YOUTH | JAKE'S STORY
About Youth Motivational Speaker Jake French
Jake French is a dynamic, young motivational speaker who challenges students to think DIFFERENTLY – about their definition of “fun”, the attitudes they choose, what destructive decisions really cost, and how our actions affect other people – so we can finally create an environment where we stop breaking each other down and start building each other up.
Jake’s story?
Truly is about the power of CHANGE. After a devastating accident, and some deadly life choices left him a quadriplegic, he fell into the same pity pit so many kids feel pushed into today. Life in a wheelchair at 23? What kind of an existence would that be? Even though the wheelchair looks different, too many students feels paralyzed by THEIR circumstances. A light bulb illuminated when he noticed other patients who had much worse situations, but the severity didn’t seem to affect their ability to move on. There must be another variable here? It was in that hospital room where Jake realized the opportunity created by FOCUS, ATTITUDE and CHOICE. The emotional pull when he shares that moment with a student connects and creates a shift so powerful, it practically removes the words “I can’t” from their vocabulary.
What happened?
Fresh and eager as a recent University of Idaho graduate with a new Bachelor’s degree, Jake, an avid outdoorsman, scored the job of his dreams as a forester in Oregon. After only working for three weeks, Jake went out for an evening of dinner, dancing and drinks with good friends. A destructive mentality of what “fun” was shifted the night from enjoying each other’s company, towards who could drink the most. Late at night they stopped for gas and randomly came across an old childhood friend who Jake had lost touch with. The brief reunion took a fateful turn when the intoxicated bully decided to take Jake by surprise with a full-nelson headlock, rendering him defenseless. Jake wasn’t horsing around in any way, but their equilibrium and judgment was impaired by alcohol. The bully lost his balance and fell forward with Jake’s arms still pinned backwards. Without the ability to brace himself, the first thing to hit the pavement was his head. Jake’s neck took the full weight of the two men and snapped between the C6 and C7 vertebrae, leaving him completely paralyzed from the collar bone down. While in the hospital, Jake felt the full range of raw emotions, but finally reached a breakthrough. He realized whether your wheelchair is visible or not, attitude has EVERYTHING to do with how we not only could survive – but once again THRIVE. He created a PLAN to claim victory over the chair – and life.
That plan?
Has helped thousands of students create a new definition of “fun” that truly changes behaviors at a core level so the lesson sticks far beyond when Jake rolls off the platform. Too often people get caught up. They concentrate on what’s wrong, past failures, low self-concept, if other people think they’re cool, perceived limitations placed on them by others. What Jake found in his journey and what he teaches audiences today is we BECOME our EXPECTATIONS. The truth is – life HAPPENS! And there will ALWAYS be circumstances beyond our control. But circumstances? Are temporary. How we CHOOSE to handle them makes all the difference in our SUCCESS. Our RELATIONSHIPS. Our self CONFIDENCE. And our HAPPINESS. That’s why as a young motivational speaker, Jake French is PASSIONATE about sharing the tools, techniques, mindsets and strategies with YOUTH across the country to ADAPT, OVERCOME and adopt a Life Happens – LIVE IT way of life!