W Mitchell

W Mitchell survived injuries covering 65 percent of his body in a motorcycle fire. Four years later, a small plane he was piloting crashed, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Between and after those events, he built two successful businesses, served as mayor of Crested Butte, Colorado, ran for Congress, and became one of the most recognized motivational speakers in the world. His message, delivered from a wheelchair with complete authority, is simple: it is not what happens to you, it is what you do about it.

The Power of Perspective

Mitchell’s keynotes do not traffic in the kind of upbeat perseverance messaging that audiences have heard many times before. His delivery is direct, occasionally irreverent, and grounded in two specific sets of circumstances that most people can hardly imagine. He challenges audiences to examine the stories they tell themselves about their own limitations and to consider whether those stories are serving them.

Four Decades, Millions of Audience Members

Mitchell has presented to audiences on every continent and has been recognized by organizations in every sector for a message that holds across industries, cultures, and professional contexts. He is a bestselling author, a licensed pilot and hot air balloon pilot, and a white-water river guide. The fullness of his life after his accidents is itself part of the argument he makes on stage.

W Mitchell keynotes are booked for events focused on resilience, overcoming adversity, the power of perspective, and motivating individuals and teams to move past the circumstances that seem to be defining their limits.

What does W Mitchell speak about?

W Mitchell speaks on resilience and the idea that what matters is not what happens to you but what you do about it, drawing on surviving severe burns and later paralysis. His keynotes challenge audiences to redefine setbacks as choices rather than endings.

What is W Mitchell’s background?

Mitchell survived burns over 65 percent of his body and, years later, a plane crash that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He is a bestselling author and one of the most recognized voices on resilience in the speaking industry.

Who books W Mitchell to speak?

Meeting planners book W Mitchell for healthcare and wellness conferences, association events, and corporate audiences focused on resilience and overcoming adversity.

It’s Not What Happens to You, It’s What You Do About It
Mitchell reveals the core beliefs and proven strategies that lead to his personal and professional successes. He proves to audiences that setbacks can be transformed into new starting points and that we all must take responsibility for the changes in our life. Not only will he demonstrate what it takes, but he will provide the necessary tools that can be used to improve the quality of your unique situation.

Leading With Courage
The willingness to take responsibility is the mark of a leader. Showing courage is what W Mitchell’s life is all about. By being someone who has not let life’s detours determine his course, Mitchell is highly regarded as a leader in business, government and in non-profits. He demonstrates by his life and through his conversations with audiences, the power of choosing your responses. People come away with new insights and tools to help lead others.