Why Confident Professionals Fall Short When Communicating

Ever wondered why you can nail a presentation with friends but completely freeze when it's time to deliver it to your team or at a big pitch? In this episode of 9 to 5 Wellness, Aesha is joined by Dr. David Lee Fish — a communication expert who's spent decades helping professionals, performers, and athletes close the gap between their expertise and their delivery under pressure. Dr. Fish's approach has an unusual origin story: it traces back to his early career as a saxophone player and later professor, and to studying under Zen master Seung Sahn. That training led him to a method that closely parallels mindfulness, built around one core idea — acceptance, not resistance, is the key to managing performance anxiety. In this episode, you'll learn: The three factors that trigger performance anxiety — and why 75% of us are wired to feel it The role of the amygdala ("your internal bodyguard") in fight, flight, or freeze responses Why trying to eliminate stage fright entirely is a "dead man's goal" — and what to aim for instead The Yerkes-Dodson finding on how the right amount of adrenaline actually improves performance Dr. Fish's practical READ framework for staying composed in high-stakes moments: Remember your core values behind the task Engage fully with what you're doing Accept nervous thoughts and sensations without fighting them Detachment naturally follows How to recover gracefully if your mind goes blank mid-presentation Why the threats get bigger — and the nerves more real — the higher you climb Memorable moment: Aesha shares advice from her Toastmasters mentor: when you're anxious about forgetting a detail or missing a stat, ask yourself — "Who will know that?" Find out more about our guest Dr. David Lee Fish below: Website: riseup8.com LinkedIn: David Leifes Time Markers 00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup 01:05 Meet Dr David Lee Fish 02:49 From Saxophone to Zen 06:27 Why We Freeze Under Pressure 08:04 Amygdala and Survival Mode 10:23 First Aid Accept It 13:41 Self Worth vs Symptoms 18:57 Stop Chasing Zero Fear 20:42 Adrenaline Sweet Spot 24:52 READ Framework Explained 30:09 When Your Mind Goes Blank 36:08 Where to Find Dr Fish 37:35 Closing Thanks and Goodbye Send us Fan Mail 🌟 🌟 🌟 If you liked this episode and would like to learn more about wellness training and workshops offered by 9 to 5 Wellness, email us at info@aeshathair.com. You can learn more about our programs at: https://toneandstrengthen.com/workshops-trainings/. 🌟 🌟 🌟 My passion is helping organizations create a culture of wellness, and I do this by setting up health programs that prioritize the most important asset they've got – their employees. Cheers to a healthier and happier journey ahead! 🌟 🌟 🌟 You can learn more about ME- the host at https://www.aeshatahir.com Follow me on IG and LI to learn more https://www.instagram.com/tone_and_strengthen/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aeshatahir/