Straight out of graduate school, I traipsed all over Washington, D.C. knocking on doors in search of a job. Too bad it was the summer of 2011 and few pro-family non-profits and think-tanks were blessed with big enough budgets to bring on new staff. But I’m not a shy person and talked a few office managers into granting me an interview. Smooth sailing on most of the questions except one: “What are your weaknesses?”
Did this well-intentioned supervisor honestly want to hear about my struggles with anxiety and fears of failure? Probably not. But I’ll never forget sharing my answers and receiving one of the best pieces of advice in turn: You only fail if you never try. That is what differentiates courage from cowardice.
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