Biography

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Ben Nemtin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? and a star of MTV’s highest-rated show ever on iTunes and Amazon called The Buried Life. As the co-founder of The Buried Life movement, Ben’s message of radical possibility has been featured on The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, FOX, and NBC News. President Obama called Ben and The Buried Life “inspiration for a new generation,” and Oprah declared their mission “truly inspiring.”

An acclaimed keynote speaker, Ben Nemtin has headlined business conferences and Fortune 100 leadership teams worldwide, garnering standing ovations from AIG, Anthem, Amazon, FedEx, Harvard, Microsoft, Verizon, and more. Ben is recognized as one of the World’s Best Motivational Speakers and the World’s Top Organizational Culture Thought Leaders by Global Gurus (2019, 2020).

In his first year of university, Ben Nemtin was unexpectedly hit with a depression that forced him to drop out. In an attempt to feel more alive, he created the world’s greatest bucket list with his three best friends. They borrowed a rickety old RV and crisscrossed North America, achieving the unthinkable. And most importantly, every time they accomplished a dream, they helped a complete stranger cross something off their bucket list. From playing basketball with President Obama to having a beer with Prince Harry, from reuniting a father and son after seventeen years to surprising a young girl with a much-needed bionic arm— Ben’s bucket list quest has inspired millions to thrive personally and professionally.

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MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

What if "impossible" was just a mindset waiting to be shattered?  Ben’s extraordinary journey—from debilitating depression to achieving 100 seemingly impossible dreams—reveals a powerful truth: impossible is merely a starting point.

Ben weaves the captivating story of how The Buried Life evolved from a simple list of 100 impossible dreams into a global movement, seamlessly connecting these lessons to the fabric of our daily life. His remarkable achievements—from creating a hit MTV show to playing basketball with President Obama, from becoming a #1 New York Times bestselling author to sharing beers with Prince Harry—weren’t a matter of luck. They were the direct result of a repeatable system, a proven blueprint for remarkable success that anyone can master.

This isn't just another inspirational talk—it's a practical guide to achieving the extraordinary. Ben shares the exact, field-tested framework that empowered his team to defy impossible odds, demonstrating how these principles can transform your biggest challenges into your greatest triumphs. He reveals how small, consistent actions compound like interest over time, generating unstoppable momentum that turns seemingly impossible goals into inevitable successes.

Ben establishes an undeniable truth: personal growth fuels professional growth, which drives organizational success. Through his journey of completing seemingly impossible dreams, he demonstrates that purpose is the fuel that ignites the impossible and giving back is the catalyst that multiplies your impact exponentially.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS:

- Master the Impossible: Learn Ben’s proven ‘5 Steps to Impossible’ framework and turn ambition into reality.
- Fuel Your Momentum: Discover how purpose-driven action creates unstoppable momentum.
- Build a Resilient Team: Forge a high-performing team by connecting individual fulfillment with organizational success, creating a culture where everyone thrives.
- Accelerate Your Growth Through Giving: Experience the transformative power of helping others and discover how it fuels your own personal and professional growth.
- Unlock Radical Possibility: Embrace a growth mindset and break free from the limitations of “impossible”.
- Amplify Your Impact: Unite your team around a shared purpose and create a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond your immediate goals.

POWERED BY PURPOSE

In today's relentless environment, where uncertainty reigns supreme and burnout threatens even the strongest teams, why do some organizations continue to thrive while others struggle? Ben reveals the game-changing truth: purpose isn’t just a buzzword – it’s the secret weapon that fueled his own extraordinary journey, lifting him from the depths of depression to ignite a global movement and achieve the seemingly impossible.

Through compelling scientific evidence and unforgettable stories, Ben demonstrates how embracing your professional and personal purpose unleashes untapped potential, creates true work-life harmony, and empowers you to become the best version of yourself.

In this revolutionary keynote, discover why purpose-driven individuals and teams are 7x more likely to overcome challenges, focusing on the “why” that ignites passion and resilience. Ben masterfully blends cutting-edge science with captivating storytelling to reveal how purpose transforms organizational culture from the inside out.

Leaders will gain actionable strategies to build trust, authentically demonstrate care for their teams’ well-being, and foster innovation, retention, and breakthrough performance. This isn't merely theoretical—it’s a strategic blueprint for translating purpose into tangible outcomes and cultivating a workplace that inspires genuine passion.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS

- Unleash Your Potential: Discover how aligning your personal and professional purpose fuels sustainable growth and empowers you to become your best self.
- Create Purpose-Driven Retention: Learn how to champion whole-person growth and cultivate a culture of trust, fueling engagement and retention.
-Build Resilience in Uncertainty: Master practical strategies for maintaining well-being and navigating challenges with purpose and unwavering resilience.
-Fuel Success Through Service: Discover the power of purpose-driven leadership to create a culture of service, where helping others becomes a catalyst for individual and collective success.
-Magnify Your Impact: Reconnect to the profound ripple effect of your work and discover how purpose amplifies your impact, even when results are unseen.
-Forge Deeper Connections: Cultivate authentic connections with your team and leadership, fostering a culture that attracts the best talent.

FROM BURNOUT TO BALANCE

What if the secret to peak performance wasn't working harder, but working with deeper purpose? Before becoming a #1 New York Times bestselling author, playing basketball at the White House, and being interviewed by Oprah, Ben faced a formidable opponent: crippling depression. Through his powerful journey, he reveals how purpose transforms burnout into sustainable success and shares a counterintuitive truth that challenges conventional wisdom: prioritizing your well-being isn't selfish—it's the essential foundation of exceptional performance in every aspect of life.

