308 — Pause. Pick. Play. The Formula for Getting Through Any Hard Moment

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Imagine being a therapist from small-town Maine who has never spoken in front of more than 20 people — and suddenly finding yourself backstage at a massive conference, about to share a stage with Gary Vee. That’s exactly what happened to me.
 
And instead of running for the exit, I ran a play. Here’s what that means — and how you can run a play to solve any situation or uncomfortable emotional experience you find yourself in.
 
Some of the things I talk about are:
 

• The story of my very first big speaking gig — sharing a stage with Gary Vaynerchuk as a therapist from Maine with zero experience on stages like that one.
• The “Act As If” play — what it is, why it works, and how cognitive dissonance and behavioral activation explain the science behind it.
• Why “Act As If” isn’t the same as toxic positivity or fake-it-till-you-make-it.
• A completely different situation that called for a completely different play — and how the If/Then Plan saved a 3-hour workshop.
• The 3Ps framework — Pause, Pick, Play — and how to use it to find the right play for any situation you face.
• How to figure out whether your thinking, your emotions, or your actions need support — because those are three different problems that call for three different plays.
• Why an imperfect play you actually run beats a perfect play you never do.

Key Takeaways:

• Running a strategic play helps you to navigate through overwhelming situations more effectively.
• “Act as if” is a confidence catalyst that can help you use your behavior to change your mindset. 
• The “if-then” planning play helps you deal with uncertainty. 
• The framework for finding the right play involves the 3 Ps: Pause, Pick, and Play.