Spring has sprung, the days are growing longer and warmer, the birds are singing. While some of us may still be making an effort to stay at home as much as possible, and others may be stuck indoors due to inclement spring weather, cabin fever may be getting the best of us.
Whether you set aside a small block in your schedule for a daily neighborhood walk with a mask in hand or head into the backcountry to really get away from it all, small adventures can ground and replenish us in times of stress and crisis.
And for those of us who can’t get kitted out in our best outdoor gear and head to the local hiking trails to catch newts or scale rock faces, you can always get an extra boost and enjoy a bit of armchair traveling from listening to the stories of our top sports and adventure speakers. Although their extreme exploits and treks across hundreds of miles of rugged terrain may not exactly be relatable, they can still inspire and revitalize us.
Here are some of our sportiest and most adventurous keynote speakers to help motivate you to embark on little adventures of your own:
Never the sort to rest on his laurels, Guinness World Record Holder, endurance athlete, and motivational speaker James Lawrence is currently in the midst of another triathlon challenge Conquer100, where he is striving to complete 100 triathlons in 100 days. You can follow along with him in real-time here) and cheer him on.
For those craving tales of globe-trotting teams working together to overcome the odds, adventure racing champion and top keynote speaker Robyn Benincasa is an ideal choice, with her stories of encounters with leeches, daring ascents in the Himalayas, the importance of collaborating to achieve success.
The undersea explorer and archaeologist best known for discovering the Titanic in 1985 (although he’s also been integral in finding numerous other sunken vessels), Robert Ballard has taken part in over 140 expeditions. A captivating motivational keynote speaker, his visually stunning presentations are ideal for arm-chair travelers and the voraciously curious.
Ryan Pyle is an extreme adventurer and top motivational keynote speaker who has won multiple awards for his adventure and travel documentaries. He is considered one of the world’s top photographers and is an energetic presenter to boot.
A motivational and peak performance keynote speaker, Felicity Aston completed a solo journey across Antarctica on skis, earning herself a place as a Guinness World Record Holder and being named as a 2012 Adventurer of the Year by Outside Magazine. Her visually gorgeous presentations provide audiences tangible impressions of what it is like to live and work in Antarctica.
A pioneering endurance swimmer who has completed swims in every ocean of the world, Lewis Pugh is an environmental advocate and a leader in the fight to protect ocean ecosystems. A master storyteller, he’s a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and shares insights on both his efforts to create marine reserves and achieve peak performance.
Sylvia Earle has earned the title “Her Deepness” for logging more than 6,000 hours underwater in her work on ocean conservation. Her undersea adventures have led her to author more than 175 works, including the beautiful Ocean: An Illustrated Atlas.
A top inspirational keynote speaker and daring pilot, Amelia Rose Earhart is the youngest woman to fly around the world in a single-engine plane in the emulation of her namesake. She is also involved in helping other young women go on their own adventures, leading the Fly with Amelia Foundation, which provides flight training scholarships to young women across America.
Ranulph Fiennes started his career as an explorer in 1969, and has adventured in the North and South Poles, performed a 7-day marathon across 7 continents, and summited Everest 3 times; it’s no wonder he’s referred to as the “World’s Greatest Living Explorer.” His motivational speeches impart the necessary mindset to survive no matter the challenges one may come up against.
A documentarian and internationally recognized motivational keynote speaker, Bashinelli has adventured across the globe, living as a nomad in Mongolia and hunting buffalo with the Oglala Lakota nation in the midwest. His myriad experiences have made him a passionate and compelling speaker.
This article was originally published by BigSpeak Apr 28, 2021