In the public speaking I have done in my career, I have learned some principles that have guided my preparation.  Perhaps they will be helpful to you.

1.  Know who you are as a speaker.

I don’t try to wow my listeners with high energy that lifts them out of their seats. I am not a motivational speaker; I am a content driven speaker. My presentations are not designed to entertain or excite.  Instead, they provide solid and useful information. Before accepting an invitation, I make sure the organization understands what they get when they schedule me.

I have written about creating a to-do list before.  It is an important way to stay focused on what is important.  I write tomorrow’s list at the end of the day after I mark off what was accomplished on the current day’s list. This helps me stay motivated because I realize that I have accomplished several things.

A system of priorities is helpful.  When I place a “1” by an item, the task is something I absolutely must do. My “2’s” are also high priority. However, if for some reason I move them to the next day; my roof won’t fall in. Then, I label the other items with 3’s and 4’.

For many years I’ve developed what some people call an old-school habit of working on Saturdays. I don’t treat Saturday in the same way I treat Monday through Friday.  However, when I awaken on Saturday morning, I don’t put all my work away.

When I was in the international trade business, I tended to arrive at my office between 5:30 and 6 am on Saturday morning.  By 10 or 11, I could get a lot done without phone calls or meetings. I could reduce my inbox substantially and increase the traffic in my outbox.

Any business leader understands that running a business is a series of overcoming obstacles, one after another. In some instances, it’s physical challenges; other times it could be financial or family.  Paul wrote “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 2:9, ESV)

Recently my wife rearranged our living room. I tend not to make such adjustments, but over a few weeks; I’ve come to appreciate the changes that improved flow and work over the previous room configuration. One of the changes was that she moved my chair from one side of the room to the other. For the first few days when I started walking toward my chair, I would instinctively go the wrong way. Even after six weeks, I caught myself taking two or three steps in the wrong direction.