--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cowardice, when done correctly, can be…" description: "\"Cowardice, when done correctly, can be its own kind of bravery.\" — Paul Neilan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/paul-neilan-18889_bravery_cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its_454702.png" --- # Cowardice, when done correctly, can be its own kind of… ![“Cowardice, when done correctly, can be its own kind of bravery.” quote by Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/paul-neilan-18889_bravery_cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its_454702.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/paul-neilan-18889_bravery_cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its_454702.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/paul-neilan-18889_bravery_cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its_454702.png) > “Cowardice, when done correctly, can be its own kind of bravery.” [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True bravery can emerge when one confronts fear head‑on, turning calculated risk into courageous action. **In simple terms:** Facing fear wisely can be a form of bravery. Key Takeaway Embrace calculated risk as a path to courage. Themes courage fear risk paradox Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - public speaking - social activism - personal dilemmas Key Concepts psychology ethical decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - When does calculated risk become foolish? - How can you differentiate bravery from reckless behavior? A Different Perspective Risk may be misinterpreted as recklessness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bravery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Cowardice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) ## Related quotes > [“There are heroes and heroes. I don't deny he's acted bravely on occasion. He's fought beside Lord Gwydion and been proud of himself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/there-are-heroes-and-heroes-i-don-t-deny-he-s-acted-bravely-on/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Sometimes it takes bravery in order to be a coward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/sometimes-it-takes-bravery-in-order-to-be-a-coward/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [“The coward dies a thousand deaths, the brave but one?' 'Of course. Who said it?' 'I don't know.' 'He was probably a coward,' she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-coward-dies-a-thousand-deaths-the-brave-but-one-of-course-who/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“All that blood and...stuff. Me, I'll take intelligent cowardice over foolhardy bravery any day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-crispin-2/all-that-blood-and-stuff-me-i-ll-take-intelligent-cowardice-over/) A. C. Crispin > [“Even a dog mocks a lion when the lion is inside a cage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/even-a-dog-mocks-a-lion-when-the-lion-is-inside-a-cage/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Pulling through is what people do around here. There is a kind of bravery in their lives that isn’t bravery at all. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/pulling-through-is-what-people-do-around-here-there-is-a-kind-of/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [It requires a certain kind of bravery, I suppose, to choose the status quo. There's a certain boldness to inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/it-requires-a-certain-kind-of-bravery-i-suppose-to-choose-the-status/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [“Pulling through is what people do around here. There is a kind of bravery in their lives that isn't bravery at all. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-moore/pulling-through-is-what-people-do-around-here-there-is-a-kind-of-2/) Laurie Moore > [“Being different – being simply you instead of what other people wanted you to be – was its own kind of bravery”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/being-different-being-simply-you-instead-of-what-other-people-wanted/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [I'm a hero wid coward's legs, I'm a hero from the waist up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/i-m-a-hero-wid-coward-s-legs-i-m-a-hero-from-the-waist-up/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [The biggest coward is a man who awakens a womans love with no intention of loving her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-coward-is-a-man-who-awakens-a-womans-love-with-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No police or military in the world can protect people who are cowards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-police-or-military-in-the-world-can-protect-people-who-are-cowards/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“People run away from the love game because they know they won't win the race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/people-run-away-from-the-love-game-because-they-know-they-won-t-win/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## More by Paul Neilan > [“It takes more than one kick in the pants to reverse a lifetime of unplanned apathy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/it-takes-more-than-one-kick-in-the-pants-to-reverse-a-lifetime-of/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [I hate bananas. I just hate them. But I also think a banana suit is the funniest fruit costume a person can wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/i-hate-bananas-i-just-hate-them-but-i-also-think-a-banana-suit-is-the/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [“It was nice of her to want to believe the best about me. People tend to do that with the strangers they're fucking. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/it-was-nice-of-her-to-want-to-believe-the-best-about-me-people-tend/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [If Tolstoy were alive today and working at Panopticon Insurance, he'd say that all insurance companies are the same, then throw himself through an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/if-tolstoy-were-alive-today-and-working-at-panopticon-insurance-he-d/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [Anybody can make something up and have it sound believable. The hard part is remembering all the lies you've told, and all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/anybody-can-make-something-up-and-have-it-sound-believable-the-hard/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [“Sitting on my stool I thought of a bumper sticker: "If Mean People Suck, Why Isn't My Dick In Your Mouth?