Thinking on your feet isn't a gift.
It's a skill you can master.
Those who speak well under pressure command the room.
The rest? Background noise.
What frustrates me most is the lie we’ve been sold:
That quick thinking is a talent—not a teachable skill.
The truth?
Most people freeze on the spot because they’ve never trained for it.
These 5 techniques changed everything for me:
- 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 — Silence signals control. What feels like forever to you feels like power to others.
- 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 — Use “What–Why–How” to respond with clarity while others ramble.
- 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 — That heart race? Not fear. It’s your body gearing up to perform.
- 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 — Questions buy time, reduce pressure, and give you control.
- 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 — Have 3–5 stories in your back pocket. Emotion is what sticks.
These aren’t secrets.
They’re habits.
Most people simply don’t choose them.
I used to dread getting called on unexpectedly.
Now, I seek it out.
Why?
Because every off-the-cuff moment is a chance to train—not to perform.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰?
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Inspired by Matt Abrahams' "Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot" and brought to you by Omar's Desk
