In this first part of a two-part conversation, Amy Cuddy, renowned social psychologist and author of Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges, joins Stephen and Britain Covey to explore the powerful concept of presence. Amy delves into how our ability to bring our authentic, best selves to high-stakes situations, whether it’s a job interview, public speaking, or even sports, can drastically shift our confidence and performance. Drawing on years of research, she explains how presence is not a permanent state but a skill we can develop in order to show up with calm, composure, and confidence when it matters most.
Through engaging discussions, Amy shares actionable insights into how we can all embrace our bravest selves during stressful moments, access authentic self-affirmations, and overcome the paralyzing effects of self-doubt and hyperawareness. This episode also explores the science behind self-affirmation theory and how small but powerful mental shifts can improve performance in unrelated challenges. Tune in to discover how cultivating personal power and agency can turn every challenge into an opportunity for growth and success.
What We Discuss:
- [00:00] Introduction
- [01:57] Defining Presence: Being your authentic self in high-stakes situations
- [07:04] The role of confidence in preparation: Gaining confidence through training and practice
- [14:43] Over-preparation and its pitfalls: Finding the balance between preparation and mindset
- [19:52] How self-affirmation theory impacts performance, even in unrelated situations
- [29:41] The impact of hyperawareness: How to overcome distractions and perform at your best
Notable Quotes:
- [02:31] "Presence is about our ability to access and bring forth our authentic, best selves in our most challenging situations." – Amy Cuddy
- [15:25] "We often have to stop preparing the content or the skill and start preparing our mindset." – Amy Cuddy
- [29:14] "If we get hung up on what we didn’t do well, we’re less likely to be present the next time." – Amy Cuddy
- [08:58] "Confidence is not about tricking yourself; it’s about getting out of your own way." – Amy Cuddy
Resources
Paradigm Shifting Books
Book
Amy Cuddy
Britain Covey
Stephen H. Covey
