You’re about to walk into an important meeting. Your heart races. Your palms sweat. That familiar knot of anxiety tightens in your stomach. We’ve all been there—those moments when confidence seems like a distant memory and stress takes center stage.
What if you could flip that script in just 60 seconds? What if a simple physical adjustment could trigger a cascade of biological changes that boost your confidence and melt away stress? It might sound too good to be true, but this one-minute technique has both science and results on its side.
The power pose revolution
The secret lies in something so basic we rarely give it conscious thought—how we stand. Your body position isn’t just a reflection of how you feel. The relationship works both ways. By intentionally changing your posture, you can actually change your mental state.
Enter the “power pose.” This isn’t about puffing out your chest like a cartoon superhero. It’s about adopting an expansive, open posture that signals confidence to both your brain and those around you. The basic power pose involves standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back, chest open, and arms either akimbo on your hips or stretched slightly outward and upward.
The beauty of this technique is its simplicity and speed. Just 60 seconds in a power pose can trigger meaningful biological and psychological changes that alter how you feel and perform.
The cortisol connection
When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol, the primary stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels contribute to that jittery, anxious feeling that undermines confidence. One of the most remarkable effects of power posing is its ability to actually lower cortisol levels.
By adopting an expansive posture for just one minute, your body begins to reduce cortisol production. The effect is surprisingly quick—that’s why this technique works so well as a last-minute intervention before stressful events.
This isn’t just theoretical. People who use this technique report feeling the difference almost immediately. That overwhelmed sensation begins to subside, replaced by a growing sense of calm and control.
The testosterone boost
While cortisol decreases, something else increases—testosterone. Both men and women produce this hormone, which is associated with confidence and assertiveness. Power posing for 60 seconds can trigger a small but meaningful increase in testosterone levels.
This hormonal shift helps explain why the technique works so effectively. With lower cortisol and higher testosterone, you’re biologically primed for confident performance rather than anxious avoidance.
The changes aren’t just subjective feelings. These hormonal shifts create measurable differences in behavior. People who power pose before challenging situations tend to speak more confidently, maintain better eye contact, and project more authority.
The science of embodied cognition
The power pose effect taps into a fascinating field called embodied cognition—the idea that the relationship between your mind and body runs both ways. Your thoughts affect your physical state, but your physical state also influences your thoughts.
This bidirectional relationship explains why forcing a smile can actually make you feel happier. Your brain interprets the physical action and adjusts your emotional state to match. The same principle applies to confidence poses.
When you adopt a posture associated with confidence and authority, your brain essentially thinks, “This is how I stand when I’m confident, so I must be confident.” It then generates the corresponding emotional and hormonal responses.
Neural rewiring in action
Brain imaging studies show that body positions actually influence neural activity. Expansive, open postures activate different brain regions than closed, protective postures. The former trigger areas associated with reward and power, while the latter activate threat-response regions.
By consistently using power poses, you begin creating new neural pathways that associate confidence with certain situations. Over time, this can help permanently reduce anxiety and boost baseline confidence levels, especially in situations that previously triggered stress.
How to harness the 60-second technique
Using the power pose effectively requires understanding when and how to implement it for maximum benefit.
The bathroom strategy
The most common approach is what some call “the bathroom strategy.” Before an important event—a job interview, presentation, difficult conversation, or first date—find a private space like a bathroom stall. Take 60 seconds to assume a power pose. Let your body expand rather than contract.
This privacy allows you to hold the pose without self-consciousness. The temporary isolation also gives you a moment to focus on your breathing and intentions while the hormonal changes begin their work.
Many people combine this physical technique with visualization or positive affirmations for even stronger effects. Imagine yourself succeeding while holding the pose, or repeat simple mantras like “I’ve got this” or “I’m ready.”
Seated adaptations
Not all situations allow for standing power poses. Fortunately, seated variations work too. While waiting for an interview or sitting at your desk before a big call, you can subtly adjust your posture to create a similar effect.
Sit with your spine straight but relaxed, shoulders back, and chest open. Place your arms on armrests or spread them slightly on the table in front of you, taking up more space. Even these smaller adjustments signal confidence to your brain.
The seated adaptation is particularly valuable for workplace settings. You can implement it during meetings or negotiations without drawing attention to yourself while still benefiting from the psychological boost.
Morning momentum
While the one-minute technique works brilliantly as a spot treatment for stressful moments, incorporating power posing into your morning routine can set a positive tone for the entire day.
