Courage Is Calling – by Ryan Holiday
Date read: 10/2/21. Recommendation: 9/10.
Ryan is a great writer and his books follow an effective formula of short chapters, quotable content, and abbreviated stories from history to illustrate his points. This is a great introduction to courage as the pinnacle of all virtues. As Holiday emphasizes, if the life you’re leading doesn’t demand acts of courage, you’re living a boring life.
See my notes below or Amazon for details and reviews.
My Notes:
Lead by example:
“If we are going to indict anyone for their cowardice, let it be silently, by example. Waste not a second questioning another man’s courage. Put that scrutiny solely on your own.” RH
“This is why the truly brave are often rather quiet. No time for, no interest in, boasting. Besides, they know that bragging puts a target on their back, and what is to be gained from that? That doesn’t mean they’re timid or self-effacing.” RH
“Character is above all the ability to disregard insults or abandonment by one’s own people. One must be willing to lose everything. There is no such thing as half a risk.” RH
Skin in the game:
“A leader cannot sit in some ivory tower or behind thick castle walls. They cannot protect themselves from every danger and risk while they let their followers or employees or soldiers take the brunt of what the world throws at us. No, a leader must have real skin in the game.” RH
August 30, 1945: General Douglas MacArthur touches down in Japan. Fighting between Allies and Axis had just ceased. No enemy boots had touched Japanese soil in six years. Told his team to leave their weapons. Instead walked into the country with fearlessness and complete confidence to show it was over. “Tokyo itself went without a shot. MacArthur’s entrance told them it was over…and they believed him. A more trepidatious commander could have never pulled it off, nor an angry or vengeful one.” RH
Apathy:
“The opposite of courage is not, as some argue, being afraid. It’s apathy. It’s disenchantment. It’s despair. It’s throwing up your hands and saying, ‘What’s the point anyway?’” RH
Growth:
“The fear you feel is a sign. If courage is never required in your life, you’re living a boring life. Put yourself in a position that demands you leap.” RH
Indecision:
“At the top, there are no easy choices. All are between evils, the consequences of which are hard to judge.” Dean Acheson
“What cowardice fears most of all is the making of a resolution.” Soren Kierkegaard
“What you fear is consequences. So you keep deliberating hoping you can put them off.” RH
“We claim we debate so we can get to the right decision, that we need more information. In truth, we are delaying. We don’t want to leave the comfort of the status quo. We don’t want to have to own the consequences.” RH
Virtue:
“The virtues are like music. They vibrate at a higher, nobler pitch.” Steven Pressfield
“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” C.S. Lewis