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Quote of the Day: Courage

Susan Quinn
@SusanQuinn
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Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
--Mark Twain

Over the years I have seen many definitions of courage. They always touch me and inspire me. But this quotation by Twain especially had a unique effect on me. I’m not sure if it was the timing of his words or how he defined courage, but the definition resonated with me. I thought I would use his words as a way to reflect on my own life.

First, he says that courage is resistance to fear. What does that mean? To me, it means that when something intimidating or frightening shows up to do my best to resist its impact. I notice my emotional and physical reaction; my breath might quicken, or I feel the fear in the pit of my stomach. But then I take a deep breath and speak to the fear: what is it trying to tell me? Is the fear legitimate? Or is it simply a reaction to the unfamiliar? Almost all of the time, and fairly quickly, I realize that the fear is an instinctive reaction alerting me to a situation that might be significant. And just as quickly, I usually realize that my reaction is simply primal and not useful.

I have had to take this approach most of my life. I’ve lived with instinctual fear, and become more capable of letting it go and moving on to those things that strengthen and lead to empowerment. My growth has been slow, and sometimes I still fall into my old habit of indulging the fear, but mostly I’ve learned to resist it. And that is a very satisfying outcome.

Twain also talks about mastery of fear, which is similar to resisting it. When I master my fear, I find that the unsettling moment is conquered with firmness and dedication. I don’t have to go through all the machinations of analyzing and speaking to the fear. I just ban it to the past and celebrate my ability to do that.

When is my courage challenged? Generally, it’s when dealing with the strange or unfamiliar, especially when researching the trials that the world presents, even when they are not happening directly to me. What will be the future of anti-Semitism? Should I feel personally threatened, or simply realize that it exists just like the air I breathe? What about the war in Iran? Or the mixed perceptions of the economy?

And then I realize that courage really means facing all these questions and realizing that there is little I can do about most of them. The world will always be in turmoil. And that's okay, because it is also full of blessings and opportunity.

Courage means facing all of it: not allowing the disorder to create chaos, and reminding myself—regularly—that I have much to be thankful for. That truth gives me the courage to experience my life, one day at a time.

This post was promoted to the Main Feed at the recommendation of Ricochet's members.

Discussion (5)

  • Old Bathos@OldBathos

    The majority is browbeat by a loud, violent minority. The one-two punch of loud angry harridans who are impervious to normal discourse combined with Antifa thugs and Muslim enforcers cause normals to shy away from confrontation. Normals do not form angry mobs. We do not assassinate those who criticize us. It tales a lot for us to demand firing --gross incompetence, credential fraud, plagiarism, felonies but not mere ideological stupidity.

    The other side makes use of fear while pretending to be in fear of imaginary white nationalist/ Christianist/ Zionist militia hordes.

    Pushback requires courage in many settings. Not sure how we buck each other up in ways to effect that needed change.

  • Susan Quinn@SusanQuinn
    ReplyingtoOld Bathos

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    Pushback requires courage in many settings. Not sure how we buck each other up in ways to effect that needed change.

    I'm not sure how to do it, either. Many people don't realize they are demonstrating a lack of courage; they probably see themselves as showing common sense, not taking it seriously, not wanting to alienate people. I don't know if there's ever a point when people will say, enough is enough. At that point, it may be too late. Thanks, OB.

  • Rodin@Rodin
    ReplyingtoSusan Quinn

    Old Bathos (View Comment):
    Pushback requires courage in many settings. Not sure how we buck each other up in ways to effect that needed change.

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I’m not sure how to do it, either. Many people don’t realize they are demonstrating a lack of courage; they probably see themselves as showing common sense, not taking it seriously, not wanting to alienate people. I don’t know if there’s ever a point when people will say, enough is enough. At that point, it may be too late. Thanks, OB.

    “America—love it or leave it” was a slogan that last century seemed Neanderthal in its reasoning. This century we may regret that not being official policy.

  • Susan Quinn@SusanQuinn
    ReplyingtoRodin

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    Pushback requires courage in many settings. Not sure how we buck each other up in ways to effect that needed change.

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I’m not sure how to do it, either. Many people don’t realize they are demonstrating a lack of courage; they probably see themselves as showing common sense, not taking it seriously, not wanting to alienate people. I don’t know if there’s ever a point when people will say, enough is enough. At that point, it may be too late. Thanks, OB.

    Rodin (View Comment):

    “America—love it or leave it” was a slogan that last century seemed Neanderthal in its reasoning. This century we may regret that not being official policy.

    More and more I say that to myself--if you hate it so much, just go! I doubt they'd pay attention...