Courage vs. Confidence
Courage and Confidence Are Not the Same Thing
Many of us use these words interchangeably, but they are not the same.
By definition, courage is the quality of being confident — the ability to face fear, pain, or difficulty without being easily intimidated. Confidence, on the other hand, is self-assurance — a belief in one’s abilities.
At first glance, they may seem like synonyms, especially since the definition of courage includes the word confident. But I beg to differ.
In my opinion, the difference between courage and confidence is privilege — privilege and support.
Confidence Is Built on Support. Courage Stands Alone.
Take, for instance:
Imagine a rich boy who stands up for what is right. Deep down, he has the unconscious awareness — the knowledge that if things go south, his parents can step in to bail him out. That’s confidence.
Now, picture a poor boy doing the same thing — knowing full well that if trouble comes, he has no safety net. That’s courage.
It takes a great deal of courage for the poor boy to do the same thing that the rich one can simply do with confidence.
At first glance, they may look the same — both standing firm, both resolved. But it’s not the same, not really. The confident one does it easily, making even difficult situations seem black and white. The courageous one does it despite his unease. He might even feel afraid after doing it, despite knowing he did the right thing.
Two people can take the same bold, reckless action, but while one is merely confident, the other is truly courageous.
Confidence is easy — it comes from knowing you have support. Courage, however, is intentional. It’s what happens when you take a stand despite knowing the risks and having no guarantee of rescue.
Confident People Do Things BECAUSE; Courageous People Do Things DESPITE.
A confident guy asks a girl out because he’s handsome, because he’s rich, because he’s accomplished, because he has his parents’ support, because he’s brilliant. He believes she can’t say no — so he asks, confidently.
A courageous lady asks a guy out — even though she’s not as beautiful as the other ladies he’s seen, even though she’s not rich, even though she’s not the most intelligent, even though society doesn’t support her doing it.
That’s the difference.
Courage is the first step — it often leads to confidence.
These days, everyone talks about confidence: “Don’t be shy, speak up, say what you need to say.” While that is all good, courage runs deeper; it’s so powerful that people even sing about it.
In her song Courage, Celine Dion speaks of summoning courage when confidence is nowhere to be found: “Courage, don’t you dare fail me now, you’re all I’ve got to hold on to.” In difficult moments, I may not have the confidence to say, “I’ll be fine,” but I need the courage to say it anyway — and to keep moving forward, until confidence catches up with me.
Am I Courageous or Just Confident?
While writing this, I kept thinking: Am I courageous, or am I just confident?
I’m comfortable speaking in public. I believe in my abilities. I don’t hesitate to express my opinions. That’s confidence.
But when it comes to love, I hesitate. I tell myself I don’t know if I’m in love — but is that really true? Or am I just afraid? Do I lack the courage to be consistent? The courage to stand by my choice?
And in other areas of life too — am I really courageous, or am I just confident, doing the easy things and taking the easy way out?
Ask Yourself the Same Question.
For me, I don’t have the answer yet.
But I do know this — I am confident.
And maybe, just maybe, I need to work on being courageous.
