Recap: Courage to Start Your Dreams by Royal Uchenna Levi
- Rayaan Farah
- Jun 25
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 3
As a young person, it can feel like an uphill battle trying to start going for your ambitions and dreams whilst being pulled in different directions. In our latest session, Royal Uchenna Levi shared actionable advice on taking that first step to achieving your dreams in 2025. From finding your "Why" factor to building a growth mindset, this session was packed full of insights.
Why is Courage Essential in Achieving Your Dreams?
Courage as defined by the Oxford Learner's Dictionary is "the ability to do something dangerous, or to face pain or opposition, without showing fear".
Think about the challenges you face currently whether it is applying for a job or a tough task you are facing at work. Here, you have 2 options most of the time which are:
Embrace the challenge and its associated difficulties. Allow that to give you the energy to press on and resolve whatever challenge you are facing.
Allow the negativity and fear to consume you and not press on with resolving the challenge instead running away from it.
If you want to learn more on building your inner resilience, read our blog now and find your courage!
2. Finding Your Purpose, Finding Your Inner Compass
"Your why is the unshakeable foundation that sustains you".
As a young person, you have such an amazing opportunity when you leave education. The reason being you've spent so much of your life up to this point aiming for success in your education that when you leave you have a clean slate. A clean slate to find what drives you, what interests you and ultimately what your purpose is!
Why is this so important you ask? Well, Royal mentioned the importance of finding his "Why" in his career so far as it has helped him navigate tough situations at work, keep on going in the downtimes and guide him when making important decisions.
Everyone has a "Why" that drives them from elite athletes through to your parents. So, find yours and use that as an compass to guide you in the right direction! To kickstart finding your "Why", ask yourself some of the discovery questions below:
What are your Top 5 values? |
What are your non-negotiables (the things you do not stand for) |
What impression do you want to leave on people? |
What do you do which gives you energy and drive? |
What do you do which takes away from your energy and leaves you feeling dissatisfied? |
Cultivating a Growth Mindset
"I never lose. I either win or learn." Nelson Mandela
A growth mindset is about embracing mistakes, learning every day and always humbling yourself! You don't lose or fail rather you learn from it.
Think about some of the most successful people on Earth and how they cultivated a growth mindset:
Oprah Winfrey's journey from poverty to a media empire demonstrates her resilience and will to keep on going even if she made mistakes.
The inventor of the light bulb, Thomas Edison who said "“I have not failed 10,000 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work."
Michael Jordan who went on to become one of the greatest to play basketball would say "Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion".
Do you think they gave up at every hurdle, every rejection or every mistake made? Rather, they took it as a learning opportunity to improve and get better!
Start Taking Action from Today!
"Start pursuing your dreams now. Don't start for the perfect time!"
The key message Royal delivered was on taking action from today. Don't wait for tomorrow, next month or next year. Start today!
It doesn't have to be transformative and change your entire habits overnight. Instead, take small actionable steps, build small wins and see the impact compound:
Repeating to yourself each morning that "whatever mistake I make is OK instead it's an opportunity for me to learn".
When you have some free time (a break or during the weekend), work on finding your "Why" and understand what are your internal drivers (is it helping others, is it being creative or is it about leaving a legacy).
Ask someone close to you (a family member or friend) to be an accountability partner and to remind you about maintaining a growth mindset and not to feel like you've failed.
To guide you in taking that first step, learn from someone who has been in your shoes, failed numerous times and still kept on going! Read Hafsa's blog below packed full of insights on taking action and driving yourself forward.
You Are Not Alone in This
"What is Courage?"
Well, courage is the sum of finding your purpose, having a growth mindset, being set on taking action coupled with a long-term vision and building strong relationships with people who uplift you.
Courage = Purpose + Vision + Growth Mindset + Supportive People+ Willingness to Act
So, start your journey today to find your courage, lock in on your long-term vision for your career and go out there to achieve your dreams and ambitions! From the likes of Nelson Mandela through to our very own, Royal achieved what they wanted to by being clear on their vision, purpose and not being afraid to act upon their own ambitions.
Let's take the first step in achieving your dreams. Connect with Royal on LinkedIn below for any further questions:
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