Welcome to the Deep Dive. We sift through the
information so you don't have to. Today, we're
doing a really critical deep dive. We're looking
at cultivating courage, overcoming fear, to really
unlock potential, especially in competitive spaces
like the tech sector. That's right. And our mission
here is, well, pretty focused. Finding actionable
ways to genuinely fear less and roar more. This
isn't just talk. It's about fundamentally changing
our relationship with fear so it stops being
the limiting factor. And the economic angle here,
it's, wow, it's staggering. Let's just jump into
the numbers. Only 7 % of startups have a female
founder. Just 7%. That's incredibly low. And
it immediately signals a huge missed opportunity.
Exactly. Because when you look at performance,
companies with diverse leadership, they're actually
21 % more likely to outperform their competitors.
And that gap isn't just theoretical. The research
points to a, well, a shocking $2 trillion opportunity
gap. A trillion? Yes, in tech alone. It's economic
value just left on the table because talent isn't
being fully represented or empowered. It really
puts it in perspective. This isn't, you know,
just a social issue. It's fundamental to business
success. The data shows companies with more women
leaders achieve 34 % higher ROI. 34 %? Yep, globally.
Only 27 % of tech leadership roles are held by
women. So the main point for you listening is
empowering women in tech isn't some side project.
It's actually central to driving innovation and
frankly, better business results. Yeah. The potential
just sitting there untapped. It's enormous. Okay,
so let's unpack how we get there. We have to
start by acknowledging fear itself. It's universal,
right? Our bodies, our brains, they're literally
wired for it, for survival. Absolutely. It's
built in. But the danger, as the source has warned,
is that if we let that fear run the show unchecked,
it keeps us locked in what they call the prison
of the comfortable and predictable. Safe, but
small. And we never reach our actual potential.
That prison, it's kind of maintained by those
inner voices, isn't it? Oh, definitely. The inner
monologue is the jailer. Yeah, and the material
highlighted some really common ones. Just as
you're thinking about a big move, they hit you
with things like, you'll fail spectacularly.
Or you're unworthy. You're a total imposter.
You have no power here. Yeah, all designed to
make you just stop, stay put. And sometimes they
all pile on at once, right? It feels overwhelming,
like doing nothing is the only smart move. It
really can feel that way. So the big question
is, how do we push past that, that inner noise?
Well, this is where the material offers a fascinating
perspective shift right away. Experiencing fear.
It's not actually a signal to stop. Oh. No. It's
seen as a prerequisite for any real positive
change or growth. You have to feel it to move
forward. The core idea is transforming how we
see that fear. OK. So if fear isn't a stop sign,
what is it then? The critical definition provided
is this. Fear is an emotion. And emotions. Well,
emotions are data, not direction. Data, not direction.
Okay. You have to acknowledge the feeling, the
data point. But you absolutely refuse to let
that feeling dictate your path or override your
intelligence. Yeah. You collect the data, you
process it, and then your brain, your intellect,
decides the next move. I find that incredibly
helpful. Data, not direction. And that flows
right into reframing it, like that popular acronym,
FEAR. Right. False evidence appearing real because
let's be honest most of the terrible things we
imagine They just don't happen do they very rarely
and the reframing advice pushes this further
change the mental sound associated with fear
instead of like Police siren or an ambulance
siren danger warning. Yeah, think of it more
like an ice cream truck siren. You hear the noise
It's loud maybe even a little annoying, but it
signals something good something rewarding is
actually on the other side Okay, I like the concept,
but let me push back slightly here. False evidence
appearing real. That works great if I'm, say,
afraid to make a sales call. But what about when
the fear feels rational? Like a high -stakes
decision, a big investment, where failure has
real significant consequences. How does data,
not direction, work when the evidence isn't false?
That's a really important question. And the framework
still applies, actually. Even when the fear is
rational, when the data points to genuine risk,
the fear is still data. OK. It's valuable data
telling you, hey, Here are the potential pitfalls.
Here's where you need to be careful. So it prompts
you to prepare better, to gather more information,
maybe build in some safety nets or adjust the
plan. The fear informs your strategy. Ah, I see.
So it doesn't mean ignore the risk. It means
use the fear data to mitigate the risk intelligently.
