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Pro or Amateur: What Really Sets Public Speakers Apart?

Are you simply dabbling or are you pursuing mastery in your speaking career?

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Public speaking

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Michael

Port

Co-Founder

minute read

Published on

November 4, 2024

For speakers who want to master the craft of ideation, speech writing, and stage performance, CORE | The Breakthrough Experience is where it all begins.

Some speakers write and rehearse transformational speeches, deliver keynotes on stages all over the world, and command fees of over $30,000 per gig.

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Other consultants and business coaches use speaking as a marketing strategy—they share their messages to grow their businesses, generate revenue, and earn new leads.

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Then there are the community leaders who share their stories simply for the personal satisfaction of spreading their message.

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In the speaking world, some choose to pursue mastery, while others are content with dabbling.

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But what’s the difference? George Leonard dives into these important concepts in his book Mastery. He explains that mastery requires continuous deep work and focus, while dabbling allows for exploration without full commitment.

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Now, neither is better or more worthwhile than the other. It’s simply a matter of choosing the path that aligns with your personal goals.

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Your goals as a speaker determine the level of dedication and level of professionalism you decide to commit to your speaking endeavors. Are you pursuing mastery? Or are you content to dabble?

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Mastery or Dabbling—which one is right for you?

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Both mastery and dabbling are equally valid approaches to any discipline—neither is better than the other. What truly matters is that your goals and actions as a speaker are in alignment.

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So, to determine which one is right for you, first consider your speaking goals:

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What is your purpose as a speaker? What is your why? Do you want to make a living? Gain exposure? Or simply share knowledge?
How much time and effort are you willing to invest in developing your craft? Are you willing to do the deep work to pursue mastery?
Is speaking your main interest, or is it a secondary or tertiary interest? Where do you see yourself in three, five, or ten years?
Are the stakes in your speaking high enough to demand mastery? What are your long-term ambitions?

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Not everyone needs to be a master or professional speaker to be successful. If your goal is to share knowledge or raise awareness for a cause, if speaking is a secondary interest, or if you simply don’t plan on speaking frequently enough to make it worth your while, perhaps pursuing mastery is too much of a time commitment.

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Dabbling in speaking might be enough for you to share your knowledge effectively while still dedicating yourself to other interests. Your unique goals will determine your path and the direction you decide to pursue.

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When the stakes for a speech are low, dabbling can be sufficient to deliver the expected value. However, when the stakes are high, the pursuit of mastery is the only path that will yield the desired impact.

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If you want to make a living as a professional speaker, demonstrating professionalism and a high level of mastery will make it much easier to command higher fees and create a sustainable speaking career.

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If you have big goals for your speech—regardless of whether you want to be paid to speak or not—honing your craft and upleveling your speaking abilities will make your message more powerful and life-changing for your audience.

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If you want to change the way people feel, think, and act with your words—and do it in a meaningful and unforgettable way—investing the time and effort into pursuing mastery might be the right decision for you.

Full Transcript

Don't

make the mistake of pursuing a path that doesn’t lead you to your desired destination.

determine your specific speaking goals and align your approach accordingly.

Professional Speakers vs. Amateur Speakers

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The approach you take to speaking fundamentally shapes your impact and purpose. Some speakers dedicate themselves to making it a primary revenue source, while others view it as a platform to share knowledge and attract clients in the wake of their presentations.

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What is a professional speaker?

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Now, a professional speaker isn't defined in the same way by all people. But most definitions agree that a professional speaker is someone who is paid to speak in front of audiences, typically at conferences, seminars, corporate events, and other gatherings.

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However, this is just the beginning. Being a professional speaker requires much more.

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Professionals possess deep knowledge and are recognized for their thought leadership. They develop and share visionary ideas and innovative methods—often challenging the status quo, tackling significant problems, and reshaping the way people think. Unlike experts who focus on today’s best practices, these visionaries paint a picture of what the future could hold for people who accept and apply their ideas.

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Professionals consistently deliver transformational experiences. They captivate and engage audiences, using storytelling, humor, and other techniques to make their message compelling and memorable. Their delivery is polished and confident, often honed through years of practice and feedback.

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Professionals are reliable. They’re always able to deliver the same high-quality speech—under any circumstance or condition. This reliability gives meeting planners a deep sense of security; they know exactly what they’re getting and can count on receiving it every time, without fail. A professional understands that their ability to deliver on promises directly impacts the meeting planner’s reputation and job security—and they don’t take that responsibility lightly.

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Professionals build sustainable speaking careers. Speaking professionally involves more than just delivering speeches. It includes managing the business aspects of speaking engagements (such as negotiating fees, handling contractual agreements, and mastering the logistics of event planning). It requires a high level of professionalism in all interactions—this includes being able to speak the same language as meeting planners and other professional speakers.

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Professionals are referable speakers. They receive stageside leads and referrals because their work is best-in-class, and because they are reliable and easy to work with. They’ve mastered the many processes associated with professional speaking, making them dependable partners and successful collaborators.

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Professionals constantly hone and improve their craft. They recognize the importance of practice and rehearsal and are committed to ongoing personal and professional development. They stay current with trends in their field, seek feedback, and continuously refine their writing and performance skills.

