Alexandria Author Explores Bravery in ‘The Courage Gap’
The concept refers to the space between what we know we should do and what we actually do
ALEXANDRIA, VA-Ever have one of those “if only I had spoken up” moments? Those brief but significant times when a thought could have been expressed and likely would have changed the outcome of a situation? According to Alexandria resident Dr. Margie Warrell, these moments represent the courage gap – the space between what we know we should do and what we actually do.
In her new book, “The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action,” she explains how fear creates this gap between thought and action, and offers a practical five-step framework that distills research and modern wisdom to help people manage their anxiety and take the brave action they often avoid.
“All behavior is belief-driven,” Warrell explained, drawing on over twenty years as an executive coach. “Yet often the stories we’re telling ourselves keep us from taking the very actions that would help us address our challenges better, sometimes making us more stressed, keeping us stuck or living too safely. In the process, we inadvertently sell ourselves short.”
The author acknowledges early in the book that we are living in a period of deep polarization and urges readers to “double down on critical thinking” and avoid being swept into a “victimhood mindset” that can undermine the very agency we most need to cultivate in ourselves. She suggests paying attention to the narrative we have about our situation, stating that if what we are telling ourselves isn’t empowering, then take action to improve our circumstances. Warrell argues that a lack of courage ultimately makes us less secure over time, not more so.
“Your stories don’t only describe your reality, they create it,” she notes in the book, emphasizing
how our self-protective instincts can drive us to remain silent when we should speak up or stick
with the status quo when we should disrupt it.
Warrell said during our interview that she tries to embody the courage champion in others. She recently stepped away from her role as Senior Partner in the C-Suite advisory at Korn Ferry to run her own business. “Sometimes the things we most need to do are those that are the least comfortable,” she explained.
In “The Courage Gap,” she shares numerous experiences. She has had anincredible journey through life. She grew up on a dairy in rural Australia, backpacked around the world after graduating from college, raised four children across multiple continents, and moving from Asia to Alexandria during the height of the pandemic in December 2020.
As the eldest daughter of seven children, she recounts learning to break a horse and her 10th birthday gift from her father, whose work ethic she inherited. She met her husband, Andrew, in Melbourne, Australia, and together they have lived in many places, from Papua New Guinea to Singapore.
Some challenges are addressed within these pages as well. Warrell was away from her four children while living in Singapore. She was also separated from her husband when he was one of the first in that country to be quarantined in a government facility after contracting Covid-19. “It was quite a surreal experience,” Warrell says, sharing how it taught her that courage isn’t only about stepping out of our comfort zone; it’s also about learning to manage our fear and keep anxiety in check.
“Let’s face it,” she said, “Often we suffer far more from our anxiety than we do from what we’re anxious about.” It’s why she feels it’s so important in this time of immense uncertainty and disruption to develop our capacity to cope with it. As she wrote, “In today’s fast-changing world, we need to cultivate our ability to find opportunity within change and expand our bandwidth to handle it better and take action despite our doubts.”
Warrell argues that it is through facing our deepest fears that we can reclaim our greatest power and take more constructive actions.
Just prior to meeting our interview at her historic home, Warrell addressed the chiefs of staff in Congress’s 2025 term. Since the book’s release in January, she has spoken at events across the country, including those Google, Bezos Earth Fund, and USC’s Marshall School of Business.
In an impressive foreword to the book, U.S. Army General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal wrote: “Through relatable anecdotes and compelling insights, Margie will elevate your perspective to see every experience, particularly the most challenging, as a catalyst for growth and the
greater good.”
Speaking from his four decades-plus career in the military, McChrystal remarked that in this time of our history, “The Courage Gap” isn’t just a book. it’s a lifeline. Mission accomplishhed.
For more information about “The Courage Gap,” go to margiewarrell.com/TheCourageGap.
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