789 - The Truth Behind Stress And Fear

When Jordan showed up for my How May I Serve You? livestream, he came with a familiar question:

"Cliff, you’ve been through big events and big stress. What have you learned about managing it?"

He wasn’t asking about marketing, business models, or strategy. He was looking for relief from the kind of stress that nearly wrecked him two years ago when the weight of his first live event landed him in the hospital.

And as we started talking, I realized something powerful:

Jordan didn’t need a few tips on “stress management.” He was longing for something deeper, a way to live without the constant undercurrent of fear and pressure.

So instead of giving him a list of strategies, I asked:

“What if the goal wasn’t to manage stress… but to eliminate it altogether?”

That one question changed everything.

Meeting Him Where He Was

Now, here’s what made this conversation unique:

Jordan comes from a faith background shaped by Christianity.

Jordan shared that prayer, Scripture reading, and faith in Christ bring him real peace, but it rarely lasted through the rest of his workday.

I invited him, from within his own framework of faith, to carry that same experience of peace into every part of his day, not just the quiet moments of prayer and meditation.

I shared how I’ve learned to live from a place of peace so steady that stress no longer drives my life.

We talked about what it means to actually trust rather than control, to be present rather than endlessly managing outcomes.

And I could feel the shift happening in real time.

The Turning Points

Here are just a few moments that landed powerfully for Jordan and that will likely land for you too:

From “manage” to “eliminate”: Jordan came in seeking tips on managing stress. I asked him, "What if the goal wasn't to manage stress, but to eliminate it entirely?" That single question transformed his perspective, shifting him from seeing stress-free living as a 50/50 possibility to a 7 out of 10 on his belief scale. By the end of our conversation, he was fully convinced it was possible.

Peace that doesn’t last: He admitted that prayer, Scripture, and meditation bring him real peace, but as soon as the workday starts, the peace fades. That gap between the quiet moments and the rest of life became a key focus.

A faith-based model for peace: I reminded him of Jesus’ words about being anxious for nothing and the invitation to “take my yoke upon you.” He realized he had already been trying to apply this and said it helped, yet about 30% of the stress was still there.

Naming the real source: When we dug deeper, Jordan saw that 90% of his stress wasn’t uncertainty about the event itself, it was self-doubt. The event would likely be fine. It was his inner critic running the show.

Generating his own practices: As we talked, Jordan began suggesting his own solutions: setting reminders, scheduling check-ins, being more intentional with how he carries peace into his day.

Bringing Presence into the workday: I pointed out how he feels God’s presence in the morning but then tackles the workday alone. He laughed and admitted that’s exactly what happens. and began to imagine what it would look like to stay connected throughout the day.

Releasing rumination and perfectionism: We reframed mistakes as simple notes for next time rather than problems to obsess over now. He saw clearly that stressing about them wouldn’t change this event’s outcome.

People-pleasing comes into view: Jordan realized a huge part of his stress came from trying to prevent negative comments and manage how others see him, something he ultimately has zero control over.

The “desire” pivot: When I asked if he truly desired a stress-free life, he paused. Part of him wondered if he’d grown comfortable with chaos. That question unlocked a deeper layer of self-awareness.

Ending with possibility: By the end, Jordan said he fully believed a stress-free life was possible and he was willing to explore what it would take to live that way.

Why This Conversation Matters

For the past five and a half years, I’ve had soul-level conversations like this behind closed doors with one-on-one clients.

But when I started these How May I Serve You? livestreams, I hoped that someday, one of them might open into the same depth, so the world could see the kind of transformation that unfolds when we move beyond strategies and into the heart of what’s really going on.

This conversation with Jordan became that moment.