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What is courage?
Courage is the foundation of transformation. It’s the core value that fuels every meaningful change — in your life, your family, your city, and your community. Real change is never easy. It often comes through seasons of resistance, disappointment, or even failure. Yet it is in those very moments that courage calls us to rise, to keep moving forward when everything around us whispers, “Give up.”
My mentor, Dr. Richard Dobbins, once said:
“Until the pain of change becomes less than the pain of staying the same, people will remain the same.”
That truth cuts deep. So many people stay stuck — not because they lack opportunity, but because fear convinces them that comfort is safer than growth. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of the unknown. It’s one of the greatest enemies of progress.
But here’s the good news: fear can be faced, challenged, and overcome. Courage doesn’t mean the absence of fear; it means choosing to act despite it. It’s the quiet, determined decision to keep showing up — to believe again, try again, and lead again — even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.
If you’ve lost your courage, it’s not gone forever. You can reclaim it. Every time you take a step forward in faith, you push fear backward. Every small act of courage becomes a spark that ignites transformation — in you, and through you, for the world around you.
At The Courage Project, we believe that courage is contagious. When one person stands up for what’s right, others find the strength to do the same. Together, we can build a movement of courageous leaders who shape culture with conviction, compassion, and unshakable hope.
Written by Paul Marc Goulet
In decades of leadership and counseling, I’ve learned that fear is one of the most common roadblocks to growth. As a young man, my own fear of rejection left me anxious, isolated, and miserable.
Psychologists note that fear activates the brain’s amygdala, triggering the fight-or-flight response. While this can keep us safe, it also keeps us from taking healthy risks that lead to growth.
I’ve identified five fears you must overcome to change your world:
Fear of Failure – the belief that mistakes define you.
Fear of Rejection – the fear of not being accepted or loved.
Fear of Pain – emotional or physical suffering that paralyzes you.
Fear of Giants – overwhelming challenges that seem unbeatable.
Fear of New Things – the unknown future that feels too risky.