What do you think?
Rate this book
The Brave Habit: A Guide To Courageous Leadership
In an uncertain world, what's the secret to unlocking potential? Bravery.
Everywhere you look, from our offices to our homes, there's a need for courageous leaders who are willing to do what's right even when it's difficult. Imagine a world where brave decisions are the norm, leading to empowered teams, diminished corruption, reduced conflicts, and meaningful cultural advancements.
In The Brave Habit, Todd Henry demystifies the concept of bravery. It's not reserved for the chosen few; it's a skill, a daily practice that can be cultivated. Henry emphasizes that every individual has the capacity to make brave choices, especially when the stakes are high.
Our organizations are in dire need of leaders who not only promote a culture of bravery but also embody it. The business landscape awaits entrepreneurs ready to prioritize their community and do what's right even in the face of fear. On a larger scale, our society yearns for individuals who forge brave, compassionate bonds with those holding contrasting views.
The Brave Habit is a transformative journey towards impactful leadership, exceptional work, and deeper relationships. Be brave.
Everywhere you look, from our offices to our homes, there's a need for courageous leaders who are willing to do what's right even when it's difficult. Imagine a world where brave decisions are the norm, leading to empowered teams, diminished corruption, reduced conflicts, and meaningful cultural advancements.
In The Brave Habit, Todd Henry demystifies the concept of bravery. It's not reserved for the chosen few; it's a skill, a daily practice that can be cultivated. Henry emphasizes that every individual has the capacity to make brave choices, especially when the stakes are high.
Our organizations are in dire need of leaders who not only promote a culture of bravery but also embody it. The business landscape awaits entrepreneurs ready to prioritize their community and do what's right even in the face of fear. On a larger scale, our society yearns for individuals who forge brave, compassionate bonds with those holding contrasting views.
The Brave Habit is a transformative journey towards impactful leadership, exceptional work, and deeper relationships. Be brave.
113 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2024
36 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Todd Henry
15 books306 followersTodd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of seven books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code, Daily Creative, The Brave Habit) which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.With more than fifteen million downloads, his podcast offers weekly tips for how to stay prolific, brilliant, and healthy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 21, 2025
Todd Henry is well know for his books on creativity and the creative process. I picked up this book because it was recommended in my writing group. I actually got to meet Todd Henry during a Zoom call in that group.
The author begins The Brave Habit by giving the background for why he is the right person to talk about developing a habit of being brave. He tells a personal story from his childhood that made him choose to be brave. In the first chapter, he describes bravery and compares it to encourage and boldness.
Henry makes and acrostic of BRAVE so it’s easier to remember. Each one of these five steps helps you to internalize bravery and make it a habit. The more you act bravely the more you will create this habit. This is the core of the book.
The author next describes how to can develop agency over your life and choices with proficiency, the help of people, and your platform. He also describes three ways that a choice or action could be brave situationally for you. He describes the benefits of being an optimistic person who works hard because you believe you can and will succeed. He also provides helpful and important questions that will help you define the kind of person you are in your work.
Henry calls his readers to commit to doing brave work, stating that from the truth no matter what, and put in your best work out there. You let other people what was your work. Don’t pass up someone else’s work or take credit for something you did not do. He calls people to have integrity about their work and encourage others.h
Next, Henry talks about the right to he challenges the reader to be the first to interact with a project. The best teams have healthy conflict and protect one another from personal attacks. Good team members recognize that it is not about them. It is about the best type for the team. Health and tunes give and get feedback from another. The team gets better as you bravely and almost interact with one another.
Brave leaders are an important part of the team and work. Henry surprised me when he said the leader is more about facilitating the process then getting the result. He challenges leaders to cultivate an optimistic vision for the team. He gives some guiding principles to leaders on how to make the people in their teams and groups gain agency over the project.
Henry also writes about being a brave neighbor. He lays out some principles for how to be a good neighbor in your neighborhood. It seems like this chapter is out of place in this book, but the author reminds us that we are always working on better relationships and we are neighbors to those we collaborate with.
