Boldness and Achievement

Posted: December 28, 2011 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement

 Q. “Why didn’t you tell us at the board meeting that day?”

 A. “ Well…no one was going to listen to someone like me…I mean…you can bend the rules plenty when you get upstairs, but if you’re someone like me, you can’t get there without bending the rules”

                                                                                           –From the movie, “Working Girl”

I hope you are as excited about 2012 as I am.  Challenge and opportunity will abound.  Planning with clarity and following through with focus and resolve will put the odds in our favor.  As we look to execute our plan, let’s consider the magical ingredient of “boldness”.

Since the word “bold” has certain connotations and several definitions, here is the one I would like to use for our frame of reference here.  It comes from Webster’s New World Dictionary:

 Boldness:  Showing a readiness to take risks or face danger: Daring: Fearless

 From his early youth, Steven Spielberg was a movie producer.   He used to show 8mm movies in his basement and charge admission.  When he was 17, he was ready to get a real job.  He went to Universal Studios and observed how the VIP’s got through the gate.  He noticed every detail.  Then, he made his move.  Wearing a dark suit and carrying a briefcase, he gave a casual wave to the guard and the guard waved back.  He was in.  Spielberg found a vacant office and set up shop.  A few weeks later his snafu was discovered, and by that time, he had made a name for himself.  The rest is history.

 When we have an exciting vision followed by a well-crafted action plan, we need to be bold in our initiative.  I once heard someone say, “Courage is what we need when we run out of self-confidence.”

 In the words of Goethe:

 “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”

 We need courage and, when necessary boldness to reach our dreams.  Where do you need to be bold?

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