It was Winston Churchill that said:
“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities… because it is the quality which guarantees all others.”
Maya Angelou goes further and reminds us of the truth that:
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”
Pretty powerful stuff huh? Courage seems to be high on the important meter. Without it we are unable to be all that we were created to be.
So what is this courage thing anyway?
“The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.”
Courage is synonymous with:
Courage is the opposite of:
Courage is a common metaphor for inner strength. It is something deep inside us that seeks expression in order for us to live full and vibrant lives.
I think people grossly underestimate themselves when it comes to courage.
You see, I believe that your gifts are already inside you and one of those gifts is courage. I believe that you are Undeniably Powerful and possess all the needed attributes to stand up to fear, overcome that fear and make your dreams a reality.
Over the years I have seen and worked with countless people who, in the face of adversity, have demonstrated acts of courage and bravery. Something welled up within each one them that propelled them through the fear and into victory.
That something was courage.
They were undaunted, firm and fearless.
Their inner strength was made manifest in the midst of the storm.
They possessed a resolute firmness and backbone even when things around them were falling a part.
They were able to pick up the pieces and fashion out of them a new and exciting life.
Can you imagine how scared and fearful he was when he came home from that surgery?
Ben could have given up and lived a life of helplessness and despair.
His mother could have treated him in such a way that he would never have developed into the vibrant young man he is now.
But they didn’t.
Ben and his mom met the challenge with courage.
They fought the battle with courage.
They pushed through the darkness and paralyzing fear with courage.
They believed as Walt Disney believed, that:
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
It is time to Power UP my friends. Your dreams are out there ready for you to meet them with courage.
What does courage mean to you?
