Two Lessons from Adam Grant's New Book that Really Resonate

I was listening to Oprah’s conversation with Adam Grant the other day about his new book Hidden Potential, and two ideas made me say aloud "Yes, yes yes!" They’re simple, but they explain so much about why we get stuck and how we finally move forward.

1. Confidence doesn’t come before action. It comes from action.

Most of us wait to feel confident before we try something. But as Adam said, confidence is the result, not the starting point.

This shows up constantly in public speaking. People tell me, “I’ll speak up more once I feel confident.” But the only way to feel more confident speaking up is to actually speak up.

Even if your voice shakes. Even if you stumble. Even if it feels awkward the first few times- you have to start somewhere.

At Lighthouse, we say it all the time: learn by doing. Confidence comes from reps, not from thinking about reps.

I look back at early presentations I gave them I started Lighthouse- and I think "Gosh, I know so much more now!" But that's okay, I had to start somewhere. That’s exactly how it works. The doing creates the confidence.

So if your goal this year is to speak up more or present with more presence, start where you are. Start small. Start imperfect. Just start.

2. In order to become, be.

This idea actually comes from a grandmaster in chess who told Adam Grant, “If I want to become a grandmaster, I have to act like one now.”

The point is simple. Don’t wait for a future version of yourself. Show up as that person now.

If you want to be someone who communicates with clarity, try framing your ideas more cleanly in your next conversation. If you want to be someone who stays calm under pressure, practice slowing your breath in the next meeting, not someday. If you want to contribute more, come to the next team sync with one thoughtful question.

A quick example: I coached an engineer who wanted to be seen as more strategic. He kept saying, “Once I’m more senior, I’ll start speaking at a higher level.” We flipped it. Speak at a higher level now. That’s what helps people see you as senior.

He changed how he talked about his work, and almost immediately people treated him differently. You don’t magically become the future version first. You act like them, and the identity follows.

Check out the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Amqnd6p4kWcv5rabSVnJy?si=ffdbd5e0ffc34130