Worth the Risk

An award-winning behavioral scientist shares a practical guide on using strategic risk-taking to build resilience, courage, and connection.

Are you tired of being pumped with constant messages of fear and anxiety-that the future is bleak, and that we lack the grit our ancestors had to make it through? "Neuroscience has good news about our capacity to adapt-and thrive," says Kristen Lee. "We are wired to overcome. Trusting in ourselves, even in a hostile world, is worth the risk." With Worth the Risk, Lee shares a powerful guide to help you access your inner resources of courage, resilience, and creativity.

Our current culture has left many of us unwilling to step outside of our "safe spaces"-whether that means sheltering from the pandemic in our homes or feeling afraid to speak up when any discussion might explode into an argument; yet our search for safety can go too far, diminishing our self-worth and participation in life. Fortunately, the latest research shows us that by "microdosing" small acts of bravery and connection, we can regain our confidence in our own adaptability, ingenuity, and sense of value to ourselves and one another.

In each chapter of Worth the Risk, Lee provides a solid dose of brain science combined with practical actions to activate strengths and sustain yourself through challenges. "You are not at the mercy of life," she teaches. "You can learn to be the architect of your experience and know without doubt that you have what it takes to shine as an inexplicable, untamable force of nature."