Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.

Patton’s line draws a sharp boundary between boldness grounded in judgment and impulsiveness driven by emotion. “Calculated risks” implies acting decisively while still weighing terrain, timing, resources, and likely enemy reactions—an approach associated with effective command rather than mere bravado. The second sentence functions as a corrective to the popular myth of the fearless warrior: courage is not the absence of caution, but the ability to act after appraisal. In leadership terms, the quote endorses initiative and speed, yet insists that audacity should be disciplined by intelligence and planning.