“One of the great mistakes in life is suffering for years because you didn’t want to feel foolish for five minutes.
- You don’t want to apologize, so you let a relationship deteriorate.
- You’re scared of the sting of rejection, so you don’t ask for what you want.
- You fear people will say your idea is dumb, so you never start the business.
Nobody likes feeling foolish, but the feeling fades quickly. The willingness to endure five minutes of discomfort turns out to be a meaningful dividing line in life.”
James Clear
“Stoicism is not just invulnerability…if such a thing even exists. Stoicism is also having the self-awareness to know when you are struggling. It’s having the courage to admit when you could use a hand. It’s having the wisdom not to pretend you know the answer (you can’t learn that which you think you already know, Epictetus says). It takes daring and toughness to go to therapy—perhaps more than just white knuckling it. It’s a brave thing to share your struggles with a friend or to hire a coach or expert to help you get better at something. It takes a confident person to ask a question or admit, ‘I don’t know.’ Don’t be like the cowards who are too fragile or fearful to do this. Be truly courageous.”
Ryan Holiday
“Imagine there is a small version of you and a big version. When you are playing small, your behavior is timid, you feel less than, and you are often surrounded by people and projects that drain you. When you are playing big, your behavior is confident, you feel motivated, and you tend to be investing in people and projects that energize you. How can you spend more time playing the big version of yourself this year?”
James Clear
“Bullies are all the same; whether they are in the school yard, in the workplace, or ruling a country through terror. They thrive on fear and intimidation. Bullies gain their strength through the timid and faint of heart. They are like sharks that sense fear in the water. They will circle to see if their prey is struggling. They will probe to see if their victim is weak. If you don’t find the courage to stand your ground, they will strike. In life, to achieve your goals, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.”
William A. McRaven, Make Your Bed (Page 72) | ★ Featured on this book list.
“Our goal, which we believed to be honorable and noble, gave us courage, and courage is a remarkable quality. Nothing and nobody can stand in your way. Without it, others will define your path forward. Without it, you are at the mercy of life’s temptations. Without courage, men will be ruled by tyrants and despots. Without courage, no great society can flourish. Without courage, the bullies of the world rise up. With it, you can accomplish any goal. With it, you can defy and defeat evil.”
William A. McRaven, Make Your Bed (Page 68) | ★ Featured on this book list.
“How we decide to respond to our fears, that is the person we become.”
Will Smith, Will (Page 14)
“You can graduate with the finest degrees. You can read the most useful books. You can enjoy the loving support of family and friends. But your degrees can’t take action for you. Your books can’t make the decision for you. Your family can’t live your life for you. There is no substitute for courage. At some point, you have to make the choice.”
James Clear, Blog
“Only in the storm can you see the art of the real sailor; only on the battlefield can you see the bravery of a soldier. The courage of a simple person can be seen in how he copes with the difficult and dangerous situations in life.”
Daniel Achinski, via A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 314)
