You 2.0: Cultivating Courage

The podcast explores the science of courage, examining how individuals can cultivate bravery in the face of fear and uncertainty. Behavioral scientist Ranjay Gulati provides insights, distinguishing between risk and uncertainty, and arguing that courage is a choice cultivated through narratives, moral quests, and faith. Gulati references stories such as Fan Meizong, the teacher who fled during an earthquake, Adam Klotz, who intervened in a subway harassment, and his own experience with his mother confronting an armed developer. The discussion highlights the importance of sense-making, converting uncertainty to risk, and developing self-efficacy, illustrated by examples like the Fukushima Daiichi plant response and Philippe Petit's tightrope walk. The podcast also touches on the role of domain-specific expertise and external validation in building courage.