What is real courage?

Question

Does it only exist when you actually think you will fail?

How about an example then?

Answer 1

There are a lot of great quotes out there about courage, unfortunately they all escape me at the moment. Me personally, I think courage is the ability to hold true to yourself when all those around you are berating you or have changed their opinion to satisfy others.


You want an example, there was a little boy who was playing putt-putt with another little child who was handicapped. The handicapped boy missed a putt that was 5 inches from the hole. The boy, who happened to be keeping score, counted it against the handicapped boy. All the adults and the other children berated the little boy for counting such an easy shot against a handicapped child. As the round finished all the adults and children began to crowd around the little boy and call him very mean names and saying he was bad for doing that (counting the stroke against the handicapped boy) and that he should be ashamed of himself for his actions. The boy made no response and showed no emotion until his father asked him, "Why did you do that to the handicapped child"? To this, the boy looked up to his father and said, "Because you told me to treat everyone equally daddy, if anyone else missed that they would have gotten it counted against them, I didn't do it to be mean, I did it because he is just like us". To this the boy's father, the crowd, and the children had no answer and stopped berating the little boy. The handicapped child came over and told the little boy, "thank-you".

That is a 100% true story, I saw it first hand. To me, that is courage. That little boy stood there and took everything they said about him because he thought he was doing the right thing and he would not let anyone dissuade him from doing so, no matter what the repercussions were for himself.

Answer 2

wow. that was a great answer from House. I would say that real courage is something that cannot be recognized by anyone but the beholder. I don't think the person showing the courage would know what they did, but the people around would know it. Does that make any sense? My only examples would be the obvious, police, firemen/women, soldiers. Someone told me once that they don't count because they choose to put themselves in those situations, but I think that makes them even more so. They knowingly put themselves on the line day in and day out. i think the same could be said for missionaries of any religion, teachers in tense situations, and anyone who is willing to admit when they are wrong no matter what their conviction. Does any of this make any sense? Again, great answer House...

Answer 3

I think courage is deeper than just in times of failure. Courage to inhale and exhale. Yes, many living beings especially humans don't observe that. Real courage is to be able to observe your mind.

Answer 4

real courage is to put everything that you have in the line for something that you not even sure exist or will have.

Answer 5

I really like House's story, however I would define courage as: The ability to carry on doing something, even if it frightens you.

Answer 6

Courage is action despite fear.

Answer 7

real courage is when you do something that you thought you wouldn't do, so you surprise yourself by doing it.

Answer 8

Being the hero of your own life.

Answer 9

Living by your convictions no matter what the cost.

Answer 10

no one definition