John Baumann Speaker Biography
Internationally-Recognized Inspirational, Motivational and Educational Speaker with Parkinson’s Disease
John Baumann, a Motivational Speaker with Parkinson’s, offers a unique perspective that resonates deeply with audiences worldwide. Despite living with Parkinson’s disease for over 20 years, John leads a fulfilling life, and his experiences have shaped his powerful message of resilience and determination. Having graced over 100 conferences in the United States and Canada, John is an internationally-recognized Motivational Speaker with Parkinson’s. His engaging talks combine inspiring stories, vital information, unexpectedly humorous observations, and an unwavering positive attitude. Prepare to be inspired as John shares his journey and empowers you to overcome challenges, find hope, and embrace the possibilities that lie within you.
John Baumann, a Cornell-educated attorney, has led an extraordinary life filled with accomplishments and the pursuit of knowledge. He successfully passed three bar exams, practiced law for 22 years, and even shared his expertise as a teacher at the esteemed University of Louisville.
Parkinson’s Disease
In 2002, at 41 years old, John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. John continues to battle PD, the biggest challenge of his life. Undeterred, he transformed adversity into inspiration. John authored the book Decide Success – You Ain’t dead yet, a powerful testament to his unwavering spirit. He has been featured on numerous radio shows, and his remarkable story has graced the pages of countless articles. John has even appeared on live TV, including CNN Headline News, where he shared his message of hope.
Public Healthcare Speaker
Now Patient motivational public healthcare speaker with Parkinson’s, John Baumann has honed his expertise in empowering others to achieve success, irrespective of life’s challenges. With his deep understanding of resilience and the pursuit of the highest quality of life, John offers invaluable insights to audiences seeking inspiration and a renewed perspective. Get ready to embark on a transformative journey as John shares his wisdom, motivating you to embrace your own success story, regardless of the circumstances.
Purpose
John, now in his late 50s, has successfully reinvented himself. He not only accepted his condition but has embraced it. John has to continually reach deep down into himself to tap into the qualities that have proven critical in combating this horrific illness. Discipline, hard work, perseverance, and resilience are a given. What John and his wife, Bernadette, needed to find within themselves was intensity, tenacity, inner strength, and a strong faith. Most importantly, John needed to uncover his true purpose.
Decide Success
After being diagnosed, John became an internationally-recognized inspirational and educational professional speaker, joined the faculty of the College of Business at the University of Louisville and wrote a critically-acclaimed book entitled, Decide Success.
Keynote Speaker
From Malaysia to France, from Vermont to Tucson, from Portland to Miami, and over 100 places in between, John has presented his informative, inspirational and, surprisingly, funny keynote speeches to audiences from 15 to 1,500. As to his Parkinson’s, John, with Bernadette’s help, has gotten himself in the best shape of his life via a combination of positive thinking, a healthy diet and vigorous exercise.
John Baumann Speaking Topics
What SUCCESS Looks Like: Creating your own End-Vision
DECIDE SUCCESS uses short stories to bring the success principles to life, engaging imagery. I have dedicated my life to inspiring, explaining my twelve action steps to achieve the success you truly desire to, and bringing hope to as many people as possible. You will have an actual plan to be more successful after hearing this speaker. There are twelve action steps to achieve the success that you truly desire. I make no secret of the phases and steps: Part I (the Mapping Phase) is to assess and envision; Part II (the Work Phase) is to give your best effort, prepare, and raise your level of intensity; Part III (the Active Phase) is to seek out experiences, and identify and nurture contacts and resources; Part IV (the Expansion Phase) is to increase your level of awareness and to trust your instincts; and Part V (the Legacy Phase) is to maintain a positive attitude, live a life of integrity, and have faith. These are in a very specific sequential, step-by-step order. I want to mention that there is a real reason that I included the phrase, you truly desire. Sometimes what you currently believe that you desire to be successful at is not what you truly desire to be successful at. This talk starts and ends with these twelve principles. The guts of this presentation explain and add flesh to these principles. I used to think that success was something reserved for a person starting out and then establishing a career, but there are so many more applications for these success principles. Some have decided to focus their attention to succeed in a sport or an artistic endeavor whether as a career or as a hobby. Success comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. This program also teaches leadership and management skills from an Executive, Attorney & Human Resourses Manager who succeeded in Corporate America for 23 years.
You CAN Fight This
Truly believing that everything happens "for the best" is a life philosophy that brings the higher level of awareness necessary to make the decision to successfully embrace life's challenges. The presenter draws on his own personal experiences with a progressive, degenerative disease early in his adult life to demonstrate that even being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease can actually be a life-saving event. He discusses his life in 2002 when he was diagnosed and compares it to the quality of his life today. If this can be done faced with living with this incurable disease for the remainder of his life, surely the people in your organization can decide to work more positively in turning challenges into opportunities to excel.
Every Glass is Actually Full: Positively Unshakeable
Finally the definitive answer to the age-old question whether a glass is half full or half empty becomes apparent when we no longer ignore the third element (gas). The presenter provides an uplifting look into the power of positive thinking including his approach to living well with Parkinson's since 2002. Once we decide that nothing is impossible, everything becomes possible. The people in your organization will have their blinders removed by the presenter, what they decide to do with the information presented is entirely up to them. You can have a more positive workforce.
