Finally, treating fear as a signal to plan gradually reshapes our character. Courage here is not the absence of fear, but the decision to let fear trigger preparation rather than withdrawal. Repeatedly responding to anxiety with thoughtful planning builds a track record of survivable challenges and learned lessons. As with veteran commanders in Sun Tzu’s world, this history of well-prepared responses reduces the intensity of future fears. Over time, we come to trust that when fear appears, it will not imprison us; instead, it will cue a disciplined process that moves us forward. [...]
