“...hustle and hard work might get you past a certain project or deadline, but then habits will help you last over the long haul, right? So build a business that doesn’t ultimately break you over time.”

What does it take to build a speaking business and a life that lasts? In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab, host Grant Baldwin sits down with his longtime friend Chris Ducker, who just released his new book, The Long-Haul Leader. Together, they dig into the real strategies behind sustainable success, steering clear of the non-stop hustle that risks burnout.

Chris shares candid insights from his entrepreneurial journey and research, emphasizing that while hustle is required in the early days, you can’t stay in high gear forever. Instead, he champions the power of habits, boundaries, and honest self-care, arguing that protecting your energy is more important than squeezing every last minute from your calendar.

The episode is packed with valuable advice: how to recognize burnout before it hits, why recovery is a competitive edge, and how to make sure your business supports your life, not the other way around. If you’ve ever wondered how to chase big goals without losing yourself along the way, don’t miss this conversation, and check out Chris’s new book for even more practical wisdom on becoming a true long-haul leader!

You’ll learn:

Building lasting habits over perpetual hustle
Redefining success to include health, relationships, and joy
Navigating the nature of starting a business
Aligning business priorities to support personal well-being
Big-picture thinking without neglecting current obligations
About Chris’ new book The Long-Haul Leader
Reframing self-care as strategic, not selfish
Distinguishing between busy seasons and burnout
The importance of adaptability
And much, much more!

“What you have to understand is that success, even initially, should not cost you your health, it shouldn’t cost you your family, it shouldn’t cost you your relationships or your joy of the work that you’re doing.”

Episode Resources

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 522: Promise, Not Perfection (Genesis 12-50) | Derrick Miller | February 15th, 2026