Speaking With Confidence

Have you ever wondered why so many people quit when they’re so close to breaking through not because they lack talent, but because the journey feels so much harder than they expected? In this episode, we’re getting to the bottom of what I call the “Great Gap” , that tough stretch between being excited about a new goal and actually getting good at it.

I’m Tim Newman, and in this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I’m diving into one of the biggest reasons talented people fail to achieve their ambitions: not understanding that the discomfort, setbacks, and resistance along the way are normal and even necessary for growth. I draw from both my experience as a communication coach and powerful research from Valerie Burton to offer actionable tools you can use the next time you feel like giving up.

We break it all down today, why grit isn’t a personality trait you either have or you don’t, but a decision made in the moments just after you want to quit. I introduce two frameworks that will help you keep going even when the road ahead looks impossible: the “Internal Auditor” method to challenge your negative self-talk, and the “Next Play Mentality,” a tool you can use to keep moving when you’re tempted to get stuck in setbacks.

Here’s what I cover in this episode:


Why friction and discomfort are not signs you’re on the wrong path, but evidence that you’re growing, and why competent people often get addicted to comfort instead of progress.


How to build your own “Internal Auditor” to examine the facts instead of falling into catastrophic thinking, using concrete drills to challenge the quitting words your brain offers up.


Valerie Burton’s research on resilience and her practical shortcut for getting out of a negative spiral.


The “Next Play Mentality” why elite athletes and top performers bounce back quickly, and how you can use a 60-second rule to turn setbacks into forward momentum.


The biological reasons we get stuck analyzing failures and how taking immediate action sends a powerful message to your mind that you’re still in the game.


Why you should aim for progress, not perfection, and how to finally survive the “Great Gap” between excitement and mastery.

If you’re looking for real systems to keep you in the game when it gets tough, this episode is for you. Plus, I’ll tell you how to grab your free eBook, The Top 21 Challenges for Public Speakers and How to Overcome Them, and share how you can register for my Formula for Public Speaking course. Let’s get started because your voice has the power to change the world.

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What’s really holding you back from communicating with confidence, and is it possible you’re not as stuck as you think? In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I dive deep into the heart of what it means to show up authentically and powerfully in your business and your life. We’ll tackle the challenge so many solo business owners face: feeling overwhelmed, second-guessing their abilities, and getting bogged down by tasks that don’t truly move the needle.

Today, I’m joined by Sarah Pitts, an international bestselling author and seasoned business development consultant with over 30 years of coaching experience. Sarah is known for helping solo entrepreneurs break free from overwhelm using her signature potent productivity method. She’s a deep thinker, a master strategist, and frankly, one of the most insightful communicators I know.

During our conversation, Sarah and I explored why exceptionally capable people often fall into the trap of doing everything themselves. We discuss how it becomes difficult to identify what makes us truly great when we’re juggling so many roles, most of which, as Sarah points out, are actually full-time jobs for other people! We share our own stories of letting go, including the struggle with trust that comes from tough experiences with delegation and outsourcing.

Sarah takes us into the concept of the “belief gap”, that space where a lack of self-trust not only makes us hesitant, but actually clouds the way others perceive us. We break down how people sense authenticity and confidence on a level that’s deeper than words, and why showing up with genuine self-trust is the key to connection and business growth. We get into the sticky topic of promoting our own work and how self-doubt can sabotage even the most brilliant strategies (including the stories behind writing our books and the awkwardness of self-promotion).

Here’s what we cover in this episode:


Why highly capable people get stuck doing everything themselves


The dangers of the “belief gap” and how it undermines communication confidence


How authenticity and trust are sensed more than spoken


Facing self-doubt when promoting your own work or stepping onto a bigger stage


The difference between “sounding different” and communicating true individuality


Branding tips: letting your business reflect you, not the other way around


Overthinking, procrastination, and why they signal a lack of message clarity


Using AI as a tool (not a replacement) for genuine communication


How to “proof hunt” your own experience and leverage it for authority—at any age


Why collaboration beats competition every time

If this episode resonated with you, check out Sarah’s book, “It’s Only Common Sense to You,” and remember building confidence starts with honoring the unique value you already possess. Let’s stop fixing ourselves and start trusting ourselves, together.

Connect with Sarah:

Website: https://sjpbusinessdevelopment.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjpitts/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjpittsuk/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SJPBusinessDevelopment

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahjpittsmt

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Do you ever feel like your best ideas get crushed before they have a chance, simply because you’re pitching to someone who’s already decided they’re the smartest person in the room? In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I dive into how to pitch your ideas to high-ego individuals and actually get them on your side.

As a recovering college professor and communication coach, I’ve seen far too many great ideas die on the vine, not due to lack of quality, but because of the way they're presented to those who crave authority and validation. There’s an art to getting buy-in from someone who measures every suggestion against their own expertise. And in today’s episode, I break down the strategy you need not just to survive these conversations, but to truly shine.

Today, I’m sharing the “stealth collaboration” techniques I’ve developed over years of navigating tough rooms, whether with C-suite executives, dominant clients, or anyone who gets defensive at the hint of a challenge. We walk through what makes a standard pitch fail miserably when ego is at stake, the psychology behind high-ego reactions, and most importantly, how to flip that script.

