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2015 Chicago Marathon. Mile 13. I’m flying—feeling like I could run forever. Heart surgery, back surgery, barely able to stand a decade before, and here I am crushing it. Then I see the sign: NOT ALMOST THERE.
Everything changed. Heavy legs. Cramping. Mental breakdown. I barely finished what started as my best race ever.
That sign broke me, but it also built me. Southside Chicago kid who studied for 15 seconds between building cars on the assembly line. Graduated in 5 years. Built companies. Sold two. 800 employees. Young father at 20 who figured it out as I went.
I’ve spent 50+ episodes of Not Almost There interviewing experts, and now my cohost and I are diving deeper into the conversations that matter most. We dig into what it really takes—in business, branding, health, life. No fluff. Real talk about building something that matters while the clock’s ticking.
Whether you’re running your first mile or your hundredth company, we’re here to help you go the distance.
Because almost there isn’t good enough.
Episodes
Saturday Feb 14, 2026
Saturday Feb 14, 2026
The Alter-Ego Trick To Beat Performance Anxiety
Anxiety can be debilitating whether it manifests as a stutter, a bad attitude or feeling stuck. In this episode, Joe shares how he went from a kid with a stutter to a keynote speaker using a powerful mental technique: creating an alter ego. Learn the persona method Joe used to overcome his anxiety, how he taught his daughter to use it for sports performance, and why preparation and repetition are the real keys to building confidence. This episode delivers actionable techniques for turning fear into your greatest advantage.
Key Takeaways:
- How to create an alter ego or persona to shield yourself from criticism and self-doubt
- Why modeling charismatic leaders (like Alan Mulally) can transform your confidence
- The power of gradual exposure: speaking to 5 people before scaling to 500
- How preparation and "doing the work" eliminates anxiety better than any other method
- Teaching the alter ego technique to others (real example with Joe's daughter "Brooklyn")
- Why adversity and struggle in childhood can become your greatest competitive advantage
- The importance of iteration and postmortem analysis in any creative or business endeavor
Key Topics: Public speaking anxiety, overcoming stuttering, alter ego technique, performance anxiety, building confidence, imposter syndrome, parenting advice for athletes, deliberate practice, entrepreneurship mindset, turning adversity into strength
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