If his spirit is distorted he should simply fix it—purge it, make it perfect—because there is no other task in our entire lives which is more worthwhile … To seek the perfection of the warrior’s spirit is the only task worthy of our temporariness, our manhood.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
To fight a bull when you are not scared is nothing. And to not fight a bull when you are scared is nothing. But to fight a bull when you are scared is something.
—Unknown
A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.
—James Joyce (1882–1941) Irish Novelist, Poet
It is a brave act of valor to contemn death; but where life is more terrible than death it is then the truest valor to dare to live.
—Thomas Browne (1605–82) English Author, Physician
A person who walks in another’s tracks leaves no footprints.
—Unknown
The world’s male chivalry has perished out, but women are knights-errant to the last; and, if Cervantes had been greater still, he had made his Don a Donna.
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–61) English Poet
Better to die on one’s feet than to live on one’s knees.
—Emiliano Zapata (1879–1919) Mexican Revolutionary
Indecision is the thief of opportunity.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Courage is the ladder on which all other virtues mount.
—Clare Boothe Luce (1903–87) American Playwright, Diplomat, Journalist, Diplomat, Elected Rep
He shall fare well who confronts circumstances alight.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
The gods favor the bold.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
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 consists not in hazarding without fear, but being resolutely minded in a just cause.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Good courage in a bad affair is half of the evil overcome.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Who dares do all that may become a man, and dares no more, he is a man indeed.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Fools, through false shame, conceal their open wounds.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.
—Franklin P. Jones
As irrigators lead water where they want, as archers make their arrows straight, as carpenters carve wood, the wise shape their minds.
—Buddhist Teaching
We learn courageous action by going forward whenever fear urges us back. A little boy was asked how he learned to skate. “By getting up every time I fell down,” he answered.
—David Seabury (1885–1960) American Psychologist
It does not matter that only a few in each generation will grasp and achieve the full reality of man’s proper stature—and the rest will betray it. It is those few that move the world and give life its meaning—and it is those few that I have always sought to address. The rest are no concern of mine; it is not me or “The Fountainhead” that they will betray: it is their own souls.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
Courage conquers all things: it even gives strength to the body.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
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
The secrets of this earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
This above all—to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Audacity, audacity-always audacity.
—Frederick II of Prussia (1712–86) Prussian Monarch
Five Truths about FearTruth 1. The fear will never go away as long as I continue to grow.Truth 2. The only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is to go out and do it.Truth 3. The only way to feel better about myself is to go out… and do it.Truth 4. Not only am I going to experience fear whenever I’m on unfamiliar territory, but so is everyone else.Truth 5. Pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Don’t pay any attention to the critics. Don’t even ignore them.
—Samuel Goldwyn (1879–1974) Polish-born American Film Producer, Businessperson
Courage is the right disposition toward fear.
—Unknown
The hallmark of courage in our age of conformity is the capacity to stand on one’s convictions not obstinately or defiantly (these are gestures of defensiveness, not courage) nor as a gesture of retaliation, but simply because these are what one believes.
—Rollo May (1909–94) American Philosopher
It isn’t for the moment you are struck that you need courage, but for the long uphill climb back to sanity and faith and security.
—Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906–2001) American Aviator, Author
It takes courage to lead a life. Any life.
—Erica Jong (b.1942) American Novelist, Feminist
There are two sides to every question: my side and the wrong side.
—Oscar Levant (1906–72) American Musician, Composer, Author, Comedian, Actor
A decent boldness ever meets with friends.
—Homer (751–651 BCE) Ancient Greek Poet
You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.
—Abraham Maslow (1908–70) American Psychologist, Academic, Humanist
What you have outside you counts less than what you have inside you.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
Don’t foul, don’t flinch—hit the line hard.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
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
Awakening begins when a man realizes that he is going nowhere and does not know where to go.
—Georges Gurdjieff (1877–1949) Armenian Spiritual Leader, Occultist
Let us train our minds to desire what the situation demands.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life.
Meaning doesn’t lie in things. Meaning lies in us. When we attach value to things that aren’t love – the money, the car, the house, the prestige – we are loving things that can’t love us back. We are searching for meaning in the meaningless. Money, of itself, means nothing. Material things, of themselves, mean nothing. It’s not that they’re bad. It’s that they’re nothing.
—Marianne Williamson (b.1952) American Activist, Author, Lecturer
We can easily become as much slaves to precaution as we can to fear. Although we can never rivet our fortune so tight as to make it impregnible, we may by our excessive prudence squeeze out of the life that we are guarding so anxiously all the adventurous quality that makes it worth living.
—Randolph Bourne (1886–1918) American Writer, Scholar
Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
And have you not received faculties which will enable you to bear all that happens to you? Have you not received greatness of spirit? Have you not received courage? Have you not received endurance?
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Faint heart never won fair lady.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
Courage … is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow.
—Dorothy Thompson (1893–1961) American Journalist, Radio Personality
We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
All happiness depends on courage and work.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.
—Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist