I was terrified of public speaking as a kid.
Not nervous. Terrified. The kind of fear that sat in your gut for days before it was your turn. I remember faking sick — more than once — to avoid presenting my book report on the Abominable Snowman in elementary school. That feeling followed me everywhere.
It followed me into high school. I earned captain of the football team by showing up, working hard, and leading through action every single day on that field. But in the locker room before games, when it was time to speak? I froze. I sat quietly while the other captains addressed the team and told myself I led differently — out on the field, not with words. And there was some truth to that. But if I’m being honest, it was mostly just another excuse I built to avoid the one thing I was afraid of.
That’s not how confidence works.
Confidence doesn’t show up first. It doesn’t hand you a permission slip before you walk into the room. It comes after. It’s built in the reps, the discomfort, and the moments you showed up anyway.
For me, that shift happened in 2010 when I started coaching CrossFit. All of a sudden, avoiding wasn’t an option. I was standing in front of groups of 15, 20, sometimes 50 people — and I had to speak. So I did. Hundreds of times. Eventually thousands. Groups of 4 turned into groups of 10. Groups of 10 turned into rooms full of people I had to hold.
It was uncomfortable. It was awkward at times. But something happened in those reps that no amount of preparation or mental rehearsal ever could have produced. I started trusting myself. Not because someone told me I was good at it. Because I had the evidence. I had shown up, over and over, and lived to tell about it.
Is public speaking still my favourite thing? No. But I’m not afraid of it anymore. And the only reason for that is action.
That’s the framework. You start unsure. You do the work — uncomfortable, unglamorous, repetitive work. You get better. Slowly, then suddenly. You stop doubting yourself because your track record starts speaking louder than your fear.
Confidence isn’t given. It’s earned.
And you earn it every time you show up.
Luke A.
MVMT Strength