This week the idea of courage has come up a lot during my sessions with clients. It’s usually disguised in phrases like: “What if it’s not the right answer?” “What if ends up to be something I don’t want?” “I don’t know how to do it?” It’s going to take so much time, effort, creativity, etc.” “I’m too busy doing this to do that too.”

On the surface those seem like valid questions or concerns. But they aren’t. I believe it all comes down to courage. The truth is, try as you may, you’ll never find a way for life to work out so that you’re safe. So the question becomes, do you spend more time creating excuses as to why something is not right and why you are not achieving the results you want OR creating strategies for and producing what you do want?

When it comes to our business, most people are walking around with 2 distinct personas. 1) The person who everyone thinks they know. This is the personality that shows up online, at seminars and on calls. This is the entrepreneur’s persona. And 2) The person they really WANT to be. This is the person they dream of being and who when safe in their head, they have the courage to be.

This is a serious problem. Not only does this disconnect make it incredibly difficult to connect with your clients and potential clients but having 2 personas profoundly dilutes your effectiveness and authenticity, not just in business but in every area of your life. And, let’s face it, it’s friggin exhausting!

Real courage as an entrepreneurs comes from eliminating the disconnect so that the person you show to the world matches who you truly want to be. Easier said than done, right?

I don’t think so. In fact, I think that once you step into that space, life becomes so easy you’ll blow your mind.

But, what does it take to get there? Two things: claiming your power and taking action.

Here’s the deal, every decision either empowers or takes power away. If you are doing work on a daily basis that is not what makes your heart sing and gives you so many chills you feel like you’re permanently attached to the grid, then deciding to continue along that path is taking your power away.

If however you decide to take a step toward either discovering what your true passion and purpose is or you simply incorporate it into your business, on however small a scale, you are empowering yourself. And the really cool thing about it is that you could never predict what could come from that one action.

You see, the real problem involves the need to have such a small scope on life. Call it playing small, not living your life purpose, selling out, or whatever you want. The fact is, when you know you could heal yourself and you choose otherwise, you are choosing to have a small scope on life. Is that okay with you?

Real courage also comes from knowing that there will never be a right time. There are those who have an innate fundamental risk factor. Those people know with certainty that every moment is the exact right time. On the other hand, the person who lives in fear behaves as though no moment will ever be right.

So let me ask you this – if you are living in fear, fear of changing your business, fear of offering a new program or service, fear of people rejecting your next book proposal, etc. what are you getting from it? Why are you choosing to have that experience? Yes. I mean it. Why are you choosing to have this experience? Don’t pretend or ever tell yourself you don’t know what you’re doing because you do. This is where real courage comes in. It comes from risking your own honesty.

Being courageous is not easy – it requires you to stretch, suspend belief, step into the unknown, include failure and disappointment as part of your life, be bold, move differently, be contrarian, be a pioneer, not care what other’s think, not get so caught up in whether something will work or not, detach, act, and be honest.

When it comes to your business are you being courageous or safe? When it comes to your marketing are you playing it safe by doing what’s already been done, modeling others too closely, looking for the next silver bullet, or attending every seminar and event that comes around so you can stay comfortable in inaction and being told what to do?

This week, think about times you have shown courage. Maybe you showed courage around money and what you charged a client. Maybe you tried a totally new approach to marketing and it failed miserably. Maybe you decided that the business you have now is not the business you want so you went out and got a client that is EXACTLY the kind of client you want filling your new practice. Maybe you finished your book that has been sitting uncompleted on your hard drive for 2 years. Whatever it is and regardless of whether it ‘worked” or not, keep acting in that courage energy.

Knowing what courage is and acting on it are profoundly different experiences. What kind of experience do you want to have when it comes to your business?

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” –  Marianne Williamson

There are several stages a person will likely pass through before they become truly fabulous. The following are warning signs that your fabulousness may be just around the corner.

You woke up today and after you gave thanks for being able to wake up and that you are alive, you turned over to your husband, your partner, your mate, your pillow and gave him/it a big hug and a huge smile.

You put on your running shoes and headed out for your morning run to start the day and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. You did it because you love how it feels, not because you thought you should. (Insert any activity that makes you feel alive)

You put on clothes that make you feel fabulous and you don’t care if you bought them at Target or Neiman Marcus.

You go to work and whether that means driving to the desk job, working in the yard, or encouraging your five month old to roll over, you are at peace with what you do. You are offering up the best of who you are in that role and you are grateful to have it.

You suspend judgment.

You choose to never compare yourself to others. You are beautiful now. You have enough money now. You have the right job or business now and if not, you are taking the steps to get it. And, you know for sure that you have the power to create the exact life you want.

You surround yourself with positive minded people who spend their time and energy on attracting positive situations to their life. You appreciate that they are in your life and you tell them so.

You are mindful of all of those with whom you interact and you appreciate that everyone has a valuable story to tell.

You communicate openly to those in your life, not so you can nag or complain or hear yourself talk but rather so that you may learn more, grow more, and contribute to the life of that relationship.

You spend some time each day focusing on yourself and caring for your mind, body, and soul and you have not a single feeling of guilt about it.

If you do any of those, you may be on your way to living fabulously!

And, if you don’t think living fabulously dramatically impacts your marketing and ability to attract people to you, then you need to do this more than anyone!

Check out Judith and Jim, a great couple whose goal is to help you get comfortable with being utterly fabulous.