Arthur C. BrooksThe Art and Science of Happiness

The Best Entrepreneurial Advice Isn't About Business

5 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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In this talk, Arthur C. Brooks argues that true entrepreneurship extends beyond business tactics to include emotional courage. He observes that modern society is experiencing fewer marriages, families, and expressions of love, which he frames as a non‑entrepreneurial mindset. To illustrate his point, he recounts a story about a 26‑year‑old man who, after hearing Brooks’s advice to "give your heart away," confessed his secret love to a woman in Philadelphia. Although the confession was rejected, the young man thanked Brooks because the act freed him from his greatest fear. Brooks uses this anecdote to demonstrate that confronting personal fears—especially in matters of the heart—can strengthen one’s entrepreneurial spirit. He concludes with a direct call to the audience to take emotional risks, suggesting that such bravery will improve their entrepreneurial lives.

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The truth of the matter is that people are getting married less. They're forming families less. They're even falling in love less than they used to. And that's a non-entrepreneurial mindset. I was giving a talk for a large group of 20-somethings and I said, "You want to be a real entrepreneur?" Like, "Yeah, I want to be a real entrepreneur." I said, "Then give your heart away. Go tell somebody that you're secretly in love with that you love them." A couple weeks later, young guy, 26 years old, he comes up to me on an airplane. And he said, "I saw that speech you gave about entrepreneurship and affairs of the heart. You know what? I've been secretly in love with a woman in Philadelphia for 2 years. I'm on my way right now to tell her." Well, a few months later, I was at a Christmas party and I saw him across the room and I went up to him. I said, "Remember me?" He said, "Yep." I said, "What happened? What happened?" And he said, "I told her. She shot me down." I said, "I'm sorry." I was very contrite. I said, "I didn't mean to mess you up." And he said, "No, no, no, you don't understand. I've been meaning to call you." "Because I wanted to thank you." And I said, "Thank me for what?" He said, "That was the thing I was most afraid of in my life, and it happened, and I didn't die, and now I'm free." You get the point, right? You're afraid of something in your life. You're afraid of something in your heart. Go confess that. Take more risk, and watch your entrepreneurial life improve.