My favorite part of the book is the last chapter in which the author reminds us that we really only have the day that we are living. The future is uncertain, but we can be brave step forward to complete one action at a time that will eventually change the course of our lives and maybe even history. I really enjoyed this encouraging reminder.
I like that Todd gives you steps to take in each chapter as he describes each topic. His questions at the end of each chapter are helpful for growth. This book is primarily for leaders of teams and groups. Still, I gained much insight into how to be a brave leader. It did not help us much with the creative side.
I recommend this book to anyone who is leading a team or group. It will be it will be immensely helpful to you.
The author begins The Brave Habit by giving the background for why he is the right person to talk about developing a habit of being brave. He tells a personal story from his childhood that made him choose to be brave. In the first chapter, he describes bravery and compares it to encourage and boldness.
Henry makes and acrostic of BRAVE so it’s easier to remember. Each one of these five steps helps you to internalize bravery and make it a habit. The more you act bravely the more you will create this habit. This is the core of the book.
The author next describes how to can develop agency over your life and choices with proficiency, the help of people, and your platform. He also describes three ways that a choice or action could be brave situationally for you. He describes the benefits of being an optimistic person who works hard because you believe you can and will succeed. He also provides helpful and important questions that will help you define the kind of person you are in your work.
Henry calls his readers to commit to doing brave work, stating that from the truth no matter what, and put in your best work out there. You let other people what was your work. Don’t pass up someone else’s work or take credit for something you did not do. He calls people to have integrity about their work and encourage others.h
Next, Henry talks about the right to he challenges the reader to be the first to interact with a project. The best teams have healthy conflict and protect one another from personal attacks. Good team members recognize that it is not about them. It is about the best type for the team. Health and tunes give and get feedback from another. The team gets better as you bravely and almost interact with one another.
Brave leaders are an important part of the team and work. Henry surprised me when he said the leader is more about facilitating the process then getting the result. He challenges leaders to cultivate an optimistic vision for the team. He gives some guiding principles to leaders on how to make the people in their teams and groups gain agency over the project.
Henry also writes about being a brave neighbor. He lays out some principles for how to be a good neighbor in your neighborhood. It seems like this chapter is out of place in this book, but the author reminds us that we are always working on better relationships and we are neighbors to those we collaborate with.
My favorite part of the book is the last chapter in which the author reminds us that we really only have the day that we are living. The future is uncertain, but we can be brave step forward to complete one action at a time that will eventually change the course of our lives and maybe even history. I really enjoyed this encouraging reminder.
I like that Todd gives you steps to take in each chapter as he describes each topic. His questions at the end of each chapter are helpful for growth. This book is primarily for leaders of teams and groups. Still, I gained much insight into how to be a brave leader. It did not help us much with the creative side.
I recommend this book to anyone who is leading a team or group. It will be it will be immensely helpful to you.
August 31, 2024
I really enjoy Todd Henry's books, and "The Brave Habit" is no exception. I appreciate that Henry offers comprehensive and practical ideas for improving communication and tapping into our best potential.
In "The Brave Habit," Henry focuses on being brave and making the right decisions instead of the easy ones. I was already familiar with some of the personal anecdotes he shares in the book, like his basketball and Jenny stories. Still, instead of distracting, these anecdotes strengthen Henry's viewpoints.
This book offers many checkpoints and ideas for reflection and journaling. Surprisingly, I found myself using this book to help me with parenting and better communication at home, although the team and leadership chapters didn't resonate as much from a personal angle. However, when Henry offers the last chapter on being a brave neighbour as part of a community, it becomes clear that using "The Brave Habit" as a mother and wife is also an essential part of life.
Here are some of my key takeaways:
- It is essential to replace the view of circumstances happening to me instead of being their shaper.
- Agency over life is critical.
- Powerlessness changes to agency through perceived efficacy.
- If people believe they cannot change things around them, they will not make the effort to make them change.
