23 Sep What Being a Motivational Speaker Has Taught Me About Life
75 percent of people are terrified of speaking in public, it’s no wonder the thought of stepping onto a stage makes palms sweat and voices shake. As someone who has spoken professionally to hundreds of thousands of Australians, I want to share what being a motivational speaker has taught me about life — along with five lessons I’ve learned on this journey.
How It All Began
Sitting in my parent’s spare room wearing headphones to block out the sound of the TV and my dad snoring on the couch. I started building my dream from scratch. I had just been made redundant from breakfast radio and, after almost two decades in broadcast media, I wasn’t sure what was next.
So, I opened my laptop, built a spreadsheet of schools around Australia, and began cold-calling and emailing. I wanted to inspire kids to chase their dreams just like I had chased mine. For someone with ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, and a history of failing school, a career in TV and radio seemed impossible — yet I’d made it happen. Now I wanted to show students they could do the same.
After weeks of rejection, I finally got a “yes” from Cleveland District State High School. They asked me to deliver a one-hour keynote. I rehearsed obsessively, walking around the suburb I grew up in and speaking out loud three to five times a day until I knew every word.
When the big day came, adrenaline surged. I delivered my talk in 25 minutes, walked off stage — and left the poor HPE teacher scrambling to fill the remaining 35 minutes with 2,000 restless students. I knew I’d blown my shot at a rebooking, but I also knew something more important: my idea had come to life.
Fast forward five years, and I’ve delivered hundreds of keynotes across the country — from billionaires in boardrooms to prep students giggling over fart jokes. Each audience has taught me something new.
And here are the five most important lessons I’ve learned about life (and speaking) along the way.
1. Everybody Has a Story
Every person has faced challenges. While not everyone can relate to your exact journey, we all connect to the emotions behind struggle, resilience, and triumph. The magic is in how you tell it.
2. We Are All the Same
It doesn’t matter what we look like, what we do, how much we earn, or how old we are — we are all made of the same stuff. Unless you’re a psychopath, we all carry past trauma that has shaped who we are. At our core, we’re emotional kids just pretending to be strong adults. Remembering this makes standing in front of any audience less daunting.
3. The More You Do It, the Easier It Gets
My first keynote was a disaster. I promised an hour, delivered 25 minutes, and walked away crushed. But hundreds of talks later, each one has become easier, sharper, and more impactful. Public speaking is terrifying because most people rarely do it. But the only way to grow is to practice, practice, practice.
4. How You Tell Your Story Matters
A story alone won’t cut it. The delivery is everything. Rhythm, emotion, visuals, light and shade — great speaking is an art form, more like conducting an orchestra than reading a script. Audiences are easily distracted. It’s your job to hold their attention with deliberate craft and relentless rehearsal.
5. You Will Love and Hate Your Story
At first, you love telling your story. Then, after the hundredth time, you feel chained to it. But with every new crowd and fresh reaction, you rediscover its power. Dream jobs are still hard work, and balance is key. Have a hobby or passion outside of speaking so that when the applause fades, you’ve still got joy.
I feel this is the same for everyone following their dream. Not everyday is paradise. Sometimes it’s hard, monotonous, mundane and boring… but that’s just how it goes.
Final Thoughts
Being a motivational speaker has taught me that:
We are all fundamentally human.
Everything you want in life is just an idea, sacrifice, and a bold move away.
Public speaking, like life, is about connection, not perfection.
If I can stand on stage with Tourette’s and ADHD, share my story, and turn setbacks into strengths, then anyone can. Everybody has a story worth telling. The secret lies in how you tell it, how often you practice it, and how deeply you connect with the people in front of you.
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