It seems to me that the world is stuck. We have political parties with seemingly irreconcilable differences, polarizing opinions on guns, abortion, the environment, with no signs of compromise and no apparent hope of resolution. The rancor from all sides has devolved to a single position: “Just say no.” No matter what price there is to pay. This post is the fourth in a series in which I explore the courage it takes to lead.
A fundamental law of confrontation states, “When you avoid confronting something today, you create a bigger problem tomorrow.” Whenever we back away from confronting a difficult issue, it doesn’t disappear or get better on its own. It festers, grows, and undermines our power. When we avoid confronting painful situations or problems in relationships, we inflict damage on our souls and compromise our integrity.
We are shaped as much by what we confront as by what we avoid. Confrontation provides the leverage by which we can move from current reality toward our dream.
A corollary to the law of confrontation is that pain is inevitable. We may deal with a small issue today and feel a small amount of pain, or we may deal with a greater issue and face greater pain later. When we avoid confronting a problem, it doesn’t disappear or go away. Instead, its impact on us grows, the potential pain grows, a pattern unfolds, and, when the inevitable moment of reckoning comes, the pain is ten times worse as a result of our avoidance.
The courage to confront requires you to deal with what is in front of you, to tell your truth with compassion. To do so requires the courage to challenge your automatic ways of thinking, feeling and perceiving. It also means speaking out about the truth as you see it.
What do you think? Looking forward to receiving your feedback. Join the discussion!
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