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/sitting-on-my-stool-i-thought-of-a-bumper-sticker-if-mean-people-suck/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [There comes a time in every man's life when he wakes up drunk on the toilet and begins to doubt the choices he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/there-comes-a-time-in-every-man-s-life-when-he-wakes-up-drunk-on-the/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [“Buy it for anyone you know who cries in the shower, who drinks in the morning, whose life only has meaning when they’re asleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/buy-it-for-anyone-you-know-who-cries-in-the-shower-who-drinks-in-the/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [“Buy it for the lady who’s about to become your mother-in-law, the one who’s already trying to control your life and the lives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/buy-it-for-the-lady-who-s-about-to-become-your-mother-in-law-the-one/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [“Sometimes the questions are more important than the answers, especially when you do not know what the answers are. I didn't give a shit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/sometimes-the-questions-are-more-important-than-the-answers/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [“Two wrongs don't make a right but sometimes they make me laugh. I am a vengeful god.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/two-wrongs-don-t-make-a-right-but-sometimes-they-make-me-laugh-i-am-a/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [at first I thought you were just using me" she said "I definitely am." I just wasn't sure for what. "Asshole!" she said, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/at-first-i-thought-you-were-just-using-me-she-said-i-definitely-am-i/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [It’s like someone who prays every night saying God’s a good listener. Just because you’re talking to us doesn’t mean we’re listening. With me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/it-s-like-someone-who-prays-every-night-saying-god-s-a-good-listener/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [Mockery when done without prejudice or discretion, can be a form of respect. It's the closest we'll ever come to true equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/mockery-when-done-without-prejudice-or-discretion-can-be-a-form-of/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [“There’s nothing about me on the jacket because I have no credentials. I majored in English at school, but I only took one creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/there-s-nothing-about-me-on-the-jacket-because-i-have-no-credentials/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) [Explore all 34 Paul Neilan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) ## More Bravery quotes > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [“How could we explain that standing on a stage and speaking someone else's words as if they are your own is less an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-rio/how-could-we-explain-that-standing-on-a-stage-and-speaking-someone/) [M.L. Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-rio/) > [There are those that say, if you do the uncomfortable thing long enough, it will become comfortable. But we are really not encouragers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/there-are-those-that-say-if-you-do-the-uncomfortable-thing-long/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Courage is the skill of being the only one who knows your scared to death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-the-skill-of-being-the-only-one-who-knows-your-scared-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Fearing our confrontations is one thing... facing them unarmed is a completely different matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-boyer-2/fearing-our-confrontations-is-one-thing-facing-them-unarmed-is-a/) [Mark W. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-boyer-2/) > [Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bravery-is-the-capacity-to-perform-properly-even-when-scared-half-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [“Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/every-person-has-the-power-to-change-their-fate-if-they-are-brave/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [All the world's bravery that delights our eyes is but thy several liveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-cowley/all-the-world-s-bravery-that-delights-our-eyes-is-but-thy-several/) [Abraham Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-cowley/) > [“We were taught to be good, and we were taught to be careful. But in this world, sometimes, I do not think we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-bennett/we-were-taught-to-be-good-and-we-were-taught-to-be-careful-but-in/) Marguerite Bennett > [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/) > [These are the men who, without virtue, labour, or hazard, are growing rich, as their country is impoverished; they rejoice, when obstinacy or ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/these-are-the-men-who-without-virtue-labour-or-hazard-are-growing/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Now I have the bravery to do fine things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-sabatini/now-i-have-the-bravery-to-do-fine-things/) [Gabriela Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriela-sabatini/) [Browse all 1,663 Bravery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Cowardice, when done correctly, can be its own kind of bravery.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Neilan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its-own-kind-of-bravery/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bravery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its-own-kind-of-bravery/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/paul-neilan-18889_bravery_cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its_454702.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/paul-neilan-18889_bravery_cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its_454702.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/paul-neilan-18889_bravery_cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its_454702.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cowardice, when done correctly, can be its own kind of bravery.” — Paul Neilan", "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": "Paul Neilan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Cowardice, when done correctly, can be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its-own-kind-of-bravery/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/cowardice-when-done-correctly-can-be-its-own-kind-of-bravery/#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 } } ] } ```