It is natural to experience fear, but by doing what is necessary anyway we transform ourselves from ordinary people into heroes.
Courage can come in different forms, such as bravery (overcoming fear of physical danger) or steadfastness (overcoming the fears of social, economic, legal, or other consequences). While having the confidence to experience no fear at all can sometimes be helpful, we define courage to be acting despite fear, rather than without it.
Like all Aims of Areté, courage is a developable trait. By doing what is right while the stakes are small, we acclimate ourselves to risk and train ourselves to be bolder when the stakes are higher.
Heroes of Areté resolutely act with integrity to their values, no matter how uncertain they feel.