To gamble on yourself is to risk failure. To do it in public is to risk humiliation.
Our fear, like a self-indicating arrow, points to the things we ought to do.
It’s easy to judge. It’s hard to know. Until we know the reasons why a man acted the way he acted, we cannot say that he acted wrongly.
Waste not a moment questioning a man’s courage. Put the scrutiny solely on your own.
It’s okay to be scared, but, be not afraid. Being scared is a reaction to an event; it’s an ephemeral feeling. Be scared when something pops out of a haunted house, but, be not afraid of ghosts. Be scared when you are about to go give a presentation but be not afraid of speaking your mind.
It’s okay — being scared alerts you, wakes you up, and brings danger to your awareness. Being afraid though? This is a state of being. It weakens you, drags you down, and sometimes, paralyzes you.
Be not afraid.
See things for what they are. Do what you can. Endure and bear what you must.