Have you ever run a marathon? How about a 10k? 5k? I’m sure some of you answered yes to one or more of the above questions. Others said, "Are you crazy? Voluntarily? Not a chance!"

The same tenacity, persistence, discipline, patience and training required to run/walk in a race, are the needed for developing a successful speaking business. (Esp. if you want to have a life too.)

The tips and training principles for long distance running work in life as well.

During the ancient Greek Games, runners ran with a lit torch. The fascinating thing was that the winner of the race was not the first man to cross the finish line. Rather, the winner was the first to cross the finish line with his torch still lit.

Don't you think that running to keep the torch lit changed they way they ran? Do you suppose they pulled over in high winds, took detours, slowed down and paced themselves with a double goal in mind? Today, we run as fast and as hard as we can, wanting to be the first across the finish line oblivious of the torch that is lit (or burns out) within our hearts.

In our intense passion to ‘make a difference,’ we often burn out ourselves or our relationships trying to win the race.

Balance is not a static place we try to get to, it’s a dynamic process that we consciously/unconsciously live out each day by our choices. To simplify one’s life does not mean to make it simple. It means living with clarity about what really matters. Keeping these priorities in the forefront of our decision making helps us simply our lives and take charge of our health and business.

If you find yourself running on empty, stop (the toughest part) and evaluate what you’re spending your time, energy and money on. When we start the race, we usually have a clear goal. In the December 1992 issue of Professional Speaker, Ray Pelletier, CSP, described his soul searching after Hurricane Andrew devastated his home town and life. "…Then came the questions I wasn’t sure I wanted to answer. Am I married to my business or my wife? Am I focused on raising my children or my net worth? Do I long for the applause of heaven or of my audience?"

The following training principles and tips have worked for my clients and myself.

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #1 Compete at the level that best suits your abilities and strengths - otherwise the price you pay for competing may be too great.

During the October ‘96 Twin Cities Marathon my friend Alice, while running a personal best time, chose to pull out at the 19 mile mark with a knee injury. The medics said if she finished the race, she could might never run again. Pulling out was tough, but it was smart.

"You’re gone too much," a spouse says, "Even when you’re here, you’re not here." Decide what is the cost of continuing at your current pace.

Or ask Joe Calloway, CSP, CPAE. He says, he’s the recovering ‘’poster boy for burnout.’ He plunged into the business with good intentions only to get caught up in the whirlwind of success and money.

Write down the three things you value most in life. Next, look through your checkbook and daytimer to see if your choices match your stated values. Ask a spouse/significant other, close friend and acquaintance what three things they see you valuing the most. Are the lists congruent? We can claim we value relationships above schedules, health above money, and peace of mind above notoriety, but choices don’t lie.

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #2: Train for the race you intend to run in. Avoid overtraining.

If you are running a 26.2 mile marathon, you will train differently than a 10K(6.miles). The time commitment will vary as will the intensity of the physical effort. (Even though a 10k might as well be 26 miles.) Decide at what level you can best compete in the speaking business. If running a full marathon is impossible given your current limitations or chosen lifestyle, compete in shorter (less demanding) races.

Less demanding may mean postponing a book, traveling less often than you should, clearly limiting commitments. Set clear boundaries around yourself.

Overtraining in your professional life will not enhance your personal life. There will be seasons of life or periods that require concentrated effort. These are the exceptions, not the rule.

Many speakers choose a monetary amount or a certain number of overnights per month that determine when their months close-out. Liz Curtis Higgs has a tough time saying "No," so she doesn’t answer the phone! Some refuse engagements on birthdays or anniversaries, except to warm places. (I brought Jack to a speaking engagement in Mexico for his birthday.)

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #3 Listen to your body to avoid injury.

Athletes are very good at something called proprioception. They sense and relate well to their bodies as it relates and functions in the world around them. They know how loose or tight their muscles are. They listen to their level of fatigue, energy, balance and coordination.

