In this episode of the Thrive State Podcast, Dr. V sits down with Jill Schulman, former United States Marine Corps officer, positive psychology researcher trained at the University of Pennsylvania under Martin Seligman, and globally recognized keynote speaker on the science of bravery.

Jill shares her remarkable journey from a small town in Minnesota to the Marine Corps, how she discovered bravery as her life's work, and the evidence-based framework she now teaches leaders and organizations around the world.

This conversation dives deep into the psychology of fear, why avoidance destroys potential, how action actually creates confidence (not the other way around), and why the next generation needs more discomfort, not less.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Five to Thrive rapid-fire game show segment

• Jill's origin story: from small-town Minnesota to the United States Marine Corps

• How studying positive psychology at Penn led to her focus on bravery

• The Marine Corps lesson: act when you have 70% of the information, not 100%

• Why bravery is a trainable skill just like building strength in the gym

• Discerning between fears you should listen to and fears you should move toward

• The hidden cost of experiential avoidance (and its link to anxiety and depression)

• The Navy SEAL confidence course story and why action precedes confidence

• Discipline vs. motivation and why you should never "press snooze"

• Marcus Buckingham's "red threads" and how to follow what lights you up

• How fear shows up in business: difficult conversations and safe goal-setting

• Why young people need to feel fear more, not less (the biosphere palm tree analogy)

• What leaders must do: set high expectations and support people to rise

Jill is offering a free audiobook to listeners. Just send her a message on LinkedIn or Instagram and her team will send you the link. You can also learn more about her keynote speaking and work at jillschulman.com. If this episode lit a fire in you, share it with someone who's been waiting for permission to be brave, and don't forget to subscribe to the Thrive State Podcast for more conversations that help you thrive.

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