Inspire Me

Courage

Courage is a very special human quality — and some would say it’s becoming increasingly rare.

Courage is the trait the ancient Greeks held to be the foundation of all other virtues. What's the difference between an average leader and a great leader? Between an average parent and an outstanding one? Between a worker who steps up in all situations and one who hides in the background? The difference is courage.

What makes some people crack under pressure — whether in warfare or business — while others seem to push themselves past their limits? Courage, or the lack thereof.

Finally, why is it that some people challenge themselves to the limit — they even attempt the impossible — while others never get off the sofa? You should know the answer by now.

Courage is often understood to have two categories: physical and moral. Physical courage is the willingness to face serious risk to life or limb instead of fleeing from it. Moral courage is the firmness of spirit that faces danger or difficulty without flinching or retreating. The Civil War General William T. Sherman understood courage in almost mathematical terms. He said, “Courage is awareness of the true measure of danger, and the mental willingness to endure it.”

John Wayne put it more simply: “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.”

Courage has been the mark of class acts throughout history, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Confronted with the same choices, some people stand up to accept the challenge, while others shrink away.

What about you? Do you feel courageous? Of necessity, a discussion of courage must also be a discussion of fear.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle made this point more two thousand years ago. Courage is not the absence of fear, but how you react to it.

Faced with a charging lion or a maxed-out charge card, two people may both feel fear. But the courageous individual takes on the challenge, while the other does nothing. Courage still matters — more than we think.
Without courage, everything becomes fragile.
Winston Churchill called courage "the first of human qualities, because it guarantees all the others." That's what we mean by the courage of our convictions.
If we lack the courage to hold on to our beliefs in the moment of their testing, not just when they accord with those of others but also when they go against threatening opposition, then our beliefs mean nothing.

Courage doesn’t always need to express itself in wars, Arctic expeditions, or climbing mountains. Joining a fitness club can be an act of courage if you’ve gotten out of shape.
In your career, you can display courage by fighting for an idea or a project you believe in, even if others don't agree with you.

The point is this: Courage is an energy that manifests in our everyday lives by helping us control our fears. Even if fear is not completely overcome, it no longer holds dominion over our actions. We still feel fear, but how we react to that fear can demonstrate courage to the world.

Of all the infinite varieties of fear, probably the most dangerous in the modern world is the fear of failure. Most of us are no longer faced with life-threatening adversaries. But we are faced with issues that can ruin our financial life, or the life of our careers. Very often that kind of fear boils down to a simple question: How does the possibility of success stack up against the risk of failure? Anyone who has ever wanted something badly enough in life has experienced the fear that comes with the possibility of failing. The greater the potential achievement, the greater the fear can be.

I took this off the monthly newsletter of Nightingale Conant. I felt compelled to share.

When I moved to Park City and opened up my new dream shop, I had to face many fears, the biggest was my fear of failure. It takes a lot of courage to live life to the fullest, growing emotional muscle will help you find courage. I decided to take the dice and roll, expecting to hit double sixes. No matter where the dice lands I am glad I rolled.

Happy Trails, Traveled and Untraveled,

Danna