How the Deep Danger Exercise Works

This exercise is based on a proven therapy technique called the Downward Arrow. Here’s how it works:

You begin with a surface worry and keep asking yourself, “If that happened, then what?” Each answer peels back another layer until you reveal the core fear underneath.

Madison’s Voice Crack (A Real Example)

Madison, a gifted singer-songwriter, worried her voice might crack on stage.

We tried the deep danger exercise:

• Me: If your voice cracks, then what?
• Madison: The audience won’t take me seriously.
• Me: If that happened, then what?
• Madison: They won’t come back to hear me again.
• Me: And then what?
• Madison: I’ll have to give up being a performer.
• Me: And then what?
• Madison: I’ll lose a huge part of who I am.

Her fear wasn’t about cracking a note. It was about losing her identity.

Try the Deep Danger Exercise for Yourself

Here’s how to try it:

Step 1: Name Your Surface Worry
What’s something that makes you anxious before a performance?

Example: “I’ll forget my speech.”

Step 2: Ask Yourself, “Then what?”
Keep going.

• “I’ll look unprepared.”
• “People will think I’m not good at this.”
• “I won’t be asked to speak again.”
• “I’ll fail at what I care about most.”

Keep going until you feel a gut-level truth emerge.

Why This Exercise Works

Because when you know what you’re really afraid of, you stop feeling irrational or weak.

You see that your anxiety is trying to protect something deeply important—your reputation, your career, your dreams, or your identity. Once you understand that, you can meet it with mindfulness and self-compassion.

Helpful But Not Necessary

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Understanding what’s at the root of your performance anxiety can be both revealing and, at times, surprising, as you uncover deep dangers you may not have consciously recognized.

It certainly reinforces the idea that there’s usually a valid reason behind your nervousness. You’re not making it up. You’re not broken.

That said, I’ve found that uncovering the root cause, while insightful, isn’t always that helpful when it comes to actually managing performance anxiety. At best, it confirms that your fear has a legitimate basis.

The mindful solution at the heart of Speak with Confidence takes a different, more practical approach.

Rather than diving into the source of every anxious thought, it teaches you to simply observe and detach from those thoughts, no matter what they are or where they come from.

And that’s the beauty of it.

The approach doesn’t just help with performance anxiety. You can apply it to all kinds of everyday struggles, like:

• spiraling before a challenging conversation with a boss
• second-guessing every word after sending an important email
• catastrophizing before a job interview, or ruminating over a misstep during a team presentation

You Are Not Alone

The deep danger exercise does help you rewrite your story. You’re not nervous because you’re broken—you’re nervous because something important is at stake.

And that, my friend, is perfectly human.

Explore Courses with Private Coaching

Want to go deeper with expert support? Explore online courses with private coaching through Little School of Fish. Versions are available for speakers, performers, and athletes—each tailored to those who struggle with performance anxiety, including:

• Entrepreneurs and public-facing professionals
• Educators and students
• Musicians, actors, and artists
• Team and individual sport athletes