I have the privilege of sharing with you today why Spirited Investors has taken a leadership role, as Title Sponsor in this fundraising event for Heartwood Place.

Spirited Investors highly values the characteristic, courage! Courage is THE great enabler. Courage encourages action, and enables positive change.

In 2001, Mary Bales and a group of local volunteers recognized a growing problem throughout our region – a lack of affordable housing. They could have done as most would do and hope that things would get better through someone else’s efforts, but they didn’t. They had Courage! They had a clear vision of a solution, that decent housing would serve as the foundation for people to improve their lives.

Acting with Courage, Mary Bales and volunteers created and incorporated a charitable entity, Heartwood Place; engaged individuals, organizations and partners to support their efforts; the result 33 units on Gaukel Street and an additional 66 units-in-progress at the new location, 26 Ainslie St. S. in Cambridge.

Describing success as “units” however really doesn’t tell the story. There has been a very positive consequence to improving the lives of the people supported by Heartwood Place. Those same people, Heartwood Place residents, have become empowered to further improve their own circumstances and the circumstances of others. They have embraced responsibility and job advancement ensuring a positive future for themselves, family members they support and the community as a whole. Truly a remarkable opportunity has come from the courage of a few dedicated individuals.

Spirited Investors Vision is to be the best problem-solving business investors in Canada. Much like Heartwood Place, our mission is to help people to a better place: solving problems, adding value and investing with precision.

We, at Spirited Investors are proud to recognize and support the efforts of Mary Bales, volunteers and staff at Heartwood Place and thank you for the opportunity to take a leadership role at this event.

For those of you who are not familiar with Spirited Investors please take a look at one of our brochures. If you are intrigued by our vision please contact us.

Here's an excerpt from Jeffrey Gitomer's 'Little Black Book of Connections'.

When I read it, I thought of our Values - Courage and Confidence coupled with our discussion of the importance of Connections.

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Per Jeffrey Gitomer...

"Courage is a self-inflicted quality that gains momentum every time you try it. Think about learning to swim. At first you're scared, then you jump in the pool, then you flail your arms, then eventually you begin to swim. And by the end of the day, or by then end of the week, you're diving off the diving board, head first into a pool of self-confidence. It's the same when you learn to ride a bike.

Transfer those lessons (learning to swim or ride a bike) into your world of making connections. And begin to build your own momentum by stroking and pedalling your way to the first one, and then the next, and then the next."

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Jeffrey Gitomer presents things in a straightforward, common-sense way. 
Courage » Confidence » Connections

...with Courage defined as a self-inflicted quality.

I like that analogy or metaphor or whatever it is...

Self-inflicting Courage.

That is an excellent way to think about the way one builds the character attribute known as Courage. In fact, I think we could argue it is the only way to build the attribute, Courage.

I've called Courage 'the great enabler' because it enables other major character attributes such as Confidence...(particularly, Confidence). And, I've talked about the fact one can (rather easily) build self-Confidence...the mechanisms for building self-Confidence have been presented by many, with one of the best presented by Napoleon Hill 70 years ago.

Some have said, 'Confidence drives Courage', which is the opposite of the way I see it. I agree that's not flawed logic because it makes sense that Courage will tend to grow as self-Confidence grows. However, even if the logic works most/all the time the cause-effect thinking does not. 

Courage can exist in the absence of Confidence.

I'd argue Courage has its base in instinct while Confidence has its base in logical thought. Courage is a fight-or-flight phenomenon while self-Confidence is a thing of ongoing process. Courage is of the heart, confidence is of the  brain.

Borrowing from Jeffrey Gitomer...we can self-inflict the quality of Courage.

We can also self-inflict the quality of self-Confidence, but, I don't think many of us would describe the process that way. If we do like the analogy/metaphor of self-inflicting self-Confidence then we must accept it is a methodical process of 'a thousand cuts'. 

Regardless, 'self-inflicting the quality of Courage'...what a great way to help us understand what it takes if one wants to maximize the success embedded in our Values: Courage, Confidence, Conviction, & Creativity.