Episode 200

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Published on:

14th Apr 2026

Four Questions Only the Courageous Ask

Happy 200th episode!

In celebration -- and consideration of the path forward -- I share the four questions only courageous people ask. Some people ask themselves one or two, but those who dig into all four are most likely to grow ordinary into extraordinary.

  1. What do I want? Often easy to ask unless life has knocked you down with enough disappointments that the willingness to dream seems like a path into hopeless. But courageous people get back up and keep asking.
  2. Why do I want it? Am I trying to prove someone wrong--even from my past? Am I trying to validate my worth? Courageous people keep asking, "What's the real motivation behind my desires?" Without this answer, you may achieve what you want and then find it doesn't satisfy like you thought.
  3. Why don't I have it? Ouch. This is the question that's often skipped because it reveals whether a person is living from a blame, entitlement, or empowerment mindset. This question may be the one that requires the greatest courage.

What am I willing to do to get it? Desire doesn't produce any results. Only actions. How this question gets answered determines whether a person is content to live in "Desireland" or do the work to build "Achievementland."

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About the Podcast

Living Wide and Deep
Growing a life of spiritual strength, emotional health, and relational wisdom
You want to be the best possible person, parent, or spouse. Yet sometimes you may not know how. You may feel alone. I understand.

The "Living Wide and Deep" podcast helps you grow spiritually strong, emotionally healthy, and relationally wise. Your good intentions and abilities will thrive through learning and applying principles from research, real-life experience, and the Bible.

You don't have to choose between deep and narrow or wide and shallow. You can live wide and deep! Stephanie brings depth and winsomeness, authority and vulnerability. A wife, mom, mother-in-law, and Nana, Stephanie is a speaker and writer who loves helping others flourish.
Learn more at her website, https://www.stephaniepresents.com/

About your host

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Stephanie Smith

Stephanie knows from experience good intentions aren't enough to be spiritually strong, emotionally healthy, and relationally smart--or to raise kids who are. She shares powerful Scriptural principles and science-backed insights into human behavior to equip people to grow good intentions into godly impact.

Stephanie's authenticity creates immediate connection with audiences both virtual and on the stage, while gracious authority provides clarity and confidence for listeners. Her leadership experience includes being a certified Primal Question coach, Christian school founding board member and teacher, homeschool cooperative founder, and Teen Theater Director.

Stephanie is a wife, mother of five grown sons, mother-in-law of four, and Nana to a growing tribe of awesome grandkids. She is committed to Psalm 17:17-18, proclaiming God's power to generations through wisdom forged in real life.