Courage.. Are You Careful or Fearful?

While I appreciate John Jackson's philosophical discourse on Courage and the 5 C's of Success during one of our conference calls last week, I'd like to give credit to the original source. In January of 2004, Pentecostal Minister of Dakota Community Church, Dan Cormie, delivered a sermon on Courage as part of his "The Essential Characteristics of Conquerors" series. Of course there is a slight chance that I have still not cited the proper original source, but it's the best I could come up with in the time I allowed myself for research on the topic. So let's get started with Courage, the first of the 5 C's.

In his sermon, Pastor Cormie describes Fear as a thief. It paralyzes you, keeps you lonely, leads you to make foolish decisions, and eventually robs you of life itself unless you master it. He goes on to say that mastering fear requires courage. He states, "Conquerors posses the courage to defeat their fears!" So then courage is that quality which allows us to face and defeat fear.

What is courage? How does it look?

We tend to equate courage with heroism - firefighters running into a burning building, soldiers preparing for battle, police arresting an armed criminal. We think of extreme sports like bungee jumping, or free climbing; activities that involve a great deal of heroic fortitude. We think of courage as something extraordinary, something unusual; something people are called upon to exhibit only in dangerous, life-threatening situations.

Having said that, we need to recognize that courage is not the same thing as heroism. Courage is not just for extreme situations. In fact, courage is basic to the exercise of every other virtue.

Dictionary definition:
Courage is the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes (sudden changes in life) with self-possession, confidence, and resolution, bravery.

I think Mark Twain described it best. He said: "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear -- not absence of fear."

But what can be said about people who say, "I am not fearful, I’m just careful."?

Here are the five points I wanted to drive home in today's post:

1. Careful is cerebral (or thoughtful); fearful is emotional.
2. Careful is fueled by information; fearful is fueled by imagination.
3. Careful calculates risk; fearful avoids risk.
4. Careful wants to achieve success; fearful wants to avoid failure.
5. Careful is concerned about progress; fearful is concerned about protection.

Now honestly are you fearful or careful?

Thanks to JJ for his inpiration and to Pastor Dan Cormie who provided the very thoughtful insight into courage. I truly believe that courage is the cornerstone of self confidence and believing in yourself. Without it, we are merely followers who are often driven by fear. My challenge to you for this week is to man up! Stand up for what you believe in. Do not let fear rule over the decisions you make in your own life.