"Things rush into existence and things rush out. Time is a violently flowing river. Do not fear losing what you have. It is already being swept away."

Audie Murphy was a kid from Texas who went on to became the most decorated American combat soldier of the Second World War. He climbed on top of a burning tank destroyer in France, grabbed a heavy machine gun, and fired at an entire company of advancing German soldiers. He held them off for an hour and saved his unit.

You might asssume that he was fearless, but he wasn't. He admitted he was completely terrified before every single battle. His stomach turned and his hands shook. He experienced the exact same biological panic reflex as everyone else. He just didn't let the terror stop his hands from working the gun.

Marcus Aurelius writes about the constant flow of time. Everything is temporary. If everything is temporary, fear is a useless emotion. It tries to hold onto a moment that is already gone.

We misunderstand the arena. We think the heroes step out into the dirt feeling totally calm. They don't. The arena is terrifying. Fear is a biological fact. You will feel it. The mistake is thinking you have to banish the fear before you take action. You don't. You just have to step out anyway.

Errors & Corrections

• Don't wait to feel brave. Bravery is an action, not a feeling. If you wait until you aren't scared, you'll wait forever. Act while your hands shake.
• Don't shame the fear. Your body is built to keep you alive. Fear is just your nervous system doing its job. Acknowledge the warning and keep moving forward.
• Don't look at the whole river. You get paralyzed when you look at the massive outcome. Stop looking at the entire war. Focus on the next immediate task. Load the gun. Step out the door.

Applications to Modern Life

Work

You have to give a massive presentation to the board. Your heart is pounding. Your hands are sweating. That's fine. Walk to the front of the room. Speak the first sentence. The fear burns off when the action starts.

Leadership

You have to fire someone. You dread the conversation. You feel sick about it. Don't push it off to the human resources department. Sit down in the room. Deliver the news clearly and professionally.

Athleticism & Sport

You step onto the mat for a martial arts tournament. You're terrified of getting hurt. Bow to your opponent. Take the first step forward. Let your training take over.

Politics

You want to speak out against a corrupt local official. You fear they'll retaliate. Speak into the microphone anyway. The fear proves the issue actually matters.

Social Media

You want to publish an unpopular opinion. You're afraid of the social mediamob. The mob is just noise. Hit the publish button. Close the app. Walk away.

Interpersonal Relationships

You need to tell your partner a hard truth. You fear they'll leave you. The fear is real. Have the conversation anyway. A relationship built on silence is already dead.

Maxims

• Bravery is an action.
• Step into the arena.
• Act while shaking.

In-depth Concepts

Phobos (Fear)

The Stoics categorized fear as a passionate and irrational emotion. It's the expectation of something bad happening. They believed you cure it by realizing external things can't actually harm your character.

Andreia (Courage)

This is one of the four cardinal Stoic virtues. It doesn't mean being a fearless superhero. It means doing the right thing even when your biological response is screaming at you to run away.