Daring is an initial element in most accomplishments. It’s been said that “all glory comes from daring to begin.”
When setting out to be daring, the first step is to emulate non-conformists and be a step out of the mainstream thinking. Horace wrote that, “The power of daring anything they fancy has always been conceded to the painter and the poet.”
Yet, as we step out of the mainstream, we’re actually connecting to the larger dreams that animate our humanity. As Wendy Wright reminds us, “Daring to dream what is deepest in our collective longings is what makes us most human and fully alive.”
One way to be daring is to take slight steps, expanding constantly and consistently in challenging directions. In contrast, Carl von Clausewitz councils, “Be audacious and cunning in your plans, firm and persevering in their execution, determined to find a glorious end.”
Finally, since many find themselves in crisis today, let the words of Henry Kissinger embolden us all: “In crisis the most daring course is often the safest.”
Photo by Jake Pierrelee on Unsplash