Last week, I watched Olympic skater Adam Rippon discuss the decision that changed his life. It was the moment he asked himself, as an uncertain, self-questioning teen, “What would I do if I were unafraid?” The answer put him on a path to becoming a champion and ultimately changed his world.

Since then, I have been asking the same question of many of my clients. As they tell their stories and grapple with decisions made and decisions defaulted, I ask:

“What would you do if you were unafraid?”

The responses have been fascinating. And there is always an answer.

In the safety of my office and in the context of a trusting relationship when clients take the risk of speaking with the kind of candor that comes in the absence of fear, I hear brilliant things: solutions, strategies, vulnerabilities and honesty. They are sobering and moving, not yet road-tested and not yet applied.

“I would answer truthfully when asked to give my opinion.”

A client recalled being in a meeting in which the new CMO revealed a marketing plan and asked for feedback. Everyone in the room offered something positive. My client stayed silent. Asked later by the CMO why she had no comment to offer, she sheepishly admitted to thinking the presentation lacked “pop.” She was thanked for her honesty, and as a result, the presentation went back to the drawing board and returned a winner.