Brene Brown on The Power of Being Vulnerable

Good Life Project founder, Jonathan Fields, interviews Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability, daring greatly and being brave.

Topics explored include what it takes to live a good life, the power of vulnerability, the daring way of life, what it means to be brave, how people handle judgment, the intersection between human nature and entrepreneurship, how to decide whose opinions matter and so much more.

[Serenitygracehope]

I am about to turn 46 (like you both!) I have just begun to enter my creativity and vulnerability. I am so grateful to have found Brene at this time in my life, It makes me go out, do the hard stuff, not beat myself up (as much) but even more - to do it again! Thank you

[iwnunn]

What a beautiful, friendly smile Brene has.

[tinaforan]

So nice, I loved listening in, tears rolling down my face

[annysblackwell]

"You are responsible for the energy you bring into the world" - yes!

[devidaughter]

"is this is the work so powerful that . ..it's the work I can't not do, and it must get out" -Jonathan Fields (12:42). . . "a CEO, and she or he..." (23:50) - thank you Jonathan Fields for demonstrating your support of women through conscious speech choices! loved this interview; thank you both so much for 'showing up' and 'daring greatly'!

[sogarpantarskin]

One of my favorite quotes:
"There are songs we need to hear; there are stories that need to be heard; there is work that needs to be seen; there are ideas that need to be implemented.”-Brene 

[MainelyButch]

Brene Brown is just brilliant, and this is one of my favorite interviews with her!  She's so relaxed and just so engaging in the conversation.  She's really made me see that vulnerability and shame have held me back from being my daring self...but no more!

[pierreloubert]

You are both inspirational. I live on the sidelines, I live in fear. I am a spectator. I've tried for so many years to learn self-compassion, self-love, to let go of expectations, to just live in the moment and stop judging, stop criticizing, stop complaining and slowly work my way to gratitude, opening my heart to invest in relationships as you say "wholeheartedly". It's scary, it's the great unknown, it's the greatest pain when I fail, but it's also the greatest source of joy when it works.

So seeing you speak of being vulnerable and trying and knowing that failure is a possibility is inspirational. I'm not putting you on a pedestal, you're human and imperfect, but you've accepted that. I need to accept that, and let go of expectations.

Thank you so much for putting your work out there, for daring, for risking because it benefits so many of us.

So I will add you and this interview to my daily gratitude practice, one more blessing in my life.

Namaste

[zullyamaya]

Great quote by Thich Naht Hahn and paraphrased by Brené regarding the “sole purpose of our existence here is to get over the illusion of our separateness”

[iwnunn]

I love the way Jonathan interviews.  His questions and conversational exchanges are intelligent and pertinent and he allows the interviewee space and time to respond.  He knows where the focus should be.  BIG FAN OF BRENE BROWN BTW.

[codydonaugh]

One quote that I have heard and is good is: "Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us."

[Alatheai]

I fell in love with Brene after watching her TED talk and watching this makes me love her even more! Thank you Brene for pushing back against your peers to make your work accessible to the average person and for having the courage to put your work out there. America is drowning in its obsession with perfection, having more/better 'stuff' than our neighbors and only discussing polite topics. I think your work is essential to America growing up and becoming a better, happier society.

[hanzomerdijk]

This is my first time listening to either one of you. What a wonderful exchange! I'm one who definitely lived my life from the bleachers. But now that I'm retired, and no longer "beholding" to anyone, I want to open those doors in my psyche that have remained closed and unexplored. In the final chapter of life, you look back and ask yourself "What can I take with me when my expiration date arrives? - What will survive the transition to the next dimension?" It has to be your vibration, like a tuning fork, that hums to sum total of your life's experience. So as a supremely risk-averse person, you've given me the courage and inspiration to step into the arena, and adopt the mission of making the 3rdAct of Life better for enyone who wants to find personal growth, fulfillment and gratitude for the gift that was bestowed on us.

[RamgiriBraun]

Criticism can make us weak or strong. The difference is in how we handle our mind. To the clear mind all criticism points us to the truth. Unfair and mean-spirited put-downs can inspire us and show us clearly how not to be. What hurts is the part in us that has yet to grow, and these voices help us to find it. They ARE the arena. We can love it all. That is Self-love; nothing is excluded. 

[jenc.]

Thank you Brene for all your work. I just bought your book Braving the Wilderness, and so much and it resonates with me and it's stuff that I believe and wanted to write about years and years and years ago, I'm 54 now but I didn't because nobody was doing it. LOL. And you are somebody who's helping me get out of my slump of being frozen. My husband died 4 years ago, I have a chronic autoimmune disorder, and I just got put on long-term disability at work, because they weren't willing to accommodate me. And I just feel like a complete loser failure. I'm working on selling my home because I don't want to live here anymore I haven't for a while but I tried to make it be something I wanted when it really wasn't cuz, I should again, LOL. I don't know why I just wrote all that I had a point, but I forgot it. Just thank you for all you do you're a very helpful.

[jennastoffel]

Brene Brown- you are a light. If you remember any comment...I hope that you will never forget that. 

[Kim-wqsx]

I am in love with this interview.  So glad she talked about "grounded theory" and I can't wait to look into this more.  Also, so happy that Brown made what she learned accessible instead of letting the research set on the intelligentsia shelf.

[TaraRoddenRobinson]

Singing with Brene' and a thousand other people at World Domination Summit 2012 was incredible. I am so grateful for her, her work, her courage. Thanks, Jonathan for a great interview.

[lynneklippel]

This was so real- a meeting of 2 great minds and wholehearted people. Thank you for this magical and inspiring conversation.

[simonechoy]

Thank you for being real and transparent personally and for having guests on whose experiences and the sharing of them, enrich my life.