Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.

The line defines courage not as the absence of fear but as persistence in spite of it. Rather’s phrasing emphasizes that fear is a normal, even expected, human response; what distinguishes courage is the decision to continue acting when fear is present. The quote also implies a practical, workmanlike ethic: bravery is measured by follow-through (“going on anyhow”), not by inner calm or heroic self-image. In that sense it demystifies courage, making it accessible—something ordinary people can practice in daily life, professional risk, moral choices, or public pressure—by refusing to let anxiety dictate their actions.