Meet G. Brian Benson

Today we’d like to introduce you to G. Brian Benson.

Hi G. Brian, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
13 years ago, I was running my family business which was a golf center in Salem, Oregon but I was really unhappy. I felt like I wasn’t growing anymore. I followed my intuition and told my father I was ready to leave even though I had no idea what I would do going forward. During the process of leaving, I was feeling out of balance and one day wrote down 5 balance tips that I knew would help me stay on track; and they helped. I then felt like I was supposed to expand my list and write a book on balance tips even though I had never written anything before. I stepped into the challenge and wrote “Brian’s List – 26 ½ Easy to Use Ideas on How to Live a Fun, Balanced, Healthy Life!”

It won a few awards, which shocked me and I realized that if I wanted to share its message, I needed to overcome my fear of speaking. I started off by taking a couple of community college speech classes, joined Toastmasters for a while, took an acting class, hired someone to help me co-host my own internet radio show and I also created an “interactive” workshop that I could offer people. I ended up calling it “An Introduction to Balance.” These steps were all scary but also very empowering and made me feel alive. I just kept stepping out of my comfort zone, following my intuition and it continued to open doors for me.

Before I knew it, I was writing more books (5 total), moved to LA to act, became a certified coach/consultant and began to create positive content in all sorts of mediums (books, short films, spoken word videos, podcasts, presentations and a TEDx talk) in addition to picking up some acting gigs. The past 13 years have been exciting and surreal. I never would have imagined any of this would happen.

Currently, in addition to acting and coaching/consultant work, I am enjoying hosting my podcast called “The Creative Spark,” where I chat with talented creatives in a variety of different fields. I am also working on a road trip memoir based on a 6-month RV trip I took across America in 2021 to heal from a health issue I had during 2020. It was an amazing journey in so many ways and I can’t wait to share the yet untitled book when I finish.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Life is like a rollercoaster and I have definitely had my high and low points. The high points are always fun, exciting and affirming, while the low points often leave us questioning ourselves and wondering if we will ever realize our goals and dreams. Looking back, some of the low points were created by my own expectations and not staying present and trusting the process. For a while there, every time I would release a project, I would say to myself, “is this the one that is going to spring me?” And while the project was successful in many ways, it didn’t meet my own lofty expectations which left me feeling bummed out and held me back for a while. I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect and actually lost some of who I was for a while. I realize it is so cliché, but it truly is about enjoying the journey and completely being ourselves along the way and I wasn’t able to do that for a few years and it was a hard lesson to learn.

Other times the low points came out of nowhere. In early 2020, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Luckily, they caught it early and after surgery, have remained cancer free ever since. It was a tough experience that eventually gave me a lot of blessings. Stepping back from everything was a much-needed break which really helped me get re-centered and let go of some things that no longer served me. It also precipitated my 6-month journey across America last year which gave me a lot of gifts; empowerment, healing, creative ideas, a deeper sense of self-acceptance, lots of fun and the chance to meet so many amazing people all over the US. America is an incredibly beautiful country and it was an honor to see so much of it.

The highs and lows I have endured have presented me with a lot of wisdom and my hope is that by sharing my experiences, I can help others along their path and possibly give them hope that they can weather tough times as well as reach their goals and dreams. Although it hasn’t always been easy, it has been incredibly worth it.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
All of my books, videos, short films, presentations and more can be found on my website. www.GBrianBenson.com

G. Brian Benson is a multiple award-winning and #1 best-selling self-improvement author, clarity and project coach/consultant, actor, spoken-word artist, filmmaker, and TEDx speaker. As a 4x Ironman triathlete and cross-country bicyclist, Brian knows the value of hard work and never giving up on his dreams, a message he shares with audiences through each of his creative expressions. Brian’s latest book Habits for Success — Inspired Ideas to Help You Soar was an Amazon #1 Best-Seller and was selected as a 2019 Book Excellence Award Winner in the Motivational book category.

What matters most to you?
Being creative and bringing people together. I love to create positive, thought-provoking media that inspires and entertains. We are all connected and ultimately with everything that I create, I want folks to come away feeling better about themselves and the world. I know how important self-acceptance is and if I can empower someone to feel inspired to step out of their comfort zone and begin to see what they are capable of, I have done my job. The great thing is I am gaining so much from it personally as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.GBrianBenson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbrianbenson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gbrianbensonmedia
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/gbrianbenson
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/gbrianbenson
• Other: www.habitsforsuccessbook.com

Image Credits
Jenny Felimi Photography