Parkinson's: The "NO ONE KNOWS" Disease
pesticides/herbicides. No one knows. Why is one of the manifestations of PD to have tremors? No one knows. Everyone experiences PD differently. Some have tremors, expressionless face, failure to blink, an arm that does not swing when you walk, a soft voice, balance issues, freezing of legs and hands, cramps (dystonia), loss of smell, etc. No one knows. I am less than 50 years old, will the manifestations (sometimes called "symptoms") of PD, progress more slowly because I am young? No one knows. Everyone experiences PD differently. It may progress slowly. It may progress quickly. What someone with PD needs to know is that everyone can influence their experience with PD. I am over 50 years old, will the manifestations progress more quickly as I get older? No one knows. Everyone experiences PD differently. Will exercise slow the progression of PD? No one knows. Some clinical trials have looked into exercise and PD. I can tell you from my personal experience that "strenuous exercise" every day seems to slow, if not stop, if not reverse, the progression of my disease. Sweat. Stretch. Strengthen. It seems to work best if it is done every day. When I skip a day, I simply do not obtain the perceived benefits. Does a positive attitude make a difference? No one knows. I can tell you that it makes sense. Staying positive seems to reduce stress (a big issue with PD). Do you know what the "placebo effect" is? During clinical trials, there needs to be a number of attends who do not receive the medication, but receive a placebo (inert or sugar pill), because everyone in the trial will have some positive reaction for a short period of time because everyone thinks that they took the medication. The power of the mind. Positive thinking. Does nutrition make a difference? No one knows. Again, it makes sense. Why would eating a healthier diet not have the same positive effect on someone with PD that it has on the general population, with or without, PD? It wouldn't. In fact, if you are going to strenuously exercise, you are going to need the right fuel in your body to be able to get through your workout. Does "staying engaged" make a difference? Don't know. I feel like it does. Studies have shown that people who stay engaged in retirement live 7 years longer than people who don't. I joined the faculty at a university, wrote a book, became a professional speaker, became the Board Chair of Make-a-Wish Kentucky, and practiced law on a limited basis. Staying engaged is so much more than staying busy. It is doing a self-assessment of your current abilities, skills, talents and strengths, then finding activities that match up which bring you joy.
John Baumann Books
DECIDE SUCCESS: You Ain’t Dead Yet – 2023 Edition: Twelve Action Steps to Achieve The Success You Truly Desire
Purchase BookJohn Baumann Videos
John Baumann Speaker Testimonials
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you. I will be honest. During the first 10 minutes of your presentation, I started reading work related material on my laptop. For surely, I had watched your You-Tube and seen your videos and knew what to expect. Surely, as a therapist I had studied this disease, the pathological components, the psychological components, the treatment alternatives……..Surely, I understand it. Not so much. You caught my attention and I was enthralled. You were able to couple the impairments you experience with the emotions felt. You walked us through your life with the disease through “your eyes”. A perspective that a therapist/nurse rarely has the chance to hear. We get so busy telling patients how to deal with x, y and z, but our eyes are blurred by the science of it all most of the time. You did it through truth. Through your humor, humility and determination to tell your story. One that most deservedly needs to be shared. I will advocate to have you share your story. I appreciate your determination, diligence and dedication.
- CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, REHABILITATION HOSPITAL |
You were just wonderful today. Funny, poignant, sensitive and empowered. I’m so glad I sat up front! I wanted to say thank you once again for speaking at our conference this past Saturday. I also wanted to share with you some of the comments we received on our course evaluation forms about your presentation: One of the best presentations I’ve had the privilege to hear! He was engaging, informative and super encouraging! Excellent speaker with heartfelt examples and inspirational. Awesome perspective, presentation. John helped me understand better the challenges that persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s must conquer. A+. The best. John gave a very personal touch to Parkinson’s. He spoke from a perspective that is critical to understand from a PT standpoint. Speaker was very inspiring and uplifting. I learned some things about Parkinson’s I did not know. Great presentation: factual, humorous, emotional, wonderful, informative. Thank you, John. Great presentation. You are an inspiration. His basic message: “whatever hand life deals you, whatever life changing adversity you have to endure, you still have some control over it.” “You don’t have to just to live well,” he advises,” but live an Amazing Life.” The formula he proposes: Faith in yourself, discipline, determination, desire, intensity, and inner strength.
- MARY SPREMULLI, VOICE AEROBICS |
Yes, you touched every person at our conference, who will in turn change and impact so many others. The feedback from our participants was overwhelmingly positive. You are the only speaker to ever receive a standing ovation. Thank you for taking time to share, motivate and inspire. We are bl+essed to know you.
- DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, REHABILITATION HOSPITAL |
Enjoyable. Beautiful spirit. Dynamic – interesting – discussed topics that are important to Parkinson’s I believe John found his calling in life. Truly inspirational speaker. Incredible. One of the most influential speakers I’ve ever heard! Thank you for sharing your story and adding humor to it! Great opener! Outstanding! What an amazing man. He brought forth a holistic view of treatment and living. One of the best speakers/most inspirational I’ve heard. Thank you for sharing. Wow! What a testimony! Not just an enjoyable story, very touching and informative! Once again, we truly appreciate the time and talent you gave to our conference.
- NEURO CONFERENCE COORDINATOR, REHABILITATION HOSPITAL |
