The Tribune

It is said that courage is not the absence of fear but the realisation that there is something you must do that is more important than fear.

Aiming higher is one of those things. It requires that you be willing to be true to yourself; focusing on what you want as opposed to what you don’t want.

Oddly, many consistently focus their attention on what they do not want and then have the audacity to get annoyed when it actually shows up at their front door.

Aiming higher is akin to living a purpose-driven life. Whether you accept or not, we live in an intentional universe. Everything is in motion. This means that there are no limits as to what you can attract or how far you can throw your ball of possibility.

The challenge most have is mustering the courage to aim higher. Instead, most settle for the so-called safety net of the status quo; taking no real risks. And without taking risks, an empowered life remains elusive. The only way to change this is to increase your risk tolerance.

More than this, the very nature of life itself has some inherent risks. However, as you face your fears and better manage yourself, you become more a confident risk-taker. Another sad fact when it comes to aiming higher is that so many fall prey to following fashion or chasing material things without rhyme or reason.

Unfortunately, material things matter very little if you are not clear about who you are. The world is filled with scores of very wealthy people who are in effect very miserable. There they are with access to all the material things money can buy, but still experience grave emptiness.

In the end, there is really no point in gaining the whole world only to live as a tormented soul. We must aim higher and enthusiastically pursue things that have intrinsic value. They are the things that matter; things that make a difference.

Of course, such lofty and noble pursuits are commendable. However, the first step to aiming higher is finding the courage to unmask who you are. So much of what you want or don’t want comes from your sense of identity. You cannot aim higher without first knowing who you are.

You may ask, “How do I begin to unmask who I am?” The simple answer is to start where you. Begin by having an honest conversation with yourself, asking the following questions: “How to you define yourself? What do you like or dislike about yourself? What do you believe about your worth/value?”

Bear in mind this will likely be an uncomfortable conversation. What I learned in my own journey to unmasking who I am is that there is a need to be uncomfortable. It is the only door to inner liberation. The good thing here is in that space of discomfort you will discover incredible courage to be brutally honest with yourself and finally uncover your real, authentic self.

Leader to leader, make the commitment to have that uncomfortable conversation, knowing that you have the courage to act courageously.

Indeed, mustering the courage to aim higher is the only true way to live an empowered life. Yes, you can do it!

What do you think? Please send your comments to coaching242@yahoo.com or 429-6770.

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www.michellemmiller.com; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.