have the courage of convictions


have the courage of (one's) convictions

To have the confidence to act or behave in accordance with one's beliefs or ideologies, especially in the face of resistance, criticism, or persecution. The governor was presented with a bribe to help the corporation avoid regulation, but she had the courage of her conviction to refuse such an offer. Plenty of people have tried to dissuade me from pursuing this career, but I've always had the courage of my convictions.See also: conviction, courage, have, of

have the courage of one's convictions

to have enough courage and determination to carry out one's goals. It's fine to have noble goals in life and to believe in great things. If you don't have the courage of your convictions, you'll never reach your goals. Jane was successful because she had the courage of her convictions.See also: conviction, courage, have, of

courage of one's convictions, to have the

To act in accordance with one’s beliefs. The term may have originated in France since at first it was stated as the courage of his opinions (le courage de son opinion); it so appears in John Morley’s biography of Diderot (1878). A 1989 political cartoonist put an amusing twist on it in criticizing President George H.W. Bush’s changing stand on abortion: “It’s nice to see he has the courage of his elections” (Wasserman, Boston Globe, Nov. 9, 1989). See also put one's money where one's mouth is.See also: courage, have, of