courage - what does it mean to you?
By whyaskq
@whyaskq (7523)
Singapore
April 24, 2007 11:55am CST
Is it having the guts to be naive and do silly things?
Or is it like what Bernadette Devlin says "Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win."?
Or do you agree with what Winston Churchill believes - going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm?
All this itself, may not clearly illustrate what is courage. Perhaps this little joke helps :)
A graduating student was attempting a paper on courage. After writing about half a page on it, he found that the more he wrote, the more confused he got over the topic. He decided to take a drastic action and show what it means by courage. He tore away the page and wrote three big words on the page "This is Courage!".
Do you agree what the student did is courage? Are you that courageous? Do share any examples of courage which you have, or have seen or what you do you think courage is. Thanks.
8 people like this
24 responses
@Darkwing (21583)
•
25 Apr 07
I think Winston Churchill's quote is the closest to my understanding of courage. Of course, he was a pagan, so I'm bound to agree.
I would describe courage as confronting every obstacle, face to face, and getting up each time you get knocked down until you are securely on your path to your life goal. "Never say die" is a good motto.
There's a couple of good quotes here, which i found....
Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground. anonymous
He who gains victory over other men is strong; but he who gains victory over himself is all powerful.
Lao-Tzu
Oh, so true. Thank you for this discussion Why and Brightest Blessings.
@alchemistrx (2547)
• Philippines
25 Apr 07
You have so many inspiring quotes about courage.It's true that courage is based on the fact that if we fail we have the undying quest to get up where we failed.
2 people like this
@DeaXyza (577)
• United States
29 Apr 07
Courage for me is to stay and fight. To not tell the truth if it is of no use but would hurt someone instead. Courage for me is to give my life for my enemy if it is for the greater good of the world/or the people in it. Courage is to not quit when the going gets tough but to fight and win. Courage is to put an idea forward even if it seems not so great in your mind. courage is to take on a tyrant skilfully and smartly. Courage is to fight for your principles and freedom.
That guy who tore the paper I will say had raw guts but according to me is stupid 'cos he is getting no marks for tearing up his paper and hence failing and ultimately not graduating he is a risk taker and not courageous if he was courageous he would have re-aligned his thoughts and would have written the paper well. what say you? :)
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
25 Apr 07
Courage means to me that you do something that scares you to do normally
To me courage was that I eventually stood up to my Ex Husband and it took me 21 years to do that
I would also say it is Courage to stand up to life with the Obstacles and trials that get put our Way
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
25 Apr 07
Courage, I think has wider meaning in different senses and on different occasions. Posting a reply to your discussion... may also be termed as courage on my part.... LOL.
A thief stealing something is also be termed as courage. Confronting your boss..catching the bull by horn is also a form of courage. For that matter confronting your egotist partner can also come into a defination of 'courage'. Courage is subjective ... it is that art... which is used.... when one is normally not supposed to use it.
Going into a wed-lock is also a sign of great courage LOL!
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
3 May 07
Thanks dear for showing courage to comment on my reply. LOL!
deepak
1 person likes this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
24 Apr 07
Oh my bighead, Is there anything that I can do to stop being courageous. I can easily slay a dragon, I can easily stand up on my own now, but I'm getting weary of trying to be courageous all by myself.
I agree that the student is courageous enough to write down the three simple words. He knows what the consequence will be anyway. In my case, I may look courageous but deep inside, there is still the little bunny in me who needs a proper guiding support. :)
1 person likes this
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
5 May 07
I think there are foolhardy actions that appear courageous but they are only naive.
I think real courage is knowing how risky something is, and finding the nerve and steadiness to do it anyway. You might not even necisarily succeed, but just making the attempt is brave in itself.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
25 Apr 07
that's true. the more you dig into what courage really is, you find yourself more confused. and that is a funny fact there. hehe.
well, for me, courage is doing what you want and plan in life. but being responsible in whatever the outcome of your acts may be. when you fail, you get up and try to fix things. if it won't really work out for you, then, let it go and try something new. that is courage for me.
anne
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
28 Apr 07
Silly but yes I think he was very courageous in doing what he did however I don't think I could ever do that :) I on the other hand have always had the courage to step out of my comfort zone and try something different and new from applying for more senior positions to moving to two different countries and adapting quite well to both.
I think having courage is to be able to step out of your comfort zone and experience things you have never tried before, whether they be little experiences or big ones and whether they work for you or not, at least you gave it a try, learnt from it and are able to move on from it.
