November 15, 2022
Why Lacking Courage Is Selfish
Have you ever been an easy target for a robbery?
You know, wearing something expensive in an area that is not safe?
I did that once.
It wasn't a Rolex, the latest Air Jordans, or a Louis Vuitton backpack. I was only a high school teenager
It was a pair white earbuds in my ear.
When Apple came out with the iPod, it was the most popular gadget in schools across America
I was the proud owner of the 1st generation iPod Shuffle. It basically looked like an elongated USB stick with Play/Pause buttons.
I used to wear it around my neck with the corded white earbuds on and walk around school with it
The white earbuds were a signal that you had an Apple iPod...and carrying something expensive
One day I left school early and was walking home by myself
After a few minutes I noticed there were two kids following strangely close behind me. I didn't think much of it
One of them said something to me which caused me to stop and turn around.
The iPod shuffle was in clear display on my chest.
Almost instinctually, I grabbed the iPod right as one of the kids lurched and grabbed it from my chest
It was locked inside both of our fists as he was struggling to pry it open from my small hands
His accomplice came over, grabbed my legs and flipped me on the ground
As I was laying on my back, struggling to keep my grip on the iPod, they were both on top of me trying to get me to let go of it
My grip was getting weaker
What happened next I could've never imagined...
A grey sedan pulled up on the sidewalk next to the three of us
Suddenly, a short Hispanic woman jumped out of the car, grabbed a baseball bat from the backseat, and started yelling at the thugs
Almost instantly, they bolted in the other direction and ran off
Batting practice cancelled...
The woman quickly helped me to my feet and drove me, and my iPod, home
It was quite obvious, but what this woman performed was an act of courage
She didn't have to stop - there were several cars that drove by while I was getting mugged
She was a short, unassuming woman looking to go against 2 aggressive young males
The situation could've easily turned against her, and me
But her courage had instilled fear in my assailants
She became my guardian angel that day. She saved me.
As I reflect on this experience, I ask myself: Who am I hurting by not being courageous?
You and I most likely won't be in a situation where we need to stop a crime in progress
But there is something in our life right now, that we are not having the courage to do
Maybe it's starting that business you've been putting off
or quitting that meaningless job
or asking that person out on a date
or having a difficult conversation with someone close to you
But imagine this. What if...
starting that business was going to positively impact the lives of many people?
What if quitting that job allowed you to pursue something you were passionate about and brought happiness to others?
What if that person you asked out became your spouse and a beautiful family was created?
What if that difficult conversation freed up a burden between the both of you that was causing unnecessary stress?
Do you see how not acting courageously can be seen as selfish?
There are people who are waiting to be changed by your act of courage.
But you don't act because of fear. As a result, many people are hurt
I've been there.
Early this year, I took a courageous leap by starting Limitless Living
I had no knowledge or experience about building a business from scratch. I had no one to help me.
But I just started, with the very little that I knew
I created a vision in my mind of what I wanted and took action.
I knew that by pursuing this, my life, and the life of other people would become better.
I had a message that needed to be shared. That others needed to hear
I wasn't going to be selfish and keep it to myself.
Would I fail? Sure, that's a possibility
But I'm more afraid of letting you down than my own failure
If you won't act courageously for yourself, can you at least do it for other people?
Can you help the people that are being beaten down by life, just like how I was being beaten down by those thugs?
I was the beneficiary of a woman's act of courage
I thank God she had the courage to stop her car and scare away my attackers
Realize that there is someone out there that is praying to God for you to show up in their life.
You just have to be courageous and show up for them