Courage is rarely impulsive

"Courage, contrary to the common view, is rarely impulsive. It involves both preparation and consideration sometimes taking seconds, at other times years. True courage is not a foolhardy going against the grain coupled with a strident unwillingness to learn. It is an educated calculation of the odds backed by exceptional preparation aimed at achieving an admirable, highly salient goal."
-- Kathleen Reardon from her article on "The Huffington Post"

Read her full article called "Courage as a Skill" in the January 2007 Harvard Business Review.