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Brené Brown Quotes

19 quotes from Brené Brown — Research professor, author, and speaker..

Read the full Brené Brown playbook →

“Self-awareness and self-love matter. Who we are is how we lead.”

Leadership

“What's the greater risk? Letting go of what people think – or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?”

Courage

“Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Purpose

“There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.”

Innovation

“Nothing has transformed my life more than realizing that it's a waste of time to evaluate my worthiness by weighing the reaction of the people in the stands.”

Self-Worth

“What we know matters but who we are matters more.”

Identity

“You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.”

Authenticity

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”

Courage

“The courage to be vulnerable is not about winning or losing, it's about the courage to show up when you can't predict or control the outcome.”

Vulnerability

“When I let go of trying to be everything to everyone, I had much more time, attention, love, and connection for the important people in my life.”

Relationships

“You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”

Self-Acceptance

“What starts here changes the world, but it will not be on your terms and it will not be on your timeline. The world does not ready itself for our plans.”

— Brené Brown, UT Commencement Speech, 2020

“Maybe stories are just data with a soul.”

— Brené Brown, TEDxHouston, 2010

“If you do not care for and are able to connect with the people you lead, you will never see performance. Period.”

— Brené Brown, conversation with Adam Grant at Wharton, 2025

“When we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives.”

— Brené Brown, TEDxHouston, 2010

“I'm not everybody's cup of tea, as you can imagine, but I just say, look, what's more important to you, to protect your ego or to win? And if you wanna win, we're gonna have to have these hard conversations. Playing not to lose is always losing.”

— Brené Brown, conversation with Adam Grant at Wharton, 2025

“My falls have taught me a hundred times more about who I am than any of my achievements ever have, ever could, or ever will. I owe a hundred percent of my accomplishments to taking smart risks and trusting myself.”

— Brené Brown, UT Commencement Address, 2020

“If you are a leader and you do not have the capacity to understand and discuss people's fears and feelings, you will not be leading in the future.”

— Brené Brown, Fortune, 2024

“I don't talk about people, I talk to people. That's courage in action for me. I know I'm out of alignment with my courage value when I'm in resentment — because I'm probably not being brave enough to ask for what I need.”

— Brené Brown, Dare to Lead podcast, on values

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Brené Brown

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Brené Brown

Research professor, author, and speaker.