Nelson Mandela - I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear

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Welcome to The Daily Quote—a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, and today is October 8th.

Now, I hope you're ready for this, because today is National Face Your Fears Day. Yes, that's right—a whole day dedicated to facing the things that make your palms sweat, your stomach churn, and your heart race like you've just seen the latest credit card statement. Whether it's public speaking, spiders, or maybe just that big, hairy thing called change, this day invites you to confront it head-on. No more running in the other direction!

It seems only fitting that today's quote comes from someone who knew a thing or two about facing fear—Nelson Mandela, who said:

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

Isn't that a powerful reminder? Courage isn’t about being fearless—it's about standing tall, despite the fear. Mandela knew what it was to confront immense challenges—personally, politically, and globally. And through it all, he learned that fear is something we all feel, but it doesn’t have to control us.

So, on this National Face Your Fears Day, think about what that means for you. Maybe your fear isn’t as dramatic as the ones Mandela faced—but whether it’s fear of failure, rejection, or even heights, it’s all valid. What matters is your response to it. After all, avoiding fear doesn’t make it go away; it just makes it loom larger, like that one spider you swore was tiny until it moved.

Today, take a small step toward facing something that’s been holding you back. Even if it’s just saying "yes" to something that normally gets a big "nope" from you. Remember, the point isn’t to be fearless, it’s to be brave enough to move forward with the fear. That’s the kind of courage that changes things.

And who knows? You might find that the thing you’ve been avoiding is less terrifying than you thought. Or... it’s exactly as terrifying, but at least you’ll know, right?

That’s all for today’s episode. Take your courage with you as you face your fears today, and I’ll be right here tomorrow with another quote to keep you going. Thanks for joining me on The Daily Quote. I'm Andrew McGivern, and until next time, remember: it's OK to be afraid—just don't let it stop you from doing amazing things.