When Utah author and motivational speaker Johnathan Aubrey walks onto a stage, audiences quickly discover that his message is about possibility.
“Differences don’t have to impose limitations,” he says. “Differences may impose obstacles, but they can be seen as opportunities for growth.”
That optimism resonates with readers of Am I Different?, a children’s book he published in 2024, that encourages children to recognize that being different is not a weakness. The story follows Aubrey’s own childhood journey to accomplish what many believed he couldn’t: learning to ride a bike.
Born with cerebral palsy, Aubrey has spent a lifetime refusing to let physical challenges determine what he can accomplish. Instead, he built a career that inspires everyone from students to business leaders, encouraging them to embrace life’s obstacles and grow from them.
Illustrated by Ben Rowberry, Am I Different follows a young boy who questions whether his differences will prevent him from participating in the same experiences as other children.
“The story is about a young boy who shares the joy of overcoming obstacles by doing hard things,” Aubrey explains. “Despite his obstacles, it’s not stopped him from moving forward and doing things in his life that he likes.”
That lesson came from lived experience. As a child, Aubrey believed cerebral palsy meant he would never ride a bike after an early accident convinced him the challenge was simply too great. Years later, loneliness motivated him to try again. After hours of practice—and more than a few painful falls—he finally succeeded.
“It was painful,” Aubrey recalls, “but the success was so huge that it didn’t matter because I rode a bike.”
Rather than dwelling on limitations, Aubrey encourages readers to discover the confidence that comes from perseverance.
That personal breakthrough became the foundation of both his speaking career and the book.
When he presents to students in schools, Aubrey frequently asks them a simple question: Is it important to do hard things? The enthusiastic response serves as the opening to a broader conversation about courage, resilience, and choosing growth over comfort.
“Any time we don’t do something hard, it’s because we are looking at how hard the pain is,” Aubrey explains. “When we look at our desires, goals, and dreams, and we make it big enough, it becomes bigger than the pain of doing the hard things and then it doesn’t matter.”
His perspective shifted even further in adulthood after years of feeling that cerebral palsy had limited his future. Eventually, he reached what he describes as a life-changing realization.
“Once I realized cerebral palsy was a blessing and not a curse, and the decks weren’t stacked against me—they were stacked in favor of me—that’s when I started speaking on winning despite obstacles,” Aubrey states.
Whether speaking to elementary school students or corporate leaders, Aubrey delivers the same timeless message: our greatest victories often begin the moment we decide that the freedom waiting on the other side of fear is worth the effort it takes to get there.