The High Performance Podcast30 Jul 2025

The Key Habit Firefighters Use To Make Decisions In A Crisis

We make thousands of decisions every day, but under pressure, those choices become harder, and more important.

When I first came across Dr. Sabrina Cohen-Hatton’s story, what struck me wasn’t just what she’s achieved, it’s how she thinks under pressure.

In this episode, I unpack a habit I took from her years on the frontline of the fire service, one that has helped her make life-or-death decisions and one we can all use in our everyday lives. It’s a habit built not on instinct or speed, but on clarity.

Sabrina taught me that when we freeze under pressure, it’s rarely because we don’t care, it’s because we care so much, we don’t want to get it wrong.

Whether you’re managing a team, making a personal change, or just trying to feel less overwhelmed in high-stakes situations, this conversation will help you understand how to make better choices under pressure, and why the smartest leaders aren’t the fastest, they’re the most prepared.

We explore:

How fear disrupts our thinking
Why we freeze in critical moments
The power of the pause
A decision-making tool you can use today
What it means to lead with clarity, not just speed

This one’s for anyone facing the hard calls, and wanting to meet them with confidence.

Here is more information on the studies referenced:

Stress and cognitive flexibility: The role of the prefrontal cortex, (Arnsten, A.F.T 2009)
Decision Fatigue Exhausts Self-Regulatory Resources, (Baumeister, R.F., Vohs, K.D., et al 1998)
Stress Promotes Habit-Based Behavior (Schwabe, L., Wolf, O.T, 2009)
The Timing of Stress and Decision-Making (Pabst, S., Brand, M., Wolf, O.T, 2013)

Listen to the full episode with Sabrina Cohen-Hatton: https://pod.fo/e/18cd7c

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