All great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and both must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courage.
Interpretation
Great achievements often come with significant challenges, and facing these challenges requires bravery.
This quote by William Bradford emphasizes that to achieve great and honorable actions, one must confront and navigate through substantial difficulties. Overcoming these obstacles is intrinsic to the act of valor itself, suggesting that courage is not just about facing fears but also about committing to the pursuit of meaningful goals despite potential hardships.
In practice
In a graduation speech to inspire students about the challenges ahead.
Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together.
As one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation.
Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many.
Have I not walked without an upward look Of caution under stars that very well Might not have missed me when they shot and fell? It was a risk I had to take-and took.
Hong Kong people stand in the front line to confront authoritarian suppression.
Was it proof of madness in the first corps of sea officers to have, at so critical a period, launched out on the ocean with only two armed merchant ships, two armed brigantines, and one armed sloop, to make war against such a power as Great Britain?
At some point, you just pull off the Band-Aid, and it hurts, but then it's over and you're relieved.
Fearlessness may be a gift but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavour, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions, courage that could be described as 'grace under pressure' - grace which is renewed repeatedly in the face of harsh, unremitting pressure.
Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' Like the poor cat i' the adage?
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