This week, I talk with Michael Gendler about what it really takes to communicate at a high level without losing yourself in the process. Michael’s story is more than “learn public speaking.” It’s the journey of a shy Russian immigrant kid with a deep drive to prove himself, who eventually realized that the breakthrough isn’t technique — it’s self-acceptance. We talk about how grit can be both a gift and a cage, why striving doesn’t always lead to happiness, and what happens when you start pursuing excellence from peace instead of pressure. We also unpack Michael’s inside-out approach to speaking: flow over performance, presence over perfection, and why the ability to handle pressure is the real foundation of high-stakes communication. Let’s get to it!

In this episode:

(00:00) Intro
(00:33) Freestyle rap, improv, and learning to create on the fly
(03:52) “Mamba mentality”: when proving yourself becomes your identity
(08:27) Redefining happiness when achievement stops working
(13:37) The hidden cost of growing up as an immigrant (and staying shy)
(15:40) The “magic” of unlocking skills people already have
(18:57) Grit is powerful… until it turns into a cage
(37:38) The simple way to end strong (and why people remember the ending)
(44:33) The moment Michael froze in a meeting—and everything changed
(57:52) What Ultraspeaking is really teaching
(01:02:23) Why most speaking advice fails (inside-out vs outside-in)
(01:13:31) The real obstacle isn’t skill—it’s self-consciousness
(01:16:04) What makes a keynote actually work
(01:24:13) Teaching what you see: turning intuition into frameworks
(01:34:41) The Accordion Method, and how great speakers expand + compress ideas
(01:35:57) What Michael is world-class at
(01:40:42) Building a future where people feel more free to express themselves

Get full show notes and links at https://GoodWorkShow.com.

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@barrettabrooks.
Apply for 1-on-1 Coaching with Barrett: https://barrettbrooks.com/coaching

Subscribe to Tiny Leadership Lessons: https://barrettbrooks.com

Separate Starts, the Fate of World Trail Majors, and Is Hardrock “Cooked”? (Long Run Archives #34)

Singletrack

Barkley Watch and Training Hubs

The AI-powered Podcast Player