The Courage To Live
The Courage to Live podcast is hosted by retired Police Captain Josh Bitsko and his wife Jenna, and it explores resilience, leadership, and the real stories behind critical incidents and everyday challenges. Each episode blends lessons from Josh’s career in law enforcement including his response to the 1 October mass shooting in Las Vegas with honest conversations about trauma, growth, and the courage it takes to face both professional and personal battles. The show covers everything from leadership and decision making under stress to mental health, family, and the daily choices that help us live with purpose.
The Courage To Live
Ep. 84: The Courage to Live - Reputation vs. Character
In this episode, Josh and Jenna sit down to talk about the difference between character and reputation, and why the two rarely line up the way people think. They share how reputation is shaped by gossip, quick judgments, and outside impressions, while character shows up in the quiet moments when no one is watching.
They walk through real stories from policing, leadership, friendships, and family life to show how reputation can shift fast, but character is revealed slowly through consistent choices. They also talk about the pressure of trying to manage how people see you, what it takes to repair a damaged reputation, and why the only real solution is to build a stronger inner foundation.
This conversation is honest, funny in the right places, and full of practical insight for anyone trying to live in a way that feels aligned with who they want to be.