Podcast Summary

Podcast: Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod
Episode: 579: How to Go After What You Want (And Get It) with Jenny Wood
Date: March 26, 2025
Host: Hal Elrod
Guest: Jenny Wood, author of Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It

Overview

This engaging episode explores the principles in Jenny Wood’s new book, Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It. Hal and Jenny discuss the unconventional traits Jenny believes are essential for success—traits that society often labels as negative, such as being weird, selfish, shameless, obsessed, nosy, manipulative, brutal, reckless, and bossy. Jenny shares her personal journey from a top Google executive to passionate author, the moments of wild courage that have shaped her life, and actionable strategies to overcome fear and achieve big goals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Redefining Success: The Power of "Negative" Traits

• Jenny’s core message: To unlock your ambition, you must reclaim and reframe traits often seen as flaws.
  • Examples include being "selfish"—standing up for your needs, or "shameless"—boldly championing your accomplishments.
• Quote:

  “My guest today says you need to be weird, selfish, shameless, obsessed, nosy, manipulative, brutal, reckless and bossy. All nine of those traits, and to be that takes courage.” (Hal, 01:08)

2. Jenny’s Leap: Leaving Google for Wild Courage

• Background: Jenny spent nearly two decades at Google, rising from an entry-level role to senior executive and launching one of the company's biggest career programs.
• Catalyst for change: Struggling to balance her demanding job, family, and writing, Jenny had a wakeup moment after nearly falling asleep at the wheel.
• Motivated by a desire for "step function learning"—growth through discomfort—she left her stable job to pursue her passion, despite fear and uncertainty.
• Quote:

  “As terrifying as this move felt, I just did it... and I don’t know if it was the right choice, but I’m having fun.” (Jenny, 07:57)

3. Step Function vs. Incremental Learning

• Definition:
  • Incremental learning is slow, steady progress; step function learning involves major leaps in skill and experience when jumping into unfamiliar territory.
  • Butterflies in your stomach? That’s a sign you’re experiencing step function learning.
• Quote:

  “When you are attempting something new or going after a new goal, look for those butterflies which indicates step function learning.” (Jenny, 09:32)

4. From Anxiety to Action: Facing Down Fear

• Spotlight effect: Most people fixate on their own worries—others aren’t judging you as harshly as you judge yourself.
• Jenny identifies three paralyzing fears many people face:
  1. Fear of failure
  2. Fear of uncertainty
  3. Fear of judgment by others
• She describes how even after leaving Google, anxiety comes in waves. Her strategy? Act despite the fear—a recurring theme in her book.
• Quote:

  “It’s living in three fears… fear of uncertainty, fear of failure, and fear of judgment of others.” (Jenny, 13:25)

5. Wild Courage in Action: The Subway Story

• Jenny shares the now-famous tale of how she saw her future husband on a subway but was initially frozen by fear (all three types). She forced herself to act, overcame the inner tales of doubt, and ended up marrying him.
• Quote:

  “This wave of wild courage washes over me and practically pushes me out of my subway seat... I tap him on the shoulder, I say... ‘In the event that you're not married, you are on my subway and were cute. Any chance I could give you my business card?’” (Jenny, 16:02)

6. Unpacking the Nine Traits of Wild Courage

• Jenny reframes supposedly negative traits as tools for advancement:
  • Selfish: The courage to champion your own needs and ambitions. “If you give everyone a leg up at your expense, you’ll end up getting trampled.” (Jenny, 19:29)
  • Shameless: Owning your achievements and defeating imposter syndrome.
  • Brutal: Ruthless prioritization—saying no to low-impact requests to focus on big goals.
  • Obsessed: Deep commitment to your ambitions—being persistent and driven.
• Jenny stresses expanding the pie rather than competing for a bigger slice, benefiting yourself and the people around you.
• Quote:

  “These traits create the bars of an invisible cage that keep me small. They keep me quiet, they keep me following instead of leading.” (Jenny, 19:19)

7. Tactical Tools for Goal Achievement

• Agenda Avenger: Ask for an agenda before agreeing to meetings, saving time and energy.
• Power Postpone: Maintain your network graciously—if you can’t meet now, defer rather than decline.
• These approaches help you say “no” without guilt and reclaim your focus for boardwalk-level goals.
• Quote:

