Ruben Gonzalez: Latino Inspirational
Olympic keynote speaker Ruben Gonzalez shows audiences how ordinary people achieve extraordinary success through mental toughness, consistent action and the proven strategies he used to become a four-time Olympian.
Quick Facts:
- Highlights:
- Four-time Olympian who competed across four decades
- International expert on mental toughness and high performance
- Clients include Coca-Cola, Dell, Wells Fargo, Oracle and U.S. Treasury
- Featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, Time Magazine and The New York Times
- Formats: Motivational and performance keynote speaker on mental toughness, peak performance, resilience and sustained success.
- Audiences: Corporate teams, sales organizations, leadership groups, professional associations and audiences seeking inspiration paired with actionable performance strategies.
- Outcomes:
- A clear system for building mental toughness and overcoming self-imposed limits.
- Practical tools for sustained performance and long-term success.
- Renewed belief in the power of consistent action to achieve extraordinary goals.
- Travels from: Colorado Springs, CO
- **Fee range: $10,001 - $20,000
Talent Services
Talent Short Bio
Ruben Gonzalez is a four-time Winter Olympian, bestselling author and globally recognized expert on mental toughness whose story proves that anyone can achieve extraordinary results through discipline, resilience and focused action. Far from a natural athlete, Ruben didn’t take up the sport of luge until age 21. Four years later, he was competing in the Olympics, and at 47 he returned to race against competitors half his age in the Vancouver Winter Games. His journey shows that sustained success is attainable when people push beyond limitations and follow a simple, repeatable system for personal effectiveness.
Ruben has delivered his message on stages from Singapore to Dubai, Toronto to Cancun, inspiring corporate audiences with a compelling blend of high-energy storytelling and practical strategies for improvement. His client list includes leading organizations such as Dell, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, Oracle, Farmers Insurance, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Million Dollar Round Table.
A respected figure in the personal development world, Ruben has shared the stage with icons including Zig Ziglar, Denis Waitley and Tom Hopkins, who have praised him as a leader of a new generation of motivational speakers. He has been featured on ABC, CBS and NBC, and highlighted in Time Magazine, The New York Times and media outlets worldwide.
Read Full Bio
A seemingly “ordinary guy,” Ruben Gonzalez wasn’t a gifted athlete. He didn’t take up the sport of luge until he was 21. Against all odds, four years later he was competing in the Winter Olympics. At the age of 47 he was racing against 20-year-olds in the Vancouver Winter Olympics!
Ruben speaks from Olympic experience. He teaches the personal effectiveness system he used to achieve success again and again in both the Olympics and in business. He is proof that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things if they will follow a few simple steps.
From Dubai to Toronto, from Hanoi to Cancun, from Singapore to Africa, Ruben has inspired and motivated audiences around the world.
His client list reads like a Who’s Who of Corporate America: Dell, Coca-Cola, Farmers Insurance, Ortho McNeal, the Million Dollar Round Table, Oracle, Wells Fargo, Century21, and even the U.S. Treasury Department!
Ruben has shared the stage with speaking legends Zig Ziglar, Denis Waitley, and Tom Hopkins. They’ve hailed him as a leader of a new generation of personal development speakers.
As a Four-Time Olympian and internationally recognized expert on developing mental toughness, Ruben Gonzalez knows how to achieve success again and again.
A master storyteller, Ruben uses his Olympic experiences to inspire audiences to think differently, live life with passion and have the courage to take the necessary steps toward their goals – to push beyond self-imposed limitations and to produce better results!
Ruben’s appeared nationally on ABC, CBS, and NBC. He’s been featured in Time Magazine, the NY Times, as well as publications around the world.
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Talent Videos
The Power of Following the Leader | Ruben Gonzalez | TEDxManitouSprings
In this high-energy TEDx talk, four-time Olympian Ruben Gonzalez reveals how letting go of control, embracing mentorship and shifting focus can eliminate fear and dramatically accelerate success.
Video Summary & Key Moments
In this 12 minute and 35 second TEDx talk, four-time Olympian Ruben Gonzalez shares the unlikely journey that began when, at age 21, he watched Scott Hamilton win Olympic gold and decided he would compete in the next Winter Games—despite not being a natural athlete and having no experience in luge. His strength, he explains, was tenacity, a trait that drove him to pursue a sport he knew nothing about from his home in Houston, Texas. After contacting Lake Placid and refusing to take no for an answer, Ruben began training but struggled early on because he resisted following the advice of his Olympic coaches.
He recounts the painful consequences of that resistance, including repeated injuries and countless crashes, until he finally learned to submit to leadership. Ruben describes the terrifying reality of the luge track—80 to 90 mile-per-hour speeds, intense G-forces and the emotional battle with fear—illustrating how failing to follow guidance nearly cost him his dream. He shares a pivotal moment when his Austrian coach, a world champion, pointed out that Ruben was focusing on the walls and the danger rather than on the single spot ahead that would guide him safely down the track. By shifting focus and trusting his coach’s instructions immediately, he experienced a breakthrough that eliminated fear and accelerated improvement.
Ruben uses his story to explain why many people resist leadership: fear of failure, fear of the unknown and a desire for control that keeps them stuck in their comfort zone. True growth, he argues, requires letting go, following proven guidance and taking action quickly. His renewed commitment to follow his coach’s advice led him to a historic achievement—becoming the first person to compete in four Winter Olympics over four decades, and later breaking his personal best at age 55.
Key Moments
- 02:10 Difficult start in Lake Placid, repeated crashes and resisting leadership.
- 04:20 Step-by-step walkthrough of a luge run and the fear that accompanies each descent.
- 07:15 Coach’s tough feedback and Ruben’s realization that he must change his approach.
- 09:05 Breakthrough moment: shifting focus, embracing visualization and eliminating fear.
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Speaker fees can vary depending on factors such as expertise, demand, and event specifics. While some speakers may charge a flat fee for their services, others may have hourly rates. It’s best to discuss fee structures directly with the speaker or their representative to understand the pricing model.
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Keynote speeches typically range from 30 to 90 minutes, with the duration determined by the speaker’s expertise, the event’s agenda, and audience preferences. Keynote speeches often include a combination of inspirational stories, practical insights, and actionable advice tailored to the event’s theme or objectives.
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Additional tips and takeaways
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