How to Be Braver at Work—Just 5% at a Time -

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How to Be Braver at Work—Just 5% at a Time

July 1, 2025

The Problem: We Know We’re Holding Ourselves Back

Most professionals I meet—especially the high-achieving, high-capacity ones—don’t actually need to be told what to do next. They already know the next level they’re capable of. The real issue?

They’re pressing the gas with the emergency brake still on.

That’s the metaphor a fellow LifeHikes coach, Rebecca Garvey, once used with a group of senior leaders: You’re all sports cars going 150 kilometers per hour—but you could go 235. You’ve just got the brake on.

By Bill Hoogterp

And what’s that brake?

Fear. Fear of judgment. Fear of failure. Fear of being perceived the wrong way. The voice in your head that says, “Better not.” And that fear is sneakier the more successful you become.

The key isn’t removing fear altogether. It’s finding a way to move forward anyway—bravely, but not recklessly.

The Solution: Just Be 5% Braver for 5 Seconds

One of the most powerful mindsets I’ve seen take root in high-performing cultures started with a simple mantra:

“Just be 5% braver for 5 seconds.”

That phrase was coined by a leader I once coached. She realized that her fear of speaking up, sharing opinions, or taking risks wasn’t just stalling her—it was limiting the example she set for her team and, more personally, for her kids.

When I asked her, “Do you want your daughters to be fearless learners? To reach their full potential?”—she said, “Of course.”

Then I asked, “So who do they have to see do it first?”

That’s when it clicked: her courage wasn’t about her. It was about the people watching. The people who learn from how we show up.

So she created that mantra: “Just be 5% braver for 5 seconds.”

She’d whisper it to herself before speaking up in a meeting. Before giving hard feedback. Before pitching a bold idea. Before standing firm when challenged.

What Happens When You Take the Brake Off

Here’s what she discovered—and what others like her have confirmed:
1. The first few times are awkward
2. You’ll feel exposed. You might get weird looks. It won’t feel like “you.”
3. Your instincts will tell you to go back

That’s normal. When you’ve been hitting the brakes for years, releasing them makes the car jerk.
4. But if you keep going, it smooths out

Within weeks, she found herself more confident. Her voice stronger. Her presence more grounded.
5. Others start to follow

Her team noticed. They started to be braver too—speaking up more, trying new things, trusting each other. Bravery became viral.
6. Leaders start to notice

Her skip’s boss—someone two levels up—publicly acknowledged her influence, citing her team as the reason they went after a bold new contract.

All of this from a mindset shift and a five-second window of courage.

Why It Works: Bravery Isn’t Just About You

Courage is often framed as something deeply personal. But in leadership, courage is contagious. People are always watching. Not in a performative sense, but in a very human one. When someone in the room is calm, others feel safer. When someone speaks truth, others feel permission to be real.

We are, quite literally, each other’s stories.

Final Thought

If you’re holding back at work—if you know you have more to give, more to say, or more to try—don’t wait for a grand transformation. Don’t wait until you’re fearless. That day won’t come.

Instead, start small. Just be 5% braver for 5 seconds. That’s often all it takes to change your trajectory.

And who knows? Someone else might just get braver because you went first.

Bill Hoogterp is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and one of the world’s leading executive coaches. He is also a contributor to Fortune, where he answers real questions from executives striving to become better leaders.

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