How Courage Has Shaped My Life

Courage is hard to come by in others in this day and age, but my dad has taught me the meaning of working industrially and having strength when times are tough. I know the service and time that my dad and other men or women have sacrificed and given to this country is priceless. I may not accomplish the great feats that the men and women of our armed forces have conquered, but through work and service to others, I feel like I have the courage to accomplish similar tasks. Much like our armed forces members, I don’t work or serve for the adulation or for just the fruits of my labor. I do it for the lessons and life skills I acquire, so I can learn how to be courageous at an early age.

Take the high road, and don’t skim by. Going above and beyond the call of duty applies not only to the battlefield, the front lines, or on the drop zone; but in everyday life. If there’s one thing I have learned from my dad, it’s to admit to your mistakes, correct them, and ensure that they don’t interfere with your dreams or aspirations; it takes courage, but it pays off in the long run. Stand out, for the good reasons, be a strong leader, someone others can trust and lean on. I have courage in my everyday life. When I do work and service for others, I am often doing things that I haven’t done before. Those jobs make me worry that I will mess up, but the courage I have built up over time helps me overcome them. Our first president George Washington once said, “Leadership is not only having a vision, but also having the courage, the discipline, and the resources to get there.” Through learning discipline, courage, and how to work, my dad has given me the resources to achieve my goals no matter how daunting.

Courageousness takes a strong person, one that cannot be swayed by the odds or hapless situations. Most of the great feats and accomplishments in U.S. history were made viable because of the leaders who have the ability to trust in themselves and others around them; it takes courage to take a stand, to make a difference. The well-known former United States General, Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “We the people, elect leaders not to rule but to serve.” To have the ability to do things that some people can’t, doesn’t just come from physical strength, but from the mental mindset and courage that says you can.
Courage has given me the strength to power through unyielding challenges. I wish everyone could have the head start I did, and I have to thank the military community that has taught me to stay courageous when times are tough or it’s hard to have hope. Courage doesn’t come easily, but having my dad who served for a long time in the U.S. Army, who has experience in leading and mustering enough courage to get through the task at hand; I have had the opportunity to start learning earlier. Courage has given me so much mental strength to undertake great things I never thought I could do.