This groundbreaking keynote revolutionizes how organizations approach well-being and performance. Ben demonstrates how genuine work-life harmony creates a powerful positive feedback loop that fuels innovation, dramatically boosts retention, and drives breakthrough results. Through honest personal stories and cutting-edge scientific insights, he shows how personal fulfillment becomes the catalyst for professional excellence.

Using a powerful blend of vulnerability and practical wisdom, Ben provides a proven system for turning life's challenges into opportunities for renewal. He shares the exact tools that helped him build resilience and how sustainable excellence isn’t about pushing harder—it's about aligning your actions with what truly matters... This isn’t another wellness talk—it's an invitation to rediscover what makes you feel truly alive.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS

- Master Your Well-being: Acquire Ben’s ‘Mental Health Toolkit’ and discover 10 powerful practices to transform stress into strength and cultivate lasting resilience.
- Fuel Your Performance: Unlock sustainable energy and peak performance by creating true work-life harmony, where your personal and professional lives thrive in synergy.
-Navigate Life’s Challenges: Develop resilience to effectively manage stress, navigate life’s ups and downs, and emerge stronger from adversity.
-Build a Resilient Team: Empower your team with science-backed strategies to cultivate resilience, foster well-being, and create a culture of support.
-Lead with Vulnerability: Destigmatize mental health and discover how vulnerability can become a source of strength and authentic leadership.
-Unleash Your Full Potential: Infuse your life with passion and energy by prioritizing personal growth and discovering how it ignites professional advancement.

THRIVING IN UNCERTAINTY

In an era where change and disruption are the only constant, leaders face perhaps their most critical challenge: how do you build truly unshakeable teams that don't merely survive disruption—but actively harness it as a catalyst for growth and competitive advantage?

Ben Nemtin’s extraordinary journey from achieving 100 “impossible” goals to helping strangers worldwide achieve their wildest dreams provides a compelling answer: purpose-driven individuals and teams don't just endure change—they transform uncertainty into their decisive advantage, proving that you're always just one step away from turning disruption into opportunity.

Through masterful storytelling and evidence-based insights, Ben demonstrates why those anchored in purpose consistently outperform their peers during periods of disruption, showing leaders exactly how to build this cultural resilience into their teams.

This isn’t another change management talk—it’s a blueprint for organizational transformation. Ben provides leaders with actionable frameworks to not only adapt to change but actively leverage it for unprecedented growth. He reveals the counterintuitive truth that connecting with your deepest values and boldest dreams creates the stability needed to navigate uncertainty with confidence and creativity. This powerful message inspires audiences to embrace cultures of service, gratitude and endless potential— where change becomes the catalyst for your team's greatest breakthroughs.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS

-Embrace the Unknown: Step boldly into uncertainty, push past discomfort, and discover the extraordinary opportunities that lie hidden within disruption.
-Embrace a Growth Mindset: See challenges as opportunities to experiment, innovate, and unlock your organization’s true potential.
-Turn Purpose into Performance: Master a proven framework for turning purpose into performance, fueling growth and success even during disruption.
-Build Your Resilience Toolkit: Acquire practical tools and strategies to increase well-being, navigate uncertainty, and emerge stronger from adversity.
-Unleash Your Potential: Align your personal and professional purpose to build unstoppable momentum.

Testimonials

If you want a lesson in boldness, and to cross things off of your bucket list, there is no better teacher than Ben Nemtin.
– The Tim Ferriss (5x #1 NY Times Bestseller, Host of The Tim Ferriss Podcast, Angel Investor, Speaker)
Ben took the time to understand our company and culture and adapted his presentation for us. He even arrived the day before and attended several of our other conference events and utilized his observations to further customize his remarks for Camden. The feedback from our employees was phenomenal. Many said Ben was the best speaker they had ever seen. Ben is relatable, humorous, inspiring and motivational. He brought energy and a positive message that invoked thought and emotion. We highly recommend Ben.
– Kith Oden (President, Camden Property Trust - 2018 Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For)
I like the way you help folks, keep doing what you’re doing.
– Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
Ben's session was an absolute hit! Hands down my favorite session. The way he worked in so much of our messaging and benefits was truly amazing and so impactful.
– Pinterest
Ben’s virtual keynote was extremely engaging and hit the perfect tone. He combined humor and storytelling to deliver an inspirational message that truly resonated with our staff! In a virtual setting, it can be hard to maintain people’s attention, but the reviews from our staff were unanimous – Ben’s virtual keynote was excellent!
– Greg Higgins, SVP & General Counsel, Wings Financial Credit Union
We hired Ben as our keynote speaker for our virtual national sales conference and received rave reviews. His message was inspirational and highly engaging, but it also included practical steps our team members could take right away to make their "impossibles" possible. He did a tremendous job for us!
– Matt Riebel, SVP, Protective Insurance Company
I’ve received dozens of texts and emails from our partners and managers who expressed that Ben's stories, messages and advice resonated at a time when they are feeling the fatigue of a difficult 2020.
– Anthony Waelter, National Managing Partner, Deloitte
The virtual response was overwhelmingly positive, people LOVED Ben!
– Gene Rapisardi, Market President, Cigna
Ben's virtual keynote opened doors to new client relationships, engagement was through the roof!
– Page Long, Director of Strategic Accounts, Equitable
I think what you’re doing is truly so inspiring.
– Oprah Winfrey Talk Show Host, Actress, Producer, and Philanthropist

Booksby Ben Nemtin

What Do You Want To Do Before You Die?

The Bucket List Journal

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Blog Posts

 

Keep Climbing: Resilience and Grit in the Face of Adversity

There’s a moment in every climb when the summit seems too far, the air too...

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Negotiation isn’t about winning—it’s about understanding. In a world where meaningful communication and true empowerment...

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Why are speakers on building resilience so important? Well, did you know only 19% of...

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"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." – Carl Jung...

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Change is no longer a season. It’s the climate. And we know the top experts...

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