@keithstieneke (823)
• Lincoln, Nebraska
26 Apr 07
Courage to me means being willing and able to take risks to advance yourself and those around you. It also means being willing to sacrifice yourself for your loved ones. I wouldn't necessarily say that what that student did was courage but rather a bit idiotic in some respects.
@samrat16 (2442)
• India
25 Apr 07
The thing which this student did wasn't courage , this was kind of stupid act. Anyway can't stop admiring him for his act. Courage for me is to be what we are. Have the courage to do the things I want. On the contrary, having courage is one but shirking from responsibility is another of concern. Between the right and wrong, we must have the courage to select the proper course of action, which deem favorable with no disagreement from those having a part in the decision. Similarly, we must have the courage to go against the overwhelming odds, which in your opinion has no justification whatsoever.
@dlkuku (1935)
• United States
25 Apr 07
I don't consider myself particularly courageous, but for me, it's getting up each day and facing challenges and struggles. Courage is surviving when the odds are against you. You can be terrified and still have courage. Courage is facing life head on, and sometimes it's leaning on others. Courage is opening up emotionally to someone else. And sometimes courage calls us to step back out of a situation.
I think for each person, courage is different things at different times in their lives. What courage is, is not written in stone, but defined by what life holds for each of us.
@SilentRose19 (1733)
• United States
25 Apr 07
It means standing up for what you believe in no matter what the out come, I really think that everyone has courage. They just have to show it sometimes, is a very attractive quality.
1 person likes this
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
25 Apr 07
yup. all people has courage inside of them. just that some hide it away . that is the best example. be able to face every outcome there is for all your acts...
1 person likes this
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
25 Apr 07
Courage, wow, that is a hard one to just apply one definition too. But, to me courage is helping someone when no one else will, courage is being able to stand on your own and face the world or your fears and not back down. Courage is what every law enforcement and firefighter embrace every day to do there job......Some rushed in while everyone else was rushing out! They put their lives on the line everyday for someone else, that takes courage.
@mari123 (1861)
• China
25 Apr 07
courage is possible to build up faith in oneself by having the right attitude towards one's own abilities.we should never understimate our abilities but should believe in the proverb:'where there is a will,there is a way.'courage is the promise for fulfilling a task successfully
1 person likes this
@ag_abscruzmd (2283)
• United States
25 Apr 07
I think being courageous is subjective because we have different levels of understanding it, and have different experiences in which to apply our belief of the word "courage". For me, being courageous is to be able to stand up and uphold one's beliefs despite opposition. To be courageous is also to be able to believe in one's self, that all things could be done because of one's will. To be courageous is to be able to admit defeat and/or failings, to be able to say sorry. All the things that are difficult to accept, a courageous man would be able to do. That's bravery, that's guts, that's courage. Happy myLotting!
@bluewings (3857)
•
24 Apr 07
Each one of them had discovered their own definition of courage and I feel none of them were wrong.Courage is taking your fear head on and dealing with it.Everyone needs to brave their fears at some level and that is where courage comes in,be it the first walk of a child or the first war for a soldier.If I was to choose one defition of courage ,I'd go with Churchill.It's never easy to show courage when you meet with failure in everything you do,but even then if you can stand firm and challenge your crisis then that courage and sooner or later the crisis will succumb ,if you don't.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
24 Apr 07
I don't really know what to say about this topic. I have always been a weeny weakling who does not have the courage to do what everyone else is doing. I hide in my make-believe dreams and pretend fantasy is more real than reality. I looked into myself and can't find anything. I once tore off all my clothes and ran all around the streets. No one even bothered to look at me. When you don't have courage, you don't even exist. It takes courage to exist, and even more courage to project existence.
@kawaiijamichan (773)
• Philippines
25 Apr 07
somehow what the student did was to exert an ease feeling because he is having a hard time writing his paper. it is indeed a courage to show that he put an effort writing about courage. i think "courage" is the will to pursue your doings. whatever you been doing or working its a motivation of accomplishing something that you want. it is a feeling of striving hard to successfully achieve your goal.
@mari123 (1861)
• China
25 Apr 07
courage pays a important role in our life,whatever one does,one should do it with courage.if one has no courage,there is little possibility that one would ever achieve anything,especially when one is faced with drawbacks or hardships,this truth seems to be confidence.
@amydawn11 (906)
• Canada
25 Apr 07
I think in the all of those there was courage. I think courage is many thing in many different situations.I think each person has there own view on courage and what it means to them.Something might be couageous to one person but not to another. Someone who is afraid of heights decides to climb to the top of a tall tower would probably say they used courage, but someone who does it all the time and is not afraid of heights wouldn't think that at all. It's all in the way you look at it.
