The $10,000 Courageous Coupling Experiment
We're giving $100 to the first 100 couples committed to building stronger relationships through courage. Complete three commitments. Get paid.
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đź’° $100 Guaranteed to the First 100 Couples
Complete the experiment. Post about it publicly. Tag @iamdailycourage. Fill out a 1 min survey. Get paid.
Go on a date in January 2026. Complete all three commitments. Share your story. The first 100 couples to finish get $100—no contest, no judging, just courage rewarded.
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Why this experiment exists
Most relationships don't fail because of incompatibility. They fail because of avoidance.
Avoiding the hard conversation. Avoiding vulnerability. Avoiding accountability.
Research from The Gottman Institute suggests that couples wait an average of six years of being unhappy before seeking professional help. Six years of resentment, distance, and walls being built, all because the courageous conversation was too scary to have.
The patterns we avoid early become the walls we can't break through later. And the courage we build now becomes the foundation that holds.
This is the cost of a courage deficit in relationships.
At Daily Courage, our mission is simple: positively impact the world by helping people build more courage. Courage is a muscle and like any muscle, it gets stronger with practice.
We want to see more love in the world. And love requires courage.
That's what the Courage for Love campaign is about.
The Courageous Coupling Experiment is one part of a 12-month initiative to bring more love into the world. We're inviting couples, whether you've been together three weeks or thirty years, to practice courage together and share what you learn.
01 — We'll Face a Fear Together
The Commitment: We agree to do something that makes us both a little nervous—together.
The Science: The "Shaky Bridge Study" (Dutton & Aron, 1974) found that shared physiological arousal creates interpersonal attraction. When we experience adrenaline together, we attribute those feelings to each other. Shared fear creates bonding.
Ideas to try: Rock climbing · Karaoke · Open mic night · Improv class · Polar plunge · Asking strangers for advice · Partner dance class · The 36 Questions
02 — We'll Front-Load the Fear
The Commitment: We each share one genuine fear about love or relationships—and receive it without judgment.
The Science: Brené Brown's research shows there is no intimacy without vulnerability. Aron's "36 Questions" study proved that gradual self-disclosure accelerates closeness. Sharing fears—and having them met with acceptance—builds the foundation of secure attachment.
The uncomfortable truth: 69% of people admit they avoid bringing up uncomfortable topics early in dating, even when they know it will hurt them later.
03 — We'll agree on how we'll handle hard conversations while the stakes are low.
The Commitment: We agree on how we'll handle hard conversations before we have one—when the stakes are lowest.
The Science: Gottman's research on 3,000+ couples found that "repair attempts" are the #1 predictor of relationship survival. Couples who establish repair rituals early don't have to figure them out during their first real conflict.
The Ritual Has Three Parts:
1. Reset word
Pick a word that reminds you both that you're on the same team. Something tied to a place you love, an inside joke, or a favorite shared memory.
Examples
A place: Cabo, Paris, Tahoe
A trip: "Remember Rome"
A pet name or inside joke
A shared favorite: Tacos, Ted Lasso, whatever"
2. Time agreement
Agree to raise concerns within a set timeframe—giving the other person time to collect their thoughts before discussing.
3. Role play
Take turns practicing. Hey we need to have a "Cabo" conversation."
Person A: "Hey, something's been on my mind. Can we talk about it tonight?" Person B: "Thanks for telling me. Let me think about it and we can talk after dinner."
Step 1: Go on a date in January 2026
Go on a date that forces you to face fear together. Something that gets the adrenaline flowing (e.g. doing improv classes, ice plunge, karaoke, etc.) between January 1-31, 2026.
Step 2: Complete all three commitments
Face a fear together. Front-load the fear. Establish a repair ritual. Do all three.
Step 3: Share your story publicly
Post about your experience on social media—Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or X. Be real. How did it feel? What did you learn? What surprised you?" Need a prompt? Use this."
Step 4: Tag @iamdailycourage
So we can find you, verify your entry, and send your $100.
Step 5: Get paid
Take 1 min to submit your entry and provide your paypal info to accept funds.
The Fine Print
- Date must occur in January 2026
- Both partners must consent to participating
- Submissions must be posted publicly on social media with @iamdailycourage tagged
- One entry per couple
- Limited to the first 100 couples—once they're claimed, they're gone
- $100 paid via PayPal within 2 business days of verification
This Is Just the Beginning
The Courageous Coupling Experiment is part of the Courage for Love campaign—a bold initiative to bring more love into the world by giving people the tools and the courage to build it.
FAQs
Yes! This experiment is part of a larger mission: to bring more love into the world.
Avoidance is one of the top contributors to relationship dissatisfaction and failure.
The Courage for Love campaign exists to change that. We want to help couples build the courage muscle so they increase the likelihood of their relationships working out.
We're betting that couples who practice courage build healthier and more satisfying  relationships. Help us prove it.
Complete all three commitments. Post about your experience on social media and tag @iamdailycourage. Once we verify your posts, we send $100 to the first 100 couples who finish. No contest, no judging—just courage rewarded.
We will not be issuing a 1099 for this reward, as it falls below the IRS's $600 reporting threshold. How you handle it on your taxes is up to you. If you have questions, we recommend consulting a tax professional.
Any couple. First date, dating, engaged, married—it doesn't matter how long you've been together. If you want to build a stronger foundation through shared courage, this is for you. Yes, of course LGBTQ+ couples are welcome.
Keep it to 90 seconds or less. Introduce yourselves, say what you did, show proof, share what your takeaways. Keep it real. Polished isn't the point, courage is. Need a prompt to follow? We got you.