If an athlete ignores fatigue and stress symptoms his/her performance diminishes. Before most crisis, we have symptoms that indicate something is not right. It may be ongoing headaches, backaches, overeating, overdrinking, fighting with loved ones or a loss of creativity. Our bodies and emotions are great about signaling for help. Unfortunately, we ignore the signals and medicate the symptoms or go on the road hoping problems resolve themselves.

Slow down, so you can catch up. It takes time to be healthy, but it takes more time recover from illness.

It makes more sense to delve deeper and expand business with existing clients than conjure up new ones. The same is true for relationships. It takes courage to slow down and explore solutions. Habits that diminish our physical and emotional health are hard to break, but if neglected, ruin our performance.

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #4 Flexibility is essential to effective training and performance.

In sports inflexibility causes injuries. Flexibility enhances performance. In life, the same is true. Rarely does a day unfold as planned. Clients need more of me than I have to give, vendors fail to perform as expected, clients cancel speaking engagements and pay accounts late. Our kids have performances at inconvenient times; parents need our help more often than anticipated, etc. Life is unpredictable. How flexible or resilient you are will determine the amount of imbalance you will experience. The bamboo plant survives the deadliest of storms because it bends with high winds.

Practice flexibility. Physical and emotional flexibility prevents injuries to our bodies and relationships.

Are you multi-dimensional? Have you become so business focused, your only interests or friends are in this business? Remember having friends because of common interests, not because they made good contacts? Being ‘other-centered’ also helps you remain flexible during challenging times. Be like bamboo.

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #5 Get a coach.

A coach guides, directs, encourages, corrects and inspires an individual or team. In the Olympics, there isn’t a single competitor without a coach. Coaches bring the experience and objectivity we lose in our everyday lives.

I am part of a success team where I arrive hungry/starved for business advice, while others on the team come for personal balance and accountability. We counsel, encourage and coach one another.

Within NSA there are coaches and teams (local chapters and mentor programs) to hold you accountable for keeping first things first. Hire a Life Management coach to work with you.

Small means different. Small does not mean insignificant. Success is relative. An author of 15 books I know doesn’t feel he’s "made it" yet. I’d feel pretty darn good finishing the one I’m working on.

We all have to do the ‘little things’ first to achieve our own success and balance. This powerful statement woke me up: "God doesn’t give big assignments to a small character." I need to develop my small character, in order to handle the bigger assignments when they come my way in speaking or in my personal life.

To maintain basic health, move for a minimum of thirty minutes a day (the Surgeon General’s suggestion). Walk everywhere. Avoid elevators and escalators. Carry your own luggage. Eat for physical health first, then for your emotions. Drink 8 glasses of water a day. Try doing this one glass at a time. Remember, the race is won one step at a time.

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #7 Pace yourself.

Ever find yourself saying, "I have to get this done by…" and then realize you alone are pushing the deadline. I have to have my book out by…I have to get that speaking engagement or contract…I have to make 50 phone calls a day. You don’t have to do anything. You choose to do it. You choose what you eat or don’t eat, you choose to sit, ride or walk. You choose to get out one more letter instead of call home. You choose to have balance or imbalance.

It’s all about personal responsibility and choice. You decide to limit your bookings you take. You decide to schedule exercise time. You choose quiet time to begin or end your day. My greatest secret to successfully balancing my life is found in these quiet moments that set the day’s tone. No, it’s not easy to do, but it’s essential for me to run/live well.

The ultimate question is: "What is really important to you?"

Train smart, live well. Run your personal best time. Cross the finish line with your torch burning bright and your loved ones cheering you on.

Kate Larsen works with people who want to simplify their life and take charge of their health-physically, emotionally, interpersonally, financially, & spiritually. She also works with organizations wanting their people to do more with less stress. For information on how to consult with Kate or for her to speak to your organization contact her at : 612 943-1430 or email:  kate@katelarsen.com

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