The Courage to Begin: Facing Fear and Moving Forward Anyway

I still remember the fear.

When I first decided to start my own coaching business, I was terrified. I'd never done anything quite like it. I had no roadmap, no blueprint.

Just a not-so-quiet calling that I couldn’t ignore.

To make matters worse, I’d recently taken a Korn Ferry leadership assessment as part of Leadership U for Humanity, and guess what it identified as my lowest-scoring traits?

Seeking tough challenges and persistence.

Not exactly a confidence booster.

But here’s what I came to realize: the real barrier wasn’t my lack of capability – it was my story about myself.

For years, I had been telling myself (and everyone around me, for that matter) that I was cautious, risk-averse, and overly calculated. And maybe, at times, I was. But when I looked back more carefully, I saw a different truth: I had faced tough challenges many times. I had persevered. I had consistently shown up even when it was uncomfortable.

So, encouraged by my own executive coach, I began a new practice.

Every Saturday morning, for nearly two months, I journaled about how I had shown up that week in support of courageously facing challenges and staying the course. That simple habit – maybe fifteen minutes of honest reflection a week – helped me shift my entire relationship with fear.

It also reshaped the narrative I carried about myself in support of courageous confidence.

Why We're So Afraid to Begin

Over the last year, I’ve been surprised to learn how many of my clients sharing similar fears.

Fear of letting others down. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of failing. Fear that they’re simply not quite ready.

And I get it. That voice can be loud. Especially when the world around us (and our own inner critic) keep whispering messages like:

• “You don’t have what it takes.”

• “Everyone else is doing it better.”

• “You’ll disappoint the people counting on you.”

• "Who do you think you are – you could never compete with people like that."

But here’s the thing: consistency of messaging overrides the truth of our reality every time.

When we repeatedly tell ourselves we’re not ready or capable, our brains look for proof to make it true.

"What we focus on expands."

The good news? We can change the message. If we consistently begin to reinforce supportive beliefs in favor of our own success and capabilities, our minds will – in response – start looking for those truths instead.

The Power of Starting Small

One of my favorite quotes is a Chinese proverb: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Mile one thousand truly does not matter in our current moment – our responsibility is to take the first step.

And, that first step doesn’t have to be grand or perfect. It just has to be yours.

If you’ve been waiting for permission to start the thing – writing the book, pursuing the career change, starting the healing, choosing the realignment – please consider that this is it.

Not because it’s easy. But because the only way through fear is forward.

So, please ask yourself:

• Is this an “I can’t” moment or an “I won’t” moment?

• What would it look like to just try? To experiment? To take one courageous step?

Honesty is key here. To use the words of a close friend of mine: "you can always lie to the world, but never lie to yourself."

5 Steps To Embrace Your Courage

Obviously, mustering our courage can sometimes be easier said than done. So, for any of you who are a bit like me and prefer some clear steps to follow on your way to self-empowerment, try these:

1. Write a new narrative. Instead of letting fear write your story, start choosing new language. Affirm your strengths, your values, and your purpose. “I am someone who tries,” is far more empowering than, “I’m too scared to start.” Start as small as you need and repeat often.

2. Reflect on past courage. Make a list of times you’ve done something that felt scary. What helped you? How did you grow? What did you learn from it? Let your own history be the proof that you’re more capable than you often allow yourself to believe.

3. Create a simple ritual. Regular check-ins like the weekly reflection I developed will build awareness and momentum. Small rituals become powerful habits over time.

4. Define success on your terms. Start viewing “success” as alignment with what matters most to you, rather than perfection, metrics, or titles. Does this action reflect your values? Does it align with your strengths? Does it stretch you in a meaningful way? If so, then it’s a win. (If you need more support on values alignment, you can use the links included in this previous blog: Beginning With You).

5. Say it out loud. Find opportunities to bring your new narrative and courageous confidence to life aloud – either to yourself or with someone you trust to support you. I used to practice this while cleaning my house and only my dogs around to hear me. But I heard me, and it made a big difference. A client loves to start and end her day reciting some words of encouragement in the mirror to herself, while another started a "wins and grins" text thread with a couple close friends, reserved almost solely for support, encouragement, and empowerment.

Final Thoughts

Courage isn’t the absence of fear – it’s the willingness to show up even when we feel afraid.

It’s the quiet act of choosing to begin, even with shaky hands and a racing heart.

And when you do? You don’t just take a step forward. You build the identity of someone who moves forward – through the good, the bad, and the ugly. That’s the kind of consistency that rewrites your entire story, strengthens your self-belief, and makes every next step that much more powerful.

You are more ready than you think. And even if you’re not – there's little reason not to try anyway.

The journey begins now.

You’ve got this.