SEPTEMBER 29, 2024
Strategy 21:
The Only Thing to Minimize at a Parole
Hearing
Your Fear
Fear is natural in a parole hearing—but letting it take the lead can cost you everything. Strategy 21 encourages you to shift your relationship with fear so that it doesn’t drown out your voice, your truth, or your preparation. This is about stepping into the room with grounded confidence, not bravado, so the Board hears you—not your nerves.
Strategy 21 – The Only Thing to Minimize at a Parole Hearing—Your Fear reminds applicants that fear, if unmanaged, can sabotage even the strongest preparation. This strategy explores how nervousness can appear to the Board as deception, evasion, or lack of insight. It encourages applicants to practice speaking openly about their past and progress in a way that feels truthful and composed. The goal is not to be fearless—but to fear less.
Notes
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The Board is trained to assess credibility. Visible fear, if left unaddressed, may be misread as dishonesty.
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Preparation includes emotional readiness—calming the body, grounding in truth, and owning your story.
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Practicing your answers aloud, roleplaying the hearing environment, and developing simple breathing tools can all help regulate fear responses.
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Authenticity shines most when it’s not clouded by panic.
Recap & Takeaways
Strategy 21 teaches that fear is not your enemy—but it must be managed. Unchecked anxiety can distort your words or silence your insight. Learning to steady yourself under pressure is a critical skill for any parole hearing. You don’t have to perform confidence—you just have to prepare well and speak from truth. The most powerful thing you can bring into the room is presence.
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Each week, we break down a chapter from 36 Strategies of Suitability and explain why it matters.
