Words, Breath, Results: Dave Robinson on Story Work for Leaders

🔥 Excerpt

If your self-talk is running the company, you're not. Dave Robinson shows how to rewrite the story, downshift your nervous system, and make better decisions—on the field, in the boardroom, and at home.

⚡ TL;DR

I sat down with coach Dave Robinson to unpack "story work"—a practical blend of CBT, NLP, journaling, and breath work that helps founders resolve old narratives, regulate physiology, and get their edge back. We cover how language shapes performance, why chronic stress wrecks decision-making, and a simple path to move from survival mode to a state where you can actually lead.

📄 Show Notes

Founders don't fail from a lack of effort—they stall from a lack of resolution. In this conversation, Dave Robinson makes that painfully clear. He coaches top performers using story work: write the story down, read it aloud, change the words, change the state, and close the loop so it stops bleeding into everything else.

We dig into the mechanics. Words drive breath; breath drives physiology; physiology drives perception and choices. If your language is conflict-heavy, your breath will be shallow and fast, and your brain will default to fight/flight. That's not when you make quality, long-horizon decisions. Dave walks through how he sequences sessions—self-talk first, identity second, then the "heavy furniture" stories—so leaders turn the corner in weeks, not years.

He also tackles the "woo-woo" stigma around breath work with straight physiology: long exhales to offload CO₂, access parasympathetic, and store memories properly. The result: more composure, better memory consolidation, cleaner handoffs between work and home, and performance that holds under stress.

We close on the punchline: abracadabra—"with my word I create." Leaders cast spells all day. Change the words, change the outcomes.

✅ Key Takeaways

• Map the language → state chain. Conflict language up-regulates; architect language down-regulates.
• Close loops, don't orbit them. Resolution beats rumination. Title the story, process it, breathe it down, and put a bow on it.
• Breathe like a leader. Low, slow, rhythmic breathing with longer exhales unlocks calm, memory, and better judgment.
• Sequence matters. Self-talk and identity first, then the heavy stories. Momentum makes the hard work doable.
• Compartmentalize without suppressing. Process the life stuff so it stops hijacking decisions and relationships.
• Raise the tide company-wide. Teams taught the model row in sync, raising organizational performance.

👤 Bio

Dave Robinson is a Richmond-based coach and lifelong entrepreneur. After starting in fitness, he moved full-time into mindset coaching in 2017. His "story work" blends CBT, NLP, journaling, and breath work to help clients resolve sticky narratives, regulate physiology, and perform under pressure. He works with founders, teams, and pro athletes, delivering intensives and year-long programs, plus corporate workshops.

🎁 Giveaway

Dave Robinson is giving away a free "Story Work Starter Session" to the first 10 listeners who reach out. This one-on-one session will walk you through the fundamentals of story work—rewriting one limiting narrative, practicing breath integration, and leaving with a practical tool you can use immediately.

Here's how to claim it:

1. Follow Dave Robinson on Instagram or LinkedIn.
2. Send him a direct message with the phrase:
   "I heard you on the RPOW Podcast—I'm ready to rewrite my story."
3. Be one of the first 10 to respond, and Dave will personally schedule your free session.

👉 Find Dave at @daverobinsoncoaching or on LinkedIn by searching "Dave Robinson Story Work."

🧭 Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Getting to Know Dave Robinson
08:22 The Importance of Breath Work
15:54 Finding Resolution and Healing Through Story Work
29:52 Managing Stress and Creating a Restful State
39:01 The Influence of Words and Stories
39:06 New Chapter