- We need to sharpen specific core competencies to tackle our biggest challenges.
- Aim to develop proficiency in one skill over three months and choose a method and plan of action. Measure progress.
- "Above all, don't fear difficult moments. The best comes from them." - Rita Levi
- "Your intentions don't matter; your actions define you."
- Your body of work (or life) stands as a lasting testament to where you chose to spend your finite time, attention, and energy, and the impact that it has will long outlast you.
In "The Brave Habit," Henry focuses on being brave and making the right decisions instead of the easy ones. I was already familiar with some of the personal anecdotes he shares in the book, like his basketball and Jenny stories. Still, instead of distracting, these anecdotes strengthen Henry's viewpoints.
This book offers many checkpoints and ideas for reflection and journaling. Surprisingly, I found myself using this book to help me with parenting and better communication at home, although the team and leadership chapters didn't resonate as much from a personal angle. However, when Henry offers the last chapter on being a brave neighbour as part of a community, it becomes clear that using "The Brave Habit" as a mother and wife is also an essential part of life.
Here are some of my key takeaways:
- It is essential to replace the view of circumstances happening to me instead of being their shaper.
- Agency over life is critical.
- Powerlessness changes to agency through perceived efficacy.
- If people believe they cannot change things around them, they will not make the effort to make them change.
- We need to sharpen specific core competencies to tackle our biggest challenges.
- Aim to develop proficiency in one skill over three months and choose a method and plan of action. Measure progress.
- "Above all, don't fear difficult moments. The best comes from them." - Rita Levi
- "Your intentions don't matter; your actions define you."
- Your body of work (or life) stands as a lasting testament to where you chose to spend your finite time, attention, and energy, and the impact that it has will long outlast you.
February 21, 2024
*The Brave Habit* approaches bravery as a discrete skill that any of us can develop with the right choices and behaviors. Todd Henry brilliantly shows you how to cultivate the conditions that are necessary to make brave action more likely in your life, and then he suggests ways to live it out at work, home, your neighborhood, and globally. As we face unprecedented uncertainty in our world, we need bravery more than ever. Todd Henry has given us the manual. Highly recommended.
July 2, 2024
I like the author and I have listened to clearly too many podcasts of his, because I HEAR the text in his voice. [lol]
UGH I always forget that I cannot copy quotes from the Kobo app.
But there is a lot of good advice here; in the realm of life is short, do the thing you fear to do stuff.
dooo eeet
4 stars
UGH I always forget that I cannot copy quotes from the Kobo app.
But there is a lot of good advice here; in the realm of life is short, do the thing you fear to do stuff.
dooo eeet
4 stars
February 23, 2024
The book has the right message: Bravery is a skill and we can all make a difference by practicing. My challenge is that the author doesn't go deep enough to provide actionable insights. Still worth a quick read though.
February 28, 2024
Good advice for all of us but it felt like many of the subjects were rehashed material with the word brave appended to them. It’s worth a listen (I listened to the audiobook), but I didn’t feel like there are any great revelations.
November 23, 2024
Went through the Todd Henry collection. Interesting and helpful even if you aren't in a creative field but are interested in doing your best work. This one, in particular, was a good read about courage and doing the right thing, even if its hard.
October 25, 2025
Though provoking and inspiring
Really appreciate the authors approach to describe what is bravery, how to choose to be brave and the need for bravery in our world today. Easy book to follow and enjoy.
Really appreciate the authors approach to describe what is bravery, how to choose to be brave and the need for bravery in our world today. Easy book to follow and enjoy.
November 30, 2024
1. this was a short book to discuss forming a habit of being brave
2. Bravery is doing the right thing even in the face of fear or personal loss
2. Bravery is doing the right thing even in the face of fear or personal loss
February 7, 2025
You already know what it's going to say
July 18, 2025
Can't wait to see this author at my work conference in August. My agency read this together for our morning huddle and it brought about amazing conversations about leading Bravely!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews