It’s easy to avoid antagonism, arguments, aggressive people. It’s much easier to conform and be politically correct. But if you want to learn, lead, and innovate, you have to be brave.

Being brave is always about two things: 1) speaking up and 2) taking the unpopular, but what you believe to be right position.

This is an interesting article by Peter Thiel, who co-founded PayPal, among other achievements. He talks about how great companies succeed, not by competing with each other, but by being so good at what they do, no one can provide a substitute.  I think this is also how people succeed: not because they compete with each other, but because they are great at what they do, and because not many others do the work necessary to come close.

He also talks about the problem of conformity “We never really push the envelope; we never really ask the tough questions.”  I love the last line of his article:  “And remember, we live in a world in which courage is in far shorter supply than genius.”

So don’t let the moment pass by being silent. Speak up. Be brave.