Exactly. You acknowledge it. OK, fear. I see
you. Point taken. Then you move past it, feel
it, use it to prepare, and operate through it,
but smartly. That makes a lot more sense. It
becomes a catalyst for smarter action, not paralysis.
Which leads to this really counterintuitive piece
of advice we found. To live your best life, you
should actually allow yourself to experience
more fear. Yeah, that sounds backwards, doesn't
it? Yeah. But the idea is to actively invest
in mastering things you fear. Like deliberately
choosing scary things. In a controlled way, yes.
Things like public speaking if that terrifies
you or asking for that promotion or leading a
project outside your comfort zone. You intentionally
operate through the fear because that's how you
build the mental muscle, the resilience for bigger
unknowns later. It sounds like making a very
conscious decision, a commitment. It absolutely
is. Think about powerful historical examples
like Rosa Parks. Her action wasn't just a sudden
impulse. It came from a mind that was already
made up. Doubt and fear had been dealt with beforehand.
When you are truly resolute, fear loses its grip.
Okay. That's a strong foundation. Let's move
into the practical strategies than the four antidotes
the sources offer to cultivate courage. Antidote
number one is creating a growth mindset. Yes.
The work popularized by Carol Dweck. It's fundamental.
A growth mindset means you believe your abilities
can be developed through dedication and hard
work. It's about focusing on effort, learning,
strategy. not just innate talent. And that completely
changes how you view failure, right? Totally.
It's captured perfectly in that quote from Sandra
Rivera. I never lose. I either win or I learn.
I love that. Win or learn. Failure isn't the
end. It's just feedback. Exactly. So being fearless
in this context doesn't mean you don't feel fear.
It means you push through it because, you know,
whatever the outcome, you'll gain something valuable,
either the win or the lesson. And preparation
is key to that. Absolutely crucial. The material
stresses. Collect data. Talk to experts. Get
honest feedback from people you trust. You build
confidence not by ignoring fear, but by arming
yourself with information and support. You replace
raw emotion with, well, actionable intelligence.
We saw a really powerful example of this, didn't
we? The story about nearly letting fear derail,
applying for that technical assistant and chief
of staff role to the Intel CEO. Oh yeah, the
TA role to Brian Krzanich. That's a huge role.
Basically, the CEO's right hand involved in everything
at the highest level. Immense pressure, immense
visibility, career making or breaking. Definitely.
And the inner voice was loud then. Deafening,
apparently. You're not qualified. You won't even
get an interview. All of that. But the turning
point, the winning strategy, came from a core
realization. Fear is temporary, but regret is
forever. Wow. That's a powerful calculation.
It is. That understanding provided the conviction
to just push the temporary fear aside and focus
on building a strategy to actually win the role.
Not just apply, but win it. That really cuts
through the paralysis. And it reminds me of that
Oprah quote, you know, a queen is not afraid
to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to
greatness. With a growth mindset, failure just
becomes fuel. Precisely. Which brings us nicely
to the second antidote. building a strong network.
Relationships, the sources say, fundamentally
shape your future trajectory, especially when
aiming higher. I thought the metaphor used here
was really effective, stepping out onto a high
wire, feeling alone. But your network, that's
the net below you. It provides that psychological
safety, that confidence boost you need to even
take the first step out there. And it has to
be intentional. This isn't just your holiday
card list. It's a network you actively cultivate
for specific things. Coaching, solid advice,
tough feedback when you need it, and importantly,
people who help you envision a bigger future
than maybe you see for yourself right now. And
a key part of that network is advocacy, isn't
it? People who, as the source puts it, wear your
t -shirt when you're not in the room. Yes. That's
critical. People who will speak up for you, endorse
your skills, mention your name in meetings you're
not even in. Without advocates, even the best
talent can get overlooked. OK, so growth mindset,
strong network. What's the third antidote? The
third is practice resilience. If the network
is your external support, resilience is your
internal shock absorber. It's about building
a supportive inner environment. And what does
that involve? Key components mentioned are optimism,
adaptability, really prioritizing self -care.
You can't bounce back if you're running on empty
and, crucially, self -awareness, knowing your
triggers, your strengths, your patterns. There
is a really challenging idea linked to resilience.
The obstacle is the way forward. That sounds
counterintuitive. We usually try to avoid obstacles.
Right, but this perspective flips it. Instead
of seeing a setback or failure as a dead end,
you view it as a necessary part of the path.
