EP67: Marketing Without Fear – How to Show Up, Speak Up, and Sell More with Damian Murdoch
Fear doesn’t look like fear in business
It often looks like over-preparing, rebranding again, avoiding follow-up, or telling yourself you’re “not quite ready yet.”
And quietly, it costs you visibility, confidence, and sales.
What this episode is about (and what you’ll learn here)
In this episode of The Meaningful Marketing Podcast, marketing strategist Chantal Gerardy is joined by mindset coach Damian Murdoch to unpack how fear, anxiety, and nervous system dysregulation silently sabotage marketing action.
This blog breaks down the biggest insights from the conversation, including:
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Why fear shows up as procrastination and perfectionism
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How your nervous system impacts sales, visibility, and follow-up
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The concept of scheduled suffering and why it builds real confidence
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Practical ways to reset your state so you can show up and sell without spiralling
Episode summary
Fear is rarely obvious in business. Instead of panic, it often shows up as “being busy,” consuming more content, endlessly tweaking offers, or avoiding sales conversations altogether.
In this episode, Chantal and Damian connect the dots between mindset, nervous system regulation, and marketing execution. Damian shares his personal journey from debilitating panic attacks to coaching athletes, speakers, and business owners through high-pressure moments. Together, they explore how confidence isn’t a personality trait, but a skill built through awareness, evidence, and action.
This isn’t fluffy mindset talk. It’s practical, grounded, and directly linked to marketing results.
Key takeaways from EP67
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Fear often disguises itself as preparation, learning, or “busy work”
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Your brain’s job is safety, not growth – awareness changes everything
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Avoiding follow-up is usually fear of rejection, not a strategy issue
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Confidence is built through evidence, not affirmations
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Nervous system regulation directly impacts visibility and sales
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Scheduled suffering trains resilience and calm under pressure
Guest background: who is Damian Murdoch?
Damian Murdoch is a mindset and performance coach who works with entrepreneurs, athletes, and public speakers.
His work focuses on:
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Anxiety management and nervous system regulation
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Performance under pressure
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Breathwork and state control
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Helping people handle high-stakes moments without panic
Damian’s methods are grounded in lived experience. He openly shares his journey from panic attacks that once kept him housebound, to now teaching others how to stay calm, focused, and confident when it matters most.
The turning point: when fear stopped running the show
One of the most powerful moments in the episode is Damian’s explanation of how avoidance shrinks your life.
He describes how his fear started with public speaking, then expanded to ordering lunch, leaving the house, and everyday interactions. The lesson is clear: unmanaged fear doesn’t stay contained.
Leadership lesson:
Avoidance doesn’t protect you. It trains your nervous system to panic faster next time.
The same pattern plays out in business. When you avoid sales calls, videos, follow-up, or pricing conversations, your comfort zone tightens — and your growth stalls.
The pillars that support confidence in marketing
Throughout the episode, several core support pillars emerge:
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Awareness – recognising fear patterns without judgment
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State regulation – using breath, posture, and focus to reset
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Evidence – building proof through action, not theory
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Systems – removing emotional decision-making from marketing tasks
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Follow-through – finishing what you start, especially in sales
Confidence grows when these pillars work together.
The legacy action: choosing discomfort on purpose
One of the most memorable concepts from the episode is Damian’s framework of scheduled suffering.
Instead of waiting for fear to disappear, Damian deliberately schedules controlled discomfort:
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Cold exposure
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Breath holds
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Public speaking
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Comedy performance
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Adventure challenges
The goal isn’t adrenaline. It’s learning how to stay calm while uncomfortable.
The metaphor that changes everything: scheduled suffering
Damian quotes Tim Ferriss:
“The more you practice suffering, the less unplanned suffering disrupts your life.”
Marketing lesson:
When you regularly practise discomfort, your nervous system learns that you are safe — even when things feel hard.
That means:
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Sales calls stop feeling threatening
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Visibility becomes manageable
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Follow-up feels neutral, not personal
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Confidence becomes embodied, not forced
The belief reframe that unlocks action
A powerful reframe Chantal shares in the episode is this:
“I don’t need to know everything. I just need to know more than the person I’m helping.”
This belief shift removes perfectionism, impostor syndrome, and over-preparation. It creates momentum instead of paralysis.
Practical lessons you can apply immediately
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Notice where fear shows up as “being busy”
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Stop consuming content until you implement what you already know
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Reset your state before visibility or sales conversations
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Follow up even when it feels uncomfortable
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Price your offers based on value, not comfort
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Build evidence through action, not overthinking
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Schedule small discomforts to train resilience
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Focus on service, not self-judgment
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Finish what you start
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Let systems carry you when emotions run high
Final thoughts: confidence is trained, not found
Marketing doesn’t fail because people lack knowledge.
It fails because fear quietly hijacks action.
When you understand how fear works, how your nervous system responds, and how to reset your state, marketing becomes simpler, calmer, and far more effective.
Listen to the full episode
🎧 Marketing Without Fear: How to Show Up, Speak Up, and Sell More with Damian Murdoch
👉 Catch the episode on The Meaningful Marketing Podcast
FAQs
Is fear really the reason marketing isn’t working?
Often, yes. Fear shows up as avoidance, perfectionism, and inconsistent execution.
What is scheduled suffering?
A practice of deliberately placing yourself in controlled discomfort to build resilience and confidence.
How does this relate to sales?
Fear is a major driver behind avoiding follow-up, underpricing, and not closing conversations.
Can mindset really impact marketing results?
Absolutely. Nervous system regulation directly affects decision-making, confidence, and consistency.
Who is this episode for?
Business owners, speakers, coaches, and marketers who know what to do, but struggle to consistently execute.
📈 Ready to market with confidence? 📥 Download your FREE Marketing Guide 👉 chantalgerardy.com.au/free-downloads