Courage

We have been talking about values and so I have written four and continuing:

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-do-you-value.html

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2012/03/kindness.html

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2012/03/humility.html

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2012/03/empathy-and-gratitude.html

Quotes

What is courage? Courage is the quality of mind or spirit to face danger, fear, or vicisitudes with self-possession, confidence, valour, boldness, resolution and bravery.

Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security in preserving any other - Samuel Johnson.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear - Ambrose Redmoon.

Everyman has his own courage, and is betrayed because he seeks in himself the courage of other persons - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight - Reggie White.

Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can loose - Tom Krause.

If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it - Jesse Jackson.

It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare - Mark Twain.

Do not look upon this world with fear and loathing. Bravely face whatever the gods offer - Morihei Ueshiba.

There is no such thing bravery; only degrees of fear - John Wainwright.

Courage is knowing what not to fear - Plato.

A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, he is braver 5 minutes longer - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

A timid person is frightened before the danger, a coward during the time, and a courageous person afterward - Jean Paul Richter.

Have the courage to live. Anyone can die - Robert Cody.

Adversity

When faced with adversity, do not think that you are cursed. Rather, it is a means of discovering your own capability. It is an opportunity to measure your greatness. The fiery trials of life is a test to strengthen you. Proverbs 24: 10 says "if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small".

Great potential within us will surfaced if we do not give up too easily at times of adversity. All kinds of obstacles in our life should make us stronger and better and not bitter. Adversity will hit us at one time or another no matter where you are or who you are. 

If one knew no hardship, you will have no power of endurance. A bird may have wings but it will never fly or realise the power in its wings and fulfill its intended and original purpose if it does not jump off the nest. A ship in harbour is safe but that was not what it was built for.  

All things shall come to pass, tough times do not last forever but tough people do. All setbacks are meant for our comebacks. Stop blaming our circumstances. Richard Nixon once said: "A man is not finished if defeated. He's finished when he quits".

Obstacles and adversities are our stepping stones for each time we overcome them, we are taking a step up to go higher. The character and quality of a tea is only known when it is in hot water. All of us will have to find our own bearing and discover our wings. 

Why We Need Courage

We need courage to prepare ourselves for anything that comes our way including that bad and the unfortunate. Life is not a bed of roses. We need courage to: survive, convince ourselves, ask questions, control our instincts, see if friends trust us, see the future, forget the past, face our nemesis and our fears, to do right, to do the extraordinary, fight the odds, speak the truth, to love and hope, give us strength and fight weaknesses, face life's trials and turbulence, courage to care for others, stand up to others, make decisions, withstand peer pressure, respect others, admit defeat, listen to others, courage to live free, courage not to be a slave to anything.   

Courage is also about being man enough to admit your mistakes, saying sorry, correcting your wrong decisions, facing up to consequences, doing the right things when there are no rewards or when no one is watching. I have told you that all these values are intertwined latching on to one another. If you missed one you may not have connected to the rest. Courage is one of the the first before any other virtues. Courage above all is a choice.


Do you have courage? Let courage be our name!

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