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WorkLife with Adam Grant · May 12, 2026 · 36m 45s

Why you should take a risk every day

Julie Zhuo, early product leader at Facebook and co-founder of Sundial, argues that risk-taking is a learnable skill built through daily practice rather than dramatic, one-time moves. She explores the distinction between courage and fearlessness, the mechanisms of fear that hold us back, and the deliberate strategies she's used to challenge her own anxieties. The conversation reveals how small, incremental risks compound into genuine capability and confidence.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Novel

How AI Can Reduce Decision Paralysis
Sundial's approach uses AI to help organizations analyze decisions more objectively, reducing the emotional noise that often freezes decision-makers.

Highlights

Risk-Taking as Daily Practice
The best risk-takers build skills through small, daily challenges rather than waiting for big, dramatic opportunities.
Courage is acting despite fear; fearlessness is the absence of fear—and the latter is often a misunderstanding of what real risk-taking looks like.
Strategic Caution: When NOT to Take the Leap
Knowing when to hold back is as important as knowing when to leap; not every risk is worth taking, and part of the skill is discernment.

Editorial

Fear as Information, Not Obstacle
Fear can signal real danger—but it can also signal discomfort, growth, or simple unfamiliarity, and learning to distinguish them is crucial.

Misc

Zhuo built her risk-taking practice through daily micro-challenges at Facebook, not grand gestures
She distinguishes sharply between courage (acting despite fear) and fearlessness (no fear present)
Risk-taking ability is trainable — it's a skill like any other, not an innate trait
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