SECONDARY SCHOOL TALKS
From Bullying to Breakthrough
Building Resilience in School and Beyond
My story of overcoming relentless bullying isn’t just about surviving, it’s about thriving. In this powerful session, I take students through my journey from being a victim of bullying to becoming an award-winning endurance athlete. I share how building emotional resilience and mental toughness were key in turning obstacles into fuel for success.
Students will learn practical strategies for coping with adversity, fostering self-belief, and finding their own inner strength, empowering them to face their own challenges head-on and discover new possibilities in their lives.
Mental Health Matters
Opening Up the Conversation
In this honest and deeply moving talk, I open up about my personal battles with mental health, including my experiences with depression and suicide attempts. I encourage students to break the silence and stigma surrounding mental health, highlighting the importance of seeking help and supporting one another. My story serves as a powerful reminder that vulnerability is a strength and that talking about mental health is a crucial step toward healing and growth. Through this session, I aim to help students feel more confident in discussing their own struggles and to equip them with tools to support their mental wellbeing.
Courage to Be Authentic
The Power of Self Acceptance
My journey to embracing my true self, after years of hiding who I really am, inspires students to do the same. In this talk, I explore the challenges many young people face around identity, peer pressure, and the fear of judgment. I share how accepting and celebrating who you are can unlock untapped potential and lead to a more fulfilling life. My hope is that students leave feeling empowered to embrace their uniqueness, foster a more inclusive environment, and live authentically, free from the limitations of societal expectations.
The Marathon Mindset
Achieving Big Goals Step by Step
My achievement of running 401 marathons in 401 days wasn’t just a physical feat, it was a masterclass in setting and achieving audacious goals. In this inspiring talk, I break down how I turned an impossible goal into a reality by focusing on consistency, perseverance, and breaking big challenges into manageable steps. I want students to leave with a new understanding of goal setting, realizing that no dream is too big when approached with the right mindset. My story motivates them to take on their own challenges, reminding them that success begins with taking that very first step.
Ben spoke at our school's annual prize day in 2018. He was honest, open and inspiring. He is our first and only speaker to have received a standing ovation. His story resonated with our audience of boys, parents and staff on so many levels.
Newcastle School For Boys
It was such a privilege to have Ben come into our school. He delivered a powerful message that stuck with our students. They took so much from such a short time with Ben and I would love for him to come back and do it again with other year groups in the future.
Claremont High School
Ben came to visit our school and spoke to the year 7s at the start of a PSHE day on healthy lifestyles. He had the students hooked from the very beginning and kept them engaged for the whole talk. Many students were referring to the talk many months after the event and the talk itself set the students up for a fantastic day- linking mental and physical health as well as emphasising resilience and challenge. Highly recommend.
Chew Valley School
Ben Smith is such a great motivational speaker I think every pupil in the UK should hear his life story. It has been a wonderful opportunity to work with Ben and it was easy to set up whilst in lockdown. Our pupils, even whilst at home, were inspired to ask really thoughtful questions and they all enjoyed the way that Ben talks through every aspect of his life from his personal life challenges to his amazing charity fundraising and Marathon Challenges. The rollercoaster of emotions whilst listening to Ben is amazing and I know our pupils will benefit from this and maybe help understanding some of the issues that face our young people on their life journeys. What a Great day!
Ribblesdale High School
Well, last night, what can I say? I think we all fell in love with Ben! The feedback I have received from staff and parents this morning has been so appreciative, that they were invited to share such a personal and powerful story, it's been quite overwhelming! In fact a fair few parents have asked if siblings in the school can also hear him speak, because the message was so strong, entertaining, engaging...all the words you use in your promo stuff!
The Forest School
I just wanted to thank you for being with us today. I cannot begin to tell you how much your talk has inspired all who heard it. You were utterly brilliant and your story was such a powerful one. It was an enormous privilege to meet you and I do so hope we will be welcoming you back to Repton again soon. I have lost count of the number of colleagues and pupils who have told me today what an inspiration you were this morning. You have touched so many people’s lives. Thank you so much Ben – you have left so many people believing that they truly do have the power to achieve anything they put their minds to. A powerful gift and one we are so grateful to you for sharing with us this morning. I am so happy to recommend Ben to anyone - he is truly inspirational.
Repton School
HAPPY TALKS