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The Physiology of Calm:
How Elite Leaders Use Box Breathing to Regain Control Under Pressure
A protocol once used by Navy SEALs is quietly becoming a foundational tool for deeptech CEOs, fund managers, and executive coaches navigating high-stakes decisions.
He looked composed at first — upright posture, crisp navy suit, slide deck in hand. The kind of precision that reminded me of Mark Zuckerberg, if Zuckerberg had better tailoring.
And honestly, I was glad to see it.
After nearly a year of working together, he had finally taken the rehearsal process seriously. He’d spent weeks refining his delivery, rehearsing transitions, anticipating investor objections — doing everything right on the surface.
It was a far cry from how he used to approach things.
“Preparation?” he once scoffed.
“Christian, I’ve been doing this for decades. I just walk in and improvise.”
That was a year ago — way before the Series B runway got short, before the pressure started tightening around the edges.
Now, here we were. And even with the polish, something felt off.
