Vulnerability from Feared Weakness to Transformative Superpower

George was about to give his first keynote speech. Not a breakout session. A keynote.

Two weeks earlier, he'd been sitting at The Cheesecake Factory with Marcus Sheridan and Tiffany Kavane when Marcus told him something that landed like a punch to the gut.

"You have to open your keynote with that."

George's response was immediate. "Must be out of your mind, dude. There's no way I'm starting my keynote with that. I've been running from that for 25 years. Nobody needs to know about that."

Marcus didn't back down. "Dude, until you learn how to embrace vulnerability, you'll miss the magic moments in life."

The Moment Everything Changed

Two weeks later, George stepped onto the stage in Minnesota for Minbound. He paused. The audience probably thought it was for dramatic effect. It wasn't.

"I was internally going, am I really about to do what I'm about to do? You are about to let the world know about your inner idiot. You are about to let the world know about your darkest secret. You are about to let everybody know why they shouldn't listen to you for the next 45 minutes."

Then he pressed the clicker.

Black screen. White text.

"I'm a high school dropout."

The audience laughed. He said it again. "No. I'm a high school dropout." Less laughter. More uncomfortable giggles.

Then he said it a third time. "I'm a high school dropout. Let me tell you why."

You could hear a pin drop.

For the next few minutes, he talked about how his math teacher told him he would never amount to anything. How he believed him. How that changed everything about what he thought was possible.

"For the next 35 to 40 minutes, you could hear a pin drop, and it was magical. But it was only magical because I embraced this power of vulnerability."

The Lady Who Stayed After

After the keynote, a woman came up to shake his hand. She said she connected with his math teacher story. He thanked her politely, trying to move through the line.

She stopped him. "No. No. No. No. I don't think you understand. For me, that was my mother."

They talked for fifteen to twenty minutes about life and forgiveness and family. Nothing about marketing. Nothing about ROI. Nothing about content.

"When she walked away, I was like, god, I wanna do this right here for the rest of my life. I fully understand why you have put me on this planet, and I feel like Marcus gave me the key to unlock its full potential, and that's being able to be vulnerable, being able to be ourselves."

The Woman Who Couldn't Be Vulnerable

Liz had a different relationship with vulnerability. She didn't just struggle with it. She fundamentally shut that part of herself off for decades.

"I grew up in a very verbally and physically abusive environment with a parent who had bipolar, but was also an alcoholic. So any treatment that person was getting, it was completely undermined."

From a young age, she had to be the caretaker. A kid who acted like a parent. Emotional expression wasn't safe. Vulnerability wasn't programmed into her DNA.

Her dad told her something that stuck: "Liz, there's one thing you need to understand about this world. The real world doesn't care about your problems."

"So I really struggled with vulnerability for a really, really long time in my life. It's something where even now I still struggle with it."

She described feeling like a broken faucet. Either nothing came out, or everything came out all at once. Then she'd freak out and not know how to handle it.

The Two-Way Street

Something shifted for Liz recently. A conversation with a new friend.

"For the first time, this is a conversation where I allowed a two way street of vulnerability to occur."

They were in a public place having an incredibly deep conversation. Things she never talks about. Then this person shared something difficult, a dark mental health struggle from their past.

"I just kinda sat with it, and I was like, oh my god. I can't believe he's sharing this with me."

He said he felt comfortable around her. She told him how glad she was that he was there.

"And there was this moment where we were looking at each other, and he said, I guess we hug now."

That moment crystallized something important. If you're not comfortable being vulnerable yourself, you probably have a problem accepting vulnerability from others too.

"It's not just a discomfort with your own feelings. It is a discomfort with everybody's feelings."

What Vulnerability Actually Is

Simon Sinek put it this way: "There is a difference between vulnerability and telling people everything about yourself. Vulnerability is a feeling. Telling everyone about yourself is just facts and details."

George broke it down further.

Vulnerability isn't weakness. It takes tremendous strength to say "here I am, this is my truth, these are my challenges." Doesn't it require more courage to show your true self than to hide behind a mask?

Vulnerability isn't oversharing. It's not pouring out every detail to everyone you meet. It's intentional openness. Sharing what's relevant to foster genuine connections. Discerning when and with whom to share.

Vulnerability isn't seeking sympathy or playing victim. It's about being open to growth and connection. Not a bid for attention. A step toward understanding and mutual respect.

Brené Brown captured the distinction perfectly: "The intention and outcome of vulnerability is trust, intimacy, and connection. The outcome of oversharing is distrust, disconnection, and usually a little judgment."

The Card-Carrying Member of Masks R Us

George was honest about where he started.

"I used to be a card carrying member of masks r us. I was real good at hiding who I was and not stepping out into the real area or potential to possibility and success in my life."

