There’s a lot of glamour in the keynote speaking world – from a distance.  You jet into town, stay in a suite at the nice resort where the conference is being held, do your 45-minute keynote, and jet back home.  And for that you get paid a princely sum.  What could be better?

If you’re attracted by the promise of riches, exotic travel, and semi-rock-star status, at least in certain circles, then you should also know what else is involved.  Following are five cautionary notes for those with stars in their eyes about the public speaking world.

It’s a lonely business.  You will likely be on the road half the year.  If you’ve got a young family, especially, but really any family at all, be prepared to miss a lot of moments, both of the birthday kind, and the more ordinary (but still magical) sort.  You can do a lot with technology to stay in touch, but it’s still not the same as being there.  That much travel is tough on relationships.

And yet you’ve got to do a lot of schmoozing.  Now, if you love schmoozing with strangers, this one won’t seem so bad.  But for most people, making small talk with the Midwestern Grocers Association, whom you’re going to see once and then never again, is work.  No offense to the grocers, who put on the best spread ever.   It’s just that when you’re far from home, miles behind on your email and the to-do list, and wanting to connect with the family, cocktail party chit-chat can be tough.

Did I mention the travel?  Sure, sometimes you can pull off the upgrade, and you’ve certainly got the miles.  But all too often, it’s a connecting flight and you’re sprinting across the airport hoping to make the connection, dragging your bag because you never, ever check the suitcase with your speaking clothes in it.  For obvious reasons.

I’ll always remember arriving in Newark on a flight (delayed) well after midnight, no chance to make the connection, having to check into the airport hotel.  No clerk on duty.  It was about 3:00 am by the time I was in the room only to discover that the ceiling was leaking.  On the suitcase with the speaking clothes in it.  The next flight out was for 6:00 AM.  The speech was for 10:00 AM.  I might just make it.  The question: was there enough coffee in Newark to get me awake enough to give the speech?

There are some terminals in various airports around the world I know as well as my own living room.  LHR Terminal 5, I’m looking at you.

You’ve got to love repetition. You’re being hired for your expertise. That means, fundamentally, you’re going to be saying the same thing over and over again.  To different people.  That means giving each audience the same basic orientation in your field.  If you don’t love that idea, then you should look for another line of work.

And then there’s the adrenaline cycle.  To be a professional speaker means to become intimately aware of the particulars of your own adrenaline cycle.  And the nerves beforehand are only part of it.  In some ways, the worst part is the slow crash after the speech.  You’re wired, so you can’t easily settle down to desk work.  It may be midnight, the rest of the hotel has pretty much gone to bed, and you’re still buzzing.  And when you finally do come down, the low energy-low morale part of the cycle can be devastating if you’re not prepared for it.  Or even if you are.  That’s when you question your life choices most assiduously:  it’s 2:00 AM, you’re wide awake, you know you have to be on form tomorrow –today — too, yet your brain is busy doing a post-mortem on the speech you’ve just given.

Sure, there are harder jobs.  And I’m not discounting the glorious aspects.  But it’s important to be aware, if you’re attracted by the glamor, of the tougher parts of professional speaking.

OK, if you’ve read this far, you deserve a little inspiration.  Here’s a Speaker’s Mantra to keep you going if you’ve absorbed the points above and are still determined to give it a shot.

Your human imperfection is your perfection as a speaker.  Your work is to learn both your content and your craft, and to learn to love the whole process.  Your work starts with yourself:  always pay attention to what you’ve achieved so far – and how far you’ve come.  Find peace in your memories, attention in the present, and hope in your future.  Let go of all the rest.  Don’t let anyone else tell you how to be yourself; only you can find your own voice.  Be strong and confident in that:  no one else has gone on your journey, and no one else will.  You can only be the best version of yourself.  Find your gifts and put them to work.