Gregory Griffith, better known as The Activator, has lived a life wearing numerous hats: high school teacher, head coach, edutainment keynote speaker, professional life coach, consultant, and now a celebrated author. Now, in post-retirement, he aims to transform the lives of those who may be burdened by procrastination and dysfunction. His books, Activate or Stagnate and 30 Days to a New You, are his tools in bringing that knowledge to the world, helping people achieve balance and breakthrough.
“As an educator for three decades, the most important thing I learned is that people will follow you when they believe you and you are authentic with them,” Griffith shares. “That became my mantra. The more authentic I was, the more my students connected with me. That’s the foundation of everything I do today.”
Griffith’s journey started from the classroom as a high school teacher, a vocation that kept him grounded and secure. Yet despite the comfort zone he had built for himself, Griffith knew his purpose stretched far beyond. “I was a full-time high school teacher, but I could not stop at being that,” he shares. “I ran marathons often, became a real estate investor and full-time entertainer, and developed financial services skills. I also became a peak performer who wants to guide others.”
During this time, as he leaped into various paths, he began journaling daily reflections, many of which later became the backbone of his books. His first book, Activate or Stagnate, marked the beginning of his prominence, as its distribution in educational institutions opened the doors to keynote engagements and workshops across Florida. “Writing was never just about me,” he explains. “I wanted to give my students and audiences tools to see themselves differently, to prepare them for a life beyond school. That’s what pushed me toward being a speaker, realizing that I could take my reflections and expand them beyond the classroom.”
This progression in his career is interwoven in his books. Activate or Stagnate lays out the mindset shift needed to break free from procrastination and dysfunction, and instead, pursue purpose. Meanwhile, 30 Days to a New You serves as a practical action plan, with exercises and self-reflection tools designed to instill the skill set they need to build momentum. “The first book is rooted in transforming the mindset and setting the foundation, and the second one takes action,” he says.
The throughline in Griffith’s work is the discipline he brings, not just to his career, but also to his physical, mental, and emotional health. Within a decade, he ran multiple marathons while being a full-time teacher, head coach, and entrepreneur. “That balance of mind, body, and spirit became non-negotiable for me. It is the same formula I teach others. Without balance, you fall into what I call organized chaos,” he shares.
The books also ask integral questions as part of Griffith’s Personal Empowerment Recognition Program, which entails pre- and post-tests to analyze the emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being of the reader, while providing a toolkit with insights from his own lived experiences to guide them through the complexities of life.
Even in post-retirement, Griffith shows no signs of slowing down. He is preparing to re-release both books, this time with strategic backing to position them as bestsellers. Yet his mission reaches beyond personal success. For Griffith, empowerment is a humanitarian cause.
“If my story can create a paradigm shift in the direction of better health, wellness, and mental balance, then I’ve served my purpose,” he shares. “We are mind, body, and spirit, and those elements have to work in concert. My mission is to help people define themselves with a foundation for healthful living.”