Here’s a quick tip I’ve had to use many times in life when I couldn’t find the courage I needed to make the hard choices—and do the things I knew I needed to do.
When I can’t find the courage—instead of trying to muster the courage, which sometimes I can and sometimes I can’t—I renew or grow my passion for the thing which I need to do.
It might sound like a simplistic approach, and maybe even a play on words. Really it’s simply taking a bigger picture approach to the challenge ahead. When the vision is clearly before me I am more willing to wade through the difficulties and obstacles to get there.
Dave Ramsey says, “if you want to get out of debt that you have to get angry about it.”
I’m suggesting the same idea here.
Emotions often fuel courage.
If you grow your passion for whatever needs doing you’ll naturally grow your courage.
As an example, if you need to address a difficult employee situation, but don’t have the courage—fall more in love with the vision of the organization and it’s effectiveness, and you’ll find courage to have the hard conversation.
This is true when you are a pastor leading the church and the change needed seems overwhelming. If you seem to have more critics than you have partners, remember why God called you to the church. Reflect on the vision of the church.
Concentrate on why God called you into ministry.
You take risks to achieve those things for which you are most passionate.
Have you ever witnessed the most gentle, even quiet, mother when she feels her child is in danger? Talk about courage! For most of us, if our child were in danger, we would find the courage to save him or her, regardless of the risks involved.
The more in love we are with what we hope to accomplish, the more we will find the courage to see it through.
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Ron Edmondson is CEO of Leadership Network, former pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, and the planter of two churches. This article originally appeared on RonEdmondson.com.