Science can answer all questions and can help you lead a courageous life.
Aristotle believed that courage was the most important quality any person could achieve. “Courage is the first of human virtues because it makes all other possible,” he said. Fears can cripple people from doing what most would consider a very simple task, like talking to coworkers or approaching someone you find cute or public speaking. Neuroscientists recently determined how courage works in the brain, finding that a region called the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC for short) is active when performing courageous acts. Here’s the science on how you can conquer your fears and live a more courageous life.
- Become vulnerable. We have to be willing to accept failure and criticism. Belief in our own unworthiness drives us to live a fear-based life. Exposing our true selves is scary, but vulnerability may be key for living courageously.
- Acknowledge your fears. It’s difficult to conquer your fears if you don’t acknowledge they even exist. Acknowledging your limitations and working through them is yet another step towards courage.
- Expose yourself to your fears. Let’s get one thing straight: you’re going to fail–at least the first few times. And that’s okay! Everyone fails. But working through them and learning for the next time is the one way you’ll get better and overcome your fear.
- Positive thinking. You may be tempted to think everything is pointless in this truly gargantuan universe after your first few failures. Psychology has shown that positive thinking keeps people going as tackling your fear will bring your lives from the negatives to zero–at best.
- Practice these acts of courage. Like any muscle in our body, it needs practice to be strengthened.
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