FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE

INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

MEL ROBBINS’S BOOK THE 5 SECOND RULE

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THE EPISODE:

WHY COURAGE IS THE PRECURSOR TO CONFIDENCE

WITHOUT COURAGE, YOU DON’T HAVE A SOLID BASE TO BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE FROM

HOW COURAGE CAN BE THE TRANSFORMATIVE FORCE TO YOUR CAREER

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Today, I want to dive into a core concept that can make or break your journey as interior designers. And that is exploring courage.

A few weeks ago, a friend recommended Mel Robbins’s 5 Second Rule Book. In reading her book, I was struck by the missing piece that we hadn’t been discussing, and that is the idea that courage is the precursor to confidence. 

That hit me hard. I don’t normally sit there and read books and then contemplate what I’m reading. Frankly, reading books to me, is an escape from the chores I need to do or the worries I’m having about work or my family. So, I typically read books that are entertaining.

But this book kept coming up. And you know, when you hear the same thing from multiple resources and people in your life, you think, “Ok, I think somebody wants me to read this book.”

So, this concept of courage coming before confidence really made me stop and think about that. I’m realizing now how true this is. 

My initial thinking was that you have to build up the confidence to have the courage to take action, whatever action that may be. But I now understand that without courage, you don’t have a solid base to build your confidence from. 

I found a wonderful article online about this, and it said, “Courage is the ability to take action despite fear.” Ok, that wasn’t earth-shattering. But then it said, “Confidence is built through the experience of taking action and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. And so, by being courageous, you will get the power to build your confidence as well.”

I had to sit with that for a while. That really did fully explain the difference.

I thought you needed the confidence to give yourself the courage to take action. But when you think about it, it’s actually the reverse. 

I found a really cool illustration of this, which I share in today’s episode, so be sure to listen to hear the full story!

I absolutely used to hold back and play it safe in my career and wait for the illusive right time to be pitching my services, promoting myself at social events, or hiring staff, knowing I would have the jobs to support a junior designer who would give me back time to work on bigger projects. I did all of that and more in order to play it safe, waiting for “the right time.” Now, looking back, I realize that a lot of that came from the fact that I was working alone. I didn’t have a network or mentor telling me to move past my fears and take the calculated risks that would have changed the trajectory of my early days on my own. There was no internet or Facebook groups. There was no means to establish a community of like-minded designers. Therefore, I was on my own, looking for the ‘right time’ to make any risky move. 

But we all know that there’s never really a perfect or right time. The pivotal moments happen when you push through uncertainty and summon the courage to make the current moment perfect. And the confidence comes along once that courage is established. 

So, through my journey, I am coming to understand that while I was brimming with confidence on a job site, it was the courage I was lacking to channel it effectively. And my own inner doubts and fears often overshadowed the skills and passion I had. 

So, yes, I have regrets about missed opportunities, but I’ve learned that dwelling on the past won’t alter it. And with every new day and each new sunrise, I see a fresh chance to act, to be bold, and to reshape my narrative. And that is what I want for each of you.

Join me in today’s episode to explore how courage can be the transformative force in your career. Let’s redefine our approach, embrace courage, and let confidence naturally follow suit.