COURAGE TO be Confident

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” — Suzy Kassem

Confidence isn’t about knowing you’ll succeed—it’s about giving yourself permission to start, even if you’re awful at the beginning.

In my book, 10 Seconds of Insane Courage, I talk about a truth most people ignore: The courage to be confident starts with the permission to be awful. You never get to great unless you are good. And good starts with bad. And bad starts with awful.

So here it is—I’m giving you that permission. Permission to be awful.

The Worst Orchestra Ever… That Became the Best

In 1975, a Venezuelan musician named José Antonio Abreu gathered 11 young musicians in a tiny garage. His dream? To build an orchestra that could inspire the world.

There was just one problem: They were terrible. They were out of sync, out of tune, and completely unpolished. No one would have called them talented.

But Abreu knew something most people forget—greatness isn’t born; it’s built. He told his students that if they kept playing, kept improving, and kept believing in themselves, something extraordinary would happen.

Over time, that tiny, awful orchestra grew into El Sistema, a world-renowned music program that has trained some of the greatest musicians on the planet—including  the conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

It all started with the courage to sound awful before they became great.

The Truth About Confidence

Most people believe confidence comes first—that you need to feel ready before you take action. The truth? Action creates confidence.

• You don’t wait to feel confident before writing the book—you write the book, and confidence follows.

• You don’t wait to be great at public speaking—you start awkward, stumble through, and get better.

• You don’t wait to be fearless—you take the first step, even when you’re afraid.

The bridge between where you are and where you want to be starts with the permission to be awful.

Dash of Courage: Give Yourself Permission to Be Awful

This week, start something you’ve been avoiding—not because you’re ready.
Because you don’t need to be.

Let it be messy. Let it be awkward. Let it be awful.

Because confidence doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from beginning.

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