We often associate courage and bravery with heroes in films. People who overcome obstacles to achieve something great. Or courage is connected to overcoming fear or speaking out against the crowd. Courage is framed in the ‘triumph’ or happy conclusion of the story the film tells, which usually lasts around 2 hours. But life isn’t a 2 hour film, it’s much longer and slower than that. And triumph is not guaranteed. For many of us, this quote is more accurate.

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'”

Mary Anne Radmacher

For most of us, our courageous acts are unseen. The fear we need to overcome is internal. Or we’re in the part of the story where we are ‘trying again’, which to the ‘world’ is not viewed as courageous. This is true in change all the time. ‘I will try again tomorrow’ is the daily mantra of the change maker. And it is courageous when the odds are against us.

And it is in the ‘trying again’ that hope becomes tangible and change is realised.

How are you being courageous today? How are you trying again?

Photo by Aziz Acharki