58 How to Sell Yourself
meaning that it’s natural breathing. If anything can be labeled “or-
ganic” or “100 percent natural,” it’s diaphragmatic breathing.
It’s a fact. There’s a way to breathe that can work against you,
especially in a difficult situation, and there’s a way to breathe prop-
erly that can help make that same difficult situation less stressful.
The following story is an example of how this breathing tech-
nique works. A former colleague of mine was invited to attend a
luncheon at the White House. He was thrilled! Then he discov-
ered that each guest was expected to stand and present a 60-sec-
ond self-introduction in front of a roomful of high-powered guests.
His elation turned to panic. He decided not to go. I happened
to hear about his decision and suggested that we work together on
his breathing—only breathing—to control his panic. He decided
it was worth a try. Guess what? He not only went to the luncheon,
but he enjoyed it.
Another example of the effectiveness of correct breathing
comes from even closer to home. One of my then-teenage chil-
dren told me one evening, “I had to give an oral report in class
today. I read your booklet and worked on my breathing. Every-
one told me I gave the best report.”
These are just two examples of how proper breathing has
worked for people. There are countless others involving people in
every field from library directors testifying on behalf of their bud-
get requests to the city council to a presidential hopeful about to
make the speech to announce his candidacy.
Improper breathing can be a roadblock
Remember the speaker who kept gasping for breath and audi-
bly sucking in air in the middle of sentences? Remember the ones
who preceded every fifth word with “uh... uh... uh” until you
could think of nothing but their discomfort and your own bore-
dom? In each case you remember that you were in pain for them.
But do you remember the message? Probably not.
In winter, the coughs and sneezes you suffer are usually a sign
that something is wrong. You probably have a cold. You’re get-
ting sick. In much the same way, the “uh... uh... uhs” and the
stammering and groping are signs that something is wrong.
That “something” is lack of control.