Understanding Courage
Posted in Values and Virtues on September 24th, 2007 by Erin DietrichCourage takes many forms. From the person who rushes into a burning building to save another to the individual who speaks up for what they believe. Courage can be divided into two types; something I call reflex courage and life courage. Reflex courage encompasses the quick acts of courage that are done without much thinking. This courage takes over and we act, often before we even realize what we are doing. When the 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed, for example, there were many heroes who rushed onto the bridge to save others. This is reflex courage. The individual rarely sits and evaluates their options, rather they just rush in courageously.
The second type of courage, the one that intrigues me, is life courage. This courage we can all practice daily and requires more thought and planning. Life courage has the power to transform each of us in a deep and lasting way. To cultivate life courage one must truly examine themselves, their life and act accordingly. There are several steps to this courage:
First, the action, decision or event must be examined honestly. This is the most difficult step as most of us have learned the fine art of qualifying things with layers of self deception. Pulling aside these layers of self-deception is usually quite painful and scary, as we put up many blinders to avoid seeing the truth. The first step of life courage asks one to truly understand and accept their motivations.
Once one has an understanding of the current situation, the second step of courage requires examining all of the possible choices and outcomes honestly. Again the layers of self deception must be navigated, this time to understand what possible outcomes may actually hold, not what we wish or hope them to be. It is important to avoid placing judgment on these outcomes, rather use them to gain knowledge of what is truly important to us and ascertain whether our life is being lived in accordance to the deepest core of our beliefs and values.
The third step of courage is action. After one has honestly examined all options, it is time to chose an action. This might mean sticking ones neck out, apologizing, changing directions, committing to helping another or allowing ourselves to experience joy without judgment. The most important part of this step is that any action is directly tied to an understanding and acceptance of one’s motivations, whether they are noble or embarrassing.
Lastly, to fully achieve life courage one must own their words and deeds. At this point it is important to trust oneself and be accountable for the consequences of ones individual acts of courage. One must not feel obligated to apologize for themselves, look for a scapegoat or undermine their actions because they do not fit a preconceived image of the person you should be. Being fully held accountable is the true nature of courage.
I have had times of reflex courage, but the times I have experienced deep and meaningful life courage are relatively few. I can count these instances on a single hand. As I grow, in both age and wisdom, I am watching this change.
Related Posts:
Are You A Good Person
Keeping Perspective When You’ve Bitten Off More Than You Can Chew
Understanding the Daunting Goals
Challenging Our Mental Maps
