On Saturday, June 9, Massachusetts' Wellesley High School held its commencement, with David McCullough Jr. as its featured speaker.  McCullough is a Wellesley English teacher, and the son of the acclaimed author who made John and Abigail Adams household names.  He is also now a household name, thanks to his "You're Not Special" graduation address. (View it here.)

There's been a lot of controversy over the speech, the gist of which goes like this:  if everyone is special, then no one is.  If you're one in a million, on a planet of 6.8 billion, there are nearly 7,000 people just like you.

Wow - those are rough words and I give Mr. McCullough a huge courage kudo for saying them.  He earned it.  And he's absolutely right.  None of us is born special, or successful, or courageous.  But we can improve our odds at achieving those characteristics.  The roadmap I'm going to share with you will work for any of them.  (And remember, this is for your eyes only.  Don't worry about content, flow or grammar!)

Let's say you want to be more courageous, and let's agree that (like being special or successful) none of us is handed courage on a platter at birth. 

1. First define what courage is to you.  Is it a physical attribute, a state of mind, a specific action? Write your definition at the top of a sheet of paper.
2.  Next write down what part of your life could use a shot of courage.  An issue a work?  A misunderstanding with a friend?  A situation with your significant other?
3.  Finally, write down three possible resolutions.  That doesn't mean you'll do them all, or any of them.  You're simply examining some options.

Now, let it gel.  Set the paper aside and focus on something else for a couple of hours before going back to it.  Has your view of courage changed?  How about your possible resolutions?  Write down any changes you need and set it aside again. Go back one more time, make more changes if needed, and this time, using your roadmap, make an action plan: which resolution will you use and when will you move ahead?

You see, when we step outside of our issues, when we look at them objectively rather than in the heat of the moment, they have less power over us.  And that gives us the courage we need to address them and move on.

You're right, Mr. McCullough, none of us is born special (or successful or courageous), but if, as you suggested, we do something because we love it and believe in it, we have a better shot at becoming that one in 6.8 billion!

Live courageously!