Most of us know what we want—fewer of us have the courage to go after it. In this episode, Jenny Wood, bestselling author of Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It, shares how to face down fear, rewrite the stories that hold you back, and step boldly into opportunities. Drawing on her experience as a former Google executive, Harvard researcher, and coach to thousands, Jenny explains how to transform fear into fuel, reclaim “negative” traits as power tools, and build the confidence to pursue the career and life you’ve been holding at arm’s length.
Wild courage is action through fear. Success comes not from eliminating fear, but from naming it and moving forward anyway.
Reclaim nine powerful traits — Qualities like selfish, shameless, nosy, and even manipulative can be reframed into tools for influence and growth.
Beware of NAP traps — “Not Actually Promotable” tasks drain time and energy without advancing your career. Learn to spot and limit them.
Shameless self-promotion matters — Confidence starts with owning your strengths and highlighting how you bring value in ways others cannot.
Name your fear — When hesitation strikes, identify whether it’s fear of uncertainty, failure, or judgment. Labeling it reduces its power.
Audit your work tasks — List everything you’re doing that isn’t in your job description. Which are NAP traps you can decline or delegate?
Apply the WINN test — Review a goal you set in the past. Does it still fit your life today? If not, update it to reflect what you need now.
