Discover your authentic life and career with Suzy Welch, professor at NYU Stern School of Business and creator of the proven Becoming You methodology.

Fear of the unknown gets a lot of attention. But the deeper fear — the one that quietly shapes our careers and lives — is something else entirely. The fear of knowing ourselves.

In this first episode of a three-part series on fear and self-discovery, your host Suzy Welch explores why so many people avoid looking closely at who they really are — and what they truly want. Drawing inspiration from the iconic film “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” Suzy examines the psychological reality behind what researchers call information avoidance: our tendency to avoid truths that might force us to change.

She tackles a question from podcast listener Katie, who took a brave step after decades of professional success: a sabbatical to reassess her life and career. Now she faces a dilemma many people share — should she admit that she took a sabbatical on her resume, or hide it from potential employers?

This episode kicks off a three-part “Be Not Afraid” series on the courage it takes to change your life from the inside out. Because the truth is simple: If you don’t stop to ask who you are… life will eventually force the question. And the sooner you ask it, the better.