The 6 Types of Courage – and Why They Matter

A friend and I recently discussed the concept of courage and agreed it’s a beautiful quality. Yet, as my friend pointed out, our association with courage necessarily being a massive, daring act of extreme risk can actually undermine our courage:

“Sometimes, courage is invisible. It’s not always climbing Mount Everest — maybe it’s deciding not to climb Everest because you’re not ready, or it’s just not for you. We glorify certain types of visible courage. And this hurts us. An accumulation of small, courageous acts can add up to much more than one Everest.”

So, what is courage? And how can invisible courage serve us, just as much as the Instagrammable version?

What does courage mean?

Here’s my definition:

Courage is the fortitude to chart and sail your own course, to risk, venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, setback or challenge in the process.

Courage is not bravery.

Bravery stems from the latin word barbarus, which means brutal or uncivilized.

Courage, in contrast, stems from the latin word cor, which means heart.

Courage and bravery are two different concepts. Bravery leans towards bravado: It is motivated by something external, and potentially false or superficial.

The motivation for courage, in contrast, comes from within.

“Either life entails courage, or it ceases to be life.”— EM Forster

Courage is not fearlessness

Courage is not ignoring danger or sweeping fears under the carpet. It means acknowledging fear, reflecting on its message, and if appropriate gently setting aside the fear and acting anyway.

Courage is not reckless or stupid. It is predicated on trust, wisdom, self-knowledge, and a keen sense of self-awareness.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”— Nelson Mandela

Acts of courage may be invisible to everyone but you

Courage does not always look sexy, exciting, TikTok-worthy or daring.

The most important moments of courage can be innocuous and even invisible to others.

It might be saying ‘no’ in order to honor your own needs rather than trying to please someone else. It might be standing up, going to your closet and packing your bags to leave a relationship that no longer serves you.

It might be sharing a smile with a stranger (in our individualistic society, connection with others can feel scary). It might be stepping in and calling out injustice. It might be giving someone honest, kind feedback rather than saying everything is ‘fine’.

Types of courage

Researchers have identified six types of courage.

1. Physical courage — Feeling fear yet choosing to take a physical act. Involves courageous action to protect others, or something you stand for, as well as the act of developing physical strength, resilience and awareness.

2. Emotional courage — Following your heart. Emotional courage opens you to feeling the full spectrum of emotions — pleasant and unpleasant — without attachment.

3. Intellectual courage — Expanding your horizons, letting go of the familiar. It is about your willingness to learn, unlearn and relearn with an open and flexible mind.

4. Social courage — To be yourself in the face of adversity. Involves the risk of social embarrassment or exclusion, unpopularity or rejection. It also involves leadership.

5. Moral courage — Standing up for what is right, and doing the right thing even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular.

6. Spiritual courage — Facing pain with dignity or faith, this form of courage enables you to live with purpose and meaning through a heart centered approach towards all life, including yourself.

“People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest.”— Hermann Hesse

Why courage matters

Courage is essential to authenticity, because unless you are the most normal person in the world, authenticity requires deviation from the norm. This takes the courage to stand out, be different and make decisions that others might not understand.

Without courage, authenticity becomes impossible. It also impacts other qualities, as Maya Angelou so beautifully put it: “Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”