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Article by the Expert: You Have More Courage Than You
Think - by Noah St. John
Think - by Noah St. John
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My fiancee Babette and I recently rented the "Karate Kid"
movie starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.
She really really wanted to see it, but I was pretty sure it
was going to be cheeseball. I never saw the original, and was
fine with missing this remake.
But something happened while we were watching the movie. I
started to become emotionally involved with the characters:
Dre (played by Jaden), the small kid who is bullied by bigger,
older kids. And Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), the kung fu master
disguised as a maintenance man.
As the story played out, I realized it was not about punching
and kicking. It was about courage and love.
Now I realize this movie may, indeed, be kind of mawkish. But
I found myself moved to tears -- even when we watched it a
second time.
Afterward, I thought about the real-life Jaden Smith, son of
rapper turned TV star turned A-List movie star Will Smith.
I have been a Will Smith fan since the '90s. As a student of
success and its causes, I have studied him carefully, because
he has a unique claim to fame.
He is the only person who has hit the top of the charts in all
three major entertainment categories: music, TV, and movies.
Elvis didn't do it. Sinatra didn't. Madonna didn't. Mariah
Carey didn't.
Only Will Smith, the Fresh Prince from Philly, did it.
And watching Jaden on the screen, it's easy to see his father
in him. His facial expressions, mannerisms, even the way he
moves his mouth -- you can see his dad's influence.
That got me thinking about where courage really comes from.
Imagine how confident young Jaden must be to have someone like
Will Smith believing in him.
Of course, if you ask Will, I bet he'd tell you that Jaden has
more confidence than he himself had at that age.
And that's the way it should be. Will Smith built on the
example of his parents, who built on their parents, and so on.
The word courage comes from the Latin cor, "heart." And isn't
it interesting how many times we refer to the heart when
talking about people who act with both kindness and courage:
"He spoke from his heart."
"She's all heart."
"Follow your heart."
Follow your heart. It sounds so simple. And maybe it is
simple -- but it isn't always easy.
Sometimes following our heart is the last thing we want to
do -- because our HEAD tells us we're crazy!
For example, when I launched SuccessClinic.com in 1997, I had
no business skills, no money, no contacts, and no idea how to
run a profitable business.
Every day, I'd wake up and ask God, "Okay, God, what do you
want me to do today?"
Twelve years and tens of thousands of students later, we're
still here. And I'm still asking the same question. (Only I
have a little more experience and a lot more help these days.)
1. Listen to your still, small voice.
You know, the voice I mean. The one that doesn't make any
sense. The one telling you to take that leap and do the thing
that doesn't make any sense. That one.
2. Write down all your crazy ideas.
I'm not saying you should do all of them. But what the heck,
they're rattling around in your head anyway. Writing them down
gives you the chance to examine them and stop the rattling.
3. Share your crazy ideas with a Loving Mirror.
A Loving Mirror believes in you more than you believe in
yourself. Like Mr. Han did with Dre. Like Will did with Jaden.
Your mentors believe you into being.
4. DO SOMETHING.
Here's a great example: Most of the people who audition for
American Idol can't sing. But they have a dream, and at least
they showed up for it. They took action. They did something.
Sure, maybe they'll embarrass themselves. But it's better than
sitting around thinking, "If only I'da..."
And who knows? Someone's gotta win the thing.
5. Learn from people who've already been where you
movie starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.
She really really wanted to see it, but I was pretty sure it
was going to be cheeseball. I never saw the original, and was
fine with missing this remake.
But something happened while we were watching the movie. I
started to become emotionally involved with the characters:
Dre (played by Jaden), the small kid who is bullied by bigger,
older kids. And Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), the kung fu master
disguised as a maintenance man.
As the story played out, I realized it was not about punching
and kicking. It was about courage and love.
Now I realize this movie may, indeed, be kind of mawkish. But
I found myself moved to tears -- even when we watched it a
second time.
Afterward, I thought about the real-life Jaden Smith, son of
rapper turned TV star turned A-List movie star Will Smith.
I have been a Will Smith fan since the '90s. As a student of
success and its causes, I have studied him carefully, because
he has a unique claim to fame.
He is the only person who has hit the top of the charts in all
three major entertainment categories: music, TV, and movies.
Elvis didn't do it. Sinatra didn't. Madonna didn't. Mariah
Carey didn't.
Only Will Smith, the Fresh Prince from Philly, did it.
And watching Jaden on the screen, it's easy to see his father
in him. His facial expressions, mannerisms, even the way he
moves his mouth -- you can see his dad's influence.
That got me thinking about where courage really comes from.
Imagine how confident young Jaden must be to have someone like
Will Smith believing in him.
