Formative influences
| Influence | Evidence | How it built courage |
| Supportive, fearless mother | Kim credits his greatest asset to being born in 1988 in America and raised in the open‑minded Bay Area by a mother who constantly encouraged him . He recalls a vivid childhood memory: when he and his mother were lost in East Oakland she pulled up next to two men who looked “like thugs” and calmly asked for directions; Kim hid in the passenger seat, but the men were “insanely nice.” This taught him that people we fear are often kind if we ask . | His mother’s example normalised bravery, showed that strangers are not always dangerous and instilled the idea that courage is a skill one can practice . |
| Early ambitions and self‑confidence | He dreamed of building custom computers as a high‑school side‑hustle and attending UCLA; he achieved these goals through AP classes, being an Eagle Scout and extracurricular activities . A friend told him that successful architects doubted themselves the least, teaching him that success requires self‑belief. | Achieving ambitious goals reinforced his confidence and taught him that self‑assurance, not fear, brings results . |
| Sociology education and photography | Kim studied sociology at UCLA and sees himself first as a sociologist and second as a photographer; his work explores themes like the “presentation of self,” gluttony and the ills of capitalism . He discovered street photography around age 18, when a heart‑pounding moment at a bus stop—photographing a man without permission—hooked him on the genre . | Sociology gave him a curiosity about human behaviour, while street photography forced him to confront fear of strangers; repeated experiences of photographing people built nerve and resilience. |
Key experiences that tested and built his courage
- Facing confrontations on the street. Kim’s aggressive, close‑up style occasionally provoked strong reactions. In Los Angeles someone grabbed his camera strap and threatened to break his camera; he apologised and calmed the person down . In Toronto he refused to delete a photo of an aspiring pop star; the man shoved him and pretended to call police, but Kim stood his ground because he knew he was within his rights . In Tokyo a man kicked his camera bag, sending his flash flying; Kim bowed and apologised . These incidents were only three among roughly 300,000 street photos . Surviving them taught him that negative reactions are rare and manageable, increasing his composure.
- Realising that fear is exaggerated. Influenced by Stoic philosopher Seneca, he emphasises that humans over‑imagine worst‑case scenarios. To overcome fear, he visualises the worst outcome—losing a job, homelessness, starvation—and recognises it is unlikely. He reframes negative events as opportunities for growth. He trains himself to endure physical discomfort, such as taking icy showers, to build mental fortitude.
- Not caring about others’ opinions. In a 2017 essay he advises “don’t care what others think” and even burn one’s past memories to reinvent oneself. He argues that happiness comes from freedom, and freedom from having the courage to pursue one’s own ideas.
Philosophical outlook on courage
- Courage as the measure of success. Kim argues that success is not external wealth but the degree of courage one exerts . He urges people to act as if this life is the only one and to leave behind knowledge and art that uplifts others .
- Courage is a muscle. He insists that no one is born courageous; like a muscle, courage must be trained . He divides courage into physical, entrepreneurial and social forms and suggests training each: heavy lifts (rack pulls, atlas lifts) for physical courage; taking digital risks for entrepreneurial courage; and smiling, waving or staring back at rude people for social courage .
- Indifference to external judgments. In multiple posts he argues that externals—body type, race, wealth—are outside our control; what we can control is how courageous we are. He advocates being indifferent to matters one does not care about and resolutely saying no to things one despises.
- Death is less frightening than living a trivial life. He writes that death is like being unborn and should not be feared; one should fear living a life without purpose or failing to help others. He criticises societal pressure to work uninspiring jobs just to retire and urges following passions even if it means sacrificing conventional security.
Motivation to encourage others
Kim’s courage is not only inward‑looking; he sees his “life’s task” as creating open‑source knowledge to uplift and empower other photographers. He views courage as contagious—by sharing his experiences and teaching others to overcome fear, he hopes to make them more confident, creative and happy.
Conclusion
Eric Kim’s courage was not an innate trait but the product of a supportive upbringing, early successes that fostered self‑confidence, and the adrenaline and occasional confrontations of street photography. Through Stoic philosophy and deliberate practice—visualising worst‑case scenarios, training physical and social courage, and refusing to be constrained by others’ judgments—he has cultivated a fearless approach to life. His openness about these methods and his commitment to helping others suggest that, for Kim, true courage lies in using one’s freedom to pursue meaningful work and inspire others to do the same.