How to Reset Your Brain in 16 Seconds
It really can be this easy.
I recently had a wonderful conversation with Jim Kwik on the Kwik Brain Podcast.
Jim is the world’s #1 brain performance coach. He has trained everyone from Hollywood actors to world-class CEOs, and I’m a fan of his podcast.
In this post, I want to highlight a topic I discussed in last week’s newsletter, which is one of my favorite moments from our conversation: how to stay calm in high-stress environments.
How to stay calm in high-stress environments
Jim Kwik: Uncertainty and volatility are part of the leadership landscape. I’m curious, how do you personally stay calm and focused in a high-stakes environment? Are there any personal routines or rituals that help you to maintain clarity and performance under pressure?
Sébastien Page: Exercise. I exercise every day, whether it’s cardio or strength training. And then I build in rest or recovery exercises, which also help reduce my baseline stress level.
I also do breathing exercises.
When I’m preparing to go on live national TV, I know I’m going to be stressed; there’s no doubt about it.
But I do four-by-four breathing a few minutes before I go on the air. Four-by-four breathing (or box breathing) is where you inhale for four seconds, hold it for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, and then wait for four seconds. Whatever breathing method you use, it’s going to help in the moment.
I used to think this whole breathing advice was overrated. I talk about this in The Psychology of Leadership. I go: Isn’t that trite? Isn’t that easy advice? But if you think about it, it’s the only link between what you can control and what you can't control about your body like your heart rate or blood pressure, or generally, your brain’s fight-or-flight response. Breathing is the connection. Four-by-four breathing is useful. It works.
The Bottom Line
When leaders stay composed under pressure, they make better decisions. They also give their teams a sense of stability. Calm is contagious.
Stress, of course, never disappears. The goal isn’t to eliminate it but to metabolize it. Just like muscles grow under resistance, resilience grows when we practice small, daily rituals—breathing, exercise, reflection—that help us reset.
The beauty of breathwork practices is that they’re portable. You don’t need a gym, a quiet room, or an hour-long session. You can do box breathing in a taxi, at your desk, or moments before stepping into a high-stakes meeting. The brain follows the body: if you can slow your breath and steady your posture, you can send a signal to your mind that you’re safe.
The world isn’t becoming less stressful. But those who practice calm will think more clearly, lead more effectively, and inspire confidence in others. And it all begins with one breath.
On that note, I’ve just received an email that calls for box breathing before replying.
This excerpt of the conversation with Jim Kwik has been edited for concision and clarity.
Sébastien has more than two decades of leadership experience. As an author, he believes breakthroughs often happen when experts venture outside their field. That is why, in "The Psychology of Leadership," he went beyond finance and economics to study research in psychology.
He is currently Head of Global Multi-Asset and Chief Investment Officer at T. Rowe Price. He oversees a team of investment professionals actively managing over $500 billion in assets under management.
Sébastien won research paper awards from The Journal of Portfolio Management in 2003, 2010, 2011, and 2022 and the Financial Analysts Journal in 2010 and 2014. In addition to The Psychology of Leadership, he is the author of Beyond Diversification: What Every Investor Needs to Know About Asset Allocation (McGraw Hill, 2020) and the coauthor of Factor Investing and Asset Allocation (CFA Institute Research Foundation, 2016).
Sébastien is also a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Portfolio Management and the Financial Analysts Journal, and the Board of Directors of the Institute for Quantitative Research in Finance (Q Group). He regularly appears in the media, including Bloomberg TV and CNBC, and was recently named amongst the 15 Top Voices in Finance by LinkedIn.
Really appreciated this, especially the reminder that calm isn’t something you magically have, it’s something you practice. The simplicity of box breathing makes it easy to dismiss, but I’ve found it surprisingly effective in high-stress moments too.