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The secret of good human connections is the courage to be vulnerable

Posted by Jenise Fryatt on Thu, Dec 30, 2010 @ 11:47 AM
 

In recent years I've noticed that those who are willing to be vulnerable, reap great rewards both personally and professionally. They take risks and fully commit to whatever it is they want to do. They are also less afraid of failure, accepting it as just another step toward their goals.

Being someone who was effectively paralyzed by my fear of failure for much of my life, it's been a great lesson - one that improv played a great role in teaching me.  And today, there is actual research that proves the power of vulnerability.

Check out this EXCELLENT Tedx Talk by Brene' Brown. I found it to be truly inspiring, and a great note to start the New Year on.

 

 

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Comments

Sounds like a good topic. I will watch the video later. Definitely something I have struggled with myself; fear of failure. Guess I put myself out there so much for so many years and screwed up so many times that I got burnt out. But, for some reason I still think there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Posted @ Thursday, December 30, 2010 12:37 PM by Dave Miller
Dave, 
When I put myself out there in the past, I got burned a lot too. But I've realized that most of that pain was self-inflicted because of how I viewed the "failure." Falling on my face in front of an improv audience, on a regular basis, helped change my attitude about failure. I don't dwell on it as much, I don't see it as evidence of my inadequacy anymore - just another step in my growth. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It just depends on your perception.
Posted @ Thursday, December 30, 2010 1:41 PM by Jenise Fryatt
Jenise, awesome post. Carolyn Ray and I were just talking about this in a similar context a few weeks ago - how the courage to admit that you don't know anything can be AMAZINGLY freeing, and at the same time demonstrate your leadership and knowledge. Just a few years ago, I would have thought the opposite was true - that to ask for help or admit I didn't know something would prove only ignorance. It will be a life-long challenge to remind myself of this and push myself to show vulnerability, but you are right that it's worth it! Look forward to listening to the Ted Talk.
Posted @ Tuesday, January 04, 2011 1:52 PM by Paige
Paige, 
I completely relate to that! I was always afraid to admit my ignorance. But now I push myself to do it more and more and regularly try to ask "dumb" questions. It puts people at ease, makes me more approachable, I think. And that is so key to good communications. Thanks for your input!
Posted @ Tuesday, January 04, 2011 2:00 PM by Jenise Fryatt
I actually just watched this video a few nights ago and was really impacted too, especially as someone with a very scientific, control-oriented personality. I could relate to the speaker's comments of self-discovery! I love the note in the comment field on the TED site for this talk too:  
To be whole, let yourself break. 
To be straight, let yourself bend. 
To be full, let yourself be empty. 
To be new, let yourself wear out. 
To have everything, give everything up.
Posted @ Tuesday, March 01, 2011 10:26 PM by Shawna McKinley
Shawna, 
 
Thank you so much the comment and for adding the note from the TED site. Very inspiring.
Posted @ Tuesday, March 01, 2011 10:55 PM by Jenise Fryatt
Tahira, 
 
Thank you so much. I only wish I had understood this concept when I was younger. You are right. Children, especially before our education system has beaten it all out of them, have so much wisdom. To become healthy, productive adults, we really need to go back to that somehow. I'm going to check out Brene Brown's website!
Posted @ Wednesday, March 02, 2011 7:57 AM by Jenise Fryatt
It is counter intuitive that loosing oneself leads to wisdom. 
 
Certainly as a child, most parents don't teach the benefits because either they have not learnt them themselves or could not teach them if they wanted to since a child most likely can't handle information like that. 
 
But it is the wound, the great wound that awakens a person to this deeper kind of knowledge. 
Posted @ Saturday, October 22, 2011 5:41 PM by Self Discovery
Very true. It's usually the thing that is the most difficult to do that creates real growth, isn't it? Thanks for the comment!
Posted @ Saturday, October 22, 2011 9:24 PM by Jenise Fryatt
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