Be Brave

In my list of recent insights, I included “Be Brave”. This one has special meaning to me.

What do you think of when you picture bravery? Is it the hero charging into battle, sword drawn and oblivious to danger? Or is it the person with teeth chattering in fear, a feeling of dread in their stomach, that grits their teeth and steps forward?

One is being fearless, the other is being brave.

We often confuse these two concepts, but they are not the same. Fearlessness is about who you are, but courage is about what you do. Courage is being afraid yet proceeding anyway.

I like to sarcastically joke that I am afraid so often that I get plenty of chances to be brave. There is a core of truth to that though.

I succeed more often than I used to at being brave, but I still fail miserably at it as well. Some of my worst recent mistakes have been when my courage failed me. Cowardice and selfishness are intimately linked, and following fear’s council will often lead to others being hurt.

The good thing about courage being action though… You have to choose it over and over again, but that also means that each occasion is a new chance.

Fortuna fortes adiuvat: often translated as fortune favours the bold, but I prefer to see it as good things come to those who choose to be brave.