Joe Kita

“Courage is merely a result of vanity and pride. We act valiantly not out of selfless concern and responsibility but out of our own conceit and egoism. If not for an audience there would be less heroes.”

“Maybe there would be a little less fear in the world if we all had the courage to share our own. Maybe then we wouldn’t feel so alone.”

“Fear is a survival instinct, after all. When there’s no longer a chance of survival, there should no longer be a reason for fear to exist.”

“The answer to fear isn’t courage or confidence; it’s learning to trust yourself.”

“It’s interesting to observe the fascination children have with fear. Whether it’s movies, books, or Halloween, part of them wants to be scared at the same time another part doesn’t. It’s like being tickled. There’s delight in fright. Perhaps it’s their way of learning about fear, of gradually coming to know the difference between what’s real and imagined. It’s a knack that takes continual practice. But as we mature, society convinces us that fear is a weakness, and we stop exploring it. Sure, we may still go to horror movies and read Stephen King novels, but we no longer engage fear like we used to. And as a result, we lose our perspective. Instead of flinching when someone says, “Boo!” we slide further into our cocoons.”

“Maybe before you can be fearless, you must be humble. Maybe before you can be courageous, you must surrender. Maybe before you can have pride, you must swallow it. The ego obscures reality just as t6he clouds do the sun. Maybe that's why intelligent people seem more prone to phobias. It's not because they're smarter, it's because they feel more self-important. Conceit is what worry and fear feed on.”

“I'm no longer afraid of this pain. Although it hurts and i'll be sore for days afterward, the accomplishment, perspective, and pride I'll derive will tranquilize it. My abrasions and my blisters will become my medals. It's the same reason mothers choose to become pregnant again. Some pain is worth it.”