Your Brain Isn’t Broken — It’s Just Trying to Keep You Safe

Recently, I spoke to a group of about twenty at the JCI Michigan Team 101. I started with a simple question:

“How many of you love speaking in front of a group?”

Four hands went up.

That moment always makes me smile—not because I’m surprised, but because it lines up with what research tells us: nearly 70% of adults fear public speaking. The number isn’t the point, though. The question is why.

Most people assume it’s a confidence problem. But it’s actually a brain problem, specifically, your brain is doing exactly what it was designed to do: keep you safe.

The Brain’s Safety System

When you stand in front of a group, your brain senses eyes on you and registers them as a possible threat. Thousands of years ago, that would’ve been true—those eyes might have belonged to a rival tribe or a wild animal lurking in the brush. Your heart races, your palms sweat, your voice shakes. It’s not weakness; it’s your nervous system preparing for survival.

The irony is, of course, that you’re not in danger. No one’s throwing spears or chasing you through the forest. But the primitive part of your brain doesn’t know the difference between a roomful of colleagues and a saber-toothed tiger.

It just knows you’re being watched.

That’s why public speaking can feel paralyzing. Your brain thinks it’s protecting you when it’s really holding you back. The good news? With focused effort you can create new pathways in your brain to feel safe when stepping out in front of a group to speak.

Summon Your Inner Champion

The first step in my 5 S.T.E.P.S. to Speaking Success™ framework is Summon Your Inner Champion. It’s about retraining your brain to recognize that those watchful eyes aren’t a threat, they’re an opportunity.

You can’t reason your way out of fear, but you can rewire your response. That starts with awareness: “Oh, this isn’t danger. This is excitement.”

I often tell clients, “The goal isn’t to get rid of nerves—it’s to redirect them.” That small shift helps your body interpret adrenaline as energy instead of panic.

Here is an activity to consider. Take piece of paper and draw a line down the center. On one side write Inner Critic and the other write Inner Champion. Under the critic column write the things your inner critic says to you every day. Then reframe it into a message from your champion and cross out the words from the critic. It might look like this:

Inner Critic Inner Champion

“I’m not as polished as everyone else in the room. “My perspective adds value because it’s grounded in real experience.”

“What if I forget what to say? “If I lose my place, I will pause, breathe, and pick up where I left off. My audience will stay with me.”

“I’m not a natural speaker.” “I’m strengthening my speaking skills every time I practice.”

Repeat the words of your inner champion to create new pathways in your brain. It’s a simple exercise, but a powerful reminder that both voices live inside us. The critic protects; the champion propels.

The more often you listen to your champion, the quieter the critic becomes.

Prime Your Presence

After my talk, one woman came up and said she had a presentation later that day. “I got some great tips I can use before I step on stage,” she said. She was referring to what I call Prime Your Presence, the part of my process that helps you calm your body and focus your mind before speaking—whether it’s to five people or five hundred.

Watching her walk away with that spark of confidence—that’s the best part of what I do. She didn’t suddenly become a “natural speaker.” She simply understood that her brain was on her side, and she now had tools to guide it.

Repetition Builds Rewiring

The truth is, fear doesn’t disappear after one pep talk or one workshop. It’s a pattern you learn to interrupt—again and again. That’s where rituals help: taking a deep breath before a meeting, visualizing success instead of failure, or repeating a phrase like “I belong here.”

Over time, those habits tell your brain a new story: You are safe. You are capable. You can handle this.

That’s how you summon your inner champion—not with bravado, but with calm repetition and a little compassion for yourself along the way.

A Final Thought

If you’ve ever felt your heart pound before you speak, remember—it’s not fear trying to ruin you. It’s your brain trying to protect you. You can thank it for its loyalty, then gently remind it that you’ve got this.

Your audience isn’t your enemy. They’re just people, hoping you’ll say something worth remembering.

If you’re ready to retrain your brain and show up with confidence, join me for my next online workshop, Prime Your Presence: How to Show Up Calm, Clear, and Confident, on October 14. You’ll learn simple, science-backed ways to turn fear into focus and transform how you feel before you speak. Click here to register.