One Fear Per Year

War-torn Vietnam.A refugee child.Penniless.Barely spoke English. That was the starting line for Jackie Wu.She didn’t give a polished version. She gave the real one.The night her father was taken away.Their home and property confiscated in less than 24 hours.A childhood shaped by the belief that everything coulddisappear at any moment. And then… America. No English.Penniless.People yelling at her on the phone during her first customerservice job.The constant fear of becoming homeless if she failed. What struck me wasn’t just that she survived.It was that she did all of the following THROUGH the fear. Jackie went on to:• Become a Top 1% sales professional nationwide• Advancing in Human Resources at Stanford University and NVIDIA• Build a global business during the pandemic• Close six-figure deals in a single conversationBut this episode isn’t about sales tactics.It’s about how fear can either cage you or quietly train you to rise.Jackie explains why fear never fully left her…and why she’s grateful it didn’t. If you’ve ever:• Felt like the odds were stacked against you• Struggled with rejection or self-doubt• Wondered how confident people actually got that wayYou will find answers in this episode. 

I didn’t expect this episode to go where it did. On paper, Sam Penny looks fearless. TEDx speaker. Business exits. Ice miles.But halfway through our conversation, he said something that made me think.Cold water. Dark morning. No one had ever done this before. Swimming the English Channel IN WINTER!A few hours in he decided he needed to stop and go back to shore. Not because he was weak. But because he listened to his team and his body(hypothermia).He talked about the weight of that decision. Going back to his room. And feeling that decision.The crazy cool thing is that support poured in. From strangers. From people who had never met him. From people who understood that trying matters more than finishing and that failure doesn't exist when you learn a lesson from it. This isn’t a story about conquering fear.It is about naming it. Living with it. And realizing that failure doesn’t isolate or demote you the way your mind tells you it will.Sam shared what it’s really like to:• Feel imposter syndrome before a TEDx talk• Train for things that genuinely risk your life• Step away before the finish line and still stand proud• Learn that people don’t judge effort. They actually rally around itAt the end of the episode, I asked him the question I ask every guest.What’s the opposite of fear? His answer came without hesitation.Start.If you’ve been holding back because you’re afraid of failing, being judged, or not finishing strong…This episode might shift something for you.

You don’t usually hear this part of leadership. The part where fear shows up in your body…before your brain ever catches up. The part where success doesn’t make it go away.Where titles don’t quiet the inner critic.Where confidence on the outside can still mean paddling fastunderneath. On this episode, I sat down with the remarkable Julie Menden. She is an executive coach, keynote speaker, Forbes Coaches Council member, and founder of a boutique leadership development firm working with executives and high-performing leaders across industries. Pretty incredible person to be speaking with on the topic ofFEAR!  What we talked about wasn’t a surface-level leadershipconversation. Julie shared what it looks like to• navigate fear at every stage of success• understand how the inner critic is formed (and why it sticks)• build presence from the inside out, not through performance• take the next step even when fear is loud• and show up on stage shortly after cancer treatment wheneverything in her wanted to cancel There’s a moment where she talks about getting stitches removed from her face, getting on a plane anyway, and speaking to a room full of healthcare executives while repeating one quiet phrase to herself: “Be brave.” This episode is for leaders who are doing the workand still feel fear.For people who want real tools, not generic.For anyone building courage one step at a time. If fear has been whispering latelythis conversation might be exactly what you need.

Most high performers do not need more discipline. They need a better recovery plan. (And no, a once a year vacation does not count.)On the episode, I sat down with Eric Recker, a dentist and “chaos reduction” coach for medical practice owners. Eric has lived the thing so many leaders hide.He ran an 18 person dental practice into the ground, burnout, panic attacks, the whole spiral, then rebuilt it into a calmer, profitable practice that runs smoothly. Now he helps other medical entrepreneurs create calm, not by adding more systems, but by reducing the chaos at the source. Eric teaches “the dam analogy.”Outflow is everything that drains you, even good things.Work. Habits. Volunteering. Vacation planning.All outflow. Reserves are the lake behind the dam.When the lake is low, you can look “successful” and still be one hard week away from snapping. So the real goal is balance. An appropriate amount of outflow, matched with self care that fills the dam back up. If you work 40, 50, 60 hours a week, this episode is for you.

