Life happens.

You may have heard that saying voiced in a more, shall we say, colorful manner. But, however you say it, the truth is things don’t always go as planned. Life throws you a curveball. Or, maybe it’s more like life is playing dodgeball … and you’re the target!

You know you’re not alone, but that doesn’t make it any easier. And then there are those people who just seem to enjoy adversity. The more life throws at them, the happier they seem to be. What’s up with that?

I’m Jeff Johnson, this is What’s Left Of Jeff, and I know a thing or two about facing adversity:

As a teenager, I ripped the side of my face off (literally) in a waterslide accident and had to have reconstructive surgery.

When I was 24 years old, I broke my back and was told I would never walk again.

In 2018 – after a decades’ long career as a professional broadcaster – I was diagnosed with viral throat cancer and faced the prospect of losing my voice forever.

Then – after completing my cancer treatment, when I thought I was starting to get used to my “new normal” – I discovered that many of the challenges I’ve faced throughout my life are the result of having an Autism Spectrum Condition that used to commonly be called Asperger’s Syndrome.

But what does all of this mean to you?

First, if I’m with you, you’re probably not going to be the unluckiest person in the room. Second, I’ve learned how to laugh at myself … a lot. More importantly, I’ve also learned a great deal about overcoming adversity that could help you respond to the challenges you are, or will be facing in life.

I call this … Transforming Inspiration Into Action

Now I spend my time speaking, writing, and producing online content to build understanding and offer encouragement. Everything I create – including my blog, podcast, videos and the other resources – is dedicated to helping you enjoy the transformation from “Why me?” to “What am I supposed to learn from this?”

Probably not. Despite having worked in the media for four decades, I’m almost never the Jeff Johnson people are asking about when they begin the question, “Are you the Jeff Johnson who … ?”

No, I’m the other Jeff Johnson, an author, speaker and survivor who works on behalf of people who, like me, live with invisible disabilities.

Specifically, I’m the Jeff Johnson who shares the challenges he’s faced as a physically disabled, cancer surviving, adult-diagnosed Autistic – along with his “unique” perspective on life – to provide encouragement, motivation and an excuse to laugh, online and in person … (and to oddly begin writing about himself in the third person for no apparent reason).

I’ve been blessed to endure an inordinate amount of tragedy in my life, from breaking my back (and being told, mistakenly, that I would never walk again) to surviving throat cancer.

(Yes, I totally get the irony of a guy who makes a living with his voice getting throat cancer. No, I’ve never been a smoker, or used any tobacco products, my throat cancer was actually the result of a preventable virus, so get your vaccinations! But, I digress.)

The fact is, I’m probably the only person you know who gets frequent flyer miles from the Emergency Room!

Throughout my school years, I was bullied. I don’t mean “picked on” or “teased a little bit.” I mean mercilessly tortured and even physically attacked for being different. No matter how hard I tried, I never understood why my classmates saw things so much differently than I did … or why a few of them felt the need to punish me for those differences.

Then, just a few years ago, I was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Condition that used to commonly be called Asperger’s Syndrome. All these years when I thought I was “broken,” my brain was actually just, literally, wired differently. Basically, while you’ve been running the Windows operating system (typical human neurology) on your Windows PC (brain), I’ve been running the same operating system on a Mac (my “Aspie” brain).

This does work and it does get the job done, but not in the same ways. Sometimes it requires a lot more effort on my part. Does that make life more challenging? Absolutely. Would I go back and change it if I could? This might surprise you: Not a chance!

Even though I’ve been through a lot, I’ve survived it all and even thrived through much of it. There’s nothing special about me, but I have discovered a process for dealing with adversity that – if it works for me – could very well work for you, too!

I call this process: Transforming Inspiration Into Action … and I’d love to share it with your company, organization, group, or school.

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Jeff Johnson (or, at least, what’s left of him)

… shares the challenges he’s faced as a physically disabled, cancer surviving, adult-diagnosed Autistic – along with his unique perspective on life – to provide encouragement, motivation, and an alternative way of responding to the seemingly endless stream of negativity in today’s world.

Opening himself up to audiences in a way that makes people laugh and earns their trust, Jeff uses self-deprecating humor and his amazing ability as a storyteller to entertain and inspire, leading his newfound friends through their next challenge: Transforming Inspiration Into Action.

Jeff has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, on Fox News Channel and by hundreds of other media outlets. He’s spoken to thousands of people around the country, including speaking to an audience of more than 10,000 on the National Capital Mall in Washington, D.C.

… and hundreds of other radio and TV stations and networks, and other news outlets.

Comments some sponsors and audience members have made about presentations by Jeff Johnson:

Complete this form to get in touch with Jeff:

You can also leave a voice message for Jeff at: 903-218-2190.

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Jeff Johnson has spoken to tens of thousands of people around the U.S., including to an audience of more than 10,000 high school and college students on the National Capital Mall in Washington, D.C. He uses self-deprecating humor, audience participation, and his amazing ability as a storyteller to help people understand how to realize their full potential by overcoming the many obstacles they will face in life!

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