Reflections On Brene Brown's Ted Talk Video "Vulnerability"

Brene’ Brown’s Ted Talk on Vulnerability is a powerful video watch that I remember watching a couple of years ago. Its message has stayed with me, and has impacted the decisions that I am making in my friendships and relationships. Watching the video again was a good thing for me, because it has helped to reinforce the message I learned. It has also made me to refocus my priorities and get back to the simple things that matter in life and relationships, making connections. At the heart of forming connections is the ability to be open and honest in one’s dealings with others; this is a synonym for authenticity or vulnerability.

Perfectionism is the antagonist to vulnerability. How well can a person perform? How much value can a person add to the company? What results are they able to achieve? How well are they able to win others over and get along with people? These are all questions that reflect the expectations that employers have of their employers in the workplace. Perfectionism kills the ability to be open and honest with others because, ones focus is on maintaining an image or reputation for oneself.

Vulnerability thus is very important in this modern day society, where perfectionism, or the constant striving to do more (performance), is the yardstick by which self-worth is measured’ this is particularly evident in our jobs and careers, which require us to put on a mask and to maintain a professional demeanor at all times. As a result, we don’t allow our insecurities or imperfections to show. We pretend like we don’t have any problems, but are only fooling ourselves. The fact of the matter is that everyone has some kind of insecurity and no one is perfect. Therefore, perfection is a standard that cannot be attained.