Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She is well known for her talk ” The Power of Vulnerability” which is in the top 5 most viewed TED talks in the world.

She shares insight on the false dichotomy that we’re either courageous or chicken liver. This is a commonly accepted belief that is simply untrue.

“Most of us are afraid and brave at the exact same moment, all day long.” – Dr. Brené Brown

I love this quote because it goes back to one of my all-time favorite principles, and has taught me how I can become more like an Olympian.

Something I first learned in “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg.

Charles shares an interview with Michael Phelps where Michael reveals that he really never gets nervous before a competition, instead, he takes those exact same feelings of “nerves” and turns them into excitement.

This same principle is apparent in Mike Tyson’s legendary first coach Cus D’Amato who told his athletes the following before big fights; “The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It’s the same thing – but it’s what you do with it that matters.”

Being afraid and brave can exist in the same moment – it’s more about how you let your emotions determine your state that matters.