Overcoming the inner pig dog

ACTION: Speakers Excellence Managing Director Alexander Schungl cycles from Rosenheim to Eppan and wins bet with Joey Kelly

EPPAN/ROSENHEIM (az). The Managing Director of the agency "Speakers Excellence" and co-organizer of the South Tyrolean Knowledge Forum found himself far from his ideal weight at 95 kilos. Despite several "weight loss efforts," it was only a bet with Joey Kelly that brought about the decisive change. In his younger years, he was athletic and very satisfied with his figure. As his career progressed, his fitness level continued to decline. Alexander Schungl (40), Managing Director of the renowned speaker agency "Speakers Excellence," does not keep his dilemma a secret: "I wanted to do something for my physical well-being, but kept putting it off." Like many people, Schungl, a father of three and entrepreneur, is so busy professionally and privately that there is simply no time for personal well-being. That's the usual excuse. Because those who truly want to, have it in their own hands to carry out a plan. Sometimes all it takes is an "aha" moment. In Schungl's case, this "aha" moment came in May 2017 in the form of Joey Kelly. "After a lecture, I asked him how he manages to juggle all his activities and said that I would also like to do more for my fitness," recalls Schungl, who weighed 95 kilos at the time. Of the many sports activities, only cycling remained. So Kelly suggested that he cycle the 250-kilometer route from Rosenheim to Eppan in one go. If he succeeded, Kelly would appear as a guest speaker at the Knowledge Forum in Bolzano. Schungl was taken aback, but thought about Kelly's words and recalls the turning point: "Within a day, I turned my life around - no alcohol, no carbohydrates, plenty of training, so that I lost 13 kilos in 3 months." With his special way, Kelly managed to "ignite him motivationally." It was also important to post the plan on Facebook, as this subjected him to an expectation pressure. In mid-September, the time had finally come: At one o'clock in the morning, starting in Rosenheim at minus 2 degrees, first his fingers and toes froze, then his bottom hurt, and eventually cramps set in. "On the stretch between Bolzano and Brixen, I had to push beyond the pain threshold," describes Schungl the hardships. At 8 pm, exhausted, he arrived at Schloss Korb at his good friend Ruth Dellago's place, where he was rewarded with cake and beer. Today, Schungl feels fit and more balanced. And he looks forward to Joey Kelly as a speaker at the Knowledge Forum.

"Setting big goals is important"

INTERVIEW: The extreme athlete and multiple award-winning stage star Joey Kelly has made a name for himself as a great motivator BOZEN (az). Joey Kelly (44) became known as a member of the Kelly Family but later devoted himself entirely to endurance and extreme sports. In an interview, he talks about how he assesses the bet with Alexander Schungl, how to best motivate people, and who his South Tyrolean idols are. "Dolomiten": Mr. Schungl says you ignited him motivationally. How does something like that work? Joey Kelly: He has himself to blame for completing this Alpine crossing by bike. He set this goal for himself, pursued it consistently - and that is clearly his success. "D": Nevertheless, he raves about you as a great motivator... Kelly: Many people are in a situation similar to Alexander's: very successful professionally, but lacking time for physical activity, resulting in a decline in fitness. If one thinks about it more closely, it's not that time is lacking, but rather the goal one is working towards. With a clear goal in mind, there is a certain pressure, and so one either follows through with their training or redefines the goal. "D": We can all achieve more if we dare to set high goals - is that the underlying message? Kelly: Everyone should focus on things they enjoy doing. But if one truly wants to, I am convinced that we can push ourselves further on all levels - be it in our professional or personal lives, physically or mentally. "D": So everyone sets their own limits? Kelly: In large parts of Europe today, we live in freedom and with unprecedented possibilities - it is important to recognize these and tap into our personal potential. Even though many people nowadays like to talk everything down, everyone has the power to realize their personal life plan. "D": Speaking of a personal life plan. Did you expect that the audience would still be so enthusiastic about the Kelly Family even today? Kelly: It's an unreal situation that it still works so many years later. 95 percent of our tour is sold out, and the album is on its way to double platinum in Germany. Personally, I find that wonderful, as I get to see my siblings more often. "D": Your bet is somewhat an impulse lecture at the Knowledge Forum in September 2018 in Bolzano. Will you talk about your extreme adventures like participating in the Ironman Hawaii, the Race Across America, or the race to the South Pole with Markus Lanz? Kelly: In the lecture "No Limit - How do I achieve my goal?" I will show the experiences I have had by constantly pushing my limits for two decades. And yes, the experience with Markus Lanz was great. In December 2010, we spent 3 weeks together in a tent at the South Pole, he was always highly motivated in his role as captain, never in a bad mood, and always struck the right tone. In such extreme situations, true character is revealed, and Markus is just a great guy. I am also a fan of another South Tyrolean. "D": Who is it? Kelly: Reinhold Messner has broken all boundaries and achieved something no one had done before him. Additionally, he is extremely intelligent. I am generally enthusiastic about South Tyrol and come to Sulden almost every year, where I have stood on the Ortler and the Königsspitze.