A lot of people ask me, "How do you stay sane on the road? When you have nine flights in 15 days and you're delivering all these conferences, how do you not burn out? Physically, it must be exhausting."

They're right. It is. Or it could be.

But my number one answer is always the same: exercise.

As soon as I say that, the next question is usually, "How do you have time to exercise?"

My response? How do you have time to NOT exercise?

If I don't exercise, I'm simply not at my best. I owe it to every audience I speak to to show up as my best self. If I skip my workouts, I'm just not going to bring the same energy to the stage.

My fellow speakers know exactly what I mean. We leave a lot of ourselves on that stage. Giving a keynote isn't just talking, it's giving your energy, your focus, and your passion to every person in the room.

Have you ever gone four or five days without exercising? Do you start feeling sluggish, uncomfortable, and maybe even a little grumpy? That's exactly how I feel.

Exercise changes everything.

When I work out, I release my feel-good chemicals. I get those endorphins flowing. I feel fit. I feel strong. I feel energized. And that makes me excited to step onto the stage.

It also helps me handle the physical demands of my schedule. One day I might be speaking in Paris with a nine-hour time difference, and the next I'm back in Canada speaking in Halifax. Staying active helps me adapt to those challenges.

The key is finding the type of movement that works for you, something that gets you sweating and gets your muscles working. When your muscles contract through the interaction of actin and myosin, your body releases chemicals that boost your mood and energy. That's one of the reasons exercise has such a powerful effect on how you feel.

Sometimes I'm lucky enough to stay at a hotel with a gym. That's great.

When there isn't a gym, there are almost always stairs. I'll walk from my room down to the basement and back up again, repeating the climb several times. It becomes my workout.

Push-ups are another non-negotiable for me. I do them every day. All I need is the floor beside my hotel bed.

The truth is, you don't need an elaborate workout. Even 20 minutes can make a huge difference. It gives your brain that boost of feel-good chemicals, helps you reset your mindset, and prepares you to take on whatever the day brings.

Then you can face the day with confidence and simply say, "Bring it on. I've got this."

Check out some of my previous blog posts...