--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Courage is knowing that you're beaten and…" description: "\"Courage is knowing that you're beaten and forging ahead anyway.\" — Zach Wahls" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/zach-wahls-43638_courage_courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-an_1913175.jpg" --- # Courage is knowing that you're beaten and forging ahead… ![“Courage is knowing that you're beaten and forging ahead anyway.” quote by Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/zach-wahls-43638_courage_courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-an_1913175.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/zach-wahls-43638_courage_courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-an_1913175.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/zach-wahls-43638_courage_courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-an_1913175.jpg) > “Courage is knowing that you're beaten and forging ahead anyway.” [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) ## 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 persisting despite feeling defeated, choosing to move forward anyway. **In simple terms:** Courage is acting when you feel beaten. Key Takeaway Keep moving despite setbacks. Themes resilience determination hope Mood determined empowering Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - overcoming illness - career setbacks - personal loss Key Concepts psychology philosophy of action Questions to Reflect On - What does courage look like in your life? - When have you acted despite fear? A Different Perspective Courage can be mistaken for reckless optimism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beaten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beaten/) [Beaten Forging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beaten-forging-2894429/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-knowing-1208059/) [Forging ahead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forging-ahead/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Knowing Beaten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-beaten-2894428/) ## Related quotes > [I don't always know where this life is going. i can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-davis/i-don-t-always-know-where-this-life-is-going-i-can-t-see-the-end-of/) [Katie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-davis/) > [“I have... I have never used a sword in my life. And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-3/i-have-i-have-never-used-a-sword-in-my-life-and-i-hope-you-never-have/) [J.R.R Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-3/) > [True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one. - Gandalf The Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-of-the-rings/true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-when-to-spare-one/) [Lord Of The Rings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-of-the-rings/) > [“Courage is a kind of salvation. Courage is knowing what not to fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/courage-is-a-kind-of-salvation-courage-is-knowing-what-not-to-fear/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“I don't always knew where this life is going. I can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: Courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-j-davis/i-don-t-always-knew-where-this-life-is-going-i-can-t-see-the-end-of/) [Katie J. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-j-davis/) > [True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-courage-is-about-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-when-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I can't see the end of the road, but here is the great part: Courage is not about knowing the path. It is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-j-davis/i-can-t-see-the-end-of-the-road-but-here-is-the-great-part-courage-is/) [Katie J. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-j-davis/) > [“There’s one more part,” she said, finding the courage, knowing she needed to tell him the rest of it. “Of the all I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/there-s-one-more-part-she-said-finding-the-courage-knowing-she-needed/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [Courage is knowing what to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/courage-is-knowing-what-to-fear/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any idiot can be brave, but courage is about knowing what's at stake, and moving forward anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-ryan/any-idiot-can-be-brave-but-courage-is-about-knowing-what-s-at-stake/) [Meg Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-ryan/) > [“True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but to save one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/true-courage-is-knowing-not-when-to-take-a-life-but-to-save-one/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [Living isn't courage, knowing that you're living, that's courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/living-isn-t-courage-knowing-that-you-re-living-that-s-courage/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“There is no magic herb that makes a brave man. Courage is knowing that what you do is necessary. Don't doubt yourself, Shadow. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-alder/there-is-no-magic-herb-that-makes-a-brave-man-courage-is-knowing-that/) [Elizabeth Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-alder/) > [Courage is knowing what not to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/courage-is-knowing-what-not-to-fear/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Real courage is knowing what faces you and knowing how to face it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/real-courage-is-knowing-what-faces-you-and-knowing-how-to-face-it/) [Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/) ## More by Zach Wahls > [Gov. Romney says he's against same-sex marriage because every child deserves a mother and a father. I think every child deserves a family as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/gov-romney-says-he-s-against-same-sex-marriage-because-every-child/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [“...I was normal until society told me they didn't think I was normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/i-was-normal-until-society-told-me-they-didn-t-think-i-was-normal/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [I think every child deserves a family as loving and committed as mine. Because the sense of family comes from the commitment we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/i-think-every-child-deserves-a-family-as-loving-and-committed-as-mine/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [Religious beliefs...should never be an excuse to treat people badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/religious-beliefs-should-never-be-an-excuse-to-treat-people-badly/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [“It’s