What Is Courage?
We have heard about it many times, we use this word in many of our conversations, it has been celebrated in countless epic films, it is something we encourage our children and loved ones to embrace, and it is the strength we have drawn upon on many occasions throughout our lives. Yet perhaps we have never paused to discover its deeper meaning.
In dictionaries, courage is defined as the human virtue of those who are strong and do not lose heart in the face of danger.
A courageous person is someone who faces difficulties without backing down and who is not defeated by physical or emotional pain, confronting suffering and danger head-on despite uncertainty and intimidation.
Do you know where the word courage comes from? From the Latin cor habeo, which literally means “I have heart.”
I find it particularly interesting that facing something with courage implies doing it with your heart—that is, with the most intimate and profound part of the human being.
So, what does all of this have to do with work? How does courage become an essential part of every successful worker, professional, or company?
The answer is probably quite obvious and spontaneous, but let me elaborate for a moment on its importance.
Every Business and Professional Must Know How to Take Risks
“In life, one must never resign oneself, surrender to mediocrity; instead, one must step out of that grey area where everything is habit and passive resignation and cultivate the courage to rebel.” – These were the words of Nobel Prize winner in Medicine Rita Levi-Montalcini.
When you truly believe in something at work, the courage to challenge the ordinary, to create new paths, new methods, and new possibilities will inevitably manifest itself through bold and fearless actions.
You do not work at an average level simply because everyone else does. You do not conform to industry mediocrity. Instead, you seek new ways to serve the customer, striving to give your very best, even when the customer does not immediately recognize it as such.
Sometimes you must encourage a client to choose one product over another because you KNOW it is the right choice for them. Sometimes you must adopt strategies that you know will drive a certain type of audience away.
And sometimes you must know how to say NO to certain things and requests, even when your client insists, because they do not align with your philosophy of work or with what you believe in—naturally running the risk of losing business opportunities and becoming “unpopular.”
As for us, what have we had the courage to give up?
Our “No’s”
- We said NO to skimmer pools, focusing exclusively on the construction of high-end infinity pools. How many potential clients have we lost because of this?
- We said NO to building steel pools with less than a 20-year warranty. They might cost less for the client, but we know that, in the long term, a pool with an adequate warranty pays off enormously.
- We said NO to the use of PVC unless it is strictly necessary (for example, in steel pools).
- We said NO to outsourcing. We prefer a well-trained in-house team that is proud of its work and eager to deliver the best possible result to our clients.
- We said NO to clients who are not prepared regarding the fundamental materials related to the pools we provide at the beginning of our journey together. Our policy is not to provide consultation until these materials have been read and understood. Only the best clients are willing to follow this process, and they are precisely the clients we have chosen to serve.
- We said NO to building pools that are merely “average,” like so many others—without distinctive features, without the use of high-quality materials and accessories, or without cutting-edge technologies. Furthermore, we adopt only highly aesthetic solutions because that is our trademark and what we want to present to those who turn to us.
NO to any mediocre project, even if that means losing the deal.
Results
Where has all this led us?
Well, sometimes to a few complaints, sometimes to losing a few deals, and sometimes to difficult moments to overcome, but often, and above all, to attracting all those clients who share and identify with our philosophy.
And always to the creation of beautifully executed projects, both from a technical and an aesthetic standpoint; all achieved thanks to our persistence and our courage to remain consistent and to be bold in our requests and proposals.
I hope you appreciate our transparency and the clarity with which we explain how we work.
I hope you appreciate our company’s courage to dare.
And above all, I hope you appreciate how much heart we put into everything we do.
So, if you think like we do and would like to create a wonderful overflow pool, contact us today to schedule an appointment.
