The Courage "Muscle Group"
(originally published in the Handbook of Human Formation, by Cameron Thompson)
As I said in an earlier post, each of the Four Primary Virtues (aka Cardinal Virtues) is more like a muscle group, composed of a number of more specific Subsidiary Virtues. Remember, virtues are not some abstract principle like values. Virtues are real habits of measurable skillfulness that become deep traits.
Fortitude/Courage: Facing Risks and Difficulties
Fortitude is that character strength which is the habit of steadfast courage in facing risks and constancy in facing challenges and difficulties. This virtue is the balance of strength that overcomes the weakness of needless fear, rashness, and recklessness. Fortitude is the strength to implement decisions you’ve made, do great things in spite of difficulty, and persevere under pressure, and resiliency in overcoming obstacles and hardship.
The Specific “Muscles”
The Subsidiary Virtues of Fortitude are as follows:
Daring: This is the habit of boldly taking the right risks, despite the uncertainty of the outcomes. It is opposed to the vice of risk-avoidance, and also to the vice of recklessness.
Magnanimity: This is the habit of striving for greatness. The word itself means ‘great-spirited’. It is the strength to pursue and undertake great and noble endeavors, inspired by the hope of attaining something difficult to reach. It is the strength which overcomes presumption and pusillanimity (small-heartedness). While the pusillanimous person shrinks from striving after great things and prefers the comfort of mediocrity and normalcy, the magnanimous person boldly takes the initiative to lead – alone, if necessary – the undertaking to fulfill his or her mission of greatness.
Magnificent Philanthropic Works: This is the habit of greatness in your works on behalf of others. It is the virtue of generosity in regard to great things which must be done and require great expense of your own resources. It is the strength which overcomes meanness and the fear of material loss.
Resilience: This is the habit of calmly facing with balanced-mind and tranquility the sufferings imposed by others. This is also known as ‘Resiliency’ or ‘Hardiness’. It is the strength which overcomes fragility, unresponsiveness, and a temperamental attitude.
Patience: This is the habit of hopeful endurance for a delayed good. It is the habit of being able to wait for delayed gratification. It is the strength which overcomes discouragement and inconstancy.
Grit: This is the habit of persisting in the good, pushing back against the difficulty faced in the very continuance of whatever you’re doing. It is the strength which overcomes laziness and softness as well as pertinacity.
Perseverance: This is the habit of persevering in the good amidst obstacles encountered in addition to the difficulty inherent in the nature of prolonged action. It is the habit of sticking with something despite difficulty, and of quitting when the time is right. It is the strength which overcomes both resignation and stubbornness.