Some of the experiences that scare us most are also the ones that can change us for the better. The right kind of challenge increases confidence, deepens courage, helps us feel more fully alive, and connects us to a deeper sense of meaning. But not all risk is the same, and learning the difference matters.

In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why deliberately stepping outside your comfort zone is almost always beneficial when approached wisely. I discuss how to distinguish bravery from recklessness, how to think about fear in a healthier way, and how to identify challenges that are genuinely right for you. Because our fears are deeply personal, the challenges that build happiness and meaning differ for each of us, and only you can decide which ones are right for you. But I offer advice to help you uncover what is most beneficial to you.

If you’re ready to discover what else can give your life meaning, pre-order my new book The Meaning of Your Life, available March 31.

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Where to find Arthur Brooks:

• Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠officehours@arthurbrooks.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(05:57) Why you should find your “running of the bulls”

(13:37) Bravery vs. recklessness

(16:50) When the benefits of risk actually arrive

(19:20) Find your running of the bulls

(22:31) Envision facing the danger

(24:54) Make a plan

(31:27) Q&A: How to know if it’s time for a new job

(33:23) Q&A: Preparing for the death of a loved one

(34:55) Q&A: Giving advice without offending

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Referenced:

• The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: https://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Your-Life-Finding-Emptiness/dp/0593545427

• The Happiness Scale: https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale

• The Pursuit of Happiness with Arthur Brooks: https://www.thefp.com/w/arthur-brooks

• The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness: https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036

• Multiple motives for participating in adventure sports: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1469029212000490

• ...References continued at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours⁠⁠

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3 Steps to Embracing Your Fears

Office Hours with Arthur Brooks