ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Michael Hudson moved to rural Vietnam at 22 and stayed through the hard parts. Now CEO of the Hudson Institute of Coaching, he shares what he learned about courage, identity, and the disruptions that force us to grow.
Key Themes:
Naive Courage vs. Cultivated Courage
Naive courage gets you on the plane. Cultivated courage keeps you there at the six-month mark when you want to quit. The real transformation happens when you choose to stay and figure it out.
The Flashcard Trap
Michael made 200 Vietnamese flashcards but wasn't learning. He was protecting himself from embarrassment. Real integration required letting go of control. Where are you creating the illusion of progress to avoid actual risk?
Disruption Forces Honesty
We think we know why we're succeeding when times are good. External disruptions reveal what actually matters. COVID forced Michael's organization from in-person to virtual. They didn't want to change — but learned things they're still using.
Identity as Obstacle
Change requires letting go of parts of yourself that no longer serve you. There's loss in that. Pain in that. We don't sign up for it easily. But becoming something different means releasing who you used to be.
Takeaways:
- Break habituation deliberately. Take different routes. Create small disruptions before life forces big ones.
- Be honest about what's moving the needle vs. what's just noise
- Give yourself permission to make it up as you go
- Stay long enough to know what you're really choosing
About Michael: CEO of the Hudson Institute of Coaching, spent 10 years in Southeast Asia and East Africa, coaches startup founders and social entrepreneurs.
Connect with Michael:
- LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-hudson-8527728/
- Hudson Institute of Coaching website: https://hudsoninstitute.com/
Connect with The Courage Effect:
- Host: Suzanne Weller / Weller Collaboration
- Website: https://wellercollaboration.com/thecourageeffect
- Social Media: https://linktr.ee/suzanneweller
- Substack: Sign up for Suzanne’s Reimagine Growth newsletter at https://suzanneweller.substack.com/about
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- Leave a review on your podcast platform
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