When we hear the word courage, many of us imagine soldiers charging into battle or revolutionaries standing up to an oppressive government. And though these are indeed acts of courage, Stoicism reminds us that courage is not limited to moments of mortal danger. Like every other virtue, it’s something we must live out each day—in big ways and small.

In this reflection, I want to explore courage through the lens of everyday life—how what seems like an ordinary or even trivial moment might actually be a test of virtue.

Courage at work

During my career, I’ve witnessed—and wrestled with—both courage and cowardice. These forces show up in many forms in a professional environment, often quietly.

One of the most common examples lies in how we communicate with our superiors. It’s easy to become a head-nodder— someone who simply agrees with everything the boss says. And while there’s an obligation to respect the chain of command, there’s also a duty to speak up when something isn’t right.

Imagine you’re asked to complete a major project with far too few resources. You know that, mathematically, the job can’t be done safely or efficiently. People will have to work beyond their hours, and fatigue will set in—creating risk for everyone involved.

An act of cowardice in this situation would be to nod, walk away, and push those orders down the chain of command. It’s easy to say, “That’s what my boss told me to do.” But the Stoic knows that responsibility doesn’t stop where fear begins.

Courage, in this case, is walking into your boss’s office to explain why the resources are inadequate, why the safety risk is real, and what might happen if things go wrong. It’s not easy to do—because you risk discomfort, confrontation, maybe even your reputation—but courage rarely is.

Another example is having difficult conversations with your team. Every workplace has both underperformers and overachievers. Both require courage in different ways.

With underperformers, courage means being honest—telling someone where they’re falling short, why it affects the team, and how they can improve. It’s uncomfortable, but leadership without honesty is no leadership at all.

With overachievers, courage means something else entirely: humility. The best people on your team might intimidate you. They might even be capable of replacing you. Courage is wishing them the best anyway—promoting them, helping them grow, even if it means losing them. It’s having enough confidence in your own character to help others rise.

Courage at home

After work, courage doesn’t go off duty.

Most of us come home drained—mentally, emotionally, and physically. Home is meant to be a refuge, yet it often becomes a battleground of its own. Maybe you come home to a partner who immediately asks for help around the house while you’re still decompressing from the day.

The natural reaction is to argue—to defend yourself, to tally who worked harder or who’s more exhausted. But courage in this case looks like something quieter. It looks like humility and vulnerability. It’s saying, “I’ve had a stressful day. Can I have ten or twenty minutes to unwind so I can be fully present with you afterward?”

That’s not charging into battle—but it is an act of courage. Vulnerability is hard because it exposes the self. Yet without it, no relationship—romantic, familial, or otherwise—can deepen.

The everyday battlefield

Marcus Aurelius reminded himself that every day he would face obstacles, and that the challenge itself was part of nature’s order. The Stoic battlefield is not always lined with enemies; sometimes it’s lined with meetings, emails, traffic, and small choices that test our virtue.

Courage is not about fearlessness. It’s about acting rightly despite fear—whether that’s confronting a superior, holding someone accountable, or admitting you’re exhausted.

Each of these moments—though small— accumulates into character. The Stoics believed that virtue is practiced moment by moment. You do not suddenly become courageous in war; you become courageous in the quiet choices that precede it.

So, the next time you find yourself in one of those small, uncomfortable moments— pause. Recognize that you are being presented with an opportunity to practice the same courage that the Stoics spoke of. The courage to speak honestly. The courage to be vulnerable. The courage to do what is right, not what is easy.

Because in the end, courage is not only found in the stories written about heroes— it’s found in the person who chooses virtue in the middle of an ordinary day.

Brandon is most well-known for his podcast, The Strong Stoic Podcast, where he discusses philosophical ideas both solo and with guests. He also coaches individuals to help them be their best selves, writes articles, plays music, manages projects, and several other things.

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