Alex Shalman . comPractical Personal Development

This article is part of The Virtuous Human Series.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Lewis Howes.

“It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more ‘manhood’ to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind.”
~Alex Karras

Strength — Capable of exerting great force. Something or someone that gives one strength or is a source of power or encouragement; sustenance.

The normal conception may be to relate the word ‘strength’ to a few things: muscular, powerful, overbearing, or even the younger juiced up Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the ideas of Alex Karras, relating to individuals instead of over powering them demonstrates strength more than anything. WHAT?!?!? You mean I can exude strength without displaying the gun show? (My biceps that is

Yes ladies and gentlemen, that’s right; it takes more strength to control your mind over being able to bench press 1000 pounds. Karras says that toughness lies in the soul and the spirit, not merely in your muscles and definitely not in an immature mind. If you can understand that strength is much more than mere physical nature, rather how you portray your true light about yourself and others in a positive manner, then you are well on your way to living a life of POWERFUL strength! There are a few things you can do daily to gain this inner strength.

3 ways to show your strength (internally):

1. Be Accountable- Be accountable for the mistakes you make. Not being accountable is insecurity, and by hiding our mistakes or blaming others for something that was our fault does not showcase our inner courage. Instead, be willing to accept the blame for something and show how accountable you can be, others will see this courage you possess and appreciate the strength it takes for you to do this.
2. Understanding- You don’t need to stick out your chest, raise your voice, or puff up your cheeks to be more powerful when in a dispute with others. The more you are able to relate and truly take the time to understand a viewpoint from the other persons shoes, that person will ultimately appreciate the strength it took to listen to their opinion and find a way to have a mutually beneficial conclusion. It is better to resolve a conflict than to start a war; the person who resolves it before there are casualties is the real hero.
3. Continue to Give- Teaching, sharing your knowledge, time, or your money is a way to show inner strength. So many of us (I am to blame as well) are scared to give up our time or other physical possessions because we are uncertain about the future. In reality, the more you give, the more you will receive in return, and the more lives you will be able to impact. Strength is about lifting others to their highest sense (not lifting weights), and what better way than to give them something (physical or mentally) that can help them find their own inner strength.

This post is part of The Virtuous Human Series. There will be many articles in this series — make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!

This is a guest post by Lewis Howes.