About this quote

Bravery is a working decision, not a feeling that appears on its own. You will feel fear; the trick is to get it out of your head long enough to do the task at hand. Do one concrete thing: take a breath, name the fear, and act on the next clear step. Ask yourself what one small action moves the job forward, then do it. Repeat that habit and the fear stops dictating your moves.

When to use it

• On the eve of our first live-fire exercise at Fort Bragg, the platoon sergeant looked at each of us and said, 'Everybody's afraid, but to do your job in combat you have to put your fear down.'
• Before my first solo trauma shift, an ER attending tapped my shoulder and said, 'Everybody's afraid, but to do your job in combat you have to put your fear down,' then handed me the chart.
• In the locker room before the penalty shootout, the coach clapped and told the keeper, 'Everybody's afraid, but to do your job in combat you have to put your fear down,' and we went out to take the kicks.
• At the front door of a burning house, the captain yelled to the team, 'Everybody's afraid, but to do your job in combat you have to put your fear down,' and we moved in together.