May 30, 2025
I still remember that moment like it was yesterday. I was 10 years old, sitting in my dad’s office. He was trying to help me with math. I still remember at one point, my dad pointed at the paper and said,
“Okay Phillipp, what happens when you divide that by seven?”
I looked at it and said,
“Uh, I don’t know, Dad.”
It wasn’t even that hard, but my brain just blanked. He said again,
“Well Phillipp, it’s not that difficult. What happens when you divide that by seven?”
I repeated,
“Uh, I—I don’t know, Dad.”
I wish I could say that happened only once, but there were so many moments in my life where that happened—in school, at university, at work. I had so many moments where I was put on the spot. Someone asked me a question, and my mind just froze. For the longest time, I thought, “Well, maybe I’m just not smart enough.”
But here’s what I’ve learned since: how quickly you respond has nothing to do with intelligence. It’s about how you handle pressure. How comfortable are you being uncomfortable?
In this article, I’ll share the three exercises that helped me overcome that and actually learn how to think and speak fast in any situation.
This first exercise is quite counterintuitive, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Here’s what it is: You pretend to blank out on purpose.
Let me explain. Let’s say you’re speaking in front of friends, giving a presentation, or sharing a story at the dinner table. At some point, you pretend to lose your train of thought. You pause, look around, and maybe look a little confused. You say, “Wait, what was I just saying?” or “Where was I going with this?”
What happens next is kind of amazing. People jump in to help you. They’ll say, “Oh yeah, you were just talking about X, Y, and Z.” They chip in, and just like that, you keep going as if nothing happened.
Why does this work? Because it removes the fear of blanking out. You experience the moment and realize nothing bad happens. Nobody laughs, nobody judges you. In fact, they help you—and they’ll probably like you more for being human.
When that fear disappears, your brain stops going into fight-or-flight mode. So the next time someone asks you a tough question, you’ll stay calm, and your mind will find the right words.
One of the best ways to practice thinking and speaking fast is to speak about unfamiliar, unexpected, and even weird topics. Topics where you don’t have the perfect answer and can’t prepare much—where you have to let go of getting it right.
Here’s how: Set a timer for one to two minutes. Then, pick a completely random and silly topic, like “Why carrots should be the national fruit?” or “How to survive in a world of pigeons?” or “The secret emotional life of staples.”
Rules: Don’t pause. Don’t overthink. Just keep talking, even if it’s awkward, messy, or absurd.
Why does this work? Because it shuts down your inner critic. It trains your brain to keep going even when things feel uncomfortable, unclear, and unscripted.
The more you practice, the easier it becomes to speak up in real conversations, interviews, and meetings. Instead of shutting down under pressure, you start to play. You just have fun.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 50 random (and slightly absurd) topics. Try one today—you’ll be surprised how fast you get better.
Last week, I gave a public speaking workshop and asked the group, “Why should you pause?” They said it builds anticipation, helps the audience absorb the message, makes you look confident.
They’re all right.
But for me, a pause serves a slightly different purpose: it’s your moment to breathe, reset, and get back in control.
Here’s the problem—most people, when put on the spot, stop breathing. They hold their breath, their body tenses up, and their brain shuts down.
To avoid that, train yourself to pause—and breathe during that pause.
Here’s how:
At first, it will feel awkward, no doubt. But the more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll feel. The more comfortable you’ll be with silence.
Now that you know how to stay calm and think on your feet, you might be wondering: “How do I say something that actually connects with my listeners?”
For that, storytelling is absolutely essential.
So if you want to tell powerful and unforgettable stories, check out this article where I share an approach to help you kickstart your storytelling journey.
Enjoy.
P.S. Want to become a stronger communicator?
Here are two ways I can support you:
👉 Want to tell more engaging stories? Join our next Storytelling Workshop.
👉 Want to speak with confidence and clarity? Check out our Communication Skills Training.
Both are fun, practical, and designed to help you grow fast.
Are you ready to transform your storytelling skills?
Discover how your storytelling skills score and uncover useful insights to help you become a charismatic storyteller:
