Giving Compass' Take:

• Jean Case shares insights from her book, Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose, that can help philanthropists make the most of big bets. 

• How can you prepare to make a meaningful bet in philanthropy?

• Learn more about how to make big bets. 

We recently had the opportunity to interview Jean Case about her new book, Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose. After growing up in Normal, Illinois she attended college and began a career in the private sector working at places like General Electric. In her twenties, she helped connect the nation to the internet while working at America Online (AOL). After leaving AOL, she and her husband, Steve Case, started the Case Foundation to become a “laboratory for change”. In addition to the role as CEO of Case Foundation, she is the first female chairman of the National Geographic Society in their 130-year history.’

Together with her team at Case Foundation, she saw a need for a roadmap for ordinary people to become more fearless. While reading her book and speaking with her I learned that being fearless is not just about quitting your job and taking a massive leap of faith. There are ways we can each be fearless every day and make an impact, simply by deciding to do so. I was inspired by the stories shared and realized how tangible breakthroughs can be.

The book explores five principles, developed through Case Foundation research that include:

  1. Make a Big Bet.
  2. Be bold, take risks.
  3. Make failure matter.
  4. Reach beyond your bubble.
  5. Let urgency conquer fear.

When done together, they define what Case refers to as “Be Fearless”. These principles give readers a clear roadmap to ignite change at work, in life, and in your community.

Read the full article about making the most of big bets by Caroline Vander Ark at Getting Smart.