This week on the One Fear Per Year podcast, I sat down with someone who understands the weight of “doing it all”… because she lived it. Carol Williams isn’t just a productivity coach.She’s a certified coach, speaker, and thelongtime Dream Director at the Beacon of Light Center --> thewoman executives and business owners call when their life feels scattered and they’re burning out quietly behind the scenes.   She has spent 16 years helping entrepreneurslevel up without losing themselves, speaking at statewide HRorganizations, summits, and podcasts, and building her signature “Success Cake”method that brings the fun back into productivity.   But what I didn’t expect was how deeply she would speak to the fears we never say out loud.The ones that push us to overwork.The ones that whisper “you won’t be enough unless you keep going.”The ones that make us ignore our own non-negotiables until we crack. She shared the moment everything changed for her, leaving a toxic marriage, sitting with the terror of “How will I make it alone?” and asking for help for the first time in her life.(Not because she wasn’t strong… but because staying the same was finally more painful than stepping into the unknown.) We talked burnout.We talked feminine and masculine energy.We talked about why so many of us are afraid to slow down… even when it’s the only way to heal. And at the end, I asked her the opposite of fear.One word.Her answer? Love. Because we’re either living from fear, or living from love.And every day, we choose. What’s one fear that’s been pushing you to go faster… when what youreally need is to pause? Full episode in the comments below! #onefearperyear

I met Vlad a few years ago at an event in Detroit.I had no idea who he was. He had no idea who I was.But he watched me walk on stage, freeze, fall to my knees,and then speaking straight from my heart - no script, just me. Instead of judging me, he saw something else.Something human.Something real. Vlad is the Founder and CEO of Company Folders and has spent more than 20 years building one of the most respected print companies in the country. His team has created press kits for Sony Pictures, served brands likeNestle, Hallmark, Bed Bath and Beyond, and delivered some of the most unique die-cuts and presentation designs in the industry. He truly loves what he does and his passion shines through! But what I was most impressed with wasn’t his success.It was his honesty about fear. In this episode, Vlad shares: • What it was like growing up in the former Soviet Union where fear was part of daily life.  • How buying an entire commercial building for his companyterrified him even after every expert told him it was the right move.• Why starting a business kept him awake at night, cycling through every what-if imaginable.• How his next big leap is hosting an executive program inSingapore… and why he’s scared and certain at the same time.  • The simple shift in language that can turn anxiety intoexcitement. I love when he pointed out: “The only people who will judge you are the ones who haven’t done anything themselves.”  This conversation is about choosing courage when fear shows up.It’s about telling the truth to yourself in words that lift youinstead of limit you.It’s about remembering that love and fear cannot exist in the same breath.If you’ve ever stood at the edge of something new…If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re ready…If you’ve ever felt fear and moved anyway…This episode is for you. What’s the thing you’re scared to walk toward right now?And what might happen if you choose love instead?#OneFearPerYear

I just sat down with an amazing woman who explained scientifically what happens when we feel fear and how to navigate that pattern of behavior.Her name is Dr. Mohita Shrivastava.Neuroscientist. Neuropsychologist. Founder of The Cognitome Program.PhD from AIIMS New Delhi. Research trained at the University of Kansas Medical Center.Published author. International editorial board member.15+ years studying the brain, cognition, and how our thoughts shape our reality.Yeah, she is incredible!!!And what she shared on the my podcast was truly eye opening.When she talks about fear, she doesn’t talk about it like an emotion. She talks about it like a circuit. A pattern. A process that can be rewired.I LOVE when she said: “Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”(And a trained brain becomes a brave brain.)We dug into everything: How people mix up the brain and the mind and stay stuck because of it.Why the amygdala hijacks your logic.The moment your prefrontal cortex goes offline.How to use neuroplasticity to retrain your thoughts at any age.Why naming the fear gives you control.How breathing resets your nervous system.And the fear ladder… the tiny steps that slowly teach your brain safety instead of danger.Whew, this episode is jam packed full of goodness!It made me realize something huge: Fear is not the enemy.Being unaware of its mechanics is.And the way she explains it… it just clicks. (Even the science feels simple when she breaks it down.)So if you’ve ever felt hijacked by fear or trapped in your thoughts or anxious about things that haven’t even happened yet… this episode is for you.It’s insightful. It’s grounding. And it gives you tools you can use today.What’s one fear you’re ready to face with a different kind of brain this time?#OneFearPerYear

