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About this quote

What does it mean?
Courage is the foundation needed to consistently practice virtues like kindness or honesty.
In plain terms
You need courage to be kind, true, or honest consistently.
What can you take from it?
Build courage to support other virtues.

Where it applies

  • ethical dilemmas
  • personal growth
  • advocacy

Putting it to work

  • practice speaking up
  • face small fears
  • align actions with values

Questions to consider

  • Where do you lack courage to be virtuous?
  • How do you build courage?

Another view

Some virtues might require other traits like wisdom more than courage.

More from Maya Angelou

  1. You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise.

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  2. Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and unde…

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  3. People will forget what you said People will forget what you did But people will never forget how you made them feel.

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