Audacious: showing no fear; daring; bold; defiant of restraint.
I don’t know if it’s just my personality or because I’m Canadian, but being audacious doesn’t come naturally to me. I wait for the light to turn green before crossing, I follow directions and I always colour between the lines.
But staying between the lines doesn’t work when you’re in business. With all the competition out there, it’s not enough to build a better mousetrap; you need to find a way to stand out from all the other mousetraps. And that takes a bit of audacity.
Things I wouldn’t do at a party – go up to a stranger and introduce myself – needs to be done in business. If you’re not a little audacious you won’t last. You’ll disappear into the woodwork, just another good idea that somehow didn’t work.
Introducing myself at a networking meeting; cold calling; “breaking the rules” on LinkedIn and inviting someone I don’t know personally to become a link. These are all small examples of audacity, and yet each little step is stretching my wings. Each little act brings me closer to my bigger dreams and aspirations.
Little acts of bravery make it possible for bigger acts. Next week I’m speaking at a local business women’s forum. Two years ago I wouldn’t have had the audacity to approach the organizers of the event. But by becoming a little braver, I had the chutzpah to do it this year. As a result, I’m now a professional speaker
The thing about audacious acts that scare us, the fear is usually worse than the act itself. Many times I’ve agonized over making a call to someone I don’t know. Once I make the call, it’s easy; I’ve met some really great people as a result. When it comes down to it, I’ve never taken an audacious act that I’ve regretted; it’s the actions I didn’t take that I regret.
Another thing about audacity: once you get away with an audacious act, it’s a little easier to do the next time. It frees you up for even bigger things. It’s staying in the comfortable that is hard because things will never change.
Andrea J. Stenberg