This week I sat down with someone who has spent over 20 years helping people break fear at the deepest level:Dr. Albert Bramante.Talent Agent. Psychology Professor. Hypnosis & NLP Expert. Author of Rise Above the Script.And a coach who has helped actors land roles on major networks, mentored thousands of students, and taught people how to rewire fear at the subconscious level.(Yes, he’s the real deal.)What blew me away wasn’t just his resume…It was how simply he explained something most of us wrestle with every day: Why fear gets programmed into us.Why it sticks.And how to finally undo it.In this episode, we dive into so much:• How one moment of fear can shape your entire life• What hypnosis actually is (and why it isn’t mind control)• How to neutralize emotional triggers without reliving trauma• Why visualization works for Olympians, actors, and yes… you• The difference between fear and excitement (this reframe is everything)• How AI can help you access clarity, confidence, and courage• What stops people from stepping into the spotlight• And Albert’s own fear | becoming a first-time author and showing his face on cameraThere’s this moment — and you’ll hear it — where he says:“Fear and excitement feel the same in the body. The only difference is the meaning you give it.”If you’ve been carrying old stories…If your fear feels automatic…If you want to understand what’s happening inside your mind so you can finally move forward…This conversation is your turning point.

When I first talked to Michael Bryant, I thought I was interviewing a coach.Turns out, I was sitting across from someone pushing boundaries (and helping others do the same). At 74 years old, Michael crossed the Ironman finish lineHIS SEVENTH TIMEat 16 hours, 59 minutes, and 15 seconds.(One minute before the cut-off.)But here’s what struck me most:For him, it wasn’t about the medal. It was about the mindset.“A quest is different from a goal,” hetold me“A quest gets obsessive. You becomepossessed by it.”Michael calls himself a Professional Unstucker, an executive coach who helps leaders stretch past fear, excuses,and “practicality.”Because as he says, those words ***realistic, feasible, doable***  are the “death words” of growth. He’s proof that courage compounds with age.That no risk = no growth.That being “outrageous” might just be the healthiest decisionyou’ll ever make.If you’ve been waiting for permission to start your nextchapter consider this as permission! 

When I sat down with Dan MacQueen, I was reminded of what true resilience looks like. At 28, Dan was living the dream. Working in tech, traveling Europe, laughing with friends, full of life.Until one day, taking the tube home on a London subway…everything went black. He woke up unable to walk, talk, or even smile.The doctors said this was his new reality.But Dan had other plans.Step by step, word by word, he rebuilt himself.Through pain. Through frustration. Through fear.And somewhere between the hospital bed and the stage, he discovered something powerful:“It’s not what happens to you that defines you... it’s how yourespond.”Today, Dan is an international keynote speaker on resilience, change, and mindset, helping organizations and leadersreframe adversity into opportunity.He’s funny. He’s real. And his story will make you rethink what’struly possible.Sometimes you have to lose everything to learn how to see again.So here’s my question for you:What’s one fear you’ve been avoiding that might actually be your path to growth?#onefearperyear #chasecourage

You don’t have to shine like everyone else. (Your messiness looks different and that’s a good thing) When I sat down with Kelly Swanson on this week's Podcast, I thought we’d be talking about courage.We ended up talking about permission. Permission to show up messy.To laugh at yourself.To walk off the stage (literally)… and still own the room. Kelly is a National Speakers Hall ofFame inductee, a funny motivational keynote speaker, and a master of strategic storytelling who’shelped leaders and teams across the world turn their mess into theirmessage. But what struck me most wasn’t her humor or success.It was this: “People don’tremember perfect They remember real.” She shared how, after years of trying to fit the mold, she finallydecided to stop hiding the southern sass, the rhinestones, the glitter.And that one decision, to show up as herself, changedeverything. Her story is a reminder that fear doesn’t disappear when you stepinto the spotlight.You just learn to make it your co-star. And sometimes?Falling off the stage becomes the most unforgettable part of yourstory. 🎧 Listen to Kelly’s full episode on the OneFear Per Year Podcast(You’ll laugh, you’ll reflect, and you’ll rethink what “failure”really means.) ♻️ Repost this to remind someone that imperfection is thebrand.👋 Follow One Fear Per Year for morestories of courage, fear, and growth(and humor!).

