Warren Macdonald’s Story
Warren Macdonald has always had a taste for adventure. His affinity with wild places, and bearing witness to their disappearance (through clear-cut logging), led him to become a committed environmentalist. What does committed mean? He was once arrested after having to be cut by an angle grinder from beneath a D9 bulldozer. The charge was dropped, by the way, but that’s another story…
In April 1997 Warren set out on what was supposed to be a revitalizing, grounding, backpacking trip to Hinchinbrook Island, off the northeast coast of Australia. His life would never be the same again. Climbing to the summit of the islands tallest peak, he became trapped beneath a one-ton boulder in a freak rock fall. His companion, Geert van Keulen, a Dutch traveller he’d met the day before, his only hope for survival. As Warren lay crushed, Geert raced down the mountain to get help. Warren’s “test of will” lasted two days before a helicopter arrived, and he was rescued. The accident would cost him the loss of both legs, amputated at mid thigh.
Obviously, he survived, but Warren’s story doesn’t end there; far from it. It was after the accident that things got really interesting…
Just ten months later, Warren 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). More recently, in a spectacular effort requiring 2800 pull-ups over 3 days, made an ascent of America’s tallest cliff face, El Capitan.
Warren currently lives in the Canadian Rockies with his partner Margo Talbot.
How Warren Can Help
Imagine what it would mean to have your team:
- Genuinely engaged and motivated.
- Acting with a newfound sense of purpose and perspective.
- Actively seeking solutions to challenges faced.
- Switch their reaction to change from “Not my job” to “I’m on it!”
All of these and more needn’t remain a dream… Warren Macdonald can help change the way you see the world, and your place in it….
One of life’s certainties is that nothing stays the same; that things change and this in itself can be challenging. Equipping yourself and those around you with a mindset that seeks solutions, that looks for opportunities rather than obstacles may well be the best investment you’ll ever make.
That’s where inspirational keynote speaker/ motivational speaker Warren Macdonald comes in…
What People are Saying…
“Warren’s true to life story, told in a humorous and thought provoking style, went well beyond theories and concepts to provide a fresh perspective about the challenge of change. He truly inspired our attendees to think differently, to view change not as “the end of the world”, but as an opportunity for personal and professional growth.
“As an organization that promotes learning as one its key goals we want our audience to learn from experiences outside the industry; to acknowledge that there is more to life than what we do for a living. Having Warren share lessons that apply to all aspects of our members lives added an authentic “take home” value that fosters continued growth long after the conference has ended.
“Warren taught our attendees that change or uncontrollable events may alter the status quo but do not prevent someone from growing, learning or moving ahead in life. In fact, Warren’s story clearly showed us that when change takes us beyond our comfort zones, it can be a powerful catalyst for growth and that regardless of the situation challenges can be overcome by positive thought, hard work and perseverance.
“For this we thank you.”
–Central 1 Credit Union
“I want to take this opportunity to thank you once again for helping to make our event a huge success. You understood from our pre-event conversation exactly what it was we needed to convey and delivered that message in an engaging and thought provoking way.
“By skillfully blending your story with challenges currently facing our industry (obviously, you’d done your homework) you managed to convey to us not so much what we wanted to hear, but what we needed to hear.
“Your message “when we change the way we see the world, we change the world” resonated profoundly with our group, reinforcing for us how our perception, beginning with the way we see ourselves, effects others. Helping us to see this so clearly has proved invaluable in our dealing, not only with our clients, but amongst ourselves. For this we thank you.”
–Shoppers Home Health Care
“Recognizing that the RCMP organization is undergoing significant change, the Pacific Region Training Center’s June 2009 POWPM theme was “A Vision for Change”. Warren MacDonald was our key speaker for the event. His story of challenge, perseverance, determination, tenacity, and courage was inspirational and moving. Months after our POWPM, PRTC personnel are still talking about him.
“Warren MacDonald spent considerable effort to understand his audience with the result that his presentation was relevant for our organization. The presentation was delivered with humor and wit. Warren MacDonald is an extraordinary speaker with a powerful message of the positive nature of change. His message is thought provoking, informative, and inspirational.“
–OIC Support Services Pacific Region Training Center RCMP
“Your opening keynote was the perfect start to our annual conference! Your compelling story and remarkable accomplishments proved to be an enormous inspiration for our delegates, setting the tone for following sessions with your message referred to and discussed throughout the rest our conference.
“Your presentation was the highlight for many of our attendees and I wanted to share some of the comments we received when they were asked what they felt was the best aspect of the conference:
The opening keynote—I have quoted from or used Warren as an example with several clients since then and it has proved to be useful to them in their personal struggle.
“The keynote was a great inspiration, really helps to put the work we do with clients in perspective, and to focus on the positive influence we can have in their lives.
“The keynote speaker was amazing!!! When I’m coming up with excuses as to why I shouldn’t do something, I just think of him and all that he’s accomplished!
“Thanks for taking the time to talk to us and learn about our challenges and objectives. Clearly you listened, because your message felt like it was created just for us, making the valuable lesson you shared all the more accessible and applicable in both our professional and personal lives.“
–Career Management Association of BC