The Lion's Guide to Courage Under Fire

As Andrew Lloyd Webber begins his search for Dorothy in his new production of The Wizard of Oz, I’m exploring the key challenges faced by the principle characters in this story.

I begin with the Lion’s search for courage and why this could desert us in times of trouble.

Let’s take Louisa Lyons – the contemporary character who appears in my book. She’s being bullied by her boss, but feels powerless to do anything about this. Despite being a fearless sportswoman in her spare time – she’s a completely sissy at work and lets her boss walk all over her.

But what is courage and where do you find it when you need it, when you’re under fire…?

For instance what do you need to carry on when you’ve been made redundant, after a relationship breakdown or the death of a loved one?. What do you need when considering trying something you’ve never tried before or when launching a new concept? What resources can you call on when dealing with difficult or aggressive people, or overcoming and handling debt?

I’ve come up with 9 ideas…if you have another to add, I’d like to hear from you

Courage is…

1. 
   Quiet dignity. Its remaining calm and poised, when all around you are running around like headless chickens

Acting decisively. Sometimes the only way to solve a persistent problem is to refuse to tolerate any situation that compromises your values. But this requires the courage to stand up for what you believe in, stick your head above the parapet and court controversy. But isn’t it more exciting to be known for being a bit daring…rather than a sheep?

Taking responsibility for your own actions, and resisting the temptation to take the easy way out. Pointing the finger or blaming external circumstances for your own misfortune only wastes time doesn’t it – time you could be spending on solving the problem.

Adapting to change. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that if something isn’t working you may need to consider changing directions, letting go and starting again

Standing up for yourself. Why run with the pack or allow others to make decisions on your behalf? I’ve learnt that to my cost. If you accept that your job is to work at becoming better at being YOU, nobody can do that job better than you can.

Acceptance. When you accept yourself just as you are and no longer need the approval of others, to achieve your objectives may mean leaving behind people who don’t validate, support or encourage you. If others don’t believe in you or are working on their own agenda to compensate for their own shortcomings, does that really serve you?

Moving out of your comfort zone. Trying something new, sometimes without really knowing or having the comfort or certainty in the outcome, can be both daunting but incredibly exciting. But you have to leave the shore to find out, don’t you?

Pressing on despite fear, pain, disappointment and loss. Because in the end, quitting isn’t always the best solution. As they say, pain is temporary – quitting lasts forever…

Listening to your inner voice (no matter how quiet that may be), paying attention to it, trusting it and having the guts to go with your gut

Fill in the blank…what do you think courage is…?