In a recent LinkedIn post, Tim Denning explores a counterintuitive observation about professional success: the critical role of courage over raw talent. Denning, a prolific online writer and business advisor, contrasts the trajectories of highly intelligent, credentialed individuals with those who achieve significant success through sheer audacity.
Denning opens with a striking anecdote about a former colleague:
“The most talented person I ever worked with is still broke. He had an MBA from a top university. He could analyze markets better than anyone I knew. His spreadsheets were works of art. Management loved him.”
This individual, Denning explains, remained stagnant, “still waiting for his big break,” while others with less apparent talent surpassed him. This pattern, he observed over a decade in banking, wasn’t about intelligence but about a lack of courage.
The Paralysis of Planning
According to Denning, highly intelligent individuals often fall prey to over-analysis and a need for certainty before taking action. They spend excessive time planning, researching, and analyzing every potential outcome, effectively waiting for a permission that never arrives.
“The smart ones were too busy planning. Researching. Analyzing every possible outcome before making a move. They needed certainty before they could act. They needed someone to tell them it was okay to try,” Denning writes.
He contrasts this with his own experience starting his writing career online. Lacking formal credentials, experience, or an audience, Denning decided to begin publishing essays anyway.
“I started writing online 12 years ago with no degree. No journalism background. No writing experience. No audience. I had zero evidence that it would work. I just decided to do it anyway.”
This willingness to act despite uncertainty, to embrace the possibility of looking foolish or failing publicly, is what Denning identifies as the true driver of success. His journey, marked by over 7,000 essays reaching millions, serves as a testament to this principle.
The Courage to Begin
Denning extends this observation to the business owners he now advises. He notes that those who build substantial wealth are not necessarily the most intelligent but are the ones who stop waiting for external validation.
Betting on Oneself
“Talent is everywhere. Intelligence is common. You can find both in any office building in any city. What you can’t find is people willing to bet on themselves when the outcome is uncertain,” Denning argues.
He criticizes the common tendency to endlessly prepare – reading books about starting businesses instead of launching them, taking courses instead of publishing content – all under the guise of waiting until one feels “ready.” Denning posits that this feeling of readiness is often a self-deceptive tactic to avoid the initial discomfort of starting.
Ultimately, Denning encourages readers to grant themselves permission to act, even before feeling fully qualified. He concludes by posing a direct question to his audience:
“What’s the one thing you’ve been ‘preparing’ for that you could just start today?”
His core message is a call to action: the greatest barrier to achievement is not a lack of talent or intelligence, but the absence of the courage to begin.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Tim Denning on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on May 19, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →