Dr. Brené Brown speaks to creative professionals, tackling the fear of putting yourself and your work out into the world. Drawing on a beloved Theodore Roosevelt quote about courage, she reminds creatives that getting knocked down is inevitable, but far less frightening than reaching the end of life, wondering what could have been if you had simply shown up.
If you don’t have 22 minutes to spare, here is her message in a nutshell:
“If you’re going to show up and be seen, there is only one guarantee, and that is, you will get your ass kicked … That’s the only certainty you have. If you’re going to go in the arena and spend any time in there whatsoever, especially if you’ve committed to creating in your life, you will get your ass kicked …
“Yea, it’s so scary to show up. It feels dangerous to be seen. It’s terrifying. But it’s not as scary, dangerous or terrifying as getting to the end of our lives and thinking, what if I would’ve shown up? What would’ve been different?”
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By Michael D. Pollock
Michael D. Pollock is a behavior change coach and writer who helps people break stubborn patterns, rebuild self-trust, and create lives that reflect who they truly are. His work explores the intersection of habits, identity, psychology, neuroscience and deep personal change.
