Why you should take a risk every day with Julie Zhuo
In our latest WorkLife episode, I sat down with Julie Zhuo — co-founder of Sundial, former VP of Product Design at Facebook, and author of The Making of a Manager. Julie thinks of herself as a scared-y cat — someone who is full of fear — and yet she’s done things like switch from engineering to design, write a book, and found a company.
Most of us think about risk-taking at work as something big and dramatic — quit your job, make the leap, bet everything. We also think of it as something binary: you’re either a risk-taker or you’re not.
But I think that framing hurts all of us, and Julie does too. Because it turns out risk-taking is a muscle: you build it with small, unglamorous reps, not one giant leap. That's what this episode is about.
You can listen to the full episode anywhere you get your podcasts or watch it on YouTube, but here’s a sneak peek:
Top 3 Takeaways
1. Fearlessness and courage aren't the same thing. The goal is courage. We tend to admire fearlessness — acting like nothing scares you. But Julie made a distinction that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. Fearlessness means the thing wasn't actually scary. Courage is different. Courage is when you know exactly what could go wrong, you're scared, and you still do it anyway — because it matters. Courage is actually the thing worth building.
2. Confidence comes after risk, not before. One of the things I see people get stuck on is wanting to feel ready before they take the leap — one more class, one more job, before they do the thing they actually want to do. Julie flips that. When she looked back at the moments she was proudest of — switching from engineering to design with no formal training, stepping into management without knowing what she was doing — confidence wasn't what got her there. It's what she found on the other side.
3. You can actually get better at taking risks. Julie dedicated a whole year to what she called "everyday risks" — picking one thing to do every day or every week that scared her. Noticing the moments that felt uncomfortable and choosing to lean in anyway. These were usually not big things, and often really small ones: saying "I'm not doing well" when someone asked how she was; taking an unscheduled afternoon with her kid instead of following her calendar; surfing for the first time. The point wasn't the action — it was the feeling. Recognizing the twinge of discomfort and using that as a signal to do something instead of avoiding it. And over time, because she made it a practice, she built the muscle of courage.
Try this:
If this episode resonated, here’s a place to start.
In your journal — or just in your head — think of three places in your life right now where you’ve been avoiding something. A conversation you keep putting off. A decision you’re not making. Something you want to try but haven’t let yourself begin.
Write a bit about each one. What you’re feeling and what you’re avoiding.
Pick one. What’s the smallest possible move you could make toward it this week? You don't have to tackle the whole thing at once. Just find one small thing to try — a rep.
If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who might need it!
What else?
👋Hi! I’m Molly. This is where I share the lessons I’ve learned from building fast-moving, messy, ambitious companies. If you’re new here, here’s what you can do to stay connected:
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