Brave people: what psychological traits characterize them?

William Faulkner said that we cannot go and discover new horizons if we do not first dare to leave the shore. But how to do it? What material are brave people made of? Science tells us that this competence does not always come to us from the “factory”, since it is not housed in the heart of the genes, but rather that each of us develops it to a certain extent.

We could say that to be brave you learn by force. They are existential moments in which we only have two options: move forward and dare to drink water from the pond with the lions or simply die of thirst. Something like that requires putting into motion a large number of psychological gearsskills and emotional dimensions that we can all activate.

Sometimes, the key is not to be bold, strong or even to become decisive beings who manage to successfully and effectively overcome any adversity. In reality, courage does not match any of these dimensions. It is more about knowing how to manage fear, knowing how to navigate uncertainty. and accept that bad days also exist.

What are brave people like?

To make a profile of brave people, we should first define who deserves this adjective. When saying it, many of us almost immediately visualize the classic hero of Greek mythology. To Perseus killing Medusa, to Hercules, successfully completing the 12 tests. However, we could also think of Artemis, Medea or Antigone.

Aristotle said that courage is a state halfway between fear and recklessness.. The philosopher Michel de Montaigne pointed out that being brave has its limits, like any virtue, and that taking it to the extreme is falling into recklessness and immaturity. Sir Francis Bacon thought the same, for whom bravery was not the same as audacity, because the audacious very often lead to foolishness by letting themselves be carried away by impulse without weighing the risks.

So what really is bravery? From a psychological point of view, it is the ability to adapt to the circumstances that surround us, managing fear well and giving the best response. It is important to delve deeper into this concept because, We often reinforce ideas and stereotypes about being brave that are not true.. We analyze it.

Brave people act despite fear

The University of Houston (United States) carried out an interesting study on the role of courage and bravery when facing phobias. In the context of the study, people were trained in these dimensions, in the management of fear and motivation. The results were most interesting: some of the people showed great progress in managing phobic behaviors.

This shows us something very simple: brave people act despite fear. Courage is not the absence of fear, anguish or apprehension. It is convincing yourself that you have to act despite these dimensions because the benefits outweigh the fact of not acting..

Courage is demonstrated in small everyday acts

The truly brave person doesn’t always appear in the media. He is not someone who performs great feats. Actually, This dimension flourishes in small daily acts, those in which each person overcomes their fears and insecurities. They are simple behaviors that manage to transform reality and adapt it to one’s well-being in harmony with needs, principles and values.

Being brave is not being strong

Brave people are not necessarily strong beings or resistant creatures like galleons of other times capable of leaving with little damage from winds and storms. Actually, A good part of human courage lies in the simple acceptance of those unwanted circumstances with which we have to live.. Without fighting against what doesn’t make sense.

Therefore, in our society, many of the brave men and women are silent figures. Personalities that accept that sometimes, Life is adverse and this journey is not always about winning or losing, only about resisting.. And to do this, you also need a good dose of courage.

The greatness of knowing how to tolerate the uncertain, what is beyond our control

Courageous people also master the art of tolerance for uncertainty. There are times when destiny does nothing but veer towards unforeseen paths, corners and detours. Even scenarios that no one could imagine. As the essayist Nassim Taleb would say, understanding that (unforeseen) black swans abound in life is an example of maturity and wisdom.

However, those who, in addition to accepting and tolerating uncertainty, know how to handle it by overcoming fears, tolerating frustration and acting in an innovative way, are also using courage.

Emotional health and the ability to be brave

Courageous people also enjoy good emotional health. All of them cultivate, practice and reinforce many of these dimensions:

Serenity to see and accept things as they are. Good self-esteem to safeguard their identity and work for their needs. Adequate management of fear and insecurities. Motivating behavior. They know how to accept what they cannot control, without getting angry, blocked or frustrated. Brave people are minds that believe in hope and feed daily enthusiasm.

To conclude, it is important to consider that we can all develop these skills. Bravery is not a trait of superheroes. You don’t have to be from the planet Krypton to stand out for these skills; It is up to us to activate them to make them ours here and now.

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