The Difference Between Caution And Fear

Prudence is a virtue that is part of one’s whole personality. When a person develops caution, it turns itself into a kind of halo that can be seen around everything he does. Artistoteles defined it as something that incites one to reasonable and correct behavior. The church considers it one of the 4 cardinal virtues of people. But what is the difference between and fear?

Today, prudence has a slightly different meaning  than what the church suggests. We associate it more with caution. We call someone cautious if they think before doing something, or if they don’t do something because they believe the consequences will be negative. A prudent person may also act slowly and cautiously if the circumstances call for it.

Long ago, people believed that where prudence existed, other virtues would follow. However, we must emphasize that prudence sometimes describes a lack of determination and motivation, and perhaps even insecurity. It is important to distinguish caution from caution.

Positive caution

Prudence has a very positive side. The key word here is foresight: being able to see something coming before it happens. It’s not just a gamble; it is logical reasoning. It implies that you think about and reflect on the situation to infer where this situation will take you.

The ability to be cautious and foreseeable is fundamental in making choices. These virtues will lead you to success and help you make the right choices. It lends itself to strategic problem solving. If you still make mistakes, caution makes them easier to handle.

Prudence is the opposite of impulsiveness.  It is extremely important when a certain choice or action involves a risk or danger. It is a virtue strongly associated with intelligence, reflection and self-control. This is extremely valuable in complex situations.

Excessive caution and emotional processing

There are some people who are careful, but not cautious. Prudence also includes the ability to be courageous when circumstances permit. Otherwise we are no longer talking about caution, but about fear.

When prudence takes extreme forms, it is no longer a virtue. It becomes a problem within your ability to process things emotionally. Overly cautious people see reality as a threat. As a result, they avoid all possible actions that may have unpleasant or disastrous consequences. They reject all kinds of change. The ‘cautious’ choice is to stick with what they are already familiar with.

This type of emotional processing does not lead to success or good choices. It leads to paralysis. It is impossible to eliminate every bit of risk, even in your own living room or bedroom, where you are 100% safe. Ceilings can collapse, planes can crash, thieves can break in… If you always think only of the possible dangers, you will never be able to live peacefully.

Cautious or timid?

Excessive caution sometimes takes strange forms. One is extreme perfectionism. Perfectionists want everything to be armored all the time. They want to keep everything under control and avoid mistakes at all costs. This obsessive behavior reflects more fear than caution. Behind this behavior is a somewhat paranoid expectation: If I leave loose ends, the worst will happen.

And then there are those who use caution as an excuse for passivity. These people are more shy and scared than cautious. There will always be new situations that you are not prepared for, but they do offer exciting opportunities for self-improvement. If you say “no” just because you are not sure of the outcome, you are saying “no” to life itself.

Emotionally healthy people take risks. That doesn’t mean they’re reckless, though; they constantly make estimates, plans and calculations. They know that there is not always a guarantee of success in everything they do.

Cautious people know that making mistakes is always a possibility. However, they see no reason to fear this because they are an incredible source of wisdom and experience. Prudence does not equal fear, but responsibility.