5 Quotes from Sarah Yourgrau I Can’t Stop Thinking About
Sarah dropped some truth bombs in the latest episode of The Hopeful Pioneers
Sometimes someone says something and it lodges itself in your mind. Not just because it’s catchy—but because it’s true. That was my experience talking with Sarah Yourgrau, founder of Common Ground Studios.
Sarah’s a master of using storytelling to soften division, build empathy, and surface complexity in a culture that often wants to flatten everything into a soundbite. Our conversation covered everything from conflict and media to feminine leadership and imagination.
Here are a few of her words I’ve been carrying with me since:
1. “Conflict is the through.”
Not the detour. Not the failure.
“Conflict is the through. It’s the portal into real intimacy and connection.”
This reframed how I think about disagreement—both in personal relationships and in our broader social fabric. What if conflict isn’t something to fear, but something to walk through?
2. “We can’t be what we don’t see.”
Sarah talked about the concept of vicarious contact—that just watching two people connect across differences can reduce prejudice by almost 50%.
“We need stories that show us what’s possible. That creates reference points for connection.”
It’s a quiet but radical idea: storytelling as a public health intervention for polarization.
3. “We don’t need permission to be here.”
This one got me.
“You don’t have to be chosen. You just have to trust your voice.”
In a world obsessed with gatekeepers, this felt like a gentle shove toward agency. If the world you want doesn’t exist yet—maybe it’s waiting on you.
4. “We have cross-pollinated problems. We need cross-pollinated solutions.”
Whether we’re talking about climate, wealth, media, or justice, Sarah reminded us that complexity isn’t the problem—it’s the context.
“Our stories have to hold multiple truths at once. That’s where the magic happens.”
This is relevant in my world of impact investing, too, where trade-offs and tensions are real—and also where the imagination lives.
5. “If you try to do everything, you’ll do nothing.”
Her clarity around focus in storytelling resonated deeply.
“We don’t do true crime. We don’t do shock for shock’s sake. We’re here to uplift, to reflect, to spark.”
It made me think: where in my own work do I need to draw clearer lines? What are we choosing not to do—and what values do those choices reflect?
Sarah’s whole vibe is complexity-with-compassion, and I left our conversation feeling clearer, braver, and weirdly hopeful.
I hope you’ll listen to the full episode ✨