Scott Hamilton

For Scott, finishing first is not about stepping on other people to get to the top. It’s not about winning at all costs or forsaking who you are to be the best. It’s about deciding what success looks like to you and going for it with all you have.

“You do not have to be the greatest to finish first. You only have to be the best you’ve ever been. You have to be better than you were yesterday,” Scott writes in his new book, Finish First. Winning isn’t a bad thing. It’s a great thing. Winning empowers you to hold your head up and keep going. It changes what you think you can and can’t do. Stringing together wins over time — no matter how small — creates longevity, which Scott believes is one of the greatest indicators of success.

In this speech, Scott will share what it’s like to live a life focused on winning — not for self-glorification, but to impact the world for the better. It’s never too late to pursue greatness, no matter the setbacks you’ve experienced throughout your life. “The only disability in life is a bad attitude” is the mantra Scott lives by, and through this speech, he will help business leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, parents and students alike to adopt the same mindset so they, too, can finish first.”

Any one of the challenges presented to Scott Hamilton during his lifetime could’ve been enough to knock him out of the ring if he let it. But Scott continually chooses to get up, dust himself off and keep going. That’s what he believes is true greatness — the courage to continue taking one small, intentional step after another even when everything around him seems to be saying “quit.”

Being undefeated doesn’t mean you don’t struggle or even lose ground at times. It means you keep going, refusing to settle for anything less than excellence regardless of the obstacles in the way. Scott has faced childhood illness, a cancer diagnosis and three pituitary brain tumors, and the uphill climb of chasing his dreams all the way to the Olympics, but he has never given up.

Now, he’s passionate about helping others find that same tenacity and voracity of spirit that has fueled him to deeper faith and even greater success. In this speech, Scott will share a glimpse into what it’s like to keep pressing on when it seems like the logical choice is to throw in the towel, encouraging his audience that they, too, can be undefeated.

Scott Hamilton has walked through some of life’s highest highs and lowest lows, from achieving a gold medal at the Olympics to fighting childhood illness, a cancer diagnosis and three pituitary brain tumors over the years. But Scott knows a life well lived is not defined by what knocks you down but how you get back up. He is passionate about encouraging others to get back up and pursue all life has to offer, believing strongly that every person is capable of making a positive impact.

“Unrealized potential is some of the greatest pain in the world,” Scott writes in his new book, Finish First. The world-renowned ice skater, philanthropist and author describes success as knowing who you are and going after greatness with an unquenchable spirit. Scott didn’t let the Olympics serve as his finale. He kept going, overcoming setbacks and pursuing opportunities day after day that use his talents, experience and hard work to influence others for the better.

Through this speech, Scott will give people dedicated to inspiring and serving others the opportunity to be inspired themselves, encouraging them to be unquenchable in their journey toward becoming the person they have purposed themselves to be.