By Jody B. Miller
Have you ever felt your heart race just before doing something that scared you—but you knew, deep down, it was the right thing?
That feeling? That’s courage knocking.
We often associate courage with big, heroic acts: charging into danger, speaking out against injustice, making life-altering decisions. But sometimes, courage is quieter. It’s personal. It’s a high school student standing up in calculus class… a mother standing up to a school psychologist… or a young woman walking up to the head of a major television network and boldly saying, “I’m going to work for you.”
I’ve done all three. And each time, my knees were shaking. But the ripple effect from those moments? Life-changing.
The Calculus Moment
In high school, I sat in a calculus class taught by a brilliant, well-respected teacher. But asking questions in her class felt like walking through a minefield. Her answers were curt, sometimes condescending—and eventually, I stopped asking.
Until one day, something inside me shifted. I stood up in front of the whole class, voice trembling, and said:
“I can’t learn in your class… because I can’t ask questions. You make me feel stupid.”
There was silence. I could hear a pen click.
She stared at me—and then, something softened in her. We ended up becoming friends. I started tutoring other students. She began inviting questions and shifted her teaching style.
Courage isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s one honest sentence spoken at the right time.
The Big Ask
Flash forward. I was out of school, hungry for purpose, eager to break into media.
At a professional event, I waited until the crowd cleared around the head of a major television network. When I finally reached him, I looked him straight in the eye and said:
“I’m going to work for you.”
He laughed. But I wasn’t joking.
Three weeks later, I did.
Sometimes courage is bold. Direct. A little bit crazy. But it opens doors that playing it safe never will.
Courage for My Son
Years later, I faced a new kind of courage—the kind that’s not for you, but for someone you love.
My son was developmentally delayed, years behind his peers. In kindergarten, the school psychologist told me he didn’t belong in mainstream education. She wanted to move him to a special school, away from neighborhood friends, away from normalcy.
I looked at her and said, “I don’t want you at his IEP meetings anymore. You only focus on what he can’t do.”
With the rest of the team, we built a new plan. His kindergarten teacher committed to helping him learn to read. And by the end of that year—he was reading.
But I didn’t stop there. I raised the money to open a learning center at his school—one that welcomed all kids, not just those with special needs. And to my surprise, parents from regular classes lined up. Their children needed support too.
Courage doesn’t just protect. It creates. It opens up possibilities for everyone.
What Science Says About Courage
Here’s the truth: when you’re stepping into courage, your body will send you signals—racing heart, shaky hands, tight breath.
That’s not weakness. It’s your body preparing for greatness.
Even Oprah has admitted she gets nervous before big interviews. Steve Jobs shook before major keynotes. Maya Angelou said it best: “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
Find Your Courage Builders
Courage doesn’t have to be a solo act. Surround yourself with people who believe in you—especially when you’re struggling to believe in yourself.
I’ve had those people: the calculus teacher who evolved, the executive who gave me a shot, the kindergarten teacher who said, “Let’s teach him to read.”
Find your tribe. Be someone else’s.
The Ripple Effect
If you take away one thing from this, let it be this:
You don’t wait for courage. You step into it.
You may shake. You may stumble. But when you act with courage—however small—it creates a ripple. A ripple that can change classrooms. Careers. Entire communities.
So the next time your heart starts pounding and your gut says “go”—listen. That’s your cue. That’s your moment.
Step forward. And watch the world shift around you.
Excerpt
Courage isn’t always loud—it’s often a quiet act of truth in the face of fear. From standing up in class to fighting for my son’s future, I’ve learned that every act of bravery creates ripples. Step into your fear, and watch your world—and others’—transform.