You know that voice in your head that says,“What if I fail?”“What if I’m not good enough?”“What if I embarrass myself?”Jonathan Graham calls that voice a liar.He spent years at Netflix and Apple, helping shape products used by hundreds of millions of people. But when he looked closer, he realized something bigger: The greatest limits weren’t in technology.They were in fear.Now he’s on a mission to help 1 million people build courage. To fact-check their fears and step into the potential waiting on the other side.In this conversation, Jonathan shares: • Why 91% of what we fear never comes true• The 5-step “FACTS” framework to shrink fear’s grip• How courage is like a muscle. One we can train daily• And why the opposite of fear isn’t confidence… it’s love.This episode is a reminder that fear isn’t a stop sign. It’s an invitation to grow.#WalkThroughFear #Courage #PersonalGrowth #Mindset #OneFearPerYear

In this week’s episode of One Fear Per Year, I sat down with comedian and storyteller Holly James.  We talk about what happens when you stop living for approval and start livingfor truth.Holly shares how walking through fear meant losing parts of her old life… and finding something even deeper on the other side.We talked about:✨ Choosing the thing you’d regret not trying✨ The courage to be misunderstood✨ What it means to build a life after you leteverything fall apartIt’s raw.It’s funny.And it’s one of the most honest conversations I’ve had aboutrediscovering who you really are.What’s one thing you’ve been afraid to start because you don’t feel ready yet?#OneFearPerYear #Podcast #Courage #Authenticity #Storytelling

You ever meet someone and instantly feel like they see you?That was my first conversation with Kris Kelso. We met at the National Speakers Association conference, and I overheard him say two words that stopped me in my tracks:“Humble confidence.”Those two words felt like truth. Because for so many of us chasing purpose, leading teams, or trying something new… we swing between I’ve got this and who am I to do this?Chris knows that dance better than most. He’s a global keynote speaker, leadership coach, and author of Overcoming the Impostor, a book that’s helped thousands silence their inner critic and lead with confidence.He’s coached entrepreneurs across the world, written for Fast Company and Yahoo Finance, and serves as Dean of Entrepreneurship at the Professional Christian Coaching Institute — yet he’s the first to admit he once feared being “found out.”In this episode, we talk about:💭 The trap of “proud insecurity” — pretending to have it all together while secretly doubting yourself.💡 How humility and confidence aren’t opposites — they’re partners.🧠 Why imposter syndrome is a human problem, not a weakness.❤️ And how peace, not perfection, might just be the opposite of fear.This conversation is real, grounding, and freeing. Because every one of us has doubted whether we’re enough — and every one of us can learn to lead with humble confidence.

You can win a Tony Award…stand on stage at Radio City Music Hall…and still feel completely empty inside. That’s exactly what happened to Nick Demos. From the outside, he had it all—Tony and Olivier Award–winning producer.Award-winning filmmaker.Eight-figure business coach & leader.A life most people only dream about. But behind the scenes?Nick was running.Chasing achievements to cover fear and pain. Until the night he realized…“This isn’t it.” That moment changed everything.He dove into deep soul work, spiritual practice, and healing—and emerged with a new mission:helping leaders and entrepreneurs share their stories authentically on stage. In our conversation on One Fear Per Year, Nick opens upabout:➜ Growing up hiding who he was—and the mentors whosaved him.➜ The truth about chasing external success (and whyit leaves us empty).➜ How fear points us toward the very places we’remeant to grow.➜ The bold new project that scares him right now—andwhy he’s doing it anyway. This is an episode about courage, authenticity, and rewriting what “success” really means. Listen in. You won’t forget it. #OneFearPerYear

You don’t have to have it all figured out. Especially when lifefeels like quicksand and moving a million miles per minute. When I sat down with Jennifer Fondrevay I knew the conversation would hit deep because she's not just another consultant.She’s the M&A Whisperer! A global speaker and best selling author of Now What? A Survivor’s Guide for Thriving Through Mergers & Acquisitions. She’s been on all sides of billion dollar deals.She’s written for Forbes and Harvard Business Review.She’s even stood on the TEDx stage.But what struck me most wasn’t the accolades.It was her honesty. She talked about fear (and not knowing what to do when it hits!)The kind that shows up when everything you’ve built suddenly shifts, changes, and becomes something unrecognizable.The fear of not being valuable anymore.Of wondering if your skills will matter in the future. Her advice?Focus on what you can control:➜ Your talent➜ Your effort➜ Your attitude Everything else? Cross it off the list. “No one is going totell you your value. It’s your job to get clear on what you bring to the company moving forward.” It sounds simple, but when Jennifer walked me through the exercise she gives executive teams after a merger, I understood it. Because whether it’s business or just life itself… the fear is the same:Am I enough? Jennifer reminds us WE ARE if we’re willing to own it. This episode left me inspired to let go of what I can’t control and double down on what I can. So, what about you? !hat fear are you ready to cross off your list? #OneFearPerYear

