• Oct ’25 – Courage

  Week 1 – Courage

  Posted by Chris on October 5, 2025 at 8:25 am

  I’m reviewing our first week on Courage and this is a little of a pattern interrupt! I’m doing the roundup a little differently. First some references from the session and then some notes on Courage for you to reflect on.

  The conversations on courage were personal and I encourage you to watch the replay below if you’d like.

  But we also shared a few references that I think provide a range of ways for you to learn about and explore courage.

  Sarah Ross suggested watching Erza Klein’s conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates. In it they discuss their disagreements of Ezra’s response to the Charlie Kirk assassination and a much broader understanding of our roles in the current political environment. I watched it and concur with Sarah — it’s worth the listen. Spoiler: I found Ta-Nehisi shared more wisdom and perspective about the present moment…

  In a similar vein, I recommend Tim Miller’s conversation with Van Lathan. They also discuss Ezra’s response to Kirk and our current moment. And once again, Van Lathan is the one with deeper insights, I believe. What do you think?

  Anthena shared that she is reading, “Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents” and that is giving her the courage to engage with her parents and child in new ways.

  Brené Brown has a new book on “reimagining the essentials of courageous leadership,” called Strong Ground. I was going to sponsor anyone in AP Studio for her upcoming virtual event discussing the book, but sales have closed. 😟 But just let me know if you’re interested in the book and your address and I’ll gift you a copy. 😀

  So explore any of those that peak your interest and let me know what you think! Next week, I’ll be in the Butter Dish on Wednesday at 1p and then we’ll gather on Friday for more on Courage. It is really interesting the topics Courage helps us bring up…

  Finally, I’ll leave you some notes from Lester, my ChatGPT, on Courage. I found the it insightful and the simple framework helpful. I especially like that courage is connected to values and beliefs you care deeply about.

  “Courage is more complex than simply “being brave.” At its core, it’s the capacity to act in the face of fear, uncertainty, or risk—especially when the stakes are meaningful. It involves making choices that align with one’s values or commitments even when those choices come with danger, loss, or discomfort. Courage manifests differently depending on the context: sometimes it’s physical, other times moral, intellectual, or emotional.

  Dimensions of Courage

  • Physical courage: facing bodily risk or harm for the sake of others or a cause.

  • Moral courage: standing up for principles or justice despite social pressure or personal cost.

  • Intellectual courage: questioning assumptions, admitting uncertainty, or pursuing truth even when it’s unpopular.

  • Emotional courage: allowing vulnerability, showing grief, or telling someone difficult truths despite fear of rejection or pain.

  Examples in Different Contexts

  1. Historical / Political
     Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat wasn’t just an act of defiance—it was moral courage. She risked arrest, public hostility, and personal safety, yet her action became a catalyst for the civil rights movement.

  2. Everyday Professional Life
     A manager who admits to their team that a project is failing and takes responsibility rather than shifting blame demonstrates intellectual and moral courage. It’s risky to reveal fallibility, but it fosters trust and learning.

  3. Medical / Personal Health
     Someone diagnosed with cancer who chooses to share openly with family and community about their condition demonstrates emotional courage. They confront not only their own fears but also help others face discomfort about mortality.

  4. Conflict or War
     A soldier who runs into danger to rescue a comrade exemplifies physical courage. But equally courageous is the soldier who, upon returning, publicly questions the ethics of the war—demonstrating moral and intellectual courage.

  5. Family / Relationships
     A parent apologizing sincerely to their child after losing their temper requires emotional courage. It risks undermining authority in the short term, but strengthens connection and integrity.

  Courage, then, isn’t just one thing—it’s situational. It shows up whenever someone chooses authenticity, justice, or responsibility over comfort, safety, or approval.”

  And a simple framework as a lens for understanding courageous acts:

  “

  Courage Recognition Framework
  1. The Source of Fear or Risk

  • What is being risked?

    • Physical: safety, health, survival

    • Social: reputation, belonging, approval

    • Emotional: rejection, vulnerability, heartbreak

    • Moral/Intellectual: criticism, failure, being wrong, standing against the crowd

  Prompt to ask: What’s at stake for this person if they act?

  2. The Value or Principle Behind the Act

  • Courage almost always anchors to something deeply important.

    • Justice / fairness

    • Truth / honesty

    • Love / care for others

    • Integrity / authenticity

    • Commitment / duty

  Prompt to ask: What higher value are they protecting, even if it costs them?

  3. The Action Taken

  • Courage is not just a feeling — it’s behavior. Look for:

    • Initiating: speaking up, stepping forward, starting something risky

    • Persisting: staying committed despite pressure or setbacks

    • Exposing: showing vulnerability, admitting uncertainty or fault

    • Protecting: defending others at personal cost

  Prompt to ask: What did they actually do in the face of fear?

  4. The Contextual Scale

  Courage exists at many levels:

  • Everyday micro-courage: telling the truth in a meeting, apologizing, saying “I don’t know.”

  • Community courage: whistleblowing, leading social change, defending others.

  • Epic/historical courage: risking life or livelihood for justice, survival, or freedom.

  Prompt to ask: Is this an act of personal, communal, or historical scale?

  5. The Outcome vs. The Act

  • Courage isn’t measured by success, but by the willingness to act.

  • A failed attempt may still be profoundly courageous if the person knowingly took the risk.

  Prompt to ask: Did they act in alignment with their values despite the fear, regardless of outcome?

  Example Applied

  • Scenario: A teacher reports systemic cheating in their school even though it could cost them their job.

    • Source of risk: Job loss, professional reputation.

    • Value: Integrity, fairness to students.

    • Action: Reporting to authorities, refusing to ignore problem.

    • Scale: Community courage (affects students, system).

    • Outcome: May or may not succeed — but the act itself is courageous.

  This framework helps shift the view of courage away from heroics only toward seeing everyday acts of principle, truth, or vulnerability as equally vital.

  Chris replied 4 months, 1 week ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
• 0 Replies

Log In to Reply