Courage means taking off the mask, facing discomfort, and stepping into the arena where virtue is tested in action, not in theory.

Courage is the greatest of virtues. Writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou stated: “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” I agree. Courage is the “can opener” for the other virtues. Centuries earlier, Aristotle echoed this truth: “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others” (Nicomachean Ethics, 1115a).

Courage, as a virtue, is often the factor that brings forth wisdom, temperance, and justice. Why?

• Justice requires courage—to stand for what is right against popular opinion.
• Temperance requires courage—to restrain oneself while others indulge. (Think of those who don’t drink among those who do. I can relate.)
• Wisdom requires courage—to explore difficult or unpopular truths.

Wisdom brings to mind situations at work, where someone recognizes a problem—an ethical shortcut, a flawed assumption, a “this is how we’ve always done it” mindset—and chooses to speak up. It takes courage to challenge the familiar or to voice a truth that others prefer to ignore. The 1986 Challenger disaster showed the tragic cost when warnings are dismissed and courage gives way to compliance.

Courage clears the way

Courage opens space for choices, endures criticism and fear, and prepares the soil so that wisdom, temperance, and justice may take root. As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proclaimed in World War II: “We clear the way.” So too does courage—it removes the obstacles so every virtue may march forward.

Yet applying courage consistently is difficult. We often:

• Tell small lies to avoid friction.
• Avoid hard conversations to stay comfortable.
• Compromise principles to fit in or get ahead.

This is the “mask” we all put on. It may smooth the way to gain what we covet, but it diminishes courage and pushes it into the corner. Humans avoid discomfort at all costs. Yet courage waits within, ready to be called forth.

Well, we all have a face
That we hide away forever
And we take them out
And show ourselves
When everyone has gone
- Billy Joel, The Stranger

The mask we wear

We all know this face. Stoicism reminds us that behind the mask lies a self capable of courage—if we dare to bring it forward in daylight.

The ancients knew this “mask.” In Rome, actors (histriones) who wore literal masks were ranked with prostitutes and gladiators—not because they lacked talent, but because they lived by imitation rather than truth. Cicero dismissed actors as “low and vulgar,” and Roman jurists—legal authorities of the time—classed them as infames—dishonourable. To the Stoics, this was more than prejudice; it was a warning. To live behind a mask is to trade courage for performance, to sell authenticity for applause.

Seneca often compared life to the stage, warning against those who “live for show” and waste themselves on applause.

“… life is not pleasant or carefree for men living continually under a mask. But what a great pleasure is experienced by genuine and ungroomed honesty, thrusting no screen before its habits!” - Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind, 17

Shedding the mask—or the ‘screen,’ as Seneca calls it—is critical to employ courage, to remain authentic to others, and, most importantly, to yourself.

Practicing courage in the arena of life

Developing courage is like any endeavor: you start small in innocuous situations, then build a reservoir you can draw on when it matters most. It may mean asking for fair pay, admitting a mistake without adding a “but,” or stepping into work that feels beyond your lane. It might also mean ending a dysfunctional relationship—or finding distance.

A friend of mine, a landscaper who largely works on residential properties, confessed he felt like an imposter when pitching his first commercial contract—yet he pushed through and won the job. That’s courage: not the absence of fear, but the decision to act despite it. What are you facing in your own life that requires such a step—a conversation, a confession, or a leap into the unknown?

It’s up to you to use the power of courage to live a virtuous life. As Aesop warned in The Lion and the Fox: “It is easy to be brave from a distance.” True courage begins when we take off the mask, step into the arena, and act despite our fears. Employ courage—difficult though it may be. Your present and future self will thank you.

Glenn Citerony is an Executive Wellness Coach who employs Stoic concepts to help improve people’s lives. He is passionate about Stoicism and its relevance to addressing today’s challenges. Glenn can be reached at glennciterony.com.

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