--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Courage is the ability to do the right…" description: "\"Courage is the ability to do the right thing, all the time, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might be.\" — Tony Dungy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/tony-dungy-2343_ability_courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-t_193680.png" --- # Courage is the ability to do the right thing, all the… ![“Courage is the ability to do the right thing, all the time, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might be.” quote by Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/tony-dungy-2343_ability_courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-t_193680.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/tony-dungy-2343_ability_courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-t_193680.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/tony-dungy-2343_ability_courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-t_193680.png) > “Courage is the ability to do the right thing, all the time, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might be.” [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) ## 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 consistently choosing ethical actions despite discomfort. **In simple terms:** Do the right thing even when it hurts. Key Takeaway Act ethically despite pain. Themes ethics resilience leadership Mood determined serious Type inspirational ethical When to use this quote - making tough decisions at work - standing up to peers - personal integrity challenges Key Concepts Moral courage integrity discipline Questions to Reflect On - When have you avoided a painful truth? - How do you balance courage with prudence? A Different Perspective Courage can be misused to justify harmful stubbornness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) ## Related quotes > [“Nothing is worth the loss of one's conscience, or the ability to do what is right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-morgan/nothing-is-worth-the-loss-of-one-s-conscience-or-the-ability-to-do/) [Kathleen Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-morgan/) > [“That no matter what happens, loving someone to the best of your ability is the right thing to do. It's the only thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/that-no-matter-what-happens-loving-someone-to-the-best-of-your/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [If initiative is the ability to do the right thing, then efficiency is the ability to do the thing right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-miller/if-initiative-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-thing-then-efficiency-is/) [Kelly Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-miller/) > [Ability is all right but if it is not backed up by honesty and public confidence you will never be a successful person. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/ability-is-all-right-but-if-it-is-not-backed-up-by-honesty-and-public/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Have confidence in your ability to do it right, and work hard to do the best possible job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/have-confidence-in-your-ability-to-do-it-right-and-work-hard-to-do/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Language is courage: the ability to conceive a thought, to speak it, and by doing so to make it true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/language-is-courage-the-ability-to-conceive-a-thought-to-speak-it-and/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Courage is the ability to connect with another human and share our truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-rosenheck/courage-is-the-ability-to-connect-with-another-human-and-share-our/) Alyssa Rosenheck > [The only real security is not insurance or money or a job, not a house and furniture paid for, or a retirement fund, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-sutherland/the-only-real-security-is-not-insurance-or-money-or-a-job-not-a-house/) [Audrey Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-sutherland/) > [“Courage is the ability to defeat your fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabiso-monkoe/courage-is-the-ability-to-defeat-your-fear/) [Thabiso Monkoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabiso-monkoe/) > [Courage is the ability to go from failure to failure with enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/courage-is-the-ability-to-go-from-failure-to-failure-with-enthusiasm/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [A single step of courage can alter whole conception of what seems impossible.Courage is ability to win over fear of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/a-single-step-of-courage-can-alter-whole-conception-of-what-seems/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“We will never be as invincible as we wish to be. That is why we help each other. Sometimes our courage is not about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-d-marie/we-will-never-be-as-invincible-as-we-wish-to-be-that-is-why-we-help/) [Elizabeth D. Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-d-marie/) > [Courage is not an ability one either possess or lacks. Courage is the willingness to engage in a risk-taking behavior regardless of whether the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/courage-is-not-an-ability-one-either-possess-or-lacks-courage-is-the/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [ “Given courage and ability and a favorable set of circumstances, there is no greater way to \[acquire\] influence than to be free of personal… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-hickok/given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorable-set-of-circumstances-there/) Lorena Hickok > [The first quality of courage is the willingness to launch with no guarantees. The second quality of courage is the ability to endure when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-first-quality-of-courage-is-the-willingness-to-launch-with-no/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## More by Tony Dungy > [We only wanted to pay significant sums to keep truly special players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/we-only-wanted-to-pay-significant-sums-to-keep-truly-special-players/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [They were unwillingly to give 100 percent if they didn't personally think it was important. What you don't understand is the champions know it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/they-were-unwillingly-to-give-100-percent-if-they-didn-t-personally/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [I need to treat everybody fairly, but fair doesn't always mean equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/i-need-to-treat-everybody-fairly-but-fair-doesn-t-always-mean-equal/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Change isn't always bad; we should always be learning and improving. But the change I was seeing involved principles, not procedures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/change-isn-t-always-bad-we-should-always-be-learning-and-improving/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [We wanted guys who had been productive in college, and we made it a point to pick performance over potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/we-wanted-guys-who-had-been-productive-in-college-and-we-made-it-a/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Hard work and togetherness. They go hand in hand. You need the hard work because it's such a tough atmosphere... to win week in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/hard-work-and-togetherness-they-go-hand-in-hand-you-need-the-hard/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Character is the glue that bonds solid and meaningful relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/character-is-the-glue-that-bonds-solid-and-meaningful-relationships/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [As a father of seven kids, and been a kid myself at one point, I realize you don't always make the best decisions every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/as-a-father-of-seven-kids-and-been-a-kid-myself-at-one-point-i/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [What's important is not the uniform or the number, and it's not what team you play for or whether anyone else sees your value;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/what-s-important-is-not-the-uniform-or-the-number-and-it-s-not-what/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Engage, educate, equip, encourage, empower, energize, and elevate. Those are the methods for maximizing the potential of any individual, team, organization, or institution for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/engage-educate-equip-encourage-empower-energize-and-elevate-those-are/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [There are weaknesses that you have to understand and it takes a lot of discipline for the players to be able to play it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/there-are-weaknesses-that-you-have-to-understand-and-it-takes-a-lot/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Integrity is what you do when no one is watching; its doing the right thing all the time, even when it may work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/integrity-is-what-you-do-when-no-one-is-watching-its-doing-the-right/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [I would want America to know our kids need us. Spend as much time with your kids as you can. Enjoy them. Be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/i-would-want-america-to-know-our-kids-need-us-spend-as-much-time-with/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [“Without Peyton, there would be no Lucas Oil Stadium. This team would be playing in L.A. right now. I don't understand Jim saying this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/without-peyton-there-would-be-no-lucas-oil-stadium-this-team-would-be/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [“When people criticize you, it’s not always for your actions but for what you represent. If they’re really criticizing you for your faith, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/when-people-criticize-you-it-s-not-always-for-your-actions-but-for/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) [Explore all 171 Tony Dungy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Courage is the ability to do the right thing, all the time, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Dungy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-thing-all-the-time-no-matter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-thing-all-the-time-no-matter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/tony-dungy-2343_ability_courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-t_193680.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/tony-dungy-2343_ability_courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-t_193680.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/tony-dungy-2343_ability_courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-t_193680.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Courage is the ability to do the right thing, all the time, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might…” — Tony Dungy", "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": "Tony Dungy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Courage is the ability to do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-thing-all-the-time-no-matter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-thing-all-the-time-no-matter/#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 } } ] } ```