Prototype Woman Protocol #1: Stop Waiting for Confidence. Start Moving in Courage.
The Challenge
I’m a former HR Executive with 20+ years of experience leading people through every imaginable crisis. I’ve led during the era of Mask Mandates, I’ve led through key leadership transitions, I’ve refereed stand-offs between employees and managers, navigated severe illness, death, breakdowns, and burnout—and I grew a deeper love for people even when the weight and realities that came with them were breaking me.
What I learned? The hardest battles are never about policies, pay, or performance. The hardest battles are about change.
Confidence
Confidence is defined as a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.
And here’s what I keep hearing women say:
“I wish I had the confidence to wear red lipstick.”
“I wish I had the confidence to share my story.”
“I wish I had the confidence to start over.”
When you strip it down, these aren’t shallow wishes. They’re confessions of fear. Fear of living fully. Fear of joy. Fear of what might happen if they actually went for it.
Confidence is good, but it’s also limited. It often shows up after success, after mastery, experience, or reward. And even then, it’s shaky if it isn’t rooted in Christ.
Worse still, the enemy targets Prototype Women right at the root of confidence, planting lies that say you’re not enough and using voices (even familiar ones) to echo the same. The attack starts early, sometimes even in the womb, because the enemy isn’t just afraid of you—he’s afraid of everyone you’ll reach if you rise.
Courage
But here’s the shift: History wasn’t built on confidence. It was built on courage.
Esther didn’t waltz into the king’s court confidently. She walked in with courage. She uttered words that still resonate today: “If I perish, I perish.”
Women throughout history who broke rules, defied policy, and risked it all were not overflowing with confidence. They were overflowing with courage—the conviction that what they were fighting for mattered more than their comfort, their reputation, or even their lives.
Confidence looks inward. Courage looks upward.
Confidence asks, Am I ready? Courage declares, If God called me, I’ll go.
Confidence is optional. Courage is essential.
Building Courage
So how do you build courage?
You get around women who pivot, change, and reinvent when God says move.
You listen to their stories, watch their actions, and ask your questions.
You practice in the small things: put on the red lipstick, take the solo trip, try the new hobby.
Each small act plants a seed. And when it’s time for the big assignment—the one that feels impossible—you’ll have a harvest of courage to draw from.
Final Word
The real question isn’t: Will I ever feel confident?
The real question is: Will I be courageous when God calls my name?
So let me ask you…
👉🏽 What’s one area in your life right now where God is asking you to choose courage over confidence?
💌 Thanks for reading The Prototype Woman™.
Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
☕ If this encouraged you and you’d like to sow into this work, you can Buy Me a Latte.
💬 Have a question about faith, purpose, or calling?
Submit anonymously on the Ask Alexis Wall → Here
I’ll be answering select questions weekly through The Prototype Woman.