--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Courage is not the absence of fear but…" description: "\"Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/meg-cabot-460_brave_courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-t_1754213.png" --- # Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that… ![“Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all. For now you are traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be.” quote by Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/meg-cabot-460_brave_courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-t_1754213.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/meg-cabot-460_brave_courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-t_1754213.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3b/meg-cabot-460_brave_courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-t_1754213.png) > “Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all. For now you are traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be.” [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Courage means prioritizing greater values over fear, while caution alone prevents growth; the journey lies between identity and potential. **In simple terms:** Courage chooses purpose over fear. Key Takeaway Act on what matters despite fear. Themes courage growth identity Mood motivational thoughtful Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - career change - personal development - creative projects - relationships Key Concepts fear values potential life journey Questions to Reflect On - What is more important than your fear? - How can you balance caution and bravery? A Different Perspective Caution can be protective, not just limiting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Bravery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Live forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-forever/) ## Related quotes > [Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear; The brave may not live forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-judgement-that/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [But in my opinion, bravery isn't about the absence of fear. Being brave is when you're absolutely terrified, yet you can make yourself face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-in-my-opinion-bravery-isn-t-about-the-absence-of-fear-being-brave/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that your dreams, desires or goals are more important than fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-judgement-that-your/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [“I read once that courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision that something is more important than that fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-tawn-bergren/i-read-once-that-courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-decision/) [Lisa Tawn Bergren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-tawn-bergren/) > [Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-assessment-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. You may not live forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vianna-stibal/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-judgment-that-2/) Vianna Stibal > [Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-redmoon/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-judgment-that/) Ambrose Redmoon > [Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-judgement-that-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision that something is more important than fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-tawn-bergren/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-decision-that-something-is/) [Lisa Tawn Bergren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-tawn-bergren/) > [“I really can't stress this enough. If you want to make an impact, don't simply sit idly by and 'hope' for courage. Courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-b-wilmot/i-really-can-t-stress-this-enough-if-you-want-to-make-an-impact-don-t/) [M.B. Wilmot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-b-wilmot/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you fear nothing, then you are not brave. You are merely too foolish to be afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-fear-nothing-then-you-are-not-brave-you-are-merely-too-foolish/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“There’s no such thing as needless fear. Without fear, you can’t be brave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jenkins/there-s-no-such-thing-as-needless-fear-without-fear-you-can-t-be-brave/) Jennifer Jenkins > [“To know a species, look at its fears. To know yourself, look at your fears. Fear in itself is not important, but fear stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/to-know-a-species-look-at-its-fears-to-know-yourself-look-at-your/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“Fear is nothing to be ashamed of. It keeps us alive more often than not. Gives us caution, spares us pain. It can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-himes/fear-is-nothing-to-be-ashamed-of-it-keeps-us-alive-more-often-than/) [S.J. Himes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-himes/) ## More by Meg Cabot > [And I like a good horror story as much as the next person so long as they kill off some men too and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/and-i-like-a-good-horror-story-as-much-as-the-next-person-so-long-as/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [My family, they're story tellers. My mom is Irish, and my dad is Italian. In my family, we weren't allowed to watch TV while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/my-family-they-re-story-tellers-my-mom-is-irish-and-my-dad-is-italian/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear; The brave may not live forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-judgement-that/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“No one has ever died of embarrassment-never, not once in the whole history of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/no-one-has-ever-died-of-embarrassment-never-not-once-in-the-whole/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [What's the point? was my attitude. We're all just going to die and then NOT be let on the boat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/what-s-the-point-was-my-attitude-we-re-all-just-going-to-die-and-then/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Meg Cabot is the best author ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/meg-cabot-is-the-best-author-ever/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [oh my god, she said are you going to be reasonable about this?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/oh-my-god-she-said-are-you-going-to-be-reasonable-about-this/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Nikki "Brandon's never hurt anyone. He's competely sweet and adorable." I choked a little on the sip of sparkling water I'k just swallowed. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/nikki-brandon-s-never-hurt-anyone-he-s-competely-sweet-and-adorable-i/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Very little in life if fair, Susannah”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/very-little-in-life-if-fair-susannah/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Of course it’s real, you bloody git,” Frank said to the young man behind the fruit cart, who had apparently questioned the legitimacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/of-course-it-s-real-you-bloody-git-frank-said-to-the-young-man-behind/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Strong female characters - even if they don't necessarily make the same decisions that we might - make such great narrative material, especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/strong-female-characters-even-if-they-don-t-necessarily-make-the-same/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Communication goes two ways. Somebody has to talk. And somebody has to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/communication-goes-two-ways-somebody-has-to-talk-and-somebody-has-to/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Cal: “I’m not presuming. I know exactly what you think about me. You think I’m an anal-retentive Armrest Nazi . . . an arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/cal-i-m-not-presuming-i-know-exactly-what-you-think-about-me-you/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [High school sucks. People who say those were the best years of your life - those people are liars... Who wants the best years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/high-school-sucks-people-who-say-those-were-the-best-years-of-your/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [And try to remember what we discussed, Susannah. A mediator is someone who helps others resolve conflicts. Not someone who, er, kicks them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/and-try-to-remember-what-we-discussed-susannah-a-mediator-is-someone/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) [Explore all 532 Meg Cabot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) ## More Brave quotes > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [If You Love Someone, Be Brave Enough To Tell Them., Otherwise Be Brave Enough To Watch Them To Be Loved By Someone Else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/if-you-love-someone-be-brave-enough-to-tell-them-otherwise-be-brave/) [Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/) > [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [It's always brave to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-s-always-brave-to-be-yourself/) [Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/) > [“Victory is for the fucking brave, not the timid and excuse-riddled weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zakk-wylde/victory-is-for-the-fucking-brave-not-the-timid-and-excuse-riddled-weak/) [Zakk Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zakk-wylde/) > [I'm very proud of 'Every Girl's a Super Girl.' I want all girls to know that no matter what size, color, or shape, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-siwa/i-m-very-proud-of-every-girl-s-a-super-girl-i-want-all-girls-to-know/) [JoJo Siwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-siwa/) > [And I read the moral--A brave endeavour To do thy duty, whate'er its worth, Is better than life with love forever, And love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeffrey-roche/and-i-read-the-moral-a-brave-endeavour-to-do-thy-duty-whate-er-its/) James Jeffrey Roche > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [You know what really made me sick? I was in Washington, D.C. at another time reading in a paper where the U.S. gives Byron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/you-know-what-really-made-me-sick-i-was-in-washington-d-c-at-another/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [To be able to live and train in Iraq under these circumstances you need to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-able-to-live-and-train-in-iraq-under-these-circumstances-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a fallacy with stand up comedy, which is, people come up to comedians, and they go, 'You say what I think but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/there-s-a-fallacy-with-stand-up-comedy-which-is-people-come-up-to/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [Fortune helps the brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence/fortune-helps-the-brave/) [Terence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence/) > [“A ‘good’ father will tenderly cultivate his children. But a ‘good’ father who is also a ‘brave’ father will let the children without cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/a-good-father-will-tenderly-cultivate-his-children-but-a-good-father/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [THE British are brave people. They can face anything, except reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-are-brave-people-they-can-face-anything-except-reality/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) [Browse all 3,314 Brave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all. 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