How will I show up today? That was the question running through my mind this morning.
And if I’m honest…I felt depleted. It’s Ramadan.
I’m fasting. I have a nine-month-old at home. There are care responsibilities — both with my young family and with my parents.
There is deep work with CEO clients. Guiding and training fellow coaches who are working with complex leadership challenges. And even some global business pressures against a difficult global narrative.
Life is full.
But later today I’ll be hosting a training session where I’ll be showcasing some of the best professional speaking methods on the planet. And here’s the interesting thing. Even after 20 years of high-level professional speaking and coaching, a question still crosses my mind before I walk into a room:
How will I show up today? Because I’ve learned something important.
Your knowledge matters.
Your experience matters.
Your preparation matters.
But if your energy is not right, everything falls flat. You can have the best ideas in the world. But if your energy doesn’t land, the room doesn’t move.
The Modern Speaking Challenge
In today’s world we are increasingly being asked to show up and perform. We are expected to:
• present in meetings
• hold space for teams
• run workshops
• appear on camera
• inspire people in town halls
Sometimes after spending eight hours behind a laptop.
People assume you can simply close your laptop…
put your jacket on…
walk into the office…
…and suddenly command a room.
Or worse. Walk onto a stage in front of 1,000 people and inspire them.
But here’s the truth. That is not a natural transition.
You Are What You Repeat
Most of us spend our days:
• seated
• behind screens
• typing
• responding
• consuming information
Then we expect ourselves to suddenly stand up…. and own physical space.
But the reality is simple: We are our habits.
If your daily rhythm is passive, quiet and screen-based, it is very difficult to suddenly become energetic, expansive and commanding in front of people. Speaking is not just a skill. It is an energy state. And energy states come from what we repeatedly do.
Back to This Morning
So back to today.
I woke up at 4am. Not because I’m part of some elite “4am success club”. But because it’s the final days of Ramadan and I needed to eat before fasting began. But after breakfast, I made a conscious decision. Despite the fatigue, I asked myself:
How am I going to show up today?
Because energy is not something that simply appears.
It’s something you create intentionally.
So before the training session even began, I started preparing my energy — not just my slides.
Movement.
Breath.
Voice.
I stood up.
I walked through our local woodland. I did a quick outdoor circuit for fifteen minutes, telling myself:
Something is better than nothing.
I smiled.
I greeted strangers.
I made small conversations on my walk — what I call meaningful small talk.
And something shifted.
My physiology changed.
My state of mind lifted.
My energy began to flow.
Interestingly, towards the end of the walk, strangers started greeting me as they passed. Earlier, they hadn’t.
Clearly I was emitting a different kind of presence.
Carrying That Energy Into the Room
I carried that energy into the training room.
Relaxed eye contact.
Smiling.
Connecting with people.
And suddenly the session worked. Because I noticed something fascinating. The delegates reflected the energy I brought into the room. Their engagement mirrored my state. Their attention mirrored my presence. Because if I want the room to feel energy…
I have to generate it first.
The Key Message
Great speaking is not just about what you say. It’s about the state you bring into the room. And that state is shaped long before you step on stage.
It is shaped by:
• your habits
• your physiology
• your preparation
• your energy
Because when the energy is right…
People listen differently.
They lean in.
They engage.
And suddenly…
your message lands.
Before your next presentation, workshop or meeting, ask yourself one simple question:
What energy am I bringing into the room today?
Tags: Audience, Energy, Executive Coaching, Public Speaking, Public Speaking Coaching
