bhaskar saikia

Fear has a way of gripping us in silence—before the leap, before the word is said, before the battle begins. It creeps in during the before. And it’s in that silence that fear can feel the loudest.

We often think courage means not being afraid. But real courage is something else entirely. It’s the decision to step forward despite fear—to act even when every part of you wants to run or hide.

There’s a saying from combat veterans: “You’re scared until the first bullet is fired. Because once bullets start flying, there’s no time to get scared.”

It may sound stark, but it reveals something profound. Fear belongs to anticipation, to the unknown. Once you’re in the thick of it—once life demands action—something shifts. Your mind narrows in, your instincts kick in, and fear gives way to focus, determination, and survival.

We experience this outside battlefields, too.

• The moment before you speak in public.
• The pause before you confess something you’ve held inside.
• The seconds before you send the application, make the call, or take the leap.

That pause is where fear thrives. But once you’re in motion, courage takes over—not because fear disappears, but because your attention shifts to what must be done.

So maybe the key isn’t to wait until you’re not afraid. Maybe the key is to act while afraid, knowing that the moment you begin, fear will lose its grip.

Fear waits at the edge. Courage lives in the doing.

Let the bullets fly—not of war, but of truth, action, and effort. Once they do, you’ll find that fear no longer has time to haunt you.