YOU can make a difference
that nobody else
can make in this world.
And that’s extraordinary.
YOU are extraordinary!
To say that this class was good would be an understatement. It was one class I will definitely remember and take home with me.
And Trevor Perry was a tremendous speaker. Energetic. Humorous. He spoke from the heart and was one of the best motivational speakers I’ve ever heard.
Before we go any further, I need to give you a definition, Google-style:
So, why do you need to know my definition of MaD?
Because to live your extraordinary life, you have to discover your
Make-a-Difference thing.
In order to find yours (stick with me because I’m about to use some cliche words):
Passion
Purpose
Calling
And dare I say
Happiness
You’ve got to find the unique thing you offer the world and pursue it.
And, I can tell you from experience, it doesn’t happen when you’re developing new software or sitting on your 10th Zoom meeting for the week.
How do I know?
30+ years ago my life was anything but extraordinary.
In the ‘90s I wasn’t rockin’ out to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or surfing the couch slacker-style, watching Reality Bites… oh, no.
This tech-nerd was surrounded by my book collection
(it’s grown to 4,000 + books now)
living an ordinary existence.
The funny thing is — I didn’t even realize I was just existing.
As technologists, we spend a lot of time creating code and fixing IT problems. We spend endless hours at work tinkering and fixing things we have control over—and often ignore the whispers of our soul.
Sure, you might live in a nice house and bring in a decent income—and on the surface, it can look like you have it all figured out.
But you ignore what’s going on inside. That is, until your internal void starts to show up in sneaky ways:
Stress
Overwhelm
Yelling at your partner or kids
Dreading your work
Etc., Etc.
I know because I’ve been there.
I was doing all the *right* things – a great tech job, married with a wonderful daughter, a lovely house, a perfect lawn – but somewhere between the vacations, the 10-hour workdays, and family dinners, I lost who I really was.
Until one day I woke up and felt I was living someone else’s life and watched my marriage fall apart.
But instead of letting my divorce destroy me, I used it as a way to reclaim myself (don’t worry – you can get back to yourself without hiring a lawyer).
I started doing improv and became a street performer in Renaissance festivals. I asked myself questions like “What do I really want from life?”
Through this inner reflection, I found my MaD thing: professional speaking.
And now, from the stage, I teach you the same lessons, frameworks, and strategies that helped me find my MaD thing—and help you find yours.
(And discover an existence that’s filled with more enjoyment, balance, and connection).
I help you flip your perspective on happiness, mindfulness, and work-life balance — and live an EXTRAORDINARY life.
A few other things that make me, ahem, unique:
1. I used to be a street performer.
If you can dress up as Henry VIII’s Prime Minister on the streets of Texas during a renaissance fair while patrons threaten to kill you (#truestory), public speaking at a tech conference is no problem.
In fact, those six years of being a street performer are what I credit to making my sessions compelling. (I can definitely go with the flow.)
2. I’m a voracious reader (this probably explains my collection of 4,000+ books).
Please don’t hand me a Kindle to read–I like the feeling of a “real” book in my hands. My favorite book is Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, partly because I feel like it reflects my story.
It’s about a boy who was bullied horribly in school – but was able to overcome adversity and achieve big things against all the odds.
That’s absolutely my story. If you’re one who sets your mind and persists you can do anything in this life – if you don’t give up. In fact, in my Navigating Self-Help keynote speech and framework, the “E” stands for “Endurance.”
3. I’m a non-snobby coffee connoisseur.
I grew up drinking coffee because Australia has a unique coffee culture (in fact, Melbourne is well known for its java). Although, I’m not one of those coffee snobs – I drink everything from instant to bespoke individually pressed coffee.
I love coffee so much I actually have a device to roast my own beans.
Fun Fact: There’s a vent in bags of coffee beans. Few people are aware that beans release gas in the first 24 hours after brewing – the bags must accommodate the release of that extra gas. The fact is, coffee beans fart!
4. I’m an avid traveler.
And traveling is definitely a perk to being a speaker (in non-Covid times, of course).
My favorite place to travel is home to Australia. I adore Melbourne—which I call my spiritual hometown—but I also enjoy going back to where I was born, The Bush.
Europe is another place I love to go. I adore Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Paris, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland. I enjoy all the cultures and people; I’m less of a tourist and instead try to immerse myself in the way of life.
Being a global citizen grows my soul, and being able to travel the world challenges me in new ways that broaden my perspective.
5. Though I have a fear of heights, I’ve bungee jumped.
I’ll be honest, the first time I wimped out. We were in New Zealand 43 meters up at the Auckland Bridge. Long story short, I looked down and went completely white.
When I left that day I was disappointed in myself (and a little embarrassed).
But I went back the next day, shuffled until I got to the ledge, closed my eyes and jumped. I found a way to push through my fears.
Now, I’m not special. I’m a completely imperfect human being. But I’m more willing to face my fears. And the more I push – the richer life becomes.
6. I don’t want to brag – but I’m an author.
And since I’m not the boasting type, I won’t point out that my book, Never Iron When You’re Naked, gets a 5-star rating on Amazon.
I also won’t mention that people call it a “must-read,” “insightful,” “brilliant” and “hilarious.”
This easy-to-read book is full of one page essays on all the advice your mom should’ve given you about life, but never did.
Since I’m not bragging, I’ll let one Amazon reviewer tell you about it:
“I love the short, meaningful, on point and very relevant stories that left me wanting to look at life differently, change what I can and smile through life more because I read this!”
7. I spend my free time collecting weird things for wtduck.me.
Enjoy!
If you ever get the opportunity to hear Trevor speak at an event or conference,
I promise you will not be disappointed.
Ready to help your people find more balance and connection—especially because it gives them more zest not only for life—but also their work?
Want to know how a computer geek turned award-winning speaker (psst.. I’ve earned 60+ awards) can inspire your audience to step into an extraordinary life?
Click on over to my Speaker page to find out how I can be your Keynote or Endnote Speaker at your next event.
The Official Third-Person Bio
Trevor Perry
What happens when a former street performer and self-proclaimed computer geek decides to give self-help advice?
He becomes an in-demand keynote speaker for technologists inspiring them to live the life they were destined – beyond their laptops.
For more than 30 years Trevor Perry has graced stages, bringing his unique and hilarious perspective on self-help and self-discovery to the technological world. He’s won more than 60 awards for his speaking and the prestigious IBM Champion Award.
Through his Keynote Speeches, Trevor helps technologists – with both professional development and personal development, flip their perspective on happiness, mindfulness, and work-life balance – so they can live an extraordinary life.
Trevor also authored Never Iron When You Are Naked, a book of one page stories filled with advice on life your mother should’ve given you – but never did.
When he’s not creating or on his MacBook, you can find Trevor reading from his library of 4,000+ books, brewing his own coffee beans, or gourmet grocery shopping with his life partner, Alison, in his current hometown of Austin, Texas.
