What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid? by Michal Oshman Summary
Overview of What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?
TikTok executive Michal Oshman reveals how ancient Jewish wisdom can transform modern anxiety into purpose-driven action. Readers report life-changing decisions - from moving homes to healing broken hearts - after discovering one provocative question: What would you do if you weren't afraid?
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Key takeaways
The Question That Transforms Everything
"What would you do if you weren't afraid?" This question, displayed prominently on Facebook's walls, struck Michal Oshman like lightning on her first day at the tech giant. Despite impressive credentials - military leadership, multiple degrees, executive positions - she had been living with crippling anxiety that manifested in constant catastrophic thoughts and physical symptoms. This simple yet profound question became the catalyst for her transformation. Drawing from 3,000-year-old Jewish teachings, Oshman discovered a framework for addressing very modern issues of anxiety, purpose, and belonging. Her journey reveals that sometimes ancient wisdom offers the freshest perspective on our contemporary struggles. When we confront the question of what lies beyond our fears, we begin to see that our limitations are often self-imposed - invisible chains we've wrapped around our own potential. Conventional therapy focused on childhood traumas - exposure to death through her father's work as a forensic pathologist, inherited trauma from Holocaust survivor grandparents. This approach normalized feelings but created a limiting cycle of reopening wounds without healing them. Her breakthrough came from Jewish wisdom, particularly the concept of "neshama" (soul) - related to the Hebrew word for "breath" - suggesting every human possesses a divine flame needing nurturing. The Tanya describes the soul as "comparable to the flame of a candle which continually flickers upwards." This powerful metaphor helped her see anxiety not as a disease but as part of the human condition - the beautiful struggle of a soul yearning to grow beyond its current state.
Finding Purpose Beyond Self-Focus
Crossing Life's Narrow Bridges
The Wholeness of Broken Hearts
Creating Space for Others to Flourish
Building Cultures of Belonging
The Journey Back to Your Essence
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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