I have to admit that I’ve been a fan of Star Trek ever since it came out in its short-lived series back in the late 60’s… It wasn’t until later that I would learn that there was a special title to what and others like me would be called, “Trekkie.” While I’ve started out talking about Star Trek, this is not this article is about. During the introduction, Capt. James T. Kirk gives the mission of the Starship Enterprise. At the end he finishes it with, “To boldly go where no man has gone before…” And it is the premise of what I will be stating here.
Being bold is not the same thing as being loud. One could be bold and quiet. In a sense, it’s the same as being daring or risky in a calculated way. Boldness gives passion to ideas and even creates greater, more powerful ones. In the Star Trek series, the crew of the Enterprise took risks by going to “strange new worlds.” In a sense, when you do something you fear doing, you are being bold.
Public speaking is an arena we’ve heard for many years how people fear it. They fear putting themselves in front of a group of people. In their subconscious mind, it’s like facing a “firing squad.” Being bold will enable you to just do it despite what may happen. It allows you to fully express your ideas, no matter what others may think or say. How times have you heard, “He or she made a bold statement”? When we go along with what others say and we want to say something to the contrary, that is being passive. When you say what you want to say, that’s being bold.
“The bold adventurer succeeds the best.” ~Ovid
Leaders tend to be bold. The founding fathers of the United States of America were bold in their decisions and further actions. Bill Gates was bold when he made the statement, “a computer on every desk and in every home…” and Steve Jobs was bold when approached John Sculley to ask him to join Apple in 1985 with this statement, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”
Making bold statements to other leaders and to the public can be risky. And yet, it sets those that make them apart from the average person. In today’s world, playing it safe is actually a risk. Boldness counts. Taking risks is the best way to become successful. It always has been. Author and entrepreneur, Randy Gage, describes in his book, Risky is the New Safe of how the very successful have big egos and use it for being daring and bold. I would suggest reading this book for more of an insight into how being risky can bring you success to.
Besides the book, here are some suggestions that might help you to learn to become bold:
- Stop following the herd or crowd.
- Join a local Toastmaster International club or take a Dale Carnegie course.
- Do something childlike in public.
- Say something in social media that is not typical of you.
- Make your own fashion statement, not the crowd or what’s in style.
- Start a business online.
- Engage in Karaoke at your local pub.
- Write a book.
- Give yourself a title. And even proclaim that you’re #1 in something.
There are a number of ways that you can take that leap into being bold. The more you do it, the more bold you will become. Boldness leads to fearlessness. So, “Boldly go….”
Bob