Try holding a power pose during your morning routine—perhaps while brushing your teeth or waiting for coffee to brew. This early confidence boost can create an upward spiral effect, where feeling more confident leads to better interactions, which further enhances confidence.
Some people find additional benefit by combining morning power posing with intention-setting for the day. The physical posture helps embed the mental intentions more deeply.
Beyond the basic power pose
The standard power pose is just the beginning. Several variations can be tailored to specific situations or personal preferences.
The victory pose
Inspired by the universal gesture athletes make after winning, this pose involves standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and raising your arms in a V-shape above your head. This maximally expansive posture creates the strongest hormonal effect but is best saved for private moments due to its dramatic appearance.
The victory pose works particularly well before physical challenges or competitive situations. Many performers and athletes use this pose backstage or in locker rooms before stepping into the spotlight.
The wonder woman
This classic pose involves standing with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, hands placed firmly on hips, chest lifted, and chin slightly raised. Despite its name, it works equally well regardless of gender.
The wonder woman pose strikes a good balance—it’s expansive enough to trigger the hormonal benefits but subtle enough that you might use it briefly in semi-public settings without feeling overly conspicuous.
The CEO pose
If you want to project authority specifically, try the seated CEO pose. Sit back in your chair with one ankle resting on the opposite knee and your arms behind your head or spread along the back of adjacent chairs.
This pose is particularly effective in negotiations or leadership contexts where establishing authority is important. However, it’s best used judiciously, as it can come across as domineering in collaborative settings.
When the technique works best
While the one-minute power pose can help in almost any stressful situation, certain scenarios show particularly strong results.
Public speaking preparation
The moments before giving a presentation or speech rank among the most anxiety-producing experiences for many people. Power posing shows remarkable effectiveness in this context.
Public speakers who use power poses before taking the stage not only report feeling more confident but are rated by audiences as more competent, persuasive, and engaging. Their speech patterns contain fewer filler words and hesitations, and they maintain better audience connection.
Interview excellence
Job interviews combine multiple stressors—evaluation, uncertainty, and potential rejection. Power posing before interviews helps candidates present their qualifications more effectively.
Interviewers are typically looking for confidence alongside competence. The subtle shifts in your body language, voice tone, and response style that result from power posing can make the difference between coming across as nervous versus confident and capable.
Difficult conversations
Whether addressing a conflict with a colleague, having a serious relationship talk, or negotiating important terms, difficult conversations benefit tremendously from the confidence boost of power posing.
The reduced cortisol from power posing helps you remain calm rather than defensive, while the testosterone increase supports appropriate assertiveness without aggression. This balanced approach leads to more productive outcomes in challenging interpersonal situations.
From acute technique to lasting change
The immediate benefits of the 60-second power pose are impressive enough, but the long-term potential is even more exciting. With consistent application, this quick technique can lead to lasting improvements in your confidence baseline.
The confidence feedback loop
Each successful experience following a power pose reinforces the connection between the physical technique and positive outcomes. Your brain begins to associate certain situations with confidence rather than anxiety.
Over time, you may need the formal power pose less frequently as your default response to challenges shifts. The initial “fake it” element becomes genuine confidence based on a track record of positive experiences.
Posture awareness
Practicing power poses increases your awareness of body positioning throughout the day. Many people habitually adopt closed, protective postures—hunched shoulders, crossed arms, or making themselves physically smaller in social situations.
Simply becoming conscious of these patterns allows you to make subtle adjustments. You might catch yourself shrinking in meetings and choose to sit up straighter. These small but consistent changes contribute to both how others perceive you and how you feel about yourself.
The authenticity question
Some people worry that techniques like power posing feel manipulative or inauthentic. If you’re “tricking” your body into confidence, is that somehow fake?
This concern misunderstands how confidence actually works. Most truly confident people weren’t born that way—they developed confidence through experiences and practices. The power pose simply accelerates this natural process.
Think of it as a shortcut to accessing confidence that already exists within you rather than creating something artificial. You’re not becoming someone else. You’re removing the barriers of stress and anxiety that prevent your best self from showing up.
With practice, the technique becomes less of a conscious intervention and more of a natural part of how you approach challenges. The posture and the confidence become genuinely yours.
The 60-second power pose offers something truly remarkable—a simple, free, and immediate tool for transforming how you feel and perform under pressure. In a world full of complex solutions to stress and anxiety, this straightforward physical approach stands out for both its simplicity and effectiveness.
Next time stress threatens to undermine your confidence, remember that your most powerful tool might be something as basic as how you stand. Give yourself that minute. Strike the pose. And watch how quickly your mindset can transform.