Here’s what I cover in detail:


Why walking into a room trying to prove your intelligence is the wrong move when egos are on alert


The two basic options a finished pitch gives someone with a need for control and why they’ll almost always choose to shoot it down


A real story from my early career of watching a flawless presentation unravel because it threatened someone’s status


The concept of “psychological reconnaissance” and why you need to listen like you’re wrong (even when you know you’re right)


The Strategic Question Dump: how to schedule a low-pressure chat, ask open-ended questions, and mine for the true priorities and pain points driving their decisions


Using their own words and priorities as the foundation for your proposal


How the “IKEA effect” from Harvard research helps you craft an intentionally unfinished prototype that invites their edits, so they’ll value the idea more


How to invite criticism up front, turning would-be critics into collaborators


The importance of mirroring their language, anchoring your summary in their exact phrasing, and letting them feel like the architect of the solution


The “eighth grade simplicity test” to make sure your final proposal is simple and clear enough that the high-ego individual can confidently champion it to others


Why making your intelligence invisible is the secret to building long-term influence and trust

I close with practical homework: ban yourself from saying “I” in your next project pitch, ask one targeted question based on their input, present a draft with intentional gaps, and then let them build it with you. Progress, not perfection, is the goal and your path to becoming a powerful, persuasive communicator starts here.

For more resources and your free eBook, visit speakingwithconfidencepodcast.com. Remember, your voice has the power to change the world.
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What does it really mean to be emotionally intelligent, and how can mastering this skill transform not just your communication, but your entire experience of work and life? On this episode of Speaking with Confidence, we dive deep into emotional intelligence beyond the buzzwords and the surface-level definitions, exploring what it looks like in the real world, how we grow it, and why it matters more than ever in today's evolving workplace.

I'm Tim Newman, and in this episode, I had the privilege of welcoming Camilla Calberg to the show. Camilla is a business mentor, career coach, and a leader who has spent over 20 years driving transformation at places like BP, Shell, and IBM. Today, she’s on a mission to help women (and all professionals) who feel unseen, stuck, or overwhelmed, finally find inner peace and become trusted, emotionally intelligent advisors in their organizations. And she’s changing the way we think about leadership moving beyond the old KPIs-and-box-ticking mentality to a more soul-led, sustainable approach that truly supports people.

In our conversation, Camilla and I jumped right into the realities of personal growth at work, especially the tough parts of those moments when things aren’t going according to plan and it feels like the storms are never ending. We discussed the huge difference between knowing about emotional intelligence in theory versus actually living it day-to-day: feeling those waves of emotion, noticing when your body is sending you nervous signals, and making real choices about how to show up in the moment.

Here’s what we covered in this episode:


The true, lived definition of emotional intelligence and how it shows up in real work situations


Camilla’s personal journey from masking emotions to finding inner peace and the pivotal moments that changed her approach


The problem with equating years or credentials with real growth and how to embody your learning


How stress and emotional overload manifest in work conversations, and phrases to listen for


Leadership and the art of saying “no” why boundaries are crucial for effectiveness and health


The disconnect between Gen Z and business leaders, and actionable ways to bridge the gap using emotional intelligence


Practical, immediately usable mindset shifts and conversational strategies for dealing with tough work situations and negative environments


The importance of choosing your "tribe" and surrounding yourself with people who lift you up

Whether you’re early in your career, leading teams, or navigating big life transitions, this episode will challenge you to rethink what confidence, emotional intelligence, and real leadership look like from the inside out. Plus, Camilla shares more resources for those who want to go deeper.

Tune in to discover how being more intelligent with your emotions and less attached to your “mask” can transform not just your presence at work, but your overall sense of peace and purpose.

Connect with Camilla:

Website: https://www.camillacalberg.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillacalberg/  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@camillacalberg   

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Have you ever been put on the spot in a meeting when your boss turns to you and asks, “What’s your take on this?” and your mind just goes blank? If you’ve ever struggled with this kind of pressure, you’re definitely not alone. In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I tackle the uncomfortable but all-too-common experience of freezing up when you’re unexpectedly called upon, and I reveal a practical way to break through that mental block, fast.

I open the show by getting real about what’s actually happening in those high-stakes moments. Freezing up isn’t a sign that you’re not smart, or that you don’t know your stuff, it's the result of cognitive overload. Suddenly, your brain’s juggling a hundred possibilities at once, and without a clear filter or system in place, panic sets in and clarity goes out the window.

That’s why today I’m sharing a tool that’s been a game-changer for me and my clients: the ACES method. It’s a mental checklist that helps you cut through the noise and respond with confidence even when your heart’s pounding and your thoughts are scrambling for an exit.

I’ll walk you through the ACES framework. We’ll dig into the real reasons smart people freeze, why the usual “just be confident” advice falls flat, and how using a simple, four-step mental scan can help you deliver sharp, focused answers in any conversation.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:


Why freezing doesn’t mean you’re unprepared and what’s actually going on in your brain when you’re put on the spot.


The critical importance of filtering your response through “audience” focusing on who’s asking the question and what they actually need from you.


The “one thing rule” for content zeroing in on the single most important piece of information instead of dumping everything you know.


How to spot and align with hidden expectations behind the question, so you answer what’s really being asked.


The power of having a go-to “script” structure point, reason, example, and action that helps your thoughts flow into a clear, compelling answer.


Practical, low-pressure ways to practice ACES, so the process becomes automatic (even when you’re under pressure).


A simple challenge to try the ACES method in your next everyday conversation to start building unstoppable communication muscle.

If you’re ready to replace panic with process and show up in high-stakes moments with real clarity, this episode is for you. Don’t forget to visit speakingwithconfidencepodcast.com to grab your free eBook, The Top 21 Challenges for Public Speakers and How to Overcome Them, and check out the Forming for Public Speaking course. Let’s keep moving towards progress, not perfection. Your voice really can change the world!
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