I agree with Mr Lance about the quote, though I am not sure that people are becoming any less courageous than they were. We may imagine that life is generally easier than it was some time ago, or politicians are more corrupt, but 'human nature' somehow stays the same.
I was once given the same piece of advice by a mountain guide; when mountaineering, it can save your life.
Regarding language, your sentence is near-perfect, but it would benefit from a comma after 'go'.