Let’s face it, you have and know another dozen people who’ve played the “cautious card” when they were actually just being downright cowardly. This has to do with taking action in the face of either a possibility or well-nurtured fears.
Some “concerns” have merit. Some have weight because they’ve been inferred greater credit than they actually deserve. Caution has to do with taking care, making sure that all possibilities are considered. The context of caution generally has to do with risk.
By the way, this is both relevant for life and leadership…
There’s a Southern African proverb that literally translate, “At coward’s home there are no funerals”. Thus there’s relatively little chance of anything grave befalling cowards because they flee all risk. There’s some truth in that, but there is another truth that is being ignored.
This proverb needs to continue, “And, there’s also no reward at Coward’s home”.
Caution seeks to address risk and cowardice has to do with avoiding risk completely [Click to Tweet]
Attempts to forfeit risk may not only be riskier but also have no reward.
Success always comes at great risk. I’m not insinuating an idiotic or senseless risk but well-considered risk. And, after all the thinking, considerations and ‘airing of concerns’ must come a time to act. This may entail purposely ignoring some risk.
Action, the moving forward and innovating action says, “the greater risk is not straining forward”. Innovation evades those who can’t ignore some risks. If you are going to do or build anything significant, lead a cause that matters, you must make up your mind. That is make up your mind on what you will considered as irrelevant.
Your manifesto, expressed in action, must declare stupid courage. Some people never pursue anything because of the hurt or hard work it might entail. It is those who do not deserve the rewards of not being cowardly. Being cowardly is being more afraid of the pain, sweat, tears and even blood.
No enterprise can yield anything significant, without significant input [Click to Tweet]
Be honest with yourself… Both in your personal endeavours and those of the entities you lead: are you really being cautious or are you being cowardly.
Your honest answer to this question is a prediction of your future…
You climb, you fall, your fault? There is a fine line between cautious and cowardly. If I had to choose? Still a tough one; perhaps climb and fall and have some reward with bruises, than be intact with nothing in hand.
Don’t be a coward or overly cautious. Dare. Start.
I found this post immensely useful, not just in giving me words to express my frustration with a difficult situation, but as a means of ‘de-gassing’ that frustration with the knowledge that others acknowledge the situation exists.
Glad you found it useful :-) the important thing is that people / leaders and enterprises are honest with themselves… All the best