Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

The saying contrasts two kinds of bravery: the visible courage of asserting oneself publicly and the quieter courage of restraint—yielding the floor, receiving criticism, and genuinely hearing others. It suggests that moral strength is not only performative (speaking, leading, persuading) but also receptive (listening, learning, revising one’s views). In leadership terms, it implies that effective authority requires humility and self-control, since listening can be uncomfortable, can expose one to dissent, and can demand patience. The aphoristic balance of the two sentences reinforces the idea that courage is a character trait expressed in opposite but complementary actions.