Finally, Obama’s sentence functions like a method. Choose a single brave act that is specific and time-bound—send the email, ask the question, make the appointment—and treat the discomfort as part of the lesson rather than a sign of failure. Then repeat, since repetition is how the “hands” become trained.
Over time, the gap between action and understanding narrows. The mind catches up faster because it has a history of evidence: you acted while afraid, and you were capable. In that accumulation, bravery stops being a rare heroic event and becomes a practiced, durable skill. [...]
