Feel The Fear And Do It Anyways

When we begin to discuss the topic of courage, it’s important to clarify that a courageous person is not someone who has no fears, but rather someone who is able to overcome their fears- they are not afraid of their fear.

As human beings, we have a basic need for certainty. We want to know what will happen tomorrow or the day after. We want to be sure that we’ll have food, income, friends, and so on. Fear shakes this sense of certainty and casts the future into a fog of the unknown. And yet, the courageous person manages to move beyond the fear and continue functioning in spite of the uncertainty.

They initiate relationships with others, even though they can’t be sure how the other person will respond. They know they may encounter offensive or hurtful reactions; they know they may feel bad or uncomfortable—but they are willing to take the risk and act bravely, despite the fear.

Similarly, a courageous person can face criticism or discomfort—not because it feels good, but because they believe in themselves enough that the discomfort won’t break them or impair their ability to function. They are confident that, in the end, the good in them will prevail—despite occasional criticism. Because of this, they are even able to accept the constructive part of criticism and grow from it.
This ability gives them the strength to look beyond the momentary discomfort and focus on the future they believe awaits them.

Like most human traits, courage is a positive quality only when present in the right dose. A courageous person is one who is willing to take risks and act in uncertain conditions when it’s justified. But a person who acts under uncertainty when it’s unnecessary, or where the risk is too great, suffers from too much courage—what we would call recklessness.

At that point, we’re no longer talking about a positive trait, but quite the opposite. Recklessness might produce short-term success, but in the long run, it almost always proves ineffective. It’s often found in younger people whose sense of responsibility has not yet fully matured. A reckless person might say whatever they want, to whomever they want, whenever they want—and assume that’s courage. But in truth, it’s impulsiveness, stemming from poor character traits.

Over time, as people face the consequences of their reckless behavior, there’s a fair chance they will become more balanced and thoughtful.

Courage in Everyday Life

Often, people come up with great ideas—but they bury them out of fear of failure. They believe they lack the reputation, support, or resources needed to bring their ideas to life. Factually, they may be right. But in practice, a courageous person manages to implement their ideas even without social support, reputation, or resources—because their courage and self-belief help them attract those very resources.

A courageous person doesn't wait for external approval before acting. They welcome constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement—but overall, their focus is on moving forward. They feel secure enough with the internal validation they give themselves, and their personal identification with their ideas or decisions.

This is a very delicate balance: On one hand, the courageous person believes in themselves; on the other hand, they do not ignore the problems or difficulties that may arise along the way.

We’d all prefer to begin our journey with applause and encouragement from those around us, but most of the time, that just doesn’t happen. Usually, it’s up to us to take initiative and act courageously, willing to take calculated risks—and only then might the applause come. The courageous person, then, is not driven by the support they receive from others, but by their inner strength.

The Role of Optimism

Optimism is rightly considered a positive trait. But it’s important to understand what it really means: An optimist isn’t someone who believes everything will be fine, but believes that ultimately things will work out for the good—in spite of the problems, obstacles, and difficulties that may appear along the way.

In this sense, the optimist differs from the pessimist, who believes everything will go wrong, and from the naive person, who believes everything is already perfect.