Of course, if you ask Will, I bet he'd tell you that Jaden has
more confidence than he himself had at that age.
And that's the way it should be. Will Smith built on the
example of his parents, who built on their parents, and so on.
The word courage comes from the Latin cor, "heart." And isn't
it interesting how many times we refer to the heart when
talking about people who act with both kindness and courage:
"He spoke from his heart."
"She's all heart."
"Follow your heart."
Follow your heart. It sounds so simple. And maybe it is
simple -- but it isn't always easy.
Sometimes following our heart is the last thing we want to
do -- because our HEAD tells us we're crazy!
For example, when I launched SuccessClinic.com in 1997, I had
no business skills, no money, no contacts, and no idea how to
run a profitable business.
Every day, I'd wake up and ask God, "Okay, God, what do you
want me to do today?"
Twelve years and tens of thousands of students later, we're
still here. And I'm still asking the same question. (Only I
have a little more experience and a lot more help these days.)
1. Listen to your still, small voice.
You know, the voice I mean. The one that doesn't make any
sense. The one telling you to take that leap and do the thing
that doesn't make any sense. That one.
2. Write down all your crazy ideas.
I'm not saying you should do all of them. But what the heck,
they're rattling around in your head anyway. Writing them down
gives you the chance to examine them and stop the rattling.
3. Share your crazy ideas with a Loving Mirror.
A Loving Mirror believes in you more than you believe in
yourself. Like Mr. Han did with Dre. Like Will did with Jaden.
Your mentors believe you into being.
4. DO SOMETHING.
Here's a great example: Most of the people who audition for
American Idol can't sing. But they have a dream, and at least
they showed up for it. They took action. They did something.
Sure, maybe they'll embarrass themselves. But it's better than
sitting around thinking, "If only I'da..."
And who knows? Someone's gotta win the thing.
5. Learn from people who've already been where you
want to go.
Mr. Han was a kung fu master, but if Dre hadn't had the
courage to ask for his help, he still would have been beaten
up by bullies.
Find 5 people who've done what you want to do.
Contact them and show them how, why, and that THEY will
benefit from helping you.
Remember The Power of WIIFT: What's In It For THEM! Things get
very easy when you're always talking about how the OTHER
person benefits.
6. Ignore everyone else.
"The only people who can tell me I can't do something are
people who've tried it and failed."
People love to criticize, because it makes them feel important
and justifies their not taking action.
Ignore them, feel sorry for them, let their non-belief spur
you to more action. The only thing not to do is let them stop
you.
7. Do the thing you're afraid of.
Will Smith has said over and over: "When I'm afraid of
something, that's the thing I do next."
I loved it when Jaden's character in the movie said the same
thing, nearly word for word.
I know you've had the experience of being deathly afraid of
something...
Then you did it...
And went, "Hey, that wasn't so bad after all. What was I so
afraid of?"
Follow your heart and you'll discover that you have more
courage than you think.
What are you waiting for?
Mr. Han was a kung fu master, but if Dre hadn't had the
courage to ask for his help, he still would have been beaten
up by bullies.
Find 5 people who've done what you want to do.
Contact them and show them how, why, and that THEY will
benefit from helping you.
Remember The Power of WIIFT: What's In It For THEM! Things get
very easy when you're always talking about how the OTHER
person benefits.
6. Ignore everyone else.
"The only people who can tell me I can't do something are
people who've tried it and failed."
People love to criticize, because it makes them feel important
and justifies their not taking action.
Ignore them, feel sorry for them, let their non-belief spur
you to more action. The only thing not to do is let them stop
you.
7. Do the thing you're afraid of.
Will Smith has said over and over: "When I'm afraid of
something, that's the thing I do next."
I loved it when Jaden's character in the movie said the same
thing, nearly word for word.
I know you've had the experience of being deathly afraid of
something...
Then you did it...
And went, "Hey, that wasn't so bad after all. What was I so
afraid of?"
Follow your heart and you'll discover that you have more
courage than you think.
What are you waiting for?
About the Expert:
Noah St. John, Ph.D., is a lifestyle expert and #1 bestselling
author of The Secret Code of Success: 7 Hidden Steps to More
Wealth and Happiness. In the words of Stephen Covey, "Noah's
Secret Code of Success is about discovering within ourselves
what we should have known all along -- we are truly powerful
beings with unlimited potential."
Find out more about The Secret of Success at
author of The Secret Code of Success: 7 Hidden Steps to More
Wealth and Happiness. In the words of Stephen Covey, "Noah's
Secret Code of Success is about discovering within ourselves
what we should have known all along -- we are truly powerful
beings with unlimited potential."
Find out more about The Secret of Success at
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