Try this easy confidence hack. What if one small change could calm your nerves, boost your performance, and totally shift your mindset? You may be missing out on a great secret to showing up as your best self. Watch the video or keep reading for more.

There’s something about an empty banquet room. It's calm. It's quiet. It's full of potential.

Whenever I have a speaking engagement, I always arrive ridiculously early. Why? Because I don't know the venue. Sometimes, I'm lucky enough to have a crew who schedules a tech check with me the day before. Other times, it's the morning of the event and we only have 15 or 20 minutes to get everything set up. Even if my talk starts in an hour and fifteen minutes, I’m already there.

Let me explain the neuroscience behind why this habit of arriving early is so important—and how it sets you up for success.

Your brain does not like change. It thrives on patterns and predictability. Every single time something happens to you, your brain creates a neural pathway. It thinks: Okay, when this happens, I’ll respond this way. I’ll generate this behavior, this thought, and act accordingly.

That’s how habits and reactions are formed. The brain wants to recognize patterns so it can react automatically next time. But if you arrive somewhere last minute—especially in a high-stakes situation—you don’t give your brain the opportunity to create that neural pathway in advance. You’re doing everything on the fly.

And here's the kicker: when your brain is faced with something completely new and unfamiliar, it reacts with stress. Because there’s no established pathway, your brain floods your body with 1,400 chemicals—essentially the same stress response as if you were punched in the face. That’s how powerful and painful unfamiliarity can be.

This is why we are hardwired to resist change.

But the good news? Neural pathways can be created quickly. By arriving early, by walking around the room, by looking at the stage, by noting how many people are seated at each table—I’m giving my brain cues. I’m letting it explore the space, create connections, and form a sense of familiarity.

I can plan where I’ll stand, where the screen is, where to plug in my computer. If the AV team is already there, I can coordinate with them in advance. All of this preparation releases the initial wave of stress chemicals. By the time people arrive, the space is no longer new to me. I’m familiar with it. And when I’m familiar, I’m more resourceful, more present, and fully ready to perform at my best.

So, next time you have an event—or are facing something new and uncertain—remember this: arriving early isn’t just a logistical win. It’s a brain hack. Give yourself the gift of familiarity so you can quiet the chaos, reduce stress, and show up as your best self.

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