It forces you to ask a powerful question. How
can this thing that feels like the worst thing
that happened actually become one of the best
things for my growth? So you actively look for
the lesson, the strengths gained, immediately.
Immediately. You mine the obstacle for wisdom
instead of just, you know, getting bogged down
by the frustration. That is resilience in action.
That idea of deep commitment and also drawing
strength from others belief in you really came
through in the story about Pamela Lardy. Oh,
Pete Lardy. Yes, a powerful story. In March 2009,
she apparently saw a huge potential calling the
speaker Intel's next rock star and planting the
seed for that ambitious chief of staff to a goal.
And then the timing just devastating. She passed
away tragically the very next day, April 1st,
2009. Wow. To receive that kind of vision, that
belief from someone like her and then lose her
immediately. That must create an incredible sense
of. Responsibility. Legacy. Exactly. The sources
suggest that honoring Pete's vision, the potential
she saw, became a driving force. When you're
committed to something bigger than yourself,
a legacy, someone else's belief in you, it can
provide this incredible anchor. It helps you
push through your own fear and doubt because
it's not just about you anymore. That commitment
overrides the easier, more comfortable choice.
It fueled achieving that goal eventually. It
seems central to it, that profound sense of purpose.
Okay, which leads us to the fourth and final
antidote. making bold decisions fear -proof.
And the message here was pretty clear. The time
for boldness is now. Yes, but fear -proofing
isn't about being reckless. It's about having
a methodology for bold action. The sources lay
out a kind of practical roadmap, six steps to
make bold moves feel, well, safer. Okay, let's
walk through those. What's step one? First, the
foundation. Educate yourself. Gather that data.
Know your stuff. Second, surround yourself with
support that's your network, your personal board
of advisors, the t -shirt wearers we talked about.
Got it. Data and support. What's third? Third,
actively seek out diverse opinions. Challenge
your own thinking. Don't just listen to people
who agree on you. Fourth, take risks, yes, but
experiment as you go. The phrase used was, try,
build, adjust. Try, build, adjust. I like that.
It sounds iterative, less like one giant leap
off a cliff. Exactly. You take a calculated step,
try. See what happens. Build on what works. And
then tweak your approach based on feedback. Adjust.
It de -risks the whole process because you're
learning and course correcting constantly. Makes
the bold decision feel less final. OK, that's
four. What are the last two? Fifth, visualize
success. See yourself winning prepare your mind
for the positive outcome you're aiming for and
finally sixth the most important step perhaps
Take action commit to the journey and actually
do it So these four antidotes together the growth
mindset the strong network resilience and this
fear -proofing method They don't magically erase
fear do no not at all. Yeah fear will likely
still show up But the cumulative effect is that
they transform fear. It goes from being this
paralyzing force to just, well back to what we
said earlier, it's data. Data that informs your
preparation, strengthens your resolve, and directs
your next smart step. Right. So we started this
deep dive looking at that huge $2 trillion opportunity
gap in tech. We moved through understanding fear
not as a command, but just as information, as
data. Data, not direction. And we landed on these
four really concrete antidotes, these methods
to actively cultivate courage and take action
despite the fear. Growth mindset, network, resilience,
and fear proofing. So for you listening right
now, think back. What were those things you said
you'd do if fear wasn't holding you back? Maybe
it was quitting that job to start your own thing.
Asking for that big promotion or raise. Or maybe
something totally different like, I don't know,
swimming with sharks in Australia, whatever it
was. The strategies we've talked about, they
provide the how, the growth mindset to handle
setbacks, the network for support, the resilience
to keep going, the fear -proofing to take smart
steps. They give you the mechanism to actually
go after those things. It puts the power back
in your hands. It does. And maybe a final thought
to leave you with. If we accept that fear is
just data, and if we adopt that win or learn
growth mindset, then success in a way is guaranteed
because you learn from every single attempt.
So if learning is guaranteed, then the biggest
risk you're actually taking isn't failure. The
biggest risk is settling. Settling for the known,
the comfortable. the path that guarantees a ceiling
on your potential. Wow, that flips the idea of
risk completely. So the question becomes, what
is one small, maybe slightly scary thing you
will intentionally invest in mastering this week
as a way to honor the potential that maybe someone
else, like Pete LaReeby, already sees in you?