The Tim Ferriss Show

#409: Brené Brown — Striving versus Self-Acceptance, Saving Marriages, and More

Feb 6, 2020

Brené Brown, a research professor and bestselling author, dives into the complexities of courage, vulnerability, and self-acceptance. She reflects on the emotional armor we build during personal crises like divorce and the importance of confronting our feelings. Through candid anecdotes, she discusses balancing authenticity with public scrutiny and the power of real connections. Brené emphasizes valuing ordinary moments amidst life’s struggles and encourages pursuing passions over societal expectations, all while embracing our imperfections.

01:27:30

Episode guests

Brené Brown

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Quick takeaways

Self-acceptance and vulnerability are crucial for lasting change and growth.

Embracing imperfections leads to personal growth and positive transformation.

Creating a supportive and loving family dynamic fosters harmony and well-being.

Deep dives

The Importance of Self-Acceptance and Vulnerability

The podcast episode delves into the significance of self-acceptance and vulnerability. The speaker emphasizes the need to remove armor and open oneself to the messiness and magic of relationships and the human condition. It is highlighted that lasting change and growth can only occur through self-acceptance, while also striving for personal improvement. The importance of curiosity, self-awareness, and cultivating a mindset of embracing imperfections is emphasized in order to live a more authentic and fulfilling life.

True Connection Requires Vulnerability

02:02

Curiosity as the Armor of Growth

01:57

Parenting: Moving from Compliance to Commitment

01:57

Fame is a Burden, Not a Goal

02:20

Intro

4min

Exploring Courage and Vulnerability in Relationships

3min

Authenticity in Connection

5min

Navigating Fame and Self-Acceptance

29min

Confronting Emotional Armor

21min

Pursuing Passion Over Expectations

16min

Embracing Routine and Authenticity

4min

Humor, Excitement, and Personalized Sleep Solutions

3min

Maximizing Your Online Experience with Brave

3min

"We chase extraordinary moments instead of being grateful for ordinary moments until hard shit happens. And then in the face of really hard stuff — illness, death, loss — the only thing we're begging for is a normal moment." — Brené Brown

Dr. Brené Brown (@BreneBrown) is a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington Foundation – Brené Brown Endowed Chair at The Graduate College of Social Work. Brené is also a visiting professor in management at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business.

She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and her latest book, Dare to Lead, which is the culmination of a seven-year study on courage and leadership. Brené hosts the Unlocking Us podcast, and her TED talk -- The Power of Vulnerability -- is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world with over 45 million views. She is also the first researcher to have a filmed lecture on Netflix. The Call to Courage special debuted on the streaming service on April 19, 2019.

Please enjoy Brené's return to the show!

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Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.