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Mike Rarer – Corporate Keynote Speaker & Goal Attainment Coach
About Mike
Keynote Speaker | Former Technology Executive | Author of Whiteboard Wisdom | Founder of Cheerful Gear
Most people are surviving. I want them to thrive.
The people who consistently succeed rely on a common set of behaviors and mindsets.
My Journey from Survival to Thriving
This photo was taken the day I graduated from college. It was a day mixed with pride and sadness. It was also an important turning point.
Through determination and drive, and with limited support, I worked my way through high school and graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina. Beyond dropping me off at my freshman dorm, and because of their struggles, my parents never once returned to campus. They were not in the audience on this day.
I think of the years leading up to this moment as a time of surviving. It was a time when I never took a full breath — always worrying about the challenges of life back home, paying rent and tuition, and getting to this very moment.
It was on this stage that I realized the power of motivation. Everything about earning that degree was motivated by my goal to move beyond the survival phase of my childhood and to begin thriving.
After graduation, I built a decades-long career in the technology industry where I had the privilege of working with and leading teams in organizations that ranged from early-stage startups to the Fortune 500. Those opportunities changed my life and those roles took me all over the country and across the world.
Along the way, I became fascinated by two ideas:
Why do we reach some of our goals, but fail to reach others?
Why do we thrive in some situations, but not in others?
The answer that would eventually emerge was simple:
Today, as a speaker and coach, I share those success principles — what I call success superpowers — with audiences and organizations to help them move beyond survival to thriving.
What moment in your life changed the direction of your future? If that moment hasn't happened yet, I'd love to help you make it happen.
Mike's Professional Background
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Former Technology Executive & Startup CEO
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Author of Whiteboard Wisdom
Featured Resources
Mike's Quick-Read Book to Help You Reach Your Goals
A Gratitude Journal Mike Designed to Help You Thrive
Another Success Superpower Emerges
My professional background uncovered the success superpowers I often discuss from the stage, but my personal experience uncovered an additional superpower — gratitude.
Gratitude helps us maintain perspective during setbacks, strengthens resilience, and reminds us that success is not only about achievement — it is also about appreciating the journey and the people who make it possible.
That belief led me to create Cheerful Gear, an initiative focused on promoting gratitude and emotional well-being. Through simple tools and uplifting, sharable messages, Cheerful Gear encourages people to build habits that strengthen perspective, optimism, and resilience.
Whether speaking, coaching, or encouraging gratitude, my mission is consistent.
I Want to help people reach more of their goals and truly thrive.
I sometimes think back to my college graduation day with gratitude because it reminds me that thriving is possible, even when the journey begins with uncertainty.
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