BOLD in 3 Steps

BOLD takes 3 things:

1. Cause.
2. Courage.
3. Commitment.

Cause

No one is bold for bold sake. We are bold for a reason. We are bold because there is something greater on the line. The very first step to being BOLD is discovering why.

What is on the line for you? What is your why?

Your why keeps you up at night. It frustrates you when unaccomplished. Your why draws other people to you. Your why is your high. It is your low. It drives you. It drives you crazy.

Why? creates BOLD.

What is your cause?

Courage

BOLD actions are natural when you’ve found your cause, but it doesn’t mean BOLD is easy. The bigger the cause, the scarier the jump. And let me guarantee you, BOLD always requires a jump.

Courage doesn’t mean, “Not afraid.” I find comfort in that. I was afraid to publicly share my 2016 BOLD goals|dreams|prayers. I was afraid because it made it real. I can’t pretend it doesn’t exist. You know! Courage means I push through, in spite of my fear.

Take courage! Your cause is worth fighting fear.

Commitment

Cause and courage aren’t enough for BOLD. Things get harder before easier. Success follows a butt-load of work. BOLD means commitment.

I know what I need to do to be successful. I don’t always want to do it. I don’t always want to sit and write. I don’t always want to create an email. I don’t always want to design a screen. Commitment drives me to do it anyway.

Cause gives me a reason. Courage gives me the kick start. Commitment sees me through.

Cause. Courage. Commitment. A True Story.

W.H. Murray was a Scottish mountaineer leading up to World War II. When war broke out, Murray joined the fight in North Africa. He was soon captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp. In prison, Murray wrote, Mountaineering in Scotland. He wrote the first draft on the only paper he could find – toilet paper. As (bad) luck would have it, the Germans discovered the original manuscript and destroyed it.

William Hutchinson Murray, however, was not destroyed. He doubled down. He wrote the entire book again – despite starvation which he feared would keep him from climbing again.

What could drive a man to possibly be so driven in the worst of conditions? Cause. Courage. Commitment.

Murray was passionate about climbing; a cause he was willing to die for. Murray took courage and wrote, in spite of fear, pain and suffering. When the first draft was destroyed, Murray was so committed he wrote it again.

Grace

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.   -William Hutchison Murray

I love this passage from Murray because in the midst of BOLD, we need one more thing.

Grace.

Know this, when Cause, Courage and Commitment align into BOLD, grace walks into your life.

Be BOLD!

Take courage in the cause driving you.

Be committed knowing grace is coming.