Taking Action with Coach Jackson

EP14: From Stress to Strength: How To Use Stress To Your Advantage

Episode Notes

In this episode, Coach Jackson dives deep into reframing stress — not as something to eliminate, but as a powerful signal of what you truly care about. Drawing on his own journey of overcoming crippling debt, building a thriving business, and enduring an emotional IVF journey, Jackson shows how stress can be transformed into fuel for growth — mentally, physically, and spiritually. He then walks you through a simple, science‑backed breathing technique and meaning‑based mindset shifts that turn stress into a catalyst for discipline, clarity, and purpose.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How your interpretation of stress — as harmful or helpful — fundamentally changes your biology and performance.
• Why trying to “escape” stress (through avoidance, numbing, or white-knuckling) usually backfires.
• A quick, 15–30 second diaphragmatic breathing protocol (double inhale, long exhale) that can instantly calm racing heart and reset your nervous system.
• How to reframe what you’re stressed about by asking: “What does this stress reveal about what I care about?” — turning stress into clarity about values and purpose.
• How connecting stress to meaning (family, mission, purpose) can make even hardship feel worthwhile.
• Why some of your toughest challenges might turn out to be the forge that builds your resilience, confidence, relationships, and life outcomes.
• The importance of leaning into something bigger than yourself — faith, community, long-term vision — to give stress purpose and direction.

Memorable Quotes:

• [05:45] “When you believe stress is harmful, it becomes harmful. When you believe stress is fuel, it becomes fuel.”
• [08:35] “If you didn’t care about this thing, whatever it is that’s causing stress to you, you wouldn’t actually feel any stress.”
• [11:36] “What does this stress reveal about what I care about? What my values are?”
• [26:20] “Hard times create strong people. … The ones who survive and thrive aren’t the ones who avoid stress — they’re the ones who use it.”

Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal — https://amzn.to/3KDfHO1
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl — https://amzn.to/3Y6WqHI
• The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday — https://amzn.to/3KIv1J8
• Breath by James Nestor — https://amzn.to/4iFmPpM
• More about Coach Jackson’s family and IVF journey — https://action-jackson-fitness.kit.com/posts/a-25-min-shoulder-workout-why-i-m-asking-for-your-help

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This episode gives you a practical playbook to rewire how you respond to stress — so you don’t just survive, you grow. Ready to take action? Hit play, grab your notebook, and start using stress as your edge.