“He or she who is willing to be the most uncomfortable is not only the bravest but rises the fastest.”
– Brené Brown
Dr. Brené Brown (@BreneBrown) is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. Brené’s 2010 TEDx Houston talk, The Power of Vulnerability, has been viewed more than 31 million times and is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world.
She has spent the past 13 years studying vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame. Brené is the author of three #1 New York Times bestsellers: Daring Greatly, The Gifts of Imperfection, and Rising Strong.
This episode turned into a therapy session of sorts for me because I felt like I needed a lot of help related to topics she explored. I thought I would give you a sample of some of the highlights — the things I applied to my own life and have revisited many times since. It’s really a sample of my new book Tools of Titans.
Please enjoy this distilled collection of highlights from Dr. Brené Brown. Be sure to stay tuned for a surprise at the end!
Listen to it on iTunes.
Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”
Want to hear another podcast with Brené Brown? — Listen to her first appearance on my show. In this episode, we discuss vulnerability, schools of philosophy, and creating a home run TED Talk (stream below or right-click here to download):
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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
Connect with Brené Brown:
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Courage Works
Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Timothy Ferriss
Brené Brown on Vulnerability and Home Run TED Talks (her first appearance on this show)
Watch Brené Brown’s TED Talks: The Power of Vulnerability and Listening to Shame
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
Rising Strong by Brené Brown
I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t) by Brené Brown
Women & Shame by Brené Brown
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
The Five Minute Journal: A Happier You in 5 Minutes a Day
Laird Hamilton, The King of Big Wave Surfing (Plus: Gabrielle Reece and Brian MacKenzie)
Luxembourg Garden
Searching for Bobby Fischer: book by Fred Waitzkin, movie with Joe Mantegna
The Matrix
The Sixth Sense
The Usual Suspects
What is a red team?
General Stan McChrystal on Anti-War Americans, Pushing Your Limits, and The Three Military Tests You Should Take
Tara Brach on Meditation and Overcoming FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
Maria Popova on Being Interesting, Creating More Time in a Day, And How to Start A Successful Blog
Smile Guided Meditation by Tara Brach
Laird Hamilton, The King of Big Wave Surfing (Plus: Gabrielle Reece and Brian MacKenzie)
The ChiliPAD
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger by Charles T. Munger
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Revised Edition by Robert B. Cialdini
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
The Wizard of Hollywood, Robert Rodriguez
Tim Ferriss Interviews Arnold Schwarzenegger on Psychological Warfare (And Much More)
The Tim Ferriss Show, Episode 20: Dan Carlin — Hardcore History, Building Podcasts, Creativity, and More (Hardcore History is my favorite podcast)
Place Louis Aragon: sit a spell by No Worries Paris
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro
The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life by Timothy Ferriss
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
The Person I Call Most for Startup Advice
Show Notes
Afraid and brave can coexist. [05:09]
Give discomfort its due. [06:32]
When I had the opportunity, did I choose courage over comfort? [08:21]
One of Brené’s rules for public speaking: house lights. [10:51]
Shame versus guilt. [12:05]
To be trusted, be vulnerable. [12:48]
Who does Brené think of when she hears the word “successful?” [13:50]
What advice would Brené give to her 30-year-old self? [14:39]
Suprise goodies. [16:00]
People Mentioned
Cus D’Amato
Mike Tyson
Dean Martin
Theodore Roosevelt
Gabby Reece
Neil Strauss
Kurt Vonnegut
W.H. Auden
Victor Hugo
Gertrude Stein
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Ernest Hemingway
Josh Waitzkin
Pierre-Marc-Gaston
Peter Thiel
General Stan McChrystal
Marc Andreessen
Tara Brach
Maria Popova
Laird Hamilton
Robert Rodriguez
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Dan Carlin
Shay Carl
Robert Moses
Walt Disney
Ben Franklin
Naval Ravikant