The Confidence Shortcut with Niki Sterner
The Confidence Shortcut is your permission slip to start before you’re ready. Hosted by actor, comedian & producer Niki Sterner, each episode is packed with honest conversations, mindset tools, and practical shortcuts to help you silence your inner critic, develop a growth mindset, and get unstuck.
Designed for high-achieving creatives, performers, visionaries, and entrepreneurs, this podcast helps you build the habit of courage in the face of fear—so you can finally share your voice with the world.
If you’ve ever wondered how to build confidence, overcome self-doubt, or stop overthinking and start taking action, this show is your weekly boost of momentum. Whether you’re battling imposter syndrome, stuck in perfectionism, or simply afraid to take the next step, you’ll leave each episode with real-life tools and the confidence to move forward—one bold (and sometimes messy) step at a time.
Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the show wherever you’re listening, and grab your free “Confidence Kickstart” in the show notes.
Episodes
24 episodes
#24: Niki Sterner | A Day in the Life of Your Wildest YES Life | An Energetic Rehearsal for Your Future
Ever feel like your dream is floating just out of reach—beautiful, but foggy and far away? In this episode, we bring it down to earth with a grounded, sensory practice: writing a Day in the Life of your Wildest YES Life through all fiv...
#23: Niki Sterner | From Foggy Dreams to Fierce Clarity | How to Craft Your Wildest YES Life
What if the thing holding you back isn’t a lack of talent, time, or luck—but a vision that’s still too blurry to move you? We walk you through a clear, practical way to turn foggy goals into a vivid plan you can see, feel, and act on, even whil...
#22: Niki Sterner | When Your Life Finally Matches Your CORE VALUES | How Alignment Sparks Real Confidence
What if confidence isn’t something you find, but something you feel when your life finally matches your values? We go straight at the heart of fear, numbness, and overthinking to show how clarity and courage can flip the switch from “fine” to f...
#21: Niki Sterner | The Success STAR Model | Confidence by Design
What if the fastest way to confidence isn’t waiting to feel ready, but modeling what already works? In this episode, we explore The Success STAR Model, a repeatable process for reverse-engineering the paths of Issa Rae, Brené Brown, an...
#20: Niki Sterner | The 3S Lists | Invite in the Cringe
Episode 20 is Season 2 Episode 2. Your dream has been leaving clues—names you can’t stop admiring, ideas that scare you in all the right ways, and moments when you surprised yourself with courage. We unpack a simple framework to spo...
#19: Niki Sterner | Season 2 Premiere | Dream Bigger with the Dream Detective Method
Episode 19 is the PREMIERE of Season 2!!!If you had all the confidence, time, energy, and money in the world, what would you be doing? When I asked 110 people this question, most gave surprisingly safe answers. They'd tucked aw...
#18: Lindsay Cressey | Oxford Graduate & Dual-Qualified Lawyer | Teaching Women to Enjoy Money Without the Bro Jargon
Ever feel like money is that dusty corner of your life nobody taught you how to clean? You're not alone. In this enlightening conversation with Lindsay Cressy, Oxford graduate, dual-qualified lawyer and teacher, and financial empowerment coach,...
#17: Cathy Reinking | Emmy-Winning Casting Director Turned Actor Coach | Unlocking Charisma & Creating Your Own Spotlight
Emmy-winning casting director Cathy Reinking pulls back the curtain on what really happens in the audition room and reveals the unexpected career path that took her from NBC's casting offices to coaching actors on creating their own breakthroug...
#16: Pam Heffler | AWAKEN Your Passion, Pleasure & Purpose | “Dancing Home” to Your Dreams
Every artist knows the feeling - that persistent call of a dream you've set aside. For Pam Heffler, it was dance. Though she began her career as a professional dancer, confidence struggles led her to walk away from movement entirely in her mid-...
#15: Jesse Jensen | Pilot, Poet, and Performer | Throw Your Hat Over The Fence
Big news—Jesse Jensen’s debut book, Throw Your Hat Over The Fence, launches on Amazon this Thursday, August 28th! In this week’s episode of The Confidence Shortcut, Jesse shares the life philos...
