High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset - 756: The Courage to Move Forward

Episode Date: June 9, 2026

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it's the quiet voice that says, 'I will try again tomorrow.'" – Mary Anne Radmacher   In this episode of The High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff shares how courage is built in the small, everyday moments, not just the big ones. Because fear will always be there… but it doesn't have to stop you.   You'll learn how to: Take action even when you don't feel ready Quiet the "what if" thoughts holding you back Build courage through simple, daily steps Stay grounded under pressure with a Power Pause If you've been hesitating or overthinking something important, this episode will help you take that next step. Because confidence doesn't come before courage, it comes because of it.   Tune in and ask yourself: Where do you need to choose courage over comfort today?   To download our full study report, visit: confidencestudy.com To Request a Free Breakthrough Call with a Mentally Strong Coach, visit: http://www.freementalbreakthroughcall.com/ To learn more about the Mentally Strong Institute, visit: https://mentallystronginstitute.com/ To learn about Dr. Cindra Kamphoff's speaking and coaching, visit: https://cindrakamphoff.com/ To follow Dr. Cindra on Instagram, visit: Cindra Kamphoff, PhD (@cindrakamphoff) • Instagram photos and videos

Hi, Dr. Cinder Campoff here. Myself and my team just conducted this national research study on confidence that you have to check out. The report which you can download at Confidencestudy.com shows research-backed ways you can grow your confidence. What leaders do to both kill and grow confidence and how confidence is not just a personal issue, but an organizational issue. I'm telling you, you've got to check this out. It's a game changer. You can find our full report at Confidencestudy.com. Time to check in with Cinder Campoff.

We talk about the courage to move forward today. Cinder, start us off with a quote. I love this quote by Mary Ann Radamacher. She said, Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow. So what inspired this topic for you today?

Well, today we're talking about courage, and I think it's one of the most important skills that we can build, not because fear goes away, but because fear is always going to be part of pursuing something meaningful. And I was reminded of this recently when I was working with a leader who had a really tough feedback like her team that she had to give. And she told me, you know, I've been avoiding this conversation for weeks. And, you know, I get it. You know, our brain wants to make us feel comfortable.

But we talked about this idea that courage isn't about feeling ready or confident first. It's about deciding to act even when you don't feel ready. So she had the conversation afterwards. She said, you know, that wasn't as scary as I made it up in my head. And that's what curse does, right? It shrinks the fear. Yeah, that is true, and it's very powerful. So how would you define courage?

I would define it as courage is the decision to move forward. Evil and fear is loud. And I think courage can be thought of in four ways. Like, it's a feeling. You'll feel fear, doubt, and uncertainty. You know, that's why courage is so important. It's a decision. You know, you get to choose what matters most more than the fear.

It's also a skill that you can build through kind of these small, brave actions. and it's a belief that you can handle hard things. And so courage isn't, you know, something that you wait for. It's something that you really practice. So why is courage so hard for people? Lisa, I would say because our brain is wired to protect us, not really stretch us. You know, it wants certainty and comfort and control. And so when you're about to do something courageous, like let's say speak up or take a risk

or put yourself out there, your brain, you know, says all these what ifs, like what if I fail? You know, what if they judge me? what if I'm not enough? And if we're not careful, we listen to those thoughts like they're facts. And that's when I would encourage people to use a tool that I call the Truth Meter. And it's just a series of three questions. Like, is this true? You know, is this really helping me or serving me?

And what's a more empowering thought I can choose right now? Because courage really starts by shifting what you're thinking about in the moment. Okay. Let's talk about how we can build more courage in our everyday life. Okay. I love that question. I would say, you know, it's built really in these small moments. It's not just in the big ones.

And a few ways you can practice it are like just taking one step forward, even if it's small. You know, not as a giant step, but just one small step. You could use a power phrase, you know, something like I can handle this or I can do hard things. Or you could focus on who you want to be. And meaning like not just the feeling, because feelings can come and go, but your identity is much stronger. So every time you, you know, choose courage, you're building confidence as well. All right. Sandra, tell us what courage looks like in those really high,

pressure moments where everything feels really intense? I would say courage in these high pressure moments often looks like something really simple but powerful. You know, it's taking a deep breath and instead of just reacting, right? It's grounding yourself instead of just spiraling. And again, I like to use these power phrases, something like, you know, I've got this or stay present. Because in pressure, our mind wants to jump ahead.

You know, what if I mess up? What will people think? But courage brings you back to the moment right now. So, you know, just like even telling yourself, I can handle this moment, I can stay present, allows you to perform at your best. That's really helpful. So how can we help others, like our team at work or even our kids at home, build more courage? That's a really important question, Lisa. I would say, you know, courage is contagious.

So if you're a leader or a coach or a parent, the first step is to model it. So show people what it looks like is to try to take risks, their own mistakes. And second, you want to create an environment where people feel supported, not judge. So when things, you know, don't go perfectly, you can talk about that instead of shame it. And I would just say third, celebrate bravery and effort, not just the outcomes. And so, you know, when someone speaks up, when they try something new or step outside their comfort zone, recognize that. Because I think you can reinforce courage and just by encouraging people to do hard things. So with courage, what's the biggest takeaway that you want us to remember today?

I would say you don't need to feel fearless to be courageous. And courage is to choose growth over, you know, comfort. It's choosing your future over your fear. And the more you practice courage, the more confident you become. Because you prove to yourself that you can handle it. All right. Do you have a power phrase or like an action question that you want to end the day with? I do.

I have two here. The power phrase is I choose courage over comfort. And the action question for you is to ask yourself, where in your life right now do you need to take one courageous step forward? And how can we do that? I like this. Cinder, if we want to read more about this or follow along with any of your teachings, where's the best place for us to go? Best place would be to head over to Dr.Cindra.com, so dR-C-I-N-D-R-A.com. Way to go for finishing another episode of the high-performance mindset.

I'm giving you a virtual fist pump. Holy cow, did that go by way too fast for anyone else? If you want more, remember to subscribe. And you can head over to Dr. Cindra for show notes and enjoy my exclusive community. for high performers, where you get access to videos about mindset each week. So again, you can add over to Dr. Sindra. That's d-R-C-I-N-D-R-A.com. See you next week.