Coaching for Courage

By Sarah Lyman Kravits, LifeBound Director of Training and Certification | Oct 28, 2025

Small Steps Move Coachees Forward

The life of Dr. Jane Goodall, a renowned primatologist who died this month at 91 years of age, demonstrates the power of courage. Dr. Goodall conducted years of groundbreaking research on chimpanzees that required her to face constant challenges and dangers in the wild. Through her work and notoriety, she also opened doors for women, in both primatology as well as scientific research more broadly. She became a leading voice in conservation efforts and quite literally worked until the day she died, which occurred in the midst of a speaking tour.

As an academic coach, I find that courage is one of the most necessary ingredients for learning and growth — and also one of the most elusive. Many students work hard to summon up courage for things like talking to an esteemed professor, owning having overslept and missed an exam, or overcoming social anxiety to contribute to classroom discussion. Additionally, even as inspiring stories like Dr. Goodall's are readily available on multiple social media platforms and on the web, such stories can be somewhat of a double-edged sword. Even as they inspire some, they can intimidate others who feel they cannot achieve anything close to that level of success.

When we encounter coachees who doubt their courage or are intimidated by stories of success, we can help by:

Asking questions that illuminate recent courage: "What did you do in the past week that took some courage? How did that action make you feel?"
Breaking inspiring stories down into pieces that illustrate small, effortful, often non-linear steps toward a courageous life — for example, talking about what Dr. Goodall had to face in a single day living and working in the African rain forest.
Shifting perspective on what constitutes courage: "How might a small action be courageous? What small task do you feel would require courage of you right now?"
Inviting a connection to self-care: "What would feel courageous to do this week — and how would that demonstrate caring for yourself?"

When our coachees can take small but significant courageous steps, they may be more likely to build hope that will sustain them for the journey. As this appreciative blog about Dr. Goodall notes, she believed hope was "not simply a feeling, but a tool. Hope...creates agency."

Build your toolkit for creating hope and agency in your coachees with a LifeBound training.

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Higher education is grappling with unprecedented challenges—rising mental health crises, the need for greater career readiness, and the unfortunate reality that many students struggle to secure meaningful employment or are let go shortly after starting. These issues affect not only individual students but also university outcomes like enrollment, retention, and long-term institutional success.

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