Fixable – "Boost your confidence (w/ Master Fixer Ian Robertson)"

Podcast: Fixable (by TED)
Hosts: Anne Morriss & Frances Frei
Guest: Ian Robertson (Neuroscientist, Clinical Psychologist, Prof. of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin)
Date: September 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode launches Fixable’s fall season with an in-depth exploration of confidence—what it is, what it isn’t, why it matters, and how to build it. Anne Morriss and Frances Frei are joined by Ian Robertson, a leading neuroscientist and author of How Confidence Works: The New Science of Self-Belief. Together, they interrogate the cognitive and social roots of confidence, practical techniques for building it, and the critical role it plays in both individual and organizational success. The episode bridges expert science with actionable coaching advice, aimed at helping listeners become more confident and enable confidence in others.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Defining Confidence (04:50–06:19)

• Confidence is not the same as optimism or self-esteem.
  • Optimism: Hope that things turn out well.
  • Self-esteem: Evaluation of oneself.
  • Confidence: “The belief that you can do a particular thing and that, if you do it, the outcome you want is more likely to happen.” (Ian Robertson, 05:18)
• Confidence is action-oriented and is crucial for mastering uncertainty.

Notable Quote

“Confidence is an uncertainty master. It helps us navigate uncertainty and take action while coping with the anxiety that uncertainty causes.”
— Ian Robertson (05:55)

2. Dealing with Anxiety (06:19–07:12)

• Anxiety is a natural response to uncertainty; it can be harnessed as an energizer.
• All arousing emotions (anxiety, excitement, anger) have similar physical responses and can be redirected.
• Key coaching tip: Learn to "jiu jitsu" anxiety into excitement by reframing it as fuel for action.

Notable Quote

“By adopting the kind of mindset of confidence, it’s possible to make anxiety your friend and make it the energizer of your behavior.”
— Ian Robertson (06:32)

3. The Four-Quadrant Confidence Model (07:32–11:43)

Framework:

• Can Do/Can Happen: Confident state.
• Can Do/Cannot Happen: Frustration and anger.
• Cannot Do/Can Happen: Depression and anxiety.
• Cannot Do/Cannot Happen: Apathy—the most disabling state.

Dopamine Levels:

• Confidence increases dopamine, making you mentally sharper and persuasive.

• Apathy decreases dopamine, making you less sharp, less persuasive, and more prone to anxiety and depression.

• Impact of Control: People from tough circumstances with a sense of control are more resilient due to confidence.

4. Real-Life Coaching Scenarios (13:49–22:40)

A. Moving Through the Quadrants

• Frustration arises when effort seems futile (e.g., “I can do it, but it won’t matter”).
• The function of emotions: Fear (escape), Disgust (avoid poison), Anger (negotiation).

B. Example: Promotions and Anger (14:55–17:37)

• If passed over for promotion, analyze the situation rationally:
  • Was it random? Accept and move on.
  • Was someone better? Work to improve.
  • Was it unfair? Weigh risks and options—consider respectful dialogue or channeling energy into new goals.

C. Building Confidence for Presentations (17:51–21:48)

• Use stretch goals: Choose objectives that are challenging but achievable to trigger confidence growth via accomplishment.
• Practice in increasing social “doses”—from a friend, to a small group, to a larger audience.

Notable Quote

“If you’re 100% certain you can do something, you don’t need confidence.”
— Ian Robertson (18:51)

• Tiger Woods anecdote: Even the best experience performance anxiety, and use it as fuel.

• Attention focus: What you attend to shapes your confidence; shift focus away from naysayers to supportive signals.

5. Leaders and Collective Confidence (22:40–28:18)

• Collective confidence is as powerful as individual confidence.
• Great teams: Not always full of “stars,” but those with a coach/leader who instills “we can do it.”

Carnegie Mellon Research:

• Group IQ depends on:

  • (1) Equal share of speaking time,
  • (2) Social intelligence/emotional reading,
  • (3) Gender balance (women, on average, are better at reading emotions).

• Key leadership move: Model process-oriented thinking after failure—analyze what went wrong and set new, actionable goals.

Notable Quote

“When we see leaders model that kind of relationship with the setback, it’s incredibly infectious and incredibly powerful at the team level...”
— Anne Morriss (28:18)

6. The Dangers of Overconfidence (28:38–32:25)

• Overconfidence is “like nuclear energy”—can be destructive.
• Success can go to your head, leading to a lack of self-awareness and increased risk-taking.
• Overconfidence blinds leaders, especially in positions of power.

Controlling Overconfidence:

• External controls: Governance, democracy, oversight.
• Internal controls: Personal values, ethics, self-restraint.

Notable Quote

“Confidence is so powerful that, yes, it’s a two-edged sword. Success can go to people’s heads and they can start to attribute that success to something wonderful and magical in them.”
— Ian Robertson (28:54)

7. Practical Takeaway: Boosting Your Confidence Tomorrow (32:25–33:25)

• Immediate advice: Take action—even a small one—in a domain where you feel uneasy. Reward yourself for taking the step, not just succeeding.
• Don’t be trapped by deterministic thinking; everyone has the capacity for change.

Notable Quote

“Take action in some domain that makes you feel uneasy. Do something. If you’re stuck at home and you’re anxious … set yourself a goal.”
— Ian Robertson (32:33)

8. Wrap-up & Hosts' Reflections (36:02–40:31)

• Frances and Anne share key takeaways:
  • Frances on coaching: Rewarding collective confidence over star individuals.
  • Anne's three notables: "We can do it," "Leaders become power intoxicated," and "Do something."
• Key message: Action, especially in uncertain or daunting contexts, builds a compound of confidence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Confidence and Uncertainty:
  “Confidence is the bridge to the future. It helps you cross the bridge to the future.”
  — Ian Robertson (07:32)

• On Leadership:
  “The leader of the team has to genuinely believe that we can do it … There is such a thing as collective confidence.”
  — Ian Robertson (22:55)

• On Overconfidence:
  “Most success is 90% luck. But success can intoxicate people.”
  — Ian Robertson (29:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:50] – Defining confidence vs. optimism and self-esteem
• [06:19] – Anxiety and its role in confidence
• [07:32] – Four-quadrant confidence model
• [14:55] – Dealing with frustration at work
• [17:51] – Steps for building confidence in presentations
• [22:40] – How leaders can inspire confidence in teams
• [28:38] – The problem of overconfidence and its containment
• [32:33] – Practical advice: What to do tomorrow
• [36:02] – Hosts' reflections and bigger picture

Tone and Closing Feel

Anne, Frances, and Ian maintain an accessible, upbeat, and practical tone, full of lived experience, humor, and a genuine desire to make transformative science actionable for listeners—at any rung of their careers or life.

TL;DR: Actionable Takeaways

• Confidence is action-based, specific, and thrives in uncertainty.
• Reframe anxiety as energy for taking action.
• Set stretch goals for real growth.
• Leaders: Foster equal participation and collective confidence.
• Watch for and guard against overconfidence—build checks and self-awareness.
• Take even the smallest step towards what makes you uneasy, and reward the courage to act.

For more workplace dilemmas or to get advice from Anne and Frances, call or text the Fixable hotline at 234-349-2253.