Achilles and Courage

Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greeks, stands as the eternal symbol of ancient masculinity.

He was so iconic that Alexander the Great carried a copy of The Iliad (the poem of Achilles’s wrath) with him on every expedition, striving to emulate the legendary hero.

What truly made Achilles the ultimate symbol of masculinity for the ancient world was his courage. To be a courageous man in the eyes of the ancients was to live up to the legacy of Achilles.

A man who faced his fate unflinchingly and charged into battle, knowing full well the cost. His bravery, even in the face of certain death, immortalized him in the imagination of the ancient world.

Courage

To be courageous, you need only one thing: acceptance.

The reason you might feel like a coward is because of the resistance within you.

Ask yourself: when things go bad, do you complain? Do you get angry? Do you rage at the unfairness of it all? These are signs of resistance which means you are in denial of the present moment.

To be courageous, on the other hand, is to stop resisting and act without certainty. It means accepting that things may not go your way. It means acknowledging that things could go horribly wrong. You could even die! And yet, you choose to act anyway—not because you’re certain of success, but because you refuse to cower in the shadows.

You know this life has an expiration date, you can’t run away from that. So why not play the most magnificent game you can while you’re here?

But why does your degree of acceptance dictate whether you’re courageous or cowardly?

Because when you choose to accept what is happening, you begin to shed the resistance that arises in that moment. With this shedding, you become more present, more aware. And in this presence, your most authentic self is revealed.

And your authentic self? It is naturally courageous.

You are courageous!

Cowardice is nothing more than an illusion born of resistance. With the cessation of resistance, bravery shall shine like a phoenix, rising from the ashes of doubt.

How to Embody Acceptance

Acceptance isn’t something achieved in a split second, it’s obtained with a gradual practice. Consider these three points:

1. Make acceptance a meditation. Open your arms, breathe deeply, and accept this very moment for what it is. Then, bring to mind situations in your life that make you uncomfortable. Allow the feelings that arise to exist without resistance, and simply accept them.

2. Recognize the power of acceptance. With acceptance, problems often begin to resolve themselves. And even if they don’t, acceptance is still the only step forward.

3. Shift your mindset. I personally believe that I have no true free will—that what has happened was meant to be, and what will happen is fate. I see myself as an instrument in the orchestra of the cosmos. With this mindset, I’ve achieved unfathomable acceptance and peace.

This is how you embody the spirit of Achilles. He accepted his fate so deeply that even the prospect of death did not deter him.

Remember this: courage is admirable beyond measure. It’s what makes you legendary. And the beautiful thing about courage is that it’s already within you. All it takes is a moment of self-reflection to unleash it into the world!

Now be at peace my brother and conquer the day!