5 Things Life, the Universe, and Everything Taught Me About Courage 

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend LTUE (Life, the Universe, and Everything). It is a local creative symposium in Utah County, and has been running for almost 50 years. I have only had the opportunity to attend once before, and I loved it, so I made sure to attend this time. 

I am at a point in my career where I'm ready to do anything it takes to get my book published, so I paid for three pitch sessions at LTUE and the gala banquet. I really wanted to get as much as I could out of this experience. And in doing all of this, I learned a lot about myself and about courage. 

Courage gets us through tough times. Courage helps us become something. Courage helps us achieve our dreams. In this blog, I'm going to discuss my experience at LUTE and how it can help you be more courageous.

1. Courage Means Taking Risks to Get What You Want

You can do it. Whatever it is you’re trying to do, you can do it. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s possible…if you’re willing to put in the work and take risks. I’m not just talking about risking your bank balance. There are much more meaningful and personal things at risk where dreams are concerned.

There’s something about the process of working toward a lifelong dream that is intrinsically vulnerable. Every time you talk about what you’re trying to do, you have to face judgment and questions. Sometimes, you even have to present this wild idea to industry professionals in a job interview, an audition, or, in my case, a pitch session.

In these situations, you’re not just risking money. These soul-flaying conversations risk your self-esteem, your passion, your creativity. What happens if you mess up? Maybe they’ll hate your book. Or, 5 minutes into the pitch, you could start to think you’re not really cut out to be a writer. These are some of the worries I had in the week leading up to LTUE.

With so much at stake, why even bother taking risks? Why bother summoning that much courage when it would be so much easier to just stay home and type away, never letting another soul read your work? 

Here are three reasons you should take that risk today:

1. Taking risks increases the chances of success

2. Taking risks sets you above the competition

3. Taking risks increases confidence

2. Practicing Courage Builds Confidence

If you’re scared to keep trying, you’re not alone. Whatever it is you’re going through or trying to accomplish, it’s normal to be scared, worried, or hopeless. But let me tell you something about persevering through setbacks: they make you stronger.

Courage is a skill. And just like any other skill, the more you practice it, the better you get at it. Every time you think, I can’t apply for one more job, and then do it anyway, you’re building those courageous muscles! Eventually, that courage will transform into confidence, and those fearful feelings won’t be able to reach you as easily.

When I was practicing pitching with my dad, I was horrible at it. He did a great job of making me feel nervous by interrupting me, asking questions, and generally filling the role of an agent. I got all clammed up and couldn't remember what I was trying to say. As we kept practicing every day, it gradually got easier. So much so, that when it came time to actually pitch to an agent, I was able to do so completely comfortably and confidently. 

All three of the people I pitched to at LTUE asked for more material, which was a huge boost in confidence. I learned that I am a good writer. I can tell good stories. What I’m trying to do is worth it. I am certain that my courage practice had a huge impact on those incredible results.

3. Fear and Excitement Are the Same Emotion

Someone once told me that excitement and fear create the same physiological response: increased heart rate, jitters, sweaty palms, etc. The only difference between the two is in our minds.

You have control over how your brain interprets your physiological feedback. So next time you're feeling nervous to try something new, remind yourself that you can be excited instead of scared. 

This mental reframe really helped me while I was preparing to pitch. My dad pointed out that while we were “practicing,” I would assume this author character, who was nothing like me, but was who I thought I was supposed to be. Once the practice run was over, we would discuss how it went, and I had an opportunity to explain why I made certain answers. My dad said that during this part, I came across as way more passionate and personable than I did during the pretend pitch.

I decided I needed to channel that excitement. I needed to think in terms of how cool it was that I had the opportunity to tell a bona fide agent about my book, not in terms of how badly I wanted them to like my book. 

This really helped me approach the pitches with confidence and enthusiasm, which made a huge difference in the impression I had on the agents and editors.

4. Trying Something Hard Can Be a Great Learning Opportunity 

I had a friend who also did a pitch session at LTUE as well, and she went into it knowing that her story wasn't ready to sell. She wanted to get the experience of pitching anyway. How amazing is that? She took all the same risks I did, but wasn’t expecting to get anything out of the experience except for knowledge. 

When I spoke to my friend after her pitch, her face glowed with excitement. She told me that she had gotten some great positive feedback from the editor, who was excited to read her book when it was ready. By having the courage to do something difficult, my friend learned that her book had merit. She learned what pitching was like and what to do differently next time, when her book was finished. What an incredibly valuable experience!

If you have an opportunity to take a risk and put yourself out there, do it! Look at it through the lens of what you can learn, and have fun with it.

5. Having the Courage to Learn About Others Gets You Closer to Your Goals

Other people can be scary sometimes. It can be hard to anticipate their expectations, and—if they’re very different from you—the risk of offending them can make silence seem easier. But the publishing industry, like many others, is all about who you know, so I set about at LTUE this year to get to know some whos.

This mindset meant that I took every opportunity I could to talk to people I saw in the halls or sat next to during breakout sessions. I asked them what they were working on. I complimented their hair, their costume, or their story. It was a lot of work, and it definitely drained my social battery, but every interaction was genuine, and they all made me a better networker for the future.

There was one instance where I was sitting in the hall during a breakout session (all the classes were full), so I found my way to the next class I wanted to go to, intending to wait outside for the breakout to end. That plan changed when I saw the agent I had pitched to the day before sitting outside the class.

I asked her if I could sit by her, and we struck up a conversation. I asked her about her career, and I felt like we made a connection. I didn’t ask her what she thought about my book. I didn’t ask her when she would get back to me about representation. We just talked like normal people. 

I don’t know yet if that conversation will make a difference in her consideration of The Hole in the Sky, but I do know that my mindset to be curious about other people prepared me for my conversation with her.

“Have Courage and Be Kind”

This quote from Cinderella (2015) has stuck with me since I saw it. It is especially applicable to what I learned last weekend at LTUE. If you are dealing with a trial or striving toward a lofty goal, remember to “have courage and be kind.” 

Want more encouragement? I send out a monthly newsletter to readers of sci-fi and fantasy who dare to keep fighting. Subscribe below, and get access to the newsletter content, as well as the first chapter of The Hole in the Sky.