A question I get a lot is, “How do you manage your mindset and energy before a talk?” Great question! Your mindset and energy have a direct impact on your delivery. You can have amazing content but if it’s not delivered well, you won’t get Crazy Good results!

Create an Energy Protection Plan

This strategy comes from step 10 of the Crazy Good Talks™ Blueprint. What I’ve done, and what I recommend you do, is create an Energy Protection Plan (EPP). An EPP is a series of practices put in place to protect your mindset and energy. I strongly suggest you create your own EPP because it ensures that when you’re onstage you are totally present for your audience and can give your best possible talk.

My Energy Protection Plan

1) No more e-mails, texts, or phone calls at least one hour prior to my presentation. Receiving news that I’m not expecting or don’t want to hear lowers my energy and affects my confidence. This, in turn, affects my delivery and conversion rate. To avoid this risk, I put away my phone before my talks.

2) Listen to and sing along with uplifting music. Alone. In my car. I love Christian Rock and listening to it puts me in the head and heart space for doing my best and really serving my audience. I also love “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey and can belt that out like nobody’s business!

3) Move at a slower pace. Nothing gets me sweating and stressing more than being late. If I’m speaking first at a conference and haven’t been able to check in with the AV team the night before, I typically arrive 60 minutes before I speak. This gives me time to get set up and to address any environmental or tech issues. If I’ve already checked in with the team or we’ve had an official sound check, then I arrive 30 minutes before I speak. If I’m not first up, I like to go watch the speakers before me. This gets me in the groove of the conference and gives me material I can use when I take the stage.

4) Pray. A prayer that helps me stay focused and keeps me from getting anxious is, “Lord, please let me forget myself, remember my speech, and bless my audience.”

What practices can you put in place to protect your mindset and energy? For access to bonus content that will help you figure that out, watch Episode 11 of Crazy Good Talks TV!