How Cam Calkoen Builds An Opportunity Mindset

Life can feel heavy when you’re stuck replaying the same story about what you can’t do. We wanted a conversation that cuts through that fog, so we brought in Cam Calkoen, an Auckland-based celebrity public speaker who was born with cerebral palsy and still built a life packed with sport, travel, family, and stages around the world. What stands out is not “perfect positivity”, but a practical, repeatable way of choosing a better focus when things get tough. We talk about Cam’s “backpack of belief” and how many of us carry assumptions that never belonged to us in the first place. You’ll hear how connection in the school playground becomes a template for confidence later on, why reflection can be as useful as consuming more self-help, and how attention drives energy. We also get real about social media comparison, the curated highlight reel, and the simple discipline of asking: what can I control right now? Cam shares a defining rejection story from the United States that could’ve ended his career, and exactly how he turned it into fuel by getting coaching, improving his content, and staying in the game until the opportunity arrived. We also unpack how he builds memorable speeches like an album, plus a side-track into AI tools, productivity, calendars, and managing “too many dreams” without burning out. If you’re looking for mindset, resilience, motivation, public speaking insights, and grounded personal development from a New Zealand lens, this one will land. If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a mate who needs a lift, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.Send us Fan Mail Support the showBuy your first home in NZ Weekly Webinars You thought it's not possible or the dream is too far away? Come to my webinar and I will show you, you are much closer to your dream, than you think you are!Join Here - https://bit.ly/4m9SL72