--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first of all qualities of a general…" description: "\"The first of all qualities of a general is courage.\" — David McCullough" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/david-mccullough-1091_courage_the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general_1856730.png" --- # The first of all qualities of a general is courage. ![“The first of all qualities of a general is courage.” quote by David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/david-mccullough-1091_courage_the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general_1856730.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/david-mccullough-1091_courage_the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general_1856730.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/david-mccullough-1091_courage_the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general_1856730.png) > “The first of all qualities of a general is courage.” [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Courage is the essential quality for any leader. **In simple terms:** Courage is vital for leaders. Key Takeaway Develop and act with bravery in leadership. Themes leadership courage virtue Mood inspirational serious Type historical leadership When to use this quote - military command - political office - business management Key Concepts ethical leadership risk‑taking resilience Questions to Reflect On - When does bravery become foolhardiness? - How can leaders balance courage with prudence? A Different Perspective Courage without wisdom can be reckless. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general/) [General Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-courage-2472116/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities/) [Qualities General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualities-general-2472117/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) ## Related quotes > [The professional soldier gains more and more power as the general courage of a community declines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-professional-soldier-gains-more-and-more-power-as-the-general/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [People often see qualities in others that they don't see in themselves. Then they hold them accountable for their own short comings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/people-often-see-qualities-in-others-that-they-don-t-see-in/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [A successful man has the following qualities: A smile that doesn't die; patience; fearless mind; love; self- confidence; love for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/a-successful-man-has-the-following-qualities-a-smile-that-doesn-t-die/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [That's a wonderful thing, because one of the primary qualities of a good performance is honesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-flack/that-s-a-wonderful-thing-because-one-of-the-primary-qualities-of-a/) [Roberta Flack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-flack/) > [Unity of minds, natural love and co-operation, are the qualities we have to develop today. 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Let them find out for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/anna-petrovna-never-talk-to-women-about-your-own-good-qualities-let/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. 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Everything that happens has consequences. We”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/nothing-happens-in-isolation-everything-that-happens-has-consequences/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [America faces an enemy who believes in enforced ignorance. And all that we stand for is the open mind, the generous spirit, the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/america-faces-an-enemy-who-believes-in-enforced-ignorance-and-all/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [My shorthand answer is that I try to write the kind of book that I would like to read. If I can make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/my-shorthand-answer-is-that-i-try-to-write-the-kind-of-book-that-i/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Seen under the microscope, Stegomyia is a creature of striking beauty. 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It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) [Kristen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-armstrong/) > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first of all qualities of a general is courage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David McCullough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general-is-courage/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general-is-courage/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/david-mccullough-1091_courage_the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general_1856730.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/david-mccullough-1091_courage_the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general_1856730.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/david-mccullough-1091_courage_the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general_1856730.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first of all qualities of a general is courage.” — David McCullough", "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": "David McCullough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first of all qualities of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general-is-courage/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general-is-courage/#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 } } ] } ```