In a recent interview with Forbes Magazine, Dr. Brene Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, as well as the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling book, Daring Greatly answered the following question about her book:
Interviewer Dan Schwabel asked: What are the first three steps to daring greatly?
I’m not a big fan of steps and tips because it’s never linear (and rarely as easy as steps imply). I think daring greatly is about showing up and being seen. It’s about owning our vulnerability and understanding it as the birthplace of courage and the other meaning-making experiences in our lives.
The phrase Daring Greatly is from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech “Citizenship in a Republic.” The speech, sometimes referred to as “The Man in the Arena,” was delivered at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, on April 23, 1910. This is the passage that made the speech famous:
It’s not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly . . . who at best knows the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.
The first time I read this quote, I thought, This is vulnerability. Everything I’ve learned from over a decade of research on vulnerability has taught me this exact lesson. Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in.
I think the first thing we have to do is figure out what’s keeping us out of the arena. What’s the fear? Where and why do we want to be braver? Then we have to figure out how we’re currently protecting ourselves from vulnerability. What is our armor? Perfectionism? Intellectualizing? Cynicism? Numbing? Control? That’s where I started. It’s not an easy walk into that arena, but it’s where we come alive.
I strive to be “all in” with my writing and while I do feel vulnerable and scared some of the time, at least I know I am showing up and developing courage. Needless to say, this is not always pleasant. What about you? Is there an area of your life that you need to walk into the arena? As always, I’d love to hear from you!
P.S. My website has a new look. Check it out here. I welcome your feedback.
> The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
> whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives
> valiantly . . . who at best knows the triumph of high
> achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails
> while daring greatly.
Stephen Sondheim once said Leonard Bernstein taught him, implicitly if not in actual words, to make sure if you’re going to fall off the ladder to do it from a high rung.
I like that, John. I’m not sure why we have to have a ladder in the first place, but I think it’s important to be “all in” with our endeavors if we are to have any chance at success. I could be wrong, of course, but that’s my thought at the moment.
Well, the whole point of art to me is to do something a different way than it’s been done before. If I can smell cliche I don’t like it.
I love the concept of daring greatly. I was raised in a family where physical caution was taught, but we were encouraged to dare greatly with our minds and our creativity.
I’m lucky for that but I need to keep at it. Great post!
Hi Barbara,
You were indeed lucky to have parents who encouraged you to be creative and dare greatly! I hope you do keep at it. I’m convinced the world needs writers and artists and all creative types. In other words, the world needs you! And me.
Hi Susan !
Happy New Year twice ! Once for 1 January and also for yesterday, which was Chinese New Year. It’s a special year for me, since I am a horse, so I should be able to apply myself and really accomplish those goals. As the “Spring Festival” kicks off, I am studying my Mandarin, and playing and performing music. My dream is to perform at a place called “The Wooden Box” in Shanghai China this Summer.
I do agree that we should, “dare greatly” to do whatever. I hope this is a very beautiful year for you.
All the best,
Trélys
Wonderful to hear from you, Trelys! Happy New Year! I hope you have a beautiful year, too.
We are all doing our best, aren’t we? Sometimes just getting through a day is to “dare greatly.â€