you are courageous?”  Cindy took the rapt audience through a thought exercise, explaining that women, far more than men, recoil from the notion of believing in their own courage.  As women, we are not typically taught to be courageous, and if we happen to be, cultural norms tell us that must not let anyone know.  How does this play out in the real world?  Men analyze their abilities based on their perceived potential for the future, and women analyze their abilities based on past performance.  Because of this, Cindy taught us, it is more common for women to shy away from taking bigger risks or seizing opportunities that feel beyond reach.
 
So, how do we address this gap in courage and risk-taking?  “First, we have to believe we are courageous,” Cindy told us, “and then, we must learn to “say yes,” even if we aren’t 100% sure we will be successful.”  After working with countless leaders around the world, the single most important piece of advice Cindy says she can give, is simply just that – “say yes.”  Saying yes means stepping up to lead a team, seizing opportunities that present themselves, speaking our minds in front of a large crowd, taking risks.  “After all,” Cindy noted, “the people who say ‘yes’ are the ones who are more likely to be given further opportunities – and who learn more about themselves along the way.”  
 
So where does the courage to “just say yes” come from?  It must come from within.  Although many people believe that courage is an ingrained trait, in reality, it is a learned, practiced attribute.  After conducting thousands of interviews with individuals from all walks of life, demographics and cultural backgrounds, Cindy elaborated on this, sharing the following findings from her research:
 
  • Courage is entirely personal and is something that is learned; no one can talk you into or out of having it. To become more courageous, you have to practice and do it for yourself.
  • Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the ability to take action in spite of your fear; to become more courageous, you have to learn how to not let your fear stop you.
  • Because courage is learned and not innate, it is crucial to stop telling yourself that you are “not courageous”.  Would you ever tell a friend that she wasn’t good enough or smart enough? Of course not. Then, why would tell yourself that? Understand that you make courageous decisions every day, and give yourself credit for that.
 
Building on her research findings, Cindy closed with three pieces of important advice for each of the young women in the audience:

  • Make sure to surround yourself with people who believe in you, not the naysayers. Get the negativity out of your life.
  • Remember to “say yes.” Take risks and don’t let your fear of failure or “looking stupid” stop you.  Failure is in fact just another step on the road to success, so embrace it and dive in.
  • Even though acting courageous in spite of your fear seems incredibly difficult, believe that you can. Tell yourself that every single day.
 
The impact of Cindy’s advice was apparent, as hands went up across the audience with follow-up questions from her captivating presentation. Questions such as  “What is YOUR greatest fear?” and “What have you learned from some of your biggest failures?” made it clear that issues of courage and success resonate deeply with our girls.  The lessons and advice that Cindy presented will surely help each of our girls to forge ahead in her own “courage journey,” to work through and better understand her fears, and to internalize her individual sense of courage, deep from within.

To learn more about our Speaker Series and to hear excerpts from Cindy's presentation, click here.
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