Fortune Favors the Bold

A glimpse into the reasons courage is necessary to succeed in life

I’m sure you have heard the common saying, “Fortune favors the bold” before now, or at least some permutation of it. From my personal experiences, I can tell you that evidence strongly leans that way. And as I began to think on why, I thought it might make an interesting read for some of our viewers.

The first thing I’d like to comment on is the rule of large numbers. Generally, when one is afraid, they are paralyzed from action. This keeps them from putting themselves out there, which means there are less opportunities that come knocking on their door. The bold, meanwhile, put themselves out there time after time, failure after failure, and while they might not succeed at everything their actions touch, these actions add up. Adding new opportunities that aren’t based solely on the universe finding you, and more chances mean more successes in the long run.

Let me give you a real-life example. Before I moved to California to be a film maker, I used to wait tables at a Waffle House. I worked the graveyard shift, and as far as keeping myself alive, it was all I knew. So, when I graduated college and moved to somewhere the chain didn’t exist, I needed a job. I saw a sign that said, “Looking for waitresses”. I could have just walked away, but I decided to be bold and check in and see if they may have a position for me anyway. They did, and I kept that job for some time. Fast forward 3 years later, and the place decided to close down. I was bummed, but then something weird happened.

A lady made plans for her daughter’s birthday, but with everything going on, the hostess in charge quit early. My boss didn’t want the hassle and pushed to cancel the party. But I decided it could be a nice boost of money and begged to take it over. Annoyed, he gave it to me. Well, the lady was so happy with me that she offered me an interview for a job in a completely different field, which of course, I was hesitant about. But, I was bold. With no understanding of the field besides basic research, I went in for the interview. The moment I walked in the door, I realized I was severely under-dressed and under-qualified. But I put on a brave face and stayed. In the interview, I tried my hardest to make my interviewers laugh and smile, hoping that at the least they still thought me a nice guy. Well, fortune favored the bold, and I was offered the job within the hour. Despite all my obvious disadvantages.

Nine years later, I am still employed by that lady in a field I now understand is marketing. I made some brave decisions in the face of doing what was comfortable. As I moved forward, I made braver and braver decisions that lead to better and better outcomes. Each one only appearing in a chain of events caused by being brave in the first place. We all have moments of being afraid, but as I said in my “Fear Must be Faced” article, courage isn’t having a lack of fear, it is being absolutely terrified and still allowing yourself to act the way your mind wants you to. I gave you just one chain of events that proved bravery lead me to better outcomes, but If you take a look at my IMDB, you’ll see films, which lead to connections with people, which lead to more films. And so on and so forth.

Fear is an important thing that should never be discarded, but you have to remember that fear exists to caution us, not to stop us from moving forward. Let it caution you, then take a breath removing anxiety, or take a step forward even as it courses through you. I think, overall, you will find it leads you to more good outcomes than bad, but even if I’m wrong, at least you can say you tried. It sure beats the alternative.

Waves of Fate

Sometimes the gushing waves of fate
Don’t flow from yourself
But rather
From the people around you

And in these moments
You are given a choice

Allow the ripples to bring you with
And succumb to the flow of environment
Or swim harder than you’ve ever swam
And when the sun sets in the wake
You pray you at least stood
Where you had before
Waiting for your own chance
To change your world