#14: Jeovana Davis | Musician & Healer | Turning Sensitivity into Superpower
What would life look like if you stopped dimming your light to make others comfortable? Jeovana Davis knows this journey intimately. As a creative consultant, intuitive strategist, and performer who radiates authenticity, Jeovana has navigated ...
#13: Pam Sandrock | Rooted in Resilience | Thriving Through Life’s Toughest Turns
What happens when life knocks you down with a diagnosis you never expected? For Pam Sandrock, a breast cancer diagnosis at 37 became the catalyst for a complete transformation in how she approached life, decision-making, and personal boundaries...
#12: Jodie Bentley | Branding Meets Belonging | Coaching 2,300+ Actors to Own Their Power
Jodie Bentley, powerhouse coach in the entertainment world, shares how she transformed from a struggling actor to helping thousands of creatives pursue their dreams through strategic branding and self-confidence techniques.
#11: Simon Huebner | From Asperger’s to Authenticity | Turning Schoolyard Comebacks Into Comedy Gold
Comedian Simon Huebner shares how he transformed his Asperger's diagnosis into comedy gold through developing quick comebacks, studying other comedians, and taking action before feeling ready. He reveals the mindset practices and habits that he...
#10: Faye Laroux | The Ballerina & the Wild Dog | Embodying the Three Bodies to Heal
Former ballet dancer Faye Laroux shares her journey from perfectionism to authenticity through her Three Bodies methodology, helping sensitive, purpose-driven people embody healing and confidence. Through personal stories of trauma and transfor...
#9: Julie Kendall | Confidence Is Surrender | Let Go, Light the Candle, and Trust the Flame
What if confidence is something you uncover through surrender? Julie Kendall, an award-winning actress who left corporate America to pursue her creative dreams, reveals how letting go opened doors she never imagined."This is our one sho...
#8: Izzy Stevens | Walk In Like You Belong | Make the Industry Pay Attention
Ever wonder how some creatives seem to make massive progress while you're still waiting to feel "ready"? This conversation with Izzy Stevens blows the lid off that myth. As an award-winning director, Netflix trilogy lead, and founder of Indie S...
#7: Micah Caldwell | From Law to Laughter | The Leap into a Creative Life
What happens when you've spent decades building a successful career only to realize it's not the life you want? Micah Caldwell faced this question head-on when, after nearly twenty years as a high-powered telecommunications lawyer in Washington...
#6: Niki Sterner | Raising Kids While Rising Myself
Ever felt stuck waiting to feel ready before taking that big leap? Niki Sterner discovered the secret isn't waiting for confidence to arrive—it's taking courageous action first and letting confidence follow.The Confidence Shortcut revol...
#5: Niki Sterner | Jump First, Opportunities Will Follow
Redefining confidence might be the key that unlocks your potential. While many of us believe confidence means feeling certain we'll excel, host Niki Sterner offers a liberating alternative: true confidence is simply believing you can take actio...
#4: Niki Sterner | From Fixed Mindset to Growth
When was the last time you let fear of failure stop you from pursuing something important? This candid conversation dives deep into the paralyzing effects of a fixed mindset and reveals how believing "if I'm bad at something, that's my forever ...
#3: Niki Sterner | Embracing the Courage Quest
Super grateful to my conversation partner and dear friend, Micah Caldwell. She’ll be joining me on a future episode, and her story is one you won’t want to miss. @micahonmicMost of us h...
#2: Niki Sterner | From Health Crisis to Creative Breakthrough
Niki Sterner shares her personal journey from feeling stuck and uncertain to finding true confidence through action rather than endless preparation. After years of playing small despite extensive training, she discovered that the key obstacle w...
#1: EXCLUSIVE TRAILER: The Confidence Shortcut with Niki Sterner
Hey there! Welcome to The Confidence Shortcut podcast. I’m your host, Niki Sterner. I’m a mom, a wife, an actor, comedian, and a writer. But for years, I avoided the stage, turned down opportunities, and told myself I wasn’t ready. Just one ...