---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I understood then what courage was all…"
description: "\"“I understood then what courage was all about. It is loving someone else more than you love yourself.”\" — Robert R. McCammon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/robert-r-mccammon-14992_courage_i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-a_1698370.jpg"
---

#  I understood then what courage was all about. It is loving…

![“I understood then what courage was all about. It is loving someone else more than you love yourself.” quote by Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/robert-r-mccammon-14992_courage_i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-a_1698370.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/robert-r-mccammon-14992_courage_i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-a_1698370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/robert-r-mccammon-14992_courage_i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-a_1698370.jpg)

> ““I understood then what courage was all about. It is loving someone else more than you love yourself.””

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

## 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 defined as self‑less love, putting another’s needs above one’s own.

**In simple terms:** Courage means loving others more than yourself.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize others’ well‑being.

Themes

courage self‑sacrifice love

Mood

emotional inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- volunteering
- leadership
- conflict resolution
- parenting

Key Concepts

ethical philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you loved others over yourself?
- How do you balance self‑care with self‑lessness?

A Different Perspective

Self‑love is also essential for sustainable caring.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-yourself/) [Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving/)

## Related quotes

> [To know John Kennedy, as I did, was to understand the true meaning of the word. He understood that courage is not something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/to-know-john-kennedy-as-i-did-was-to-understand-the-true-meaning-of/)

[Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/)

> [“Surviving is what most of us just do. To live and to be loved, needs courage and be loving, in that order.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magith-noohukhan/surviving-is-what-most-of-us-just-do-to-live-and-to-be-loved-needs/)

[Magith Noohukhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magith-noohukhan/)

> [You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/you-can-give-without-loving-but-you-can-never-love-without-giving-the/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [The thing about loving someone is that you have to love them the way they need to be loved and not the way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrine-steffans/the-thing-about-loving-someone-is-that-you-have-to-love-them-the-way/)

[Karrine Steffans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrine-steffans/)

> [“One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/one-can-give-without-loving-but-one-cannot-love-without-giving/)

[Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/)

> [“Being in love doesn't mean loving. You may be in love with a woman and yet hate her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/being-in-love-doesn-t-mean-loving-you-may-be-in-love-with-a-woman-and/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“There is a difference. Loving someone and being in love with someone. You can love anyone that touches your soul in a way you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-quinn/there-is-a-difference-loving-someone-and-being-in-love-with-someone/)

[Meghan Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-quinn/)

> [“I never stopped loving you. Even when I was in love”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-evans/i-never-stopped-loving-you-even-when-i-was-in-love/)

[Jessie Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-evans/)

> [Loving you while you love someone else is like trying to breathe with no air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loving-you-while-you-love-someone-else-is-like-trying-to-breathe-with/)

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

> [They love their reasons for loving us almost as much as they love us, and most of the time more. It's not so good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-love-their-reasons-for-loving-us-almost-as-much-as-they-love-us/)

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

> [You can give without loving but you cant love without given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-iyonawan/you-can-give-without-loving-but-you-cant-love-without-given/)

[Jeffery Iyonawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-iyonawan/)

> [“There is a distinct, awful pain that comes with loving someone more than they love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-a-distinct-awful-pain-that-comes-with-loving-someone-more/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/you-can-always-give-without-loving-but-you-can-never-love-without/)

[Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/)

> [We can give without loving, but we can't love without giving. In fact, love is nothing unless we give it to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/we-can-give-without-loving-but-we-can-t-love-without-giving-in-fact/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [“she never thought about loving herself because love for her always meant giving it to someone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haemin-sunim/she-never-thought-about-loving-herself-because-love-for-her-always/)

[Haemin Sunim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haemin-sunim/)

## More by Robert R. McCammon

> [“There was lightning behind Mr. Sayre's eyes, and it was looking for a place to strike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/there-was-lightning-behind-mr-sayre-s-eyes-and-it-was-looking-for-a/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“His hair was think and curly and reddish-brown, his eyes a clear ice blue; Ramona had told him many times that she could see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/his-hair-was-think-and-curly-and-reddish-brown-his-eyes-a-clear-ice/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“...hot shouts of neon...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/hot-shouts-of-neon/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“The truth of life is that every year we get farther away from the essence that is born within us. We get shouldered with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/the-truth-of-life-is-that-every-year-we-get-farther-away-from-the/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“It seemed to Billy that no matter how far you walked, you never really got to the end of things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/it-seemed-to-billy-that-no-matter-how-far-you-walked-you-never-really/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“The sharp white steeple of the Hawthorne First Baptist Church stuck up through the leafless trees like an admonishing finger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/the-sharp-white-steeple-of-the-hawthorne-first-baptist-church-stuck/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“I hoped she would never lock her smile away, and forget where she'd put the key.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/i-hoped-she-would-never-lock-her-smile-away-and-forget-where-she-d/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [They say that somewhere in Africa the elephants have a secret grave where they go to lie down, unburden their wrinkled gray bodies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/they-say-that-somewhere-in-africa-the-elephants-have-a-secret-grave/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [Maybe crazy is what they call anybody who's got magic in them after they're no longer a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/maybe-crazy-is-what-they-call-anybody-who-s-got-magic-in-them-after/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“I couldn't picture heaven. How could a place be any good at all if it didn't have the things there you enjoyed doing? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/i-couldn-t-picture-heaven-how-could-a-place-be-any-good-at-all-if-it/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“This was a dank, sinister chill: the chill of shadows where poison toadstools grown, their ruddy colors beckoning a child to come, come take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/this-was-a-dank-sinister-chill-the-chill-of-shadows-where-poison/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“Put one foot forward and the other will get you to where you are going~!" Bag Lady, Swan Song”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/put-one-foot-forward-and-the-other-will-get-you-to-where-you-are/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“Grigsby had looked at him askance. “Why is it,” he said, “that I have the distinct impression you’re not surprised by this news?” ‘Surprised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/grigsby-had-looked-at-him-askance-why-is-it-he-said-that-i-have-the/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [We all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/we-all-start-out-knowing-magic-we-are-born-with-whirlwinds-forest/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

> [“If you were my girlfriend I would give you a hundred lightning bugs in a green glass jar, so you could always see your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/if-you-were-my-girlfriend-i-would-give-you-a-hundred-lightning-bugs/)

[Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

[Explore all 44 Robert R. McCammon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/)

## More Courage quotes

> [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/)

[Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/)

> [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/)

[Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/)

> [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/)

[Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/)

> [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/)

James T. Conway

> [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/)

> [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. 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

> [“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": "“I understood then what courage was all about. It is loving someone else more than you love yourself.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert R. McCammon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-about-it-is-loving-someone/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Courage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-about-it-is-loving-someone/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/robert-r-mccammon-14992_courage_i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-a_1698370.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/robert-r-mccammon-14992_courage_i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-a_1698370.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/robert-r-mccammon-14992_courage_i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-a_1698370.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I understood then what courage was all about. It is loving someone else more than you love yourself.” — Robert R. McCammon",
                "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": "Robert R. McCammon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I understood then what courage was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-about-it-is-loving-someone/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/i-understood-then-what-courage-was-all-about-it-is-loving-someone/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
