This is an image from Mayur Shelkhe’s video, where he is saving a child from being hit by a speeding train. The lady with the child was visually impaired, so she was unable to help. It was a huge risk that Mayur took, because he himself could have been hit by the train too. What motivated Mayur to take this risk? 

The two emotions he must have experienced were empathy and fear. He made a decision to go with empathy and overcome his fear. This is moral courage. Many times moral courage is needed to activate empathy.  

Standing up for oneself needs courage, but standing up for another person needs courage and selflessness. It is the selflessness that helps us overcome our fear of the consequences. 

Many of us avoid getting involved in another person’s cause to avoid social consequences (what will people think of me, will people start ignoring me, etc.) Other times the consequences can be more severe, including life and death.

We can avoid helping another person, but we can’t avoid the inner voice that berates us telling us that we are cowardly and selfish. 

This inner conflict can be very stressful. The world is full of millions of people and millions of causes that need support. Obviously, we can’t offer help to everyone. However, we can make an attempt to stand up for our loved ones and people we interact with regularly, (excluding times people need to fight their own battles for their own good). 

Self Reflection

  1. Think through the last few years, have you come across any situation where you felt that someone really needed you to stand up for him/her, yet you did not?
  2. What was the fear in your mind that stopped you? Was it a fear of social consequences, or was it more severe like life and death? Or was it simply not wanting to make the effort? What else?
  3. How did you feel about yourself after not standing up? Is there regret or remorse?
  4. What will you do next time such a situation arises?

References:

Follow me on Linkedin for insightful content on self-development, leadership, anything and everything that makes us and our lives better. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gulshanwalia/