not like I woke up one morning, cracked my knuckles and thought, All right, time to pick a sexuality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/it-s-not-like-i-woke-up-one-morning-cracked-my-knuckles-and-thought/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [“...a dozen hands engaged in hard, charitable work will change more lives than thousands of hands clasped in prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/a-dozen-hands-engaged-in-hard-charitable-work-will-change-more-lives/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [“We should NOT try to change other peoples' systems against their wills, and we should not inflict our systems on others if such infliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/we-should-not-try-to-change-other-peoples-systems-against-their-wills/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) > [The sexual orientation of my parents has had zero effect on the content of my character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/the-sexual-orientation-of-my-parents-has-had-zero-effect-on-the/) [Zach Wahls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) [Explore all 9 Zach Wahls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/) ## More Beaten quotes > [I think children have talent and insight, but it gets beaten out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/i-think-children-have-talent-and-insight-but-it-gets-beaten-out-of/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [It's kind of the yin and yang that fascinate me. That for all the evil men do, there are also people who work obnoxiously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/it-s-kind-of-the-yin-and-yang-that-fascinate-me-that-for-all-the-evil/) [Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/) > [It's always a wake-up call to get beaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usain-bolt/it-s-always-a-wake-up-call-to-get-beaten/) [Usain Bolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usain-bolt/) > [“I felt my heart skip a beat, just one, but it was enough that I took notice. It was nice to know that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-stunich/i-felt-my-heart-skip-a-beat-just-one-but-it-was-enough-that-i-took/) [C.M. Stunich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-stunich/) > [Class clowns are never allowed to date anybody decent, but you don't get beaten up, you're invited to parties, and everybody likes you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/class-clowns-are-never-allowed-to-date-anybody-decent-but-you-don-t/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [I know from my own clinical work that when people are beaten and hurt, they numb out so that they cant feel anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/i-know-from-my-own-clinical-work-that-when-people-are-beaten-and-hurt/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [You could be beaten down by anybody and by everybody and it doesn't matter what everybody else thinks it's how you see yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/you-could-be-beaten-down-by-anybody-and-by-everybody-and-it-doesn-t/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [Could beauty be beaten out, O youth the cities have sent to strike at each other's strength, it is you who have kept her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-doolittle/could-beauty-be-beaten-out-o-youth-the-cities-have-sent-to-strike-at/) [Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilda-doolittle/) > [The midget, Bush, and that Rumsfeld deserve only to be beaten with shoes by freedom loving people everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-midget-bush-and-that-rumsfeld-deserve-only-to-be-beaten-with/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Like with every form of cancer, early detection is what it is all about. I urge everyone to learn the facts about this condition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/like-with-every-form-of-cancer-early-detection-is-what-it-is-all/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) > [In our culture of constant access and nonstop media, nothing feels more like a curse from God than time in the wilderness. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-martin/in-our-culture-of-constant-access-and-nonstop-media-nothing-feels/) [Jonathan Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-martin/) > [A man who is determined never to move out of the beaten road cannot lose his way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-man-who-is-determined-never-to-move-out-of-the-beaten-road-cannot/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I admit that I've been beaten up so many times in films, but we do not fake it - we actually have to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/min-sik-choi/i-admit-that-i-ve-been-beaten-up-so-many-times-in-films-but-we-do-not/) [Min-sik Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/min-sik-choi/) > [I do not approve of children being beaten. It is always a confession of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-wentworth/i-do-not-approve-of-children-being-beaten-it-is-always-a-confession/) [Patricia Wentworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-wentworth/) > [If you can feel that staying human is worth while, even when it can't have any practical result whatsoever, you've beaten them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/if-you-can-feel-that-staying-human-is-worth-while-even-when-it-can-t/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) [Browse all 665 Beaten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beaten/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Courage is knowing that you're beaten and forging ahead anyway.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zach Wahls" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-and-forging-ahead-anyway/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beaten" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-and-forging-ahead-anyway/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/zach-wahls-43638_courage_courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-an_1913175.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/zach-wahls-43638_courage_courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-an_1913175.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/zach-wahls-43638_courage_courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-an_1913175.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Courage is knowing that you're beaten and forging ahead anyway.” — Zach Wahls", "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": "Zach Wahls", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wahls/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Courage is knowing that you're beaten...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-and-forging-ahead-anyway/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wahls/courage-is-knowing-that-you-re-beaten-and-forging-ahead-anyway/#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 } } ] } ```