Fortune Favors the Brave
He who dares knows no sorrow.
They say, "To the daring, even the ocean is only knee-deep."
Once the courage to plunge into a task takes hold,
no matter how massive the undertaking,
it ceases to be daunting.
One gains the boldness to step into the arena
and work with determination.
No force can stop them
once they are underway.
If a bird feared falling,
it would never leave its nest.
It is only when a bird attempts to fly with the boldness
to accept a potential fall that it truly takes flight;
it flies, daring greatly, relying solely on the faith it has in its wings.
We might climb a tree in a moment of bravado,
but our legs tremble when it is time to come down.
Sweating profusely, we plead: "Brother, please help me down,"
or "Sister, please give me a hand."
That is the extent of our courage.
What if we fall?
We climbed the tree secretly and boldly
precisely because we believed we wouldn't fall.
Why do we suddenly need a sister or brother
to help us climb down?
Courage comes only to those
who possess self-confidence.
A child who believes that even if they fall,
they can rise again,
is the one who will get up boldly, time after time.
One needs courage to swim.
Without it, even if the water is only knee-deep,
one can only stand at a distance, peering in,
mouth agape in awe,
watching other children
frolic in the water.
Some others, however,
may have had a different kind of experience. We would stand on the pond's bank,
watching the scene without bathing.
Children younger than us
would be swimming away.
We, however, were afraid
to even step into the water.
Suddenly, someone would come along
and push us into the water.
Now, we were compelled
to swim.
Mustering courage, we would swim
and reach the shore.
Where did that courage come from?
Observe how a certain courage arises
when there is simply no other option.
What was the reason for that courage
being absent in the first place?
A lack of self-belief
is what causes hesitation and faltering.
One needs mental courage
to remain steadfast in action.
To execute what was promised
and to achieve what was envisioned,
mental resolve is paramount.
Success in an endeavor is achieved
only when one acts with courage,
free from the slightest doubt
about whether it will bring joy
or lead to suffering.
"The culmination of deliberation is the resolve to act;
it is detrimental if that resolve
lingers in hesitation."
"One needs courage
to make a decision regarding an action.
If that courage comes
too late, it will not yield good results,"
says Valluvar.
In many instances, we have lagged behind
simply because we failed to engage
in an action with courage.
In so many situations, by constantly holding back,
we have lost sight of our true selves.
"Deliberate before undertaking a task;
to deliberate after the decision is made is a flaw."
Why did Valluvar specifically use
the word 'thuniga' (resolve/dare)? Reflect before you act.
One might wonder why it wasn't simply phrased as
"Reflect before you undertake a task."
Whenever we set out to do something,
a thousand questions
confront us.
Should I do it now... or
leave it for tomorrow...
or would it be best
to simply leave it undone?
Such perplexing questions
weigh heavily on the mind.
One needs the resolve to believe that
if one boldly takes action,
unnecessary complications will not arise.
That is the essence of the saying,
"He who is bold knows no sorrow."
Victory is attained only when one steps into the arena
with a "come what may" attitude.
If you stand back and watch, you see only barren ground;
only when you look up do you grasp the vastness of the sky.
"No fear, no fear,
I have no fear at all;
even if the sky were to crash down
upon my head,
I would feel no fear"—
as Bharathiyar proclaimed,
only by stepping into the arena with courage and fearlessness
can one live with head held high.
Step boldly into the arena.
Cast aside hesitation; let your journey to success begin with courage.
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