Lions, Rewards and Stupidity
Photographer unknown
By Kerryn Vaughan
8th April 2026
In my last blog I shared 3 key elements that activate courageous action.
Safety - Reward - Values Alignment
You don't need all 3, but you do need at least one - and yes there are the occasional outliers.
I also mentioned that a friend told me 'stupidity' could also activate courage. I disagree. I honestly believe that stupidity is driven by reward.
I'm not sure about the validity of this post, but I just had to share it as a case in point:
**What began as a bizarre stunt in the Maasai Mara turned into a nightmare within seconds. A man dressed in a lion costume crawled into open grassland, dangerously close to a pride of real lions. The disguise fooled no one for long.
Moments later, the lions pounced.
Witnesses say the man was attacked and seriously injured before rangers and emergency teams intervened. He was pulled from the scene and rushed to hospital in critical condition.
Wildlife officials say the act was reckless and suicidal. The Maasai Mara is not a playground. It is a predator’s domain. Pretending to be a lion among lions is not bravery. It is a near-fatal mistake.**
We don't have to get too serious about the credibility of this story, but what a great example of stupidity to get a reward of perhaps validation, acceptance, belonging etc.
This kind of behaviour is not confident or courageous.
Courageous action builds confidence. Stupidity is an insecure attempt to display confidence or courage, but rarely is there a great outcome. Eventually people figure out you are hiding behind a costume, and trust and credibility are broken - sometimes forever.
Show up as yourself, shake in your boots if you must, and take courageous action for the right reasons - you'll be glad you did.
Kerryn Vaughan is the author of ‘Magnificent Kids!’ and ‘Get Off The Bench!’, co-founder of Girls With Hammers, and host of Get Off The Bench Podcast.
Kerryn is a leadership facilitator and the founder of Confident Leaders Program and The Confidence CAP, as well as an accredited DISC ADVANCED® consultant.