Conquering Fear - Development of Courage in Soldiers and Other High Risk Occupations

Book excerpt: Conquering fear by summoning courage is a neglected human dimension that is an important combat and performance multiplier for professions that go in harms way. Why a person risks their life in the face of danger is explained. The factors that lead to a person's courage and heroism and how it can be developed through training are described. A set of principles with illustrative techniques and representative applications are presented to provide an insight into ways of developing fortitude or "battlemind". The rationale for these considerations is also given, so that they can be acted upon with confidence. Through training, high risk professions can reduce the fear of their personnel by increasing their fortitude or inner strength. While the soldier is the key focus of this effort, the term "warrior" is used to represent all members of the military and other professions who go in harm's way.