Daodejing Chapter 73: bravado and courage

Daring to be bold means death.
Daring not to be bold preserves life.
Of the two, one benefits and one harms.
Who knows what heaven hates?
Even the sage finds it difficult to understand.
The Dao of heaven
Does not contend and yet prevails,
Does not speak and yet responds,
Is not summoned and yet appears,
Is laid-back and yet makes plans.
Heaven’s net is vast,
It is widely meshed,
And yet nothing slips through it.

「勇於敢則殺，勇於不敢則活。此兩者或利或害。天之所惡，孰知其故？是以聖人猶難之。天之道不爭而善勝，不言而善應，不召而自來，繟然而善謀，天網恢恢，疏而不失。」

There is a huge difference between bravado and courage. Bravado is driven by a desire to capture people’s attention and show that you are at the centre of the action. It can easily lead to recklessness and negative long-term consequences.

Courage means possessing the willingness to confront adversity, danger, or uncertainty without abandoning your values and principles. It can require making unpopular decisions that only begin to bear fruit when everyone has forgotten that you were the one who made them.

There are of course situations in which bravado can be effective, but it is only through having the courage to adopt a thoughtful and measured approach that you will achieve lasting results.

Notes
1.) “Daring to be bold” contrasts with the Daoist principle of avoiding conflict unless it is essential. Unnecessary risks can lead to danger, harm, or even death. In the Daoist perspective, refraining from action can also be seen as a form of boldness. See also:

Daodejing Chapter 64: A journey of a thousand miles
Daodejing Chapter 67: Compassion and Courageousness
Daodejing Chapter 69: advancing without advancing