Fireknife Justyce: The mental toughness behind the flames delivers ideal mental resilience coaching for world’s top leaders

Top CEOs and leaders across the world are constantly looking for ways to enhance their capabilities, strengthen their leadership style and develop their emotional intelligence skills.   While many are continuing to pursue traditional leadership development pathways, others are now turning to more alternative strategies including understanding the mental toughness of elite level high risk entertainers and performers, such as fireknife artists. 

While most people see the fire, danger, speed and the sheer physicality of fireknife dancing, what they don’t see is the mindset. Behind every breathtaking routine is an extraordinary level of mental toughness, the ability to push through pain, conquer fear and stay razor-sharp in the heat of performance.  

FireKnife Justyce is now helping many leaders to develop their capabilities through fire performance and physical training. 

According to FireKnife Justyce, the world’s leading fireknife entertainer, the art is as much about the mind as it is about the body.   

“People think fireknife is just about fitness or skill, but the reality is mental strength is what separates the good from the great,” FireKnife Justyce said. 

“You’re spinning blades on fire at incredible speeds, getting hit, burned, or bruised and still expected to perform with precision and charisma. To do that, you need to be tougher mentally than you are physically.

“Our mental attitude and training is no different to F1 racing car drivers or fighter jet pilots.  We need to maintain the highest levels of focus and resilience in spite of the risks or the pain.”

Elite fireknife performers spend hours each day training not only their bodies but also their minds. The flames and blades are unforgiving and with every rehearsal comes burns, bruises and setbacks. 

Over time, performers develop an incredible tolerance to pain. They learn to endure the sensation of heat and physical impact without breaking focus, training themselves to reframe pain as part of the process rather than a barrier. It becomes something to work through, not something to fear.

FireKnife Justyce explained that the ability to harness fear, stay composed under pressure and perform at the highest level mirrors the qualities required of the world’s top leaders. 

“CEOs and managing directors are constantly operating in high-pressure environments where stakes are high, mistakes can be costly and focus is non-negotiable,” he said. 

Fireknife performers, through their training, cultivate a mindset that directly applies to executive leadership, resilience, clarity under stress and the confidence to push forward even when the environment feels volatile and unforgiving.

“At the top level, it’s not just about being strong or fast. It’s about being mentally unbreakable,” FireKnife Justyce said.

“That’s what allows you to light the knife, step onto the stage and give the audience everything, no matter what happens in the flames. The same principles apply in boardrooms. Leaders who can master their mindset perform better, inspire confidence and create impact.

“I am regularly invited to speak with business leaders after my performances to talk about the training, mentality and approach I adopt to operate at such a high level,” FireKnife Justyce said. 

“I explain the techniques I use to strengthen and maintain my focus and resilience.  I also offer practical exercises leaders can use to incorporate into their own self-development journey.”

With over 20 years of experience and multiple international titles, FireKnife Justyce is proof that fireknife mastery is not only about athleticism but about using mental toughness to overcome fear and perform under pressure. It is this rare ability that positions elite fireknife entertainers as uniquely suited to guide and coach the world’s most powerful business leaders in developing resilience that lasts.

About FireKnife Justyce

Justyce Levi Uepa, known professionally as FireKnife Justyce, is a Sydney-based fireknife entertainer and competitor. With over two decades of experience, he has performed across Australia, the Pacific and the United States, and has won multiple international titles including 1st Place at the International Fireknife Competitions in Tahiti and Auckland (2024). Through his company, Fireknife Entertainment, he delivers world-class fireknife performances while preserving and promoting the Polynesian cultural tradition of siva afi.

Instagram: @fireknifejustyce | TikTok: @fireknifejustyce