Courage is the quality that allows you to face danger, difficulty, or fear instead of running away from it. When you feel scared but choose to act anyway because something matters more than your fear, that's courage.

Courage shows up in different ways. Physical courage means facing bodily danger: firefighters running into burning buildings, or a kid standing up to a bully even though they might get hurt. Moral courage means doing what's right even when it's unpopular or risky: telling the truth when a lie would be easier, or refusing to join friends who are doing something wrong.

Notice that courage isn't the same as fearlessness. A person without fear is either foolish or doesn't understand the danger. True courage means feeling fear and choosing to act despite it. When your hands shake as you give a speech in front of the class, but you do it anyway, you're showing courage. When you admit a mistake that might get you in trouble because honesty matters more than avoiding consequences, that's courage too.