You don’t often hear a Marine, a PhD in psychology, and a corporate executive talk about… love being the opposite word of fear. But that’s exactly what happened when I satdown with Matt Poepsel on the One Fear Per Year podcast. Matt’s journey is incredibleFrom serving in the U.S. Marine Corps as anArabic Linguist…To earning his PhD in Psychology and MBA fromBoston University…To becoming the “Godfather of TalentOptimization” at The Predictive Index. He climbed the ladder of achievement. But none of it brought lasting fulfillment. It took a midlife crisis, meditation, andasking the BIG questions to change everything. Now, Matt helps leaders embrace what he calls“enlightened leadership” a blend of Eastern philosophy, Western psychology, anddecades of business experience. In this conversation, we dive into:➜ The fear that almost stoppedhim from writing his book Expand the Circle➜ Why 85% of us are lying toourselves about self-awareness➜ How love—not courage—is thetrue opposite of fear➜ What it means to createripples of unity and connection in leadership This is not your typical leadership message.It’s deeper.It’s braver.And it might just be the perspective shiftyou’ve been waiting for. So what’s one fear you’ve been avoiding that,if faced, could ripple out into something bigger than yourself? #OneFearPerYear

✨ What does it really take to leave behind the safety of a paycheck and step boldly into entrepreneurship?On this week’s One Fear Per Year podcast, I sat down with a lovely human I've known for over a decade, Katrina Sawa.Katrina is known as The Jumpstart Your Biz Coach. She is a 14-time international best-selling author, speaker, and the CEO of Jumpstart Publishing, where she has helped countless entrepreneurs grow faster, publish books, and design businesses they actually love.In our conversation, Katrina opened up about:💡 The decision to walk away from her 9-5 job and start her own business💡 How “It’ll all work out” became the motto that carried her through 23 years of entrepreneurship💡 The deeper fears she faced around love and worthiness, and how she turned them into lessons of self-love💡 Why creating community and surrounding yourself with love is just as powerful as any business strategyHer story is raw, honest, and full of wisdom for anyone navigating fear in life or business.#onefearperyear

What if your biggest fear…became your greatest purpose?On this week’s One Fear Per Year podcast, I had the honor of sitting down with Jose Angel Pereira—a man whose story left me both shaken and deeply inspired.Jose was at the pinnacle of his career as CEO of CITGO Petroleum. An immigrant who had worked tirelessly for decades, he was ready to retire… when everything changed.Instead of stepping into retirement, he stepped into captivity.For five years he lived as an international hostage in Venezuela.(One year spent completely alone, in solitary confinement.)And yet, what struck me most was not the pain of his story, but the power. The way he turned unimaginable fear into an “Unbreakable Leadership” framework. The way he now helps executives, entrepreneurs, and everyday people break free from being “mental hostages” in their own lives.Because as Jose said:👉 “You don’t have to be a physical hostage. You can be a mental hostage too. But fear can be transformed into purpose, if you choose it.”This conversation will challenge you. It will move you. And it will remind you that nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible.What fear in your life is waiting to be transformed into purpose? #OneFearPerYear

You know what the opposite of fear is? For Kathy Guest, it’s laughter.(Healthy laughter… the kind that frees you) Kathy spent 20+ years in the tech world by day…and on comedy stages by night. At first, she kept those worlds separate.Professional Kathy.Funny Kathy. But that fragmentation wasn’t sustainable. So she did the brave thing and merged them. Now she teaches teams how to break out of rigidity, bring play into the workplace, and unlock innovation, through comedy and improv. Fear, uncertainty, and rigidity are creativity killers.But play?Micro-moments of laughter?A culture that makes it safe to take risks? That’s where innovation actually lives. As Kathy says:“20 years in tech didn’t make me braver. Comedy did.” And that bravery is what she now helps others build. You're going to love this insightful conversation!Kathy’s energy, wisdom, and humor are a reminder that we don’t have to choose between “serious” and “silly.”We can be both.In fact, we need both.Here's to lots of laughter sprinkled in and lots of safe places to innovate!#onefearperyear