Steven Pressfield Quotes

'White Material' is about courage and craziness.

There is nothing so satisfying as to be shot at without effect.

The free man is as courageous in timely retreat as in combat

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man As modest stillness and humility; But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate the action of the tiger: Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide, Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit To his full height!

You are never freer than in that moment when you decide to expose yourself to sniper fire.

I believe that soldiers will bear me out in saying that both come in time of battle. I take it that the moral courage comes in going into the battle, and the physical courage in staying in.

Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity Kitai. Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real, but fear is a choice.

War is hell, but that's not the half of it, because war is also mystery and terror and adventure and courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing and love. War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War makes you a man; war makes you dead.

O God of battles! steel my soldiers’ hearts. Possess them not with fear.

It is courage that vanquishes in war, and not good weapons.

Without the blessing of cowardice, the world would long since have been torn to bits.

To call war the soil of courage and virtue is like calling debauchery the soil of love.

It is fear that is the cause of our woes, and it is fearlessness that brings heaven in a moment "The earth is enjoyed by heroes" - this is the unfailing truth.

Valour, however unfortunate, commands great respect even from enemies: but the Romans despise cowardice, even though it be prosperous.

I was fearless. Wild horses couldn't stop me.

War may make a fool of man, but it by no means degrades him; on the contrary, it tends to exalt him, and its net effects are much like those of motherhood on women.

I was a coward. I went to the war.

The thing is - fear can't hurt you any more than a dream.

The truly fearless think of themselves as normal.

Nothing is to be feared but fear.

Onward, my brave boys - money or no money - men or no men! Have you love? Have you God? Onward and forward to the breach, you are irresistible.

The single biggest act of bravery or madness anyone can do is the act of change.

There is no fear. There are only two things. Trained and untrained.

Any man can shoot a gun, and with practice he can draw fast and shoot accurately, but that makes no difference. What counts is how you stand up when somebody is shooting back at you.

What is fear but courage's shadow?