As a guy, the conversation around vulnerability gets complicated fast. Growing up, words like "vulnerable" or "vulnerability" can sound like "weak" or worse. Masculinity and vulnerability can feel like they're from different planets in different galaxies.

But they're not.

"Sometimes when you're growing up as a guy, you hear the word vulnerable or vulnerability, and you think weak or worse yet, sissy."

Today, he puts himself in vulnerable positions every single day. Sometimes he wonders if he's gone too far in the other direction.

"I feel like I live on this let's push the envelope side of living a life filled with vulnerability at this point."

But there's still work to do.

"I can start a business. I can start a podcast. I can throw content out on the Internet all day long. To have an intimate conversation with a friend or family member scares the absolute ish out of me most times."

The Gender Paradox

Both men and women face specific challenges with vulnerability.

For men, cultural stereotypes create a minefield. Phrases like "man up" or "boys don't cry" get ingrained from a young age. Men might worry that admitting doubts or fears could undermine their ability to lead or provide.

"Trust me when I tell you this gets tiresome. As a man, it gets tiresome real quick."

For women, there's a different paradox. They're expected to be more emotionally open, but doing so can lead to being taken less seriously, especially in professional environments.

Liz pointed out something uncomfortable. Women often judge other women just as harshly as men do.

"The people who I hear be the meanest about women are other freaking women."

And there's another layer. Women of color face additional challenges. A friend who works in DEIA spaces told Liz she has to be careful not to be too passionate to avoid playing into the angry black woman stereotype.

"There are fascinating ways in which our upbringing cannot only hurt us in this way, but it can also protect us and shield us."

The Four Benefits That Make It Worth It

Enhanced self-awareness. Understanding your emotions, motivations, desires, and fears through vulnerability gives you insights that guide your decisions. This leads to a more authentic life where your actions align with your actual values and goals.

Increased resilience. Exposing yourself to emotional risks and learning to handle both successes and setbacks strengthens your ability to bounce back. Each experience of opening up and facing consequences builds toughness and flexibility.

Personal healing. Vulnerability brings hidden wounds to the surface where they can be addressed. It's like airing out a wound to let it heal properly rather than letting it fester under a bandage of pretense.

Growth in self-esteem. Practicing vulnerability reinforces the value you place on your authentic self over any mask you might present to the world. Being genuine and coping with whatever comes builds your sense of self-worth.

Small Steps That Actually Work

George offered practical ways to start shifting your mindset.

Start with self-reflection. Ask yourself: What does vulnerability mean to me? What experiences have shaped my views on being open? What am I afraid will happen if I show my true self?

Normalize conversations about feelings. Discussing emotional experiences regularly reduces the stigma. It encourages personal openness and creates an environment where others feel safe to share.

Practice small acts of honesty. Share something that nudges you out of your comfort zone without pushing too far too fast. Maybe express an opinion you usually keep to yourself. Admit you don't have all the answers.

Reframe vulnerability as a strength. This was the biggest shift for George. Recognizing vulnerability as a courageous act encourages bravery and inspires others.

Practice empathy, especially with yourself. How empathetic are you with yourself and your own life? Usually empathy is an external conversation. It needs to be internal too.

The Right People, The Right Pace

Not everyone needs to know everything about you.

"It's essential to identify those individuals in your life who have earned your trust through consistent supportive behavior. There are the people who handle your shared thoughts with care and respect."

Opening up to the right person protects you from potential hurt and strengthens the trust in that relationship. It makes vulnerability something you want to go back to over and over again.

The journey is like a zero-entry pool. Easy to get into. Before you know it, you're at twelve feet.

Quotable Moments

"Until you learn how to embrace vulnerability, you'll miss the magic moments in life."

"We're all a little broken. And when you share your true self, you give others permission to do the exact same."

"The intention and outcome of vulnerability is trust, intimacy, and connection. The outcome of oversharing is distrust, disconnection, and usually a little judgment."

"It's not just a discomfort with your own feelings. It is a discomfort with everybody's feelings."

"Practicing vulnerability reinforces the value you place on your authentic self over the mask you might present to the world."

"Embracing vulnerability is about saying yes to opportunities even when you're not a hundred percent sure of the freaking outcome."

Questions to Sit With

1. What does vulnerability mean to you? What experiences have shaped your views on being open?
2. Are you a risk taker? Your answer will tell you a lot about your current relationship with vulnerability.
3. What mask are you wearing today? What would happen if you took it off?

Press play above to hear the full conversation. George and Liz go deep into their personal histories with vulnerability, the gender-specific challenges that make this harder for everyone, and the practical steps that make embracing vulnerability possible even when it feels terrifying.