What if the calm you're looking for in a high-stakes moment isn't about preparing harder, but about stepping back further?

Most of us think that the way through fear is to control every variable: memorize the pitch word for word, run the numbers one more time, rehearse the conversation until it's airtight. So when nerves show up anyway, in front of the board, the sharks, or your own team, it feels like proof you didn't prepare enough.

Here's what Jack Bonneau's story shows instead: the people who handle pressure well aren't the ones who eliminate fear. They're the ones who've learned to zoom out and ask a bigger question than "what if I mess this up?" That shift, from the moment in front of you to the bigger picture around it, is a skill, and it's one you can build.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU'LL DISCOVER:

• A simple question to ask yourself before a high-stakes moment that cuts through spiraling nerves.

• The reframe that pulls you out from "I have to perform this perfectly" to "look at where I am right now"

• Why letting go of your script and just sharing your story, rather than reciting it, is what actually earns people's trust

• The brain science behind why stepping back, not preparing harder, is what steadies us when the pressure is on

Jack's pattern shows up again and again: something catches his attention, and instead of getting stuck in the moment, he zooms out to see the bigger picture first.

When you finish listening, I'd love to hear your biggest takeaway from today's episode. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, share it to your Instagram stories, and tag me, @thespeakershiplab!

While you're there, make sure you follow me on Instagram so you can see behind the scenes of how I help leaders communicate with clarity, confidence, and connection and how you can too.

CONNECT WITH JACK BONNEAU

LEARN MORE FROM MARGARET: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretwattsromney/ Instagram: @thespeakershiplab

OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Jack's TEDx talks —TEDxBoulder, TEDxCherry Creek

• Jack's Shark Tank appearance

• Ayduk, Ö., & Kross, E. (2010). From a distance: Implications of spontaneous self-distancing for adaptive self-reflection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(5), 809–829. — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2881638/

• Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), 883–899. — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25984788/