Speaking With Confidence

Have you ever wondered why some presentations are instantly forgettable while others stay with you for weeks, even months? In this episode of Speaking with Confidence, I dig into the surprising science and strategies behind messages that stick, and how the secret might just be your story, not your slides.

I’m Tim Newman, recovering college professor turned communication coach, and today I want to shatter a misconception: that confident speakers are just born with it. In reality, the best speakers aren’t those with loud personalities or endless credentials; they’re the ones who know how to use storytelling to connect, build trust, and inspire action.

I’m unpacking the game-changing research on narrative, why audiences remember stories 22 times more than facts, and the counterintuitive way to earn authority (hint: it’s not by leading with your résumé). I pull back the curtain on the real mechanics of storytelling, the “show, don’t tell” principle, and why sharing your mistakes can make you instantly more credible.

You’ll hear about my own most embarrassing moment on stage, the neuroscience behind “neural coupling,” and practical tips you can use right away to transform your next presentation. I walk you through step by step on how to rewrite your stories for maximum impact, avoid the biggest storytelling mistakes, and end with actionable takeaways that tie your stories back to your main message.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:


Why telling stories activates your audience’s entire brain—and why that matters


The research that proves stories build trust and authority faster than credentials


Why sharing a personal setback in your first 60 seconds is often the smartest move


The difference between telling and showing, with concrete examples


How to audit and edit your stories to make them vivid and memorable


The one sentence every story needs to tie back to your main point


Three mistakes most speakers make when telling stories—and how to fix them


A weekly challenge: how to find, craft, and deliver a powerful story from your own life

Whether you’re selling, teaching, leading, or just want to show up more powerfully in everyday conversations, this episode will give you the blueprint for becoming a more memorable, trusted, and confident speaker.

Remember, your voice has the power to change the world. Let's start building that confidence, one real story at a time.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much of what’s holding you back is really about your emotional habits rather than your skills? On today’s episode of Speaking with Confidence, we get into the heart of emotional discipline, exploring the powerful concept of emotional sobriety and how mastering your emotions is a key to excelling not just in communication, but in every area of life.

I’m Tim Newman, and in this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Andrea Vitz, a leading expert on emotional sobriety, best-selling author, keynote speaker, TEDx presenter, and president and co-founder of Lifted Academy. Andrea brings years of experience as a chiropractor and coach and is acclaimed for her work helping thousands break free from destructive emotional habits. She’s known for her revolutionary “reps-based” approach to training emotional maturity and has two new leadership books coming out this year.

We dive deep into the real distinction between high performance and emotional maturity, how so many of us in high-pressure roles perform at a high level on the outside but remain stuck in immature emotional patterns on the inside. Andrea shares her own story of reaching a turning point at age 30 and realizing that true growth required retraining the way she responded emotionally rather than just pushing through or pretending to be above it all.

We also unpack:


The difference between your ‘why’ and your purpose, and why knowing both is crucial for impact and fulfillment


How to create a culture of emotional safety at home and at work


The science of emotional habits and why you can feel powerless to change until you intervene at the cellular level


The self-centeredness trap and how to break the cycle of taking everything personally


Why true leadership starts with internal mastery regardless of your age or status


How to accelerate maturity in young people, and why emotional skills matter as much as academic achievement


Andrea’s method for uncovering your emotional triggers and developing emotional composure


Real strategies for forgiveness, letting go of the past, and reclaiming wasted energy


The role of value and investment in personal transformation—why people who pay for change get the best results


Personal stories of failure, growth, and using our biggest struggles to serve others


Continuous improvement: our own blind spots, financial worth, and ongoing growth as coaches and humans

If you’ve ever wondered why you keep falling into the same conflicts, why you can’t let go of certain feelings, or how to truly “show up” with confidence in every area of your life, this episode packs in hard-won wisdom, practical tools, and personal vulnerability. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how emotional discipline can change everything—and a roadmap for getting started.

Join me and Dr. Andrea Vitz for a revealing, actionable conversation that has the power to completely reframe your approach to communication, relationships, and self-mastery.

Connect with Andrea:

Website: https://liftedacademy.com/home

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

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

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices