You know the moment: you’ve chosen to be clearer, less accommodating, a bit braver. And it feels good… for about two seconds. Then the wobble comes. That tightening in your chest. That playback in your head. The urge to explain or undo what you just said.

In today’s episode, I talk with Jon Prince — former professional poker player, coach, and author of Start Before You’re Ready — about exactly that: how to hold your nerve when you raise the stakes, and your nervous system screams for relief.

Poker isn’t just about cards. It’s about emotional control under pressure. If you make a move to calm yourself down, you lose. The skill is staying in the hand while your body wants to fold.

We dig into what actually happens after you make a brave choice in life: the growth hangover, the inner critic revving up, the post-boundary shake, and the real work of sitting in tension without fixing, rescuing, or smoothing it over.

This episode will resonate if you’ve ever:

Jon’s perspective brings both the rawness of real nervous systems and the wisdom of real growth.

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