Val Jones

In my keynote, audiences can expect to moved and motivated to explore their limiting beliefs and to be brave enough to formulate a plan to overcome whatever obstacles they are facing. I encourage them to stand up, step up and to never give up in their quest for the best version of themselves. I create an avenue for them to develop a razor sharp mental edge to compete at the highest level in their life or in their career.
I do the same thing during my one day workshop and when I work one-on-one with someone. Only we go deeper and much more intentional and emotional.

I am the youngest of 7 children. I'm not sure if it is nature or nurture, but I am competitive. It isn't what I do, it is who I am. I started figure skating when I was 5 years old. By the time I was 6, I was training 6 hours a day, 6 days a week. My Mom and I moved away from our family home in Sacramento when I was 11 to train in the Bay Area with Brian Boitano and his coach. I shared the ice and the podium with skaters Kristi Yamaguchi, Tonya Hardin and Nancy Kerrigan. Unfortunately, my Dad died when I was 13. He was 50. My life took another huge hit when I was 18 when I suffered a career-ending knee injury. Thirteen years of training for an Olympic dream...gone. I continued on with my life and went to college. I graduated from Kansas State University in 1992. There, I met my future husband. We married in 1994 and in 1999 we had our baby girl. And in 2002 we had our baby boy. I didn't realize that all of those double and triple jumps would have such consequences. In the last 5 years, I have had 5 surgeries. Left rotator cuff, L5/S1 back fusion, right rotator cuff, a full right hip replacement and sinus surgery. I tell you all of this to set up my point. The greatest thing my Dad ever taught me was that it isn't what happens to you in life, it is your attitude about it. I have suffered great loss, great disappoint and great pain. And I can choose to let that define me. But instead, I have let it refine me. I wasn't given the death of a parent, I was given the opportunity to hurt (and hurt like I've never hurt before) and to heal. I wasn't given the disappointment of a lost Olympic dream; I was given the opportunity to redefine who I am and who I am gong to become. I wasn't given a broken body; I was given the opportunity to show my children was never quitting looks like and to develop a mental toughness that I have never had before. I want to help and guide people and organizations identify their obstacles; help them develop strategies to overcome them; and develop a razor sharp mental toughness so that they can live their life better, faster, stronger.

I would like a screen for my slides, a hand held mic/headset.