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A professional speaker is more than someone who speaks well—they are often visionaries who combine deep knowledge and engaging delivery with business acumen and a relentless commitment to refinement. Their goal is to deliver consistently valuable and impactful presentations that not only meet but exceed expectations.

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What is an amateur speaker?

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On the other hand, amateur speakers may also be paid to speak a few times per year, but they may not rely on speaking for their livelihood (or enjoy fees as high as those as professional speakers). Amateur speakers often share best practices, information, and valuable lessons learned.

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Justifiably, they may invest much less time and effort into the quality of their speech. Most amateur speakers “wing it,” without rehearsing or refining their speeches enough to guarantee the consistent, high-quality delivery that would make them referable speakers. This makes it difficult for them to fill their calendars with speaking events or build a sustainable speaking business. However, this approach is perfectly fine if it aligns with their goals and they’re content with booking only occasional, amateur-level speaking engagements.

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For many, speaking isn’t their primary focus, nor their highest priority. They choose to invest their time and energy elsewhere (perhaps in their entrepreneurial endeavors, consulting practices, or nonprofit organizations).

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Now, some amateur speakers do pursue mastery, and find great success in doing so. They uplevel their speeches and make a much greater impact. They are often pleasantly surprised when, as they develop their craft, they begin to get paid—and paid well—for their speeches. They also find greater enjoyment in the work itself, as doing something exceptionally well always brings a deeper sense of satisfaction and pride.

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What separates an amateur speaker from a professional speaker—when both are pursuing mastery—is stepping into the business side of speaking. Professional speakers build sustainable speaking careers, while amateur speakers pursuing mastery usually don’t make their living from speaking.

Don't

Your commitment to speaking and level of professionalism can help you determine whether the pursuit of mastery or simply dabbling in speaking will work for you and your goals.

What sets professional and amateur speakers apart from the rest isn’t how much they make per gig or how often they speak—it’s the decision to pursue mastery.

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Choose your path and commit.

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Mastery requires patience and consistent, deliberate practice—which demands a hefty time commitment. In fact, Leonard argues that mastery is a lifelong journey that requires a focus on the process, rather than an obsession with immediate results.

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If you’re aiming to achieve mastery in public speaking, be prepared to do deep, focused work. This involves consistently developing your content, refining your delivery, increasing the entertainment value of your speech through rehearsal, understanding audience needs, and building processes that demonstrate professionalism.

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It’s a journey that’s rarely linear, and instead filled with plateaus, small wins, big wins, and occasional setbacks. One of the key principles of mastery is regularly pushing yourself out of the comfort zone to explore new challenges—Leonard calls it “pushing the edge.” While this can be scary, those who seek mastery find joy in the journey—even during the mundane, uncomfortable, or challenging parts of learning.

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As you learn to love the daily grind and repetition of rehearsing your speech (after all, the speech is never done), upleveling your craft, and constantly learning more about speech writing and stage development, you’ll achieve true growth.

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If you are pursuing mastery, consider the words of 19th-century visionary photographer Carleton Watkins: “A great education is never given; it must be taken.” Of course, he wasn’t talking about passively watching YouTube videos. He meant that an education needs to be pursued—you need to chase mastery. It won’t just show up one day or magically come to you.

Don't

“I’ve been speaking publicly since my sixth-grade graduation, but what I’ve learned in the past five months at HEROIC—the best keynote speaking company in the world—has been a game changer. Mastering the craft is about more than just standing on a stage—it’s about bringing a huge message to the world, and I’m committed to putting in the reps to make that happen.”

Ang Onorato

Conscious Leadership Trainer, Author, Public Speaker

The best place to pursue mastery

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Pursuing mastery requires learning from a master. Until you’ve studied under and spent time with masters of a craft, you can’t fully grasp what it takes to reach mastery yourself. You need to see it to understand it. The journey is also more meaningful—and often more efficient—when you’re part of a close-knit community of peers who share the same pursuit.

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That’s what we offer here at HEROIC: world-class training and programs that push the edge. Industry-leading development processes that lead you, step by step, to mastery. Performance, writing, and business coaches who see your potential and inspire you to achieve your goals. And a community of bright, encouraging, and creative individuals who might just become some of your greatest assets and closest friends.

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You’ll be supported, nurtured, and yes, challenged, along the way. But here, you’ll belong. Because here at HEROIC, speakers and authors who choose to pursue mastery, do.

Don't

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Professional Speakers vs. Amateur Speakers

‍

What is a professional speaker?

‍

However, this is just the beginning. Being a professional speaker requires much more.

‍

What is an amateur speaker?

‍

Dont

What sets professional and amateur speakers apart from the rest isn’t how much they make per gig or how often they speak—it’s the decision to pursue mastery.

‍

Choose your path and commit.

‍

Don't

Ang Onorato

Conscious Leadership Trainer, Author, Public Speaker

The best place to pursue mastery

‍

You’ll be supported, nurtured, and yes, challenged, along the way. But here, you’ll belong. Because here at HEROIC, speakers and authors who choose to pursue mastery, do.

Don't