“Courage works like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.” James Maslow, actor, singer, and member of the band Big Time Rush, said these words at the opening ceremonies of the North American Youth Maccabi Games in Kansas City this past summer. He was speaking to young athletes who were about to compete in their various sports. But honestly? He was speaking to all of us.
Whether you are seventeen or fifty-five, stepping into a new relationship, a new room, or a new professional opportunity requires something that does not always come naturally: Courage.
Think about the moments that hold us back. Fear of rejection keeps us from sending the email. Lack of confidence makes us second-guess the introduction. Impostor syndrome, that sneaky voice whispering that we do not quite belong here, convinces us that others are too busy, too accomplished, too important to want to hear from us. So, we wait. We hesitate. We close the browser tab without hitting send.
Here is what I know to be true: None of that is true.
The good news is that Maslow’s insight points directly to the solution. Courage is not a fixed quantity you either have or you do not. It is a capacity you build, one small act at a time. Reach out to one person this week, not to ask for anything, just to connect. Share an article. Express genuine appreciation. Say hello to someone you have been meaning to get back in touch with. Then do it again next week.
What happens over time is something I think of as relational muscle memory. The more you connect with others, the more evidence you accumulate that people are generous, that your outreach is welcomed, and that you genuinely have something to contribute. Because you do. Everyone carries knowledge, perspective, and experience that someone else needs. The question is not whether you have something to offer. The question is whether you are willing to show up and offer it.
Professional relationships are not built in grand gestures. They are built in small, consistent acts of courage, practiced again and again, until they become second nature.
Pick up the weight. Send the message. Make the call. Relational muscle grows.
Happy Networking!