Fortune Favours the Bold

But at what cost?

Day 9 of 30 days of writing (I’m travelling a lot at the moment so there will be 30 days of writing but not necessarily consecutive!)

“They” say, “fortune favours the bold,” a phrase originally attributed to the Roman playwright Terence. It’s often used to emphasise the value of courage in achieving success. Any big investment or ambitious dream requires a leap of faith as we leave the security of what we know, take a deep breath and jump into the unknown, hoping our desires will be realised.

Desire, in itself, is healthy. It fuels human evolution, requiring us to grow and build resilience. But what if this leap is miscalculated? What if the intention behind the desire is disingenuous—driven not by authenticity but by a need to prove or uphold a perceived identity?

When desires are led by ego and ‘likes’ rather than genuine interest, expertise, purpose or wisdom, the results can be superficial and at worse harmful. An ego-driven desire is dependent on destroying anything or anyone that threatens to destabilise its success. If we let ego take control, we can start to believe our own false narratives, trample over others and lose sight of what really matters. Random acts of kindness, thoughtfulness, and compassion fall by the wayside because there’s simply no time or consideration for such fluffy things in the pursuit of ‘mission must be accomplished’ or else ‘who am I’?

Kindness is one of the simplest yet most underrated superpowers we have. And yet, it’s not “sexy.” It doesn’t sell. How many superheroes have kindness as their superpower? Sure, Paw Patrol are pretty good pups but beyond the age of five what role models are there? The Hollywood narrative of death and destruction before peace is restored, works well for blockbusters….

But kindness matters—perhaps even more than courage. Or rather, kindness matters most when courage acts as its precursor. In those moments, kindness becomes the ultimate superpower. Through kindness, people feel seen, heard and at best cared for. And in a world where eye contact and smiles are seen as suspicious and the screen as a safer refuge, random acts of kindness are needed more than ever and are pure gold.

Perhaps it takes more courage to step off the success train, sit down for a cuppa, and call the friend who is on your mind. Surely this is the real measure of success? and how we would like to be remembered?

In 2009 I was lucky enough to travel to Damascus, the kindness of the people has stayed embedded in my memory forever. I shared a taxi to Damascus from Amman with a Syrian family, they spoke no English yet they shared their sweets and money (as I didn’t have the local currency to enter) and the grandmother insisted on accompanying me, arm in arm to the hostel door. A young Syrian man also insisted on proudly giving me a tour of his City, he told me how the houses are built so close together so that when you cook, you open your windows and let the cooking smells infuse which in turn acts as the open invitation for neighbours to join, he also was very confused by the concept of ‘old peoples homes’ in the UK, he was the eldest son so his duty was to care for his elderly mother. Fast forward today when a kind lady approached me to compliment me on my jeans, we chatted warmly and l left with a skip in my step.

So look up, take a breath …..and do what really matters.