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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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The Courage Habit summary
Kate Swoboda
How to Accept Your Fears, Release the Past, and Live Your Courageous Life
21 mins
Brief summary
The Courage Habit by Kate Swoboda is a self-help book that teaches readers how to create a courage habit. It provides practical tools and strategies to overcome fear, develop self-confidence, and achieve life goals.
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The Courage Habit
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Key idea 1 of 7
Living courageously begins with pinpointing the role fear plays in your habits and routines.
The call to transform your life may have come at you unexpectedly. The truth that prompts it – perhaps you are unhappy with your career, a relationship, or something else – may feel inconvenient. It may prompt stress or feelings of self-doubt. The whole idea of change may seem impractical or uncomfortable.
These reactions are entirely normal. It may surprise you, though, to learn that they’re all rooted in the same thing: fear.
They may not look or feel like fear, but fear doesn’t always look the way we expect it will. Sometimes it manifests as other feelings. When we decide to make a radical change without first acknowledging our fear, it can be easy to use the feelings that arise from it to rationalize not following through.
Let’s say you’d like to change careers. But because you’ve already invested a lot of money and time on an advanced degree in your field, starting over seems illogical. So you keep puttering away at your job even though you increasingly dread going to work each morning.
Or maybe you have a nagging feeling that something is missing somewhere else in your life. The feeling is getting hard to ignore, but reversing course or drawing a totally new map feels incredibly intimidating. Why should taking a new direction seem so scary, though?
Well, the brain prefers comfort and predictability. To get these, it floods your body with feelings of fear and anxiety when its routines are challenged. Likewise, when you choose the predictable route, the brain rewards you with the feeling of relaxation.
This is ultimately why facing your fears and making changes are both so difficult. They require patience, as well as sitting with the feelings that make you uncomfortable. Trying to fight fear by ignoring it or relentlessly telling yourself to “think positive” are methods that simply don’t work.
So what can you do instead?
You can choose to practice courage by engaging with your fear, and giving yourself permission to ditch the status quo and figure out a better way to live. One way to do this is by reconsidering your approach to fear by challenging old habits and forming new ones. But before you’re ready for this four-step process, the Courage Habit, you need to do a few other things first, beginning with embracing your authentic desires.
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What is The Courage Habit about?
The Courage Habit (2018) takes a look at the role fear plays in our lives and offers a four-step program for becoming your most courageous self and following your dreams. Using inspiring examples and practical tips rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, and acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT, it outlines ways that everyone can cultivate the courage they need to change their lives.
The Courage Habit Review
The Courage Habit (2018) by Kate Swoboda is a book that delves into the power of courage and offers practical strategies to overcome fear and live a more fulfilling life. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- With its insightful exercises and actionable tips, it provides readers with the tools they need to cultivate courage and make positive changes.
- By combining personal stories with psychological research, the book offers a well-rounded perspective on courage and its impact on personal growth.
- The book's engaging storytelling keeps readers captivated, ensuring that it never feels monotonous or dull.
Best quote from The Courage Habit
In being willing to believe that options are available, youre more likely to find them.
—Kate Swoboda
Who should read The Courage Habit?
- Independent thinkers who want to confront their fears and unlock their hidden potential
- Motivated-but-stuck achievers who want to learn the principles of habit formation
- Sensitive souls who would like to foster more nurturing relationships
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The Courage Habit FAQs
What is the main message of The Courage Habit?
The main message of The Courage Habit is about developing courage as a habit to overcome fear and create the life you want.
How long does it take to read The Courage Habit?
The reading time for The Courage Habit varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Courage Habit a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Courage Habit is a valuable read for anyone looking to build their courage muscles and make positive changes in their life.
Who is the author of The Courage Habit?
The author of The Courage Habit is Kate Swoboda.
What to read after The Courage Habit?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Courage Habit, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Brave by Margie Warrell
- The Defining Decade by Meg Jay
- Perfectly Confident by Don A. Moore
- The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
- 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin
- Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain by Partha Nandi
- Mindset by Carol Dweck
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Your Turn by Julie Lythcott-Haims
- Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman