Ruben Gonzalez
4-Decade Olympian - Business Author - Award-Winning Leadership Speaker
- Competed in four Olympic Games beginning at the age of 25
- Internationally recognized expert on developing mental toughness
- Encourages audiences to take steps towards their goals and live with passion
Check fees and availability for Ruben Gonzalez
About Ruben Gonzalez
Download ProfilePicture this.
A 21-year-old sits on his couch watching the Olympics… and makes a decision that defies logic:
“I’ll compete in the next Olympics.”
No experience.
No talent.
No roadmap.
Just a dream so big, most people would laugh it out of the room.
Four years, and a few broken bones later, Ruben wasn’t watching anymore—he was competing on the Olympic stage – in the men’s luge.
Then he did it again.
And again.
At 47—when most athletes are long retired—he was still racing… against competitors young enough to be his kids.
And he’s still not done.
Ruben is now training for the 2030 Winter Olympics, determined to do what no one in history has ever done…
Competing in six different decades and becoming the oldest Winter Olympian.
But think about this…
This isn’t just Ruben’s story.
It’s what happens to your audience when they realize what’s possible for them.
As a Four-Time Olympian, bestselling author, and TED speaker with over a million views, Ruben doesn’t give talks—he creates breakthroughs.
You feel it in the room.
At first, people lean in.
Then they start questioning their limits.
By the end, they’re on their feet—because something inside them has shifted.
They don’t just leave inspired.
They leave different.
They walk out with:
- Unshakeable belief
- Practical tools for mental toughness
- The courage to go after goals they once dismissed as “unrealistic”
Because it’s one thing to hear motivation.
But when you hear from someone who’s actively proving that age and “common sense” are negotiable… excuses lose their grip.
That’s why high-performing organizations bring Ruben in when the stakes are high.
Companies like Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, Oracle, New Your Life, Google, Century 21, McDonalds, Gulfstream, Chick-fil-A, and the U.S. Treasury Department don’t need motivation.
They need transformation and results.
From Dubai to Singapore, Barcelona to Johannesburg, Ruben has ignited teams on six continents—delivering results that last long after the applause fades.
Even legends like Zig Ziglar, Jack Canfield, and Denis Waitley recognized it early, calling him a leader of the next generation.
His story has been featured by ABC, CBS, NBC, Time Magazine, and The New York Times.
His book, The Courage to Succeed, earned endorsements from icons like Lou Holtz, Stephen Covey, Ken Blanchard, and Brian Tracy.
And the Olympic Committee honored his journey by selecting him to carry the Olympic Torch.
But here’s what truly connects:
Ruben isn’t extraordinary because of talent.
He’s extraordinary because of choice.
He chose to start when he wasn’t ready.
He chose to persist when it was uncomfortable.
He chose to keep going when quitting would have been easier.
That’s why audiences connect.
They don’t just hear his story.
They see themselves in it.
Which means his success feels possible.
His strategies feel practical.
And his message feels like permission.
Permission to stop playing small.
Permission to take the shot.
Permission to go all in.
With raw authenticity, powerful storytelling, and relentless energy, Ruben doesn’t just tell people what’s possible—
He shows them how to make it real.
And because he’s still training… still competing… still chasing the next impossible goal…
Every word carries weight.
The result?
Teams that stop making excuses—and start making history.
Leaders who trade comfort for courage.
Organizations that break through plateaus and redefine what’s possible.
And individuals who walk out thinking:
“If he’s still going after it at his age… what’s my excuse?”
Book Ruben Gonzalez.
And watch your audience transform in real time—
then watch that transformation show up in your results long after he leaves the stage.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- First four-DECADE Winter Olympian (1988, 1992, 2002, 2010)
- Oldest person to compete internationally in the sport of luge
- Leadership TED Talk with over 1 million views
- 100+ Fortune 500 Keynote Clients in 5 Continents
- Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author – over 400,000 books sold
- Frequent radio and TV guest – ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX Business, etc.
- Torch Bearer at the Salt Lake City Olympics
- His gear’s on display at the flagship Olympic Museum in Switzerland
- Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro
- Ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain
Video Gallery
Leadership Motivational Keynote Speaker Ruben Gonzalez on the Importance of a Mentor
Ruben Gonzalez: Take Advantage of Opportunities
Leadership Motivational Keynote Speaker Ruben Gonzalez on the Importance of a Mentor
Ruben Gonzalez: Take Advantage of Opportunities
Speech Topics
Download TopicsDiscover how you can reach your goals by following the same success principles Ruben followed to make it to the Olympics. This program is perfect for a group facing change, challenges or set-backs to overcome. Your audience will learn how to become resilient and how to become unstoppable on the way to the top.
Your people will learn:
- How to condition their minds for success.
- How to become unstoppable in the face of challenges.
- How to take their commitment to a higher level.
- How to become confident and laser focused.
When Ruben got started in the luge he thought he could do it all himself. Along the way Ruben realized that he needed to learn some leadership skills and create a team of people. Ruben was able to create a Dream Team and by working through his team he was able to realize his Olympic dream. Discover how to engage people in your mission.
Your people will learn:
- How to engage their teams.
- How to communicate effectively as a leader.
- How to use Emotional Intelligence to connect with their people.
- How to achieve maximum positive impact with their teams.
Ruben sold copiers in downtown Houston for several years. He regularly speaks for sales kickoffs all around the world. Ruben doesn’t talk about sales techniques and closes. He talks about attitude, stick-to-ive-ness, and mental toughness. The things that it really takes to succeed in sales and in life.
Your people will learn:
- How to become high performers.
- How to gain a competitive advantage.
- How to separate themselves from their competition.
- How to commit to their goals.
Anybody that can switch from soccer to luge at the age of 21 and make it to the Olympics knows a thing or two about embracing change. Whenever conditions change, whoever adapts first wins. Change is actually a good thing because it is like a blank slate – it gives you an opportunity to get ahead of your competition.
Your people will learn:
- How to navigate challenges, problems and setbacks with agility.
- How to use creativity to stay ahead of the game.
- How to take advantage of change to surpass your competition.
- How to thrive in the midst of uncertainty and change.
Ruben did’t take up the sport of luge until he was 21 years old. He was a marginal athlete, lived in hot and humid Houston, Texas, and financed his Olympic training himself. People laughed at him and said he was crazy. He broke many bones on the way to the Olympics and eventually became the only person to ever compete in four Winter Olympics each in a different decade.
Your people will learn:
- How to become resilient in the face of challenges.
- How to become mentally tough.
- How to create the mindset of a champion.
- How to win regardless of the circumstances.
Ruben shares risk management principles peak performers follow to win more in life. He does this through entertaining stories about climbing Kilimanjaro, skydiving in South Africa, luging, running with the bulls in Pamplona, and other great high risk experiences where Ruben was able to stay injury free by managing the risk around him.
Your people will learn:
- How focusing on the task at hand increases safety.
- How to take responsibility for your results.
- How to using due diligence prevents accidents.
- How to be present and how to create contingency plans.
Ruben Gonzalez was born in Argentina and immigrated to the US with his family when he was six. Ruben’s experience as an immigrant and the adversity he and his family had to overcome, fueled his drive to succeed. Empowered with a growth mindset and believing that he could achieve anything he worked at, Ruben became the first person to ever compete in four Winter Olympics in four different decades. Ruben’s incredible Olympic story will inspire and equip your people to win.
Your people will learn:
- How to develop a growth mindset that will fuel their drive to succeed
- How the willingness to make mistakes is what makes champions.
- How to become unstoppable in the face of challenges
- How to condition your mind for success
Big Ideas in 24 Hours
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