Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.

About Mark Twain

Portrait of Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He has been praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced", with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature". Twain's novels include...

More quotations from Mark Twain

If courage wasn't a standard result of aging, it meant that the young could somehow acquire it as well.

The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the day after the revolution.

It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress.

The man who has confidence in himself gains the confidence of others.

Nature abhors a vacuum, but not as much as cats do.

More quotations tagged with “courage”

If courage wasn't a standard result of aging, it meant that the young could somehow acquire it as well.

The worst thing of all is standing by when folks are doing something wrong.

—Lawana Blackwell

Courage is being scared to death—but saddling up anyway.

Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.

—John Quincy Adams

The stories of past courage can define that ingredient-they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul.

—John F. Kennedy

History

11 Jul 2015 Added
26 Oct 2026 Wording changed

Previous wording

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.