Brené Brown is a beloved author, speaker, and professor – she’s written incredibly life-changing books and delivered a TED talk on vulnerability with over 45 million views.
One of the most important topics she speaks about is vulnerability. We’ve gathered our favorite quotes from Brené Brown on vulnerability.
Brené Brown on Vulnerability
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope empathy, accountability, and authenticity.”
“If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”
“When you shut down vulnerability you shut down opportunity.”
“There is no intimacy without vulnerability. Yet another powerful example of vulnerability as courage.”
“Daring greatly means the courage to be vulnerable. It means to show up and be seen. To ask for what you need. To talk about how you’re feeling. To have the hard conversations.”
“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”
“Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection.”
“We cannot selectively numb emotions, when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.”
“Vulnerability is not about winning or losing. It’s having the courage to show up even when you can’t control the outcome.”
“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.”
“Numb the dark and you numb the light.”
“I only share when I have no unmet needs that I’m trying to fill. I firmly believe that being vulnerable with a larger audience is only a good idea if the healing is tied to the sharing, not to the expectations I might have for the response I get.”
“Only when we’re brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
“Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in.”
“I define vulnerability as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. With that definition in mind, let’s think about love. Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can’t ensure, who may stay in our lives or may leave without a moment’s notice, who may be loyal to the day they die or betray us tomorrow—that’s vulnerability.”
“Wholeheartedness. There are many tenets of Wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing that I am enough.”
“Vulnerability is not weakness, and the uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure we face every day are not optional. Our only choice is a question of engagement. Our willingness to own and engage with our vulnerability determines the depth of our courage and the clarity of our purpose; the level to which we protect ourselves from being vulnerable is a measure of our fear and disconnection.'”
“There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”
“I want our home to be a place where we can be our bravest selves and our most fearful selves. Where we practice difficult conversations and share our shaming moments from school and work. I want to look at Steve and my kids and say, ‘I’m with you. In the arena. And when we fail, we’ll fail together, while daring greatly.’ We simply can’t learn to be more vulnerable and courageous on our own. Sometimes our first and greatest dare is asking for support.”
“Spiritual connection and engagement is not built on compliance, it’s the product of love, belonging, and vulnerability.”
“Yes, we are totally exposed when we are vulnerable. Yes, we are in the torture chamber that we call uncertainty. And, yes, we’re taking a huge emotional risk when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable. But there’s no equation where taking risks, braving uncertainty, and opening ourselves up to emotional exposure equals weakness.”
“Vulnerability is based on mutuality and requires boundaries and trust. It’s not oversharing, it’s not purging, it’s not indiscriminate disclosure, and it’s not celebrity-style social media information dumps. Vulnerability is about sharing our feelings and our experiences with people who have earned the right to hear them. Being vulnerable and open is mutual and an integral part of the trust-building process.”
“There is no vision without vulnerability.”
“Vulnerability is the core, the heart, the center, of meaningful human experiences.”
More from Brené Brown
Need more from Brené? These our are favorite Brené Brown books – have you read them all?
Books from Brené Brown
Need more from Brené? These our are favorite Brené Brown books - have you read them all?
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
From thought leader Brené Brown, a transformative new vision for the way we lead, love, work, parent, and educate that teaches us the power of vulnerability.
Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own our stories, we get to write the ending.
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
A timely and important book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture.
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.
Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas and has the courage to develop that potential.
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
When our embarrassments and fears lie, we often listen to them anyway. They thwart our gratitude, acceptance, and compassion—our goodness.
Men, Women and Worthiness: The Experience of Shame and the Power of Being Enough
What does it take to be secure in our sense of belonging and self-worth? We may hustle to attain this security through achievements, meeting expectations, or repeating affirmations to ourselves - but Dr. Brené Brown's research has shown there is ultimately one obstacle to our sense of worthiness.
Want More Inspiration?
Check out our favorite articles on personal development.
- 7 TED Talks on Self Love You Need to Watch
- How to Figure Out Your Purpose in Life
- How to Be a More Positive Person
- 10 Books to Read to Improve Your Life
What are your favorite Brené Brown quotes on vulnerability?