Speaker And Performance Coach Will Share What It Takes To Be Your Best
by Ben Newman
As Ben Newman watched his mother battle amyloidosis, a rare medical condition, he began to learn about the power of positivity and the decision to do one’s best. Then, discovering his own mother’s journal and the path to positivity she left for him, Newman was further encouraged to succeed in his own life. “Along with a supportive family, mentors and coaches, I have been enabled to do my best,” he says.
In 2006, as a result of a very fast start in his professional career as a financial adviser, Newman was offered his first opportunity as a speaker. At 26, the offer to do something he did naturally, storytell, while earning a fee on an expenses-paid trip to Chicago seemed like a dream and was a no-brainer to accept.
Eleven years later, Newman, who is now a globally sought -after speaker and performance coach to professional athletes and business leaders alike, continues to work hard and count his good fortune. “At the end of the day, I am a storyteller,” he says. “I share my experience and lessons from my life with emotion. I talk about the opportunity to be the best in our lives. It’s still wild to think that it’s what I get to do now for a living.”
What Newman has learned since that first speech 11 years ago is that for him, it doesn’t end with the speaking engagement. It’s about building relationships, which means focusing on the process and not just the results. “What means so much to me is not the diamonds in the rings but that I have built the relationships,” he says. “I have even been named godfather to a Super Bowl champion’s firstborn son.”
Newman will be sharing his lessons at the Top 100 People to Know Luncheon at the St. Louis Business Expo on April 19 at the St. Charles Convention Center. St. Louis Small Business Monthly spoke with Newman about what he plans to share as well as his own future goals.
If there is an underlying thread or message you share in your keynotes, what is that?
Whether I am working with a Super Bowl champion, an NCAA champion or a business champion, it is the ideas of purpose, process and reframe.
PURPOSE. If each leader understands the hardwiring of the people that they lead and their purpose they have for their work, this allows the individual to connect to what is most important to drive their highest performance.
PROCESS. The process will allow you to stay connected to the ideal daily disciplines to drive your success. Stay focused on the things that you can control, not the things that you can’t control. The most important thing is the opportunity to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and know that you gave your best effort. Nobody can ever take that away from you.
REFRAME. Stay focused on solutions, not problems. Take the Navy SEAL example. You have the opportunity to complain for five minutes, but after that people die. Stay focused on what you can control, shift back to the perspective of something you’ve been through that is tougher, and keep fighting and attacking the process.
While these threads may be present, each of my talks is tailored to the audience. Before I speak, I sit down and ask, “Why are we building this partnership?”
What will you speak on at the April event?
I will focus on the importance of purpose, process, reframe. It’s a relentless mind-set that drives success. Additionally, last year we had a speaking tour (www.YouShouldAttend.com) that I think would be very powerful to discuss, as we are now continuing it this year. There were very valuable lessons that were learned by some of the greatest athletes to ever walk the face of the Earth, including Jerry Rice, Tyron Woodley and Ray Lewis, to name a few. There are very valuable lessons regarding purpose, process and reframing adversity. There are powerful ties of success in our work with athletes that ties into success and our coaching work with business professionals, and I think this would make for a very powerful story.
You have been working with professional athletes over the years. How can the valuable lessons you learned from them be applied to business owners?
Because of my extensive work in athletics and in the business world, the tour further proved that a focus on daily habits drives success whether you’re looking to win a championship on an athletic field or drive the success of an organization. From the time I started speaking in 2006, I am now in the locker rooms helping champions win championships, and I have been able to see how the same tools apply to business owners. This also encouraged me to write a book, “Your Mental Toughness Playbook: 6 Proven Tools Put to the Test.” You can get it free at freeplaybook.net.
What is your No. 1 piece of advice for fellow business leaders?
Empower and inspire those you lead to connect to their purpose to drive to action. My mother also taught me that it’s not how long you live; it’s how you choose to live life. With that in mind, if I can inspire others to be their best, then I’ve done my job.
What inspires you to continue on your path as a speaker?
I have the opportunity to continue to write my mother’s story every single day.
Conversely, how do you hope to inspire others?
By helping others to write the story they want to in their lives. And it goes back to three words: purpose, process and reframe.
What has been your greatest accomplishment so far?
My family. It’s not about the championship rings; it’s about helping others be champions in their own lives. Helping people be their best and building relationships along the way.
Lastly, where do you hope to go with your career in the future?
I have a goal for our company to serve 1 billion people. I’m looking to create immeasurable impact.
The luncheon honoring the Top 100 People To Know is Wednesday, April 19 (11am-1pm) at the St. Charles Convention Center. Tickets are $50 each (tables of 10 are $500). Tickets can be purchased online at https://store.sbmon.com or via phone at 314.569.0076.
Submitted 7 years 21 days ago