You are under the unfortunate delusion that simply because you run away from danger, you have no courage. You’re confusing courage with wisdom.
—Unknown
Do not fear, for those who are with us, are more than those who are with them.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Courage is grace under pressure.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
Courage is spelled I-N-T-E-G-R-I-T-Y.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
One who never turned his back but marched breast forward,
Never doubted clouds would break,
Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph.
Held we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better,
Sleep to wake.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.
—Unknown
It is easy enough to be pleasant, When life flows by like a song. But the man worthwhile is the one who can smile, when everything goes dead wrong. For the test of the heart is troubled, And it always comes with the years. And the smiles that is worth the praises of earth is the smile that shines through tears.
—Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919) American Poet, Journalist
Heroism, the Caucasian mountaineers say, is endurance for one moment more.
—George F. Kennan (1904–2005) American Writer, Diplomat
Facing it, always facing it, that’s the way to get through. Face it.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
The better part of courage is the courage of having done the thing before.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
I’d rather give my life than be afraid to give it.
—Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–73) American Head of State, Political leader
At the bottom of not a little of the bravery that appears in the world, there lurks a miserable cowardice. Men will face powder and steel because they have not the courage to face public opinion.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
What you RESIST, PERSISTS. If you take ownership and deal with things that are bothering you, then, in the very process of dealing with them they very often will go away.
—Indian Proverb
The brave and bold persist even against fortune; the timid and cowardly rush to despair though fear alone.
—Tacitus (56–117) Roman Orator, Historian
I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this Government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
That’s a valiant flea that dares eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Common experience shows how much rarer is moral courage than physical bravery. A thousand men will march to the mouth of the cannon where one man will dare espouse an unpopular cause.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
A timid person is frightened before a danger; a coward during the time; and a courageous person afterward.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
We must constantly build dykes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he who loses his courage loses all.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
The burden which is well borne becomes light.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Noah was a brave man to sail in a wooden boat with two termites.
—Indian Proverb
You take a number of small steps which you believe are right, thinking maybe tomorrow somebody will treat this as a dangerous provocation. And then you wait. If there is no reaction, you take another step: courage is only an accumulation of small steps.
—Gyorgy Konrad (1933–2019) Hungarian Novelist, Sociologist, Essayist
The pressure of adversity does not affect the mind of the brave man. It is more powerful than external circumstances.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
All brave men love; for he only is brave who has affections to fight for, whether in the daily battle of life, or in physical contests.
—Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–64) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because as has been said, it is the quality which guarantees all others.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Pugnacity is a form of courage, but a very bad form.
—Sinclair Lewis (1885–1951) American Novelist, Short-Story Writer
Courage consists in equality to the problem before us.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
It is amidst great perils we see brave hearts.
—Jean-Francois Regnard (1655–1709) French Dramatist
The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.
The soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things;
Knows not the livid loneliness of fear;
Nor mountain heights where bitter joy can hear
The sound of wings.
—Amelia Earhart (1897–1937) American Aviator
One who lacks courage to start has already finished
—Indian Proverb
The courage we desire and prize is not the courage to die decently, but to live manfully.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
I would define true courage to be a perfect sensibility of the measure of danger, and a mental willingness to endure it.
—William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–91) American Military Leader, Businessperson, Educator
No one reaches a high position without daring.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
Last, but by no means least, courage-moral courage, the courage of one’s convictions, the courage to see things through. The world ;is in a constant conspiracy against the brave. It’s the age-old struggle-the roar of the crowd on one side and the voice of your ;conscience on the other.
—Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964) American Military Leader
Courage means to keep working a relationship, to continue seeking solutions to difficult problems, and to stay focused during stressful periods.
—Denis Waitley (b.1933) American Motivational Speaker, Author
We are very much what others think of us. The reception our observations meet with gives us courage to proceed, or damps our efforts.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Courage is knowing what not to fear.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Boldness is a mask for fear, however great.
—Lucan (Marcus Annaeus Lucanus) (39–65 CE) Roman Statesman, Latin Poet
Courage follows action.
—Mack R. Douglas
A strong man and a waterfall always channel their own path.
—Unknown
Rest not. Life is sweeping by; go and dare before you die. Something mighty and sublime, leave behind to conquer time.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; the hardest victory is over self.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Good courage in a bad affair is half of the evil overcome.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
A warrior chooses a path with heart, any path with heart, and follows it; and then he rejoices and laughs. He knows because he sees that his life will be over altogether too soon. He sees that nothing is more important than anything else.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
It takes courage to attempt the impossible. What would we think of Moses today if when it was time to part the red sea, he had said Why don’t you guys go build a bridge?
—Indian Proverb
If we listened to our intellect we’d never have a love affair. We’d never have a friendship. We’d never go in business because we’d be cynical: It’s gonna go wrong. Or She’s going to hurt me. Or, I’ve had a couple of bad love affairs, so therefore … Well, that’s nonsense. You’re going to miss life. You’ve got to jump off the cliff all the time and build your wings on the way down.
—Ray Bradbury (b.1920) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Until the day of his death, no man can be sure of his courage.
—Jean Anouilh (1910–87) French Dramatist