  “The agenda avenger is you respond back to them... ‘Could you please just send me an agenda first?’ Nine times out of ten, they're going to realize that either… they don't need the meeting…” (Jenny, 25:11)

8. Truths vs. Tales

• Concept: Distinguish between facts (“truths”) and the fearful narratives (“tales”) you spin in your head. Unchecked tales breed anxiety and drama.
• Example: After her boss rescheduled their 1-on-1 repeatedly during Google layoffs, Jenny convinced herself she’d be fired. Not true; her boss was just sick.
• Quote:

  “Truths are verifiable facts. Tales are the stories we create in our minds to make sense of those facts. But oftentimes, they harm us…” (Jenny, 27:24)

• Hal’s affirmation:

  “I don’t know what the future holds, so I might as well create empowering tales. One is ‘my best is yet to come.’” (Hal, 29:32)

9. Live Affirmation Coaching

• Jenny asks Hal for help crafting affirmations for her author journey.
• Hal’s 3 Steps to Affirmations:
  1. Affirm your commitment—Specify the outcome. (e.g., “I’m committed to helping 500,000 people have more wild courage at work and in life in the next five years.”)
  2. Why it matters—List compelling reasons.
  3. Actions and timetable—State what you’ll do and when.
• Quote:

  “In life, we don’t get what we want—we get what we’re committed to.” (Hal, 34:59)

10. The ROCK, CHALK, TALK, WALK Framework

• Jenny’s system for goal achievement:
  • ROCK: The specific, ambitious goal.
  • CHALK: Write it down.
  • TALK: Share it with others for accountability.
  • WALK: Take tangible steps.
• Parallels Hal’s SAVERS morning routine and is designed for memorability and implementation.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "Err on the side of action... Better to learn from your mistakes than spend all your time predicting the consequences of every decision."
  – Jenny (08:01)

• "If you give everyone a leg up at your expense, you'll end up getting trampled."
  – Jenny on "selfish" trait (19:29)

• "These traits create the bars of an invisible cage that keep me small."
  – Jenny (19:19)

• "You can be selflessly selfish—if you are thriving, you can help other people."
  – Hal (22:09)

• "Truths are verifiable facts. Tales are the stories we create in our minds… but often, they harm us."
  – Jenny (27:24)

• "I don’t know what the future holds, so I might as well create empowering tales. One is 'my best is yet to come.'"
  – Hal’s affirmation (29:32)

• "In life, we don’t get what we want—we get what we’re committed to."
  – Hal (34:59)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & setting up the topic: 00:02–03:10
• Jenny's Google experience & decision to leave: 05:07–08:29
• Step function learning explained: 08:29–09:45
• Managing anxiety & the three big fears: 10:18–13:50
• Jenny’s subway story (finding her husband): 15:35–18:17
• Unpacking the nine traits of wild courage: 19:14–24:31
• Practical tools for saying no (Agenda Avenger, Power Postpone): 24:45–26:01
• Concept of truths vs. tales: 26:17–29:01
• Affirmation-building session: 30:11–36:14
• Rock, Chalk, Talk, Walk framework: 36:14–37:59
• Closing thoughts & where to buy Wild Courage: 38:57–39:58

Episode Highlights & Takeaways

• Counterintuitive attributes—embrace your ambition by being unabashedly true to yourself, even if that means being labeled “selfish” or “bossy.”
• Fear is natural—action in the face of fear (“wild courage”) is what sets achievers apart.
• Rewriting inner narratives—challenge the “tales” your mind creates and choose empowering alternatives.
• Goal achievement demands ruthless prioritization, practical tools for focus, and frameworks like “ROCK, CHALK, TALK, WALK.”
• Committing publicly (talk), writing it down (chalk), and focusing on ambitious goals (rock) increases your chances of success.

Where to Find the Book

• Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It is available everywhere books are sold (hardcover, audiobook, ebook). Jenny notes purchasing the hardcover is especially helpful to authors and bestseller status.

Final Thoughts

Jenny Wood’s energetic wisdom and Hal Elrod’s strategic mindset blend in a lively, actionable conversation—perfect for anyone stuck on the sidelines of their own life. If you want to live boldly, beat back fear, and achieve your biggest goals, the tools, stories, and frameworks from this episode are a must.