Warren Macdonald

Warren Macdonald's life was redefined in April 1997 with an accident on Hinchinbrook Island in Northern Australia when he became trapped beneath a one-ton slab of stone in a freak rock fall. Two days later he was rescued, only to undergo the amputation of both his legs at mid thigh. Just ten months later he displayed the courage he now shares with audiences worldwide, successfully summiting Australia's toughest mountain summit! Warren recognizes change as a process, not an end result and his ability to share insights on how we can all live "larger than we dreamt possible", sees him increasingly in demand as a speaker and corporate motivator.

Just ten months following his accident, he climbed Tasmania's Cradle Mountain using a modified wheelchair and the seat of his pants. In February 2003, he became the first double above-knee amputee to reach the summit of Africa's tallest peak, Mt Kilimanjaro (19,222ft), and more recently, in a spectacular effort requiring more than 2,800 pull-ups over 4 days, created history once again in an ascent of America's tallest cliff face, El Capitan. He is also the only above knee amputee to make an ascent of Canada's landmark frozen waterfall, the 600 ft "Weeping Wall" in Alberta.

Warren's first book, A Test of Will is an Australian bestseller and the subject of the "Trapped under a Boulder" episode of the Discovery Channel series I Shouldn't Be Alive. His film documenting the epic four-week journey to Federation Peak, Australia most challenging mountain summit, The Second Step, has been acclaimed worldwide, screening on National Geographic Television and winning eight international awards including Grand Prize at the prestigious Banff Mountain Film Festival.

Warren has appeared on numerous news and current affairs programs, including Larry King Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos. He has written articles for CNN World Edition, Australian Geographic, Speaking of Impact and Professional Speaker.

Challenge of Change: Finding Opportunity in Adversity

We've all heard it a million times; "change is constant", "the only certainty in life is change", "change or perish". We all know it; what we need is for someone to show us how to deal with it. Warren's "Challenge of Change" presentation will help your group realize that challenges brought on by change hold endless opportunities for innovation as well as personal and professional growth. That it is possible to not just survive, but to thrive despite adversity.

This presentation is designed to provide you with four outcomes:

• The ability to recognize and breakthrough mental barriers to change;
• Tools to turn change and challenge into catalysts for both business and personal growth;
• A powerful shift in thinking that will put challenges into perspective;
• A mindset that seeks solutions and opportunities.
  Warren Macdonald is represented by K&M Productions for speaking engagements. For more information and booking Warren Macdonald simply contact us.

It's the End of the World as We Know It, and I Feel Fine

Take a lesson from someone who has seen his world change on a scale few could imagine… Waking from the operation that claimed both legs, Warren woke to a whole new world, a whole new reality. Navigating a new world takes courage, that’s for sure, but our number one tool in creating our future is PERCEPTION.

We need a vision for the kind of world we want to live in. Make no mistake, the world changed in October 2008; it will never be the same again. You can react to that statement with fear, or apathy, or straight out denial, or you can respond from a place of possibility. We have an opportunity now to create something new; something better. But we need to see it first.

Warren Macdonald can help us form that vision for a better world. In this keynote presentation, Warren shares the lessons and tools he’s used to create a remarkable life from what many would have considered a "game over" scenario.

Outcomes include:

• The resilience and ability to adapt to the new economy;
• A sense of responsibility leading to ownership and engagement;
• Excitement and hope instead of fear for the future.

One of life’s certainties is that nothing stays the same; the current economic crisis is cold, hard evidence of that. Creating a mindset that seeks solutions, that looks for opportunities rather than obstacles amidst uncertainty may well be the best investment you’ll ever make.

One Step Beyond - Setting And Reaching Impossible Goals

It’s all well and good to set seemingly impossible goals; the kind that has your team looking at you like you’re nuts. Like this time you’ve really lost it… You need them to see what you see. You need to convince them, to inspire your team to follow you. To show them what is possible when you’re prepared to go One Step Beyond:

• Beyond ordinary
• Beyond conventional
• Beyond perceived limitations

This presentation is designed to provide you with three outcomes:

• Reinforced understanding of the power of purpose i.e.: when we have purpose, we have an edge;
• The ability to see obstacles as stepping stones towards our goals;
• A clear understanding of the importance of preparation in reaching your goals.