🎤 My Second TEDx Talk Is Live: How to Fight Fear
I’m so excited to share that my second TEDx Talk is now live! 🎉
This one is personal. It’s all about fear — how it quietly shapes our choices, sabotages our success, and keeps us from the goals we really want. It identifies when fear is holding us back and how to fight it to achieve our goals.
This topic has been close to my heart for years. After working nearly two decades in TV and digital video — at Netflix, Fox, and launching the first-ever video unit for Us Weekly (which sold for $100 million!) — I’ve coached hundreds of professionals to show up confidently on camera. And yet, even I used to cringe at seeing myself on video.
So, I knew I had to dig deeper: Why are we really so scared to be seen?
It’s Not About the Camera
Have you ever said, “I hate the sound of my own voice”? Or, “I don’t look good on video”?
You’re not alone.
But the fear isn’t really about the camera — it’s about what the camera represents:
👀 Being watched.
😬 Being judged.
💭 Wanting to be accepted.
The camera is just a lens — literally and figuratively. It reflects not only our physical image, but all of our inner doubts. And if we’re not careful, those fears (judgment, rejection, imposter syndrome) quietly steer the wheel.
That’s why I created a simple mindset shift I now teach my clients — one that works not just on camera, but in life.
The Cheese Wheel of Fear vs. Desire
Here’s how it works:
Imagine a scale.
On one side is your fear — right now, that might feel like a 70-pound wheel of Parmesan cheese.
On the other side? Your desire — just a sprinkle.
If you want to finally hit “record,” take that leap, launch your business, or speak up in the meeting… your desire has to outweigh your fear.
Your goal doesn’t need to be epic — it can be as simple as:
✨ “I want to share my story.”
✨ “I want to show I can do something hard.”
✨ “I want to grow my business.”
But you have to make that desire heavy. Real. Tangible.
Because fear isn’t going away — it just gets quieter when you move forward anyway.
What a Hermit Crab Taught Me About Growth
One of my favorite moments in the talk? Sharing the story of Hercules, our family’s hermit crab. 🦀
When Hercules molted, he shed not just his shell — but his exoskeleton.
He looked pink, scared, and vulnerable.
And it hit me: That’s us.
Every time we stretch into something new — being on camera, changing careers, setting a bigger goal — we’re shedding an old version of ourselves.
It feels uncomfortable and exposed, but it’s growth. And thankfully, unlike Hercules, we don’t have to worry about getting eaten in the process.
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
In the talk, I share my 3-Stage Scale Process for moving through fear:
Clarify your goal. What do you really want?
Identify your fear. (No, not spiders — the real one holding you back.)
Make your desire outweigh your fear. Grow that goal until it’s too big to ignore.
I’ve used this same process myself — leaving corporate media, launching my own business, stepping onto stages, and now giving two TEDx talks (with my kids cheering me on in the audience 🥹).
Because here’s the truth:
You will still be nervous.
You will still cringe at your voice sometimes.
But courage isn’t about erasing fear — it’s about acting anyway.
Your Turn
If fear weren’t in the way… what could you achieve?
That’s the question I hope this talk helps you answer.
🎥 Watch the full TEDx talk here
💬 Drop a comment on YouTube — I’d love to hear what part resonated most!
📩 Or message me on Instagram or Linkedin — I read every single one.
Because when we share our stories, we don’t just fight fear — we inspire someone else to do the same.
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Meet Kim: Kim Rittberg runs an award-winning company that helps real estate agents & business owners grow their leads, income and credibility with video and podcasts. Before that, Kim was a TV news producer for a decade and trained thousands of people to be calm, cool and collected for live TV interviews. She also launched the digital video unit for Us Weekly leading to its $100 million sale, and was a video marketing executive at Netflix & PopSugar. She’s been featured in Forbes and Fast Company, and speaks on stages across the country. Kim ditched corporate once she found herself working in the hospital delivery room as she gave birth (seriously!) and now she is committed to helping business owners, coaches, agents & consultants find your own balanced path and build a thriving business!