Courage is not fearlessness but the ability to conquer and overcome fear. Courage can take many forms and is not limited to physical daring.
Sometimes, standing up for your beliefs requires immense courage. Blazing a trail and daring to tread where others will not require remarkable bravery. Therefore, courage is almost always a quality that great people possess.
Courage requires the following characteristics:
Conviction
Great people do not follow blindly but know exactly where they stand. They are consistently passionate about their beliefs and never back down in the face of danger or adversity.
Confidence
Believing in yourself and what you want to achieve gives you the confidence to pursue your vision. Confidence also means trusting in your skills and capabilities. You don’t care what others think about you because your self-confidence is unshakable.
Integrity
We are all born with an inner compass that enables us to distinguish between right and wrong. Courage means not being swayed from what we know is right. It means pursuing our goals with integrity. It is not stepping on other people and selling ourselves out in the process. However, it may take longer to achieve what we want. Being loyal to your values is what is known as “the courage of your convictions”.
Leave your comfort zone
Courageous people live outside of their comfort zone. They realize that major changes may be necessary to attain their vision and are brave enough to be disruptors and masters of change.
Welcome the unknown
Treading where others have feared to tread is the height of courage. Think of how many great people have changed history by sailing unknown waters with no anchor except their blazing passion and conviction.
Great people embrace the unknown and are eager for new challenges because they have the confidence to overcome them.
The bottom line: Greatness always has a price. Great people understand that and are willing to pay it. They are ready to make great sacrifices in order to pave new roads for others to follow. However, they never lose their integrity along the way.