243. Rethinks: How Lessons from Neuroscience Can Help You Communicate Confidently

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Think Fast Talk Smart

Education, Career Growth, Career, Improv, Public Speaking, Influence, Career Skills, Communicating, Careers, Language Learning, Business, Communication, Leadership

4.7 • 805 Ratings

🗓️ 17 November 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Reduce speaking anxiety and achieve your communication goals.

“There’s no difference between the physiological response to something that you’re excited about and something that you’re nervous about or dreading,” says Andrew Huberman, associate professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University.

In this Think Fast Talk Smart Rethinks episode, we revisit one of our most popular interviews. In it, Huberman, from the wildly popular Huberman Lab Podcast, shares his research on the autonomic continuum, a spectrum between states of high alertness or fear all the way down to deep sleep, and shares how to use the system to your advantage. “If people can conceptualize that the anxiety or stress response is the same as the excitement response, they feel different,” Huberman says.

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:47) - Stress & the Autonomic Continuum
(04:55) - Controlling Alertness & Calmness
(08:44) - Movement & Audience Perception
(11:09) - Eye Movements for Anxiety Reduction
(13:29) - Two Approaches to Managing Stress
(18:13) - Preparing for Stress in Advance
(20:15) - Effective Virtual Communication
(22:17) - The Final Three Questions
(27:05) - Conclusion

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, Matt here. Just a quick note to share that we have a lot of amazing things happening before the year ends.
0:05.9	We have a special 250th episode set for mid-December, along with our tradition of releasing our top 10
0:11.6	learnings of the year. Finally, I am really excited to unveil our new Think Fast Talk Smart Learning
0:17.6	Community. Here's to a great end to 2025. Thank you for listening.
0:22.2	Now a word from one of our sponsors. Their support allows us to bring you quality content
0:27.5	free of charge. If you've ever thought, I know I can do more, but something's holding me back.
0:35.0	You're not alone. Whether you're navigating career growth,
0:37.7	seeking better balance, or wanting to communicate with more confidence, coaching can help you bridge
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0:48.9	who's trained to help you clarify your goals, build lasting confidence, and make intentional choices professionally and personally.
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1:02.7	action with more clarity and purpose. I strongly believe in the value of coaching. All of us can
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1:19.5	smart and get 50% off your first coaching session. It's the most affordable time ever to see if
1:25.5	coaching is right for you.
1:34.0	We can be more confident communicators when we sync our biology and psychology.
1:39.2	I'm Matt Abrahams, and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
1:44.6	Welcome to this Rethinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast.
1:49.0	Recently, I had the privilege to be a guest on the Huberman Lab podcast.
1:53.0	Andrew is a colleague, and I'm a big fan of his impactful show.
1:57.7	Back before his show launched, Andrew was a guest on Think Fast Talk Smart. I wanted to give all of you a chance to listen to our conversation
	...

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