about bravery

In this short opening reflection, I explore the quiet, daily courage that often goes unnoticed, the kind that doesn't always look bold from the outside, but yet takes everything we've got on the inside. 

This is a personal take on bravery, the moments that shape it, and why it might not be what you think.

Whether you're facing something big or simply showing up for yourself today, I hope this resonates. 

Let me know - I’d be very interested in hearing your throughts.

What is Gentlemen Let's Talk About?

About Matters that should Matter to Men

Arvind Vijay Mohan: 00:00

Let's talk about bravery. I was in a panel recently where the moderator asked me, so what's the bravest thing you've ever done, Narvind? She caught me completely off guard. I thought about it for what seemed like two, maybe three minutes, looking like a complete fool on stage. Then I bled it out something that I didn't think was quite that brave, but it was charming and funny, and it made the audience laugh out loud if I remember correctly, and the hostess blush.

Arvind Vijay Mohan: 00:31

Well done, Arvind. Played exactly as expected. But that night, I thought about that question. I repeated it in my mind over and over again. People would naturally expect a dramatic answer about that one time when I fearlessly jumped out of a plane or walked away from this 8 figure transaction simply because I didn't like the body language of the people I was supposed to be partnering with.

Arvind Vijay Mohan: 00:56

Or that one time when I charged into a fire to rescue that rare breed of a squirrel. But if I were to be plainly honest with you, I didn't charge into any fire to rescue any sort of a squirrel. That and the bravest things I personally think I've done wouldn't likely seem brave to anyone. Saying, I don't know, in a room full of people who did or at least pretended to know. Telling an industry senior, someone who I looked up to and admired deeply about how his actions had left me deeply disappointed.

Arvind Vijay Mohan: 01:33

Letting a colleague present a strategy that I'd worked on for months leading up to that day to a very important client. And then successfully fighting the urge to correct him at several points during that presentation. Not replying to that email immediately, only because my child asked me to play with her right there and then. Asking for help, not from a mentor, not from a therapist, but from my wife at 01:42AM, after pretending to be tough and mentally fighting fit for weeks. Bravery was not starting a company.

Arvind Vijay Mohan: 02:11

It was in shutting one down. And then sitting down with every single team member, not just the leadership team, but every single hand on deck to face them, look them in the eye, and share that decision personally. Bravery to me is not about being fearless. It's about being scared witless and yet somehow finding the courage to show up. Bravery is after weeks of grinding and, in spite of the upper management's pressure, telling your team, this week, your family comes first.

Arvind Vijay Mohan: 02:43

And meaning it sincerely. Bravery is choosing to be a decent human consistently, always. Not merely when it's going to be rewarded, not just when it's seen, but especially when it's not. Bravery to me isn't a moment. It's a habit.

Arvind Vijay Mohan: 03:05

It's consistent and always present. Now our world seems to be addicted to loudness, but genuine kindness is quiet. So is, in my view, bravery. And the bravest ones are the ones who go about their days with a very visible level of decency. And though these are the ones who need it the least, they are the ones who are constantly evolving, consistently.

Arvind Vijay Mohan: 03:32

So what's the bravest thing you have ever done? Tell me. I'd like to hear about it in the comments.