---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Heroism isn’t some mysterious inner…"
description: "\"“Heroism isn’t some mysterious inner virtue, the Greeks believed; it’s a collection of skills that every man and woman can master so that in a pinch, t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/christopher-mcdougall-2557_character_heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virt_3125011.png"
---

#  Heroism isn’t some mysterious inner virtue, the Greeks…

![“Heroism isn’t some mysterious inner virtue, the Greeks believed; it’s a collection of skills that every man and woman can master so that in a pinch, they can become a Protector.” quote by Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/christopher-mcdougall-2557_character_heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virt_3125011.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/christopher-mcdougall-2557_character_heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virt_3125011.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/christopher-mcdougall-2557_character_heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virt_3125011.png)

> ““Heroism isn’t some mysterious inner virtue, the Greeks believed; it’s a collection of skills that every man and woman can master so that in a pinch, they can become a Protector.””

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Heroism is a set of learn skills, not a mysterious virtue, that anyone can develop to protect others.

**In simple terms:** Heroism is learnable.

Key Takeaway

Practice protective skills to become a protector.

Themes

courage skill development community service

Mood

motivational practical

Type

self‑help inspirational

When to use this quote

- self‑defense classes
- emergency response drills
- team sports
- volunteer work

Key Concepts

psychology of heroism training methods

Questions to Reflect On

- Which protective skill will you start learning?
- How does community support enhance heroism?

A Different Perspective

Skill acquisition requires time and resources.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroism/) [Man and woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-and-woman/)

## Related quotes

> [“You should not be esteemed by others if you have no real inner virtue. People here in Japan esteem others on the basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen-zenji/you-should-not-be-esteemed-by-others-if-you-have-no-real-inner-virtue/)

[Dogen Zenji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen-zenji/)

> [I think Jake Paul's got some skills, man. I think a lot of people kind of estimate this guy. I think he actually is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stephens/i-think-jake-paul-s-got-some-skills-man-i-think-a-lot-of-people-kind/)

[Jeremy Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stephens/)

> [Heroism isn't a one time thing: Live Heroically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-maclaren/heroism-isn-t-a-one-time-thing-live-heroically/)

Jim MacLaren

> [“Heroism isn't rising up after a fall. Heroism is preventing self from falling in the first place!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammed-r-el-nabelsy/heroism-isn-t-rising-up-after-a-fall-heroism-is-preventing-self-from/)

Muhammed R. El Nabelsy

> [“Heroism isn't all about noise and action, sometimes it's a quiet understated thing, like an act of kindness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabian-black/heroism-isn-t-all-about-noise-and-action-sometimes-it-s-a-quiet/)

[Fabian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabian-black/)

> [“Two ideas are opposed — not concepts or abstractions, but Ideas which were in the blood of men before they were formulated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parker-yockey/two-ideas-are-opposed-not-concepts-or-abstractions-but-ideas-which/)

[Francis Parker Yockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parker-yockey/)

> [“Heroes care. True heroism, as the ancients understood, isn’t about strength, or boldness, or even courage. It’s about compassion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/heroes-care-true-heroism-as-the-ancients-understood-isn-t-about/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [Extreme heroism springs from something that no scientific theory can fully explain; it's an illogical impulse that flies in the face of biology, psychology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/extreme-heroism-springs-from-something-that-no-scientific-theory-can/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [I support gay unions. I think the government should get out of the marriage business completely - leave marriages to the churches. And grant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/i-support-gay-unions-i-think-the-government-should-get-out-of-the/)

[Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/)

> [Man and woman and speech and deed and city and object should be honored with praise if praiseworthy and incur blame if unworthy, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gorgias/man-and-woman-and-speech-and-deed-and-city-and-object-should-be/)

[Gorgias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gorgias/)

> [People wonder why a man and woman can't be friends after being in love. It is because it's very tough to look beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/people-wonder-why-a-man-and-woman-can-t-be-friends-after-being-in/)

[Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/)

> [I do not believe we are all created equal. Physical and emotional differences, parental guidance, varying environments, being in the right place at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-not-believe-we-are-all-created-equal-physical-and-emotional/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The representation of women in the society, especially through mass media has been the most delusional act ever done on the grounds of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-representation-of-women-in-the-society-especially-through-mass/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [“He feared that by leaving her he would ruin her life - so he stayed, and did just that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/he-feared-that-by-leaving-her-he-would-ruin-her-life-so-he-stayed-and/)

[Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/)

> [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

## More by Christopher McDougall

> [We run when we're scared, we run when we're ecstatic, we run away from our problems and run around for a good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-run-when-we-re-scared-we-run-when-we-re-ecstatic-we-run-away-from/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“Whenever an art form loses its fire, when it gets weakened by intellectual inbreeding and first principles fade into stale tradition, a radical fringe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/whenever-an-art-form-loses-its-fire-when-it-gets-weakened-by/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [Nearly all runners do their slow runs too fast, and their fast runs too slow." Ken Mierke says. "So they're just training their bodies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/nearly-all-runners-do-their-slow-runs-too-fast-and-their-fast-runs/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“Death Valley is the perfect flesh-grilling device, the Foreman Grill in Mother Nature’s cupboard. It’s a big, shimmering sea of salt ringed by mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/death-valley-is-the-perfect-flesh-grilling-device-the-foreman-grill/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [We were born to run; we were born because we run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-were-born-to-run-we-were-born-because-we-run/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“that it took him nearly the entire walk to notice what was happening: his back didn’t hurt. Didn’t hurt a bit. Heyyy … Ted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/that-it-took-him-nearly-the-entire-walk-to-notice-what-was-happening/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [Extreme heroism springs from something that no scientific theory can fully explain; it's an illogical impulse that flies in the face of biology, psychology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/extreme-heroism-springs-from-something-that-no-scientific-theory-can/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [You don't have to be fast. But you'd better be fearless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/you-don-t-have-to-be-fast-but-you-d-better-be-fearless/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“To live with ghosts requires solitude. —ANNE MICHAELS, Fugitive Pieces”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/to-live-with-ghosts-requires-solitude-anne-michaels-fugitive-pieces/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [...there was some kind of connection between the capacity to love and the capacity to love \*running\*. The engineering was certainly the same: both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/there-was-some-kind-of-connection-between-the-capacity-to-love-and/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“You get leafy greens in your body first thing in the morning and you'll lose a lot of weight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/you-get-leafy-greens-in-your-body-first-thing-in-the-morning-and-you/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“Distance running demands a brain-body connection that no other creature is capable of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/distance-running-demands-a-brain-body-connection-that-no-other/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“Ultra god Scott Jurek summed up the Young Guns’ unofficial creed with a quote from William James he stuck on the end of every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/ultra-god-scott-jurek-summed-up-the-young-guns-unofficial-creed-with/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“The way to activate your fat-burning furnace is by staying below your aerobic threshold—your hard-breathing point—during your endurance runs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/the-way-to-activate-your-fat-burning-furnace-is-by-staying-below-your/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

> [“Don't fight the trail. Take what it gives you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/don-t-fight-the-trail-take-what-it-gives-you/)

[Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

[Explore all 156 Christopher McDougall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/)

## More Character quotes

> [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/)

[Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/)

[Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/)

> [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/)

David Hudgins

> [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/)

[Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/)

> [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/)

[Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/)

> [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/)

[Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/)

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/)

[Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/)

> [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/)

[Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/)

[Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Heroism isn’t some mysterious inner virtue, the Greeks believed; it’s a collection of skills that every man and woman can master so that in a pinch, they can become a Protector.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher McDougall"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virtue-the-greeks-believed-it-s-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Character"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virtue-the-greeks-believed-it-s-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/christopher-mcdougall-2557_character_heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virt_3125011.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/christopher-mcdougall-2557_character_heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virt_3125011.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/christopher-mcdougall-2557_character_heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virt_3125011.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Heroism isn’t some mysterious inner virtue, the Greeks believed; it’s a collection of skills that every man…” — Christopher McDougall",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Christopher McDougall",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Heroism isn’t some mysterious inner virtue,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virtue-the-greeks-believed-it-s-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/heroism-isn-t-some-mysterious-inner-virtue-the-greeks-believed-it-s-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
