Every time you try to speak, something inside holds you back. You overthink. You fear mistakes. You imagine others judging you - so you stay quiet.

But what if that voice in your head isn't trying to sabotage you? What if it's actually trying to protect you?

In this episode of 'From Lost to the River', I sit down with bestselling author and master coach Peter Freeth to explore the psychology of perfectionism, the inner critic, and why both are working overtime to keep you "safe", even when that safety is holding you back.

Peter shares insights from 20+ years of coaching experience, explaining why your inner critic isn't the enemy. It's a misunderstood ally. Together, we unpack how to change your relationship with that voice so you can stop feeling bad, stop holding back, and finally speak English with freedom and self-trust.

Learn more about Peter and his executive coaching services here at Genius Coach.

Buy his latest book, 'The Big Self-Help Lie', on Amazon.

Check out some of other books including NLP in Business, Coaching Excellence

'From Lost To The River' is the podcast for Spanish professionals who want to stop hiding behind perfectionism and start speaking with confidence, clarity, and presence. Hosted by Richard Marshall, English confidence and communication coach, the show blends real stories, expert interviews, and practical strategies to help ambitious professionals focus on connection over correctness.

👉 Want to go deeper? Read my collection of articles on my website, where I explore the psychology behind English confidence. These weekly essays go beyond grammar and vocabulary to unpack how identity, fear, shame, and self-perception shape the way you speak, and how to move from awareness to confident, empowered action.

If you’ve tried English classes, apps, or courses and still don’t feel confident speaking, this is the missing piece.

🎧 Watch this episode with subtitles on YouTube here.

Visit my wesbite procoachenglish.com to learn more about me and ways we can work together.

Get access to FREE learning resources here.

Still overthinking your English in meetings, even after years of classes? Finance Manager Nines López explains why grammar-heavy English learning keeps capable Spanish professionals stuck, silent, and second-guessing themselves, and what actually builds real speaking confidence at work.

We explore why textbook English rarely translates into real-world fluency, and how a conversation-first, identity-led approach helps professionals speak naturally under pressure.

We unpack the emotional blocks many Spanish learners carry from school, fear of making mistakes, shame around accent, imposter syndrome, and how these show up in meetings, presentations, calls, and everyday professional conversations.

This episode is for Spanish professionals who:

• Know a lot of English but freeze when it matters

• Overthink grammar instead of expressing ideas

• Worry about being judged by colleagues or native speakers

• Feel less confident in English than they are in Spanish

• Want to sound like themselves in English, not a “perfect” version

From Lost to the River is the podcast for Spanish professionals who want to stop hiding behind perfectionism and start speaking with confidence, clarity, and presence. Hosted by Richard Marshall, English confidence and communication coach, the show blends real stories, expert interviews, and practical strategies to help ambitious professionals focus on connection over correctness.

👉 Want to go deeper? Read my More Than Words collection of essays on my website, where I explore the psychology behind English confidence. These weekly essays go beyond grammar and vocabulary to unpack how identity, fear, shame, and self-perception shape the way you speak, and how to move from awareness to confident, empowered action.

If you’ve tried English classes, apps, or courses and still don’t feel confident speaking, this is the missing piece.

🎧 Watch this episode on YouTube. 📖 Read More Than Words.

Learn more at procoachenglish.com. In this extract from 'Me da vergüenza hablar', language coach Nacho Fernández shares strategies to overcome hesitation and speak English confidently, even when you fear making mistakes.

Nacho and I discuss how real communication beats grammar perfection. You’ll learn practical ways to build English confidence, including listening to podcasts, watching movies, and other immersive media (even passively) so your brain becomes familiar with natural speech patterns.

This episode also explores the emotional barriers that hold back Spanish professionals in high-level roles, such as fear of judgment, comparison with others, and overthinking. Nacho shows how to shift focus from perfection to connection, helping you communicate more naturally in meetings and presentations.

If you’ve ever hesitated to speak in English despite knowing the language, this episode will give you one clear takeaway: practice, exposure, and mindset adjustments unlock real confidence.

🧭 About From Lost to the River

From Lost to the River is the podcast for Spanish learners of English who want to stop overthinking, stop hiding behind perfectionism, and start speaking with confidence. Hosted by (me) Richard Marshall, it blends personal stories, expert interviews, and actionable strategies to help ambitious professionals focus on connection over perfection.

Follow Nacho on LinkedIn where he offers one to one and group based Spanish coaching.

Learn more about me, Richard, at my website procoachenglish.com. where you can access these free resources.

#EnglishConfidence #BusinessEnglish #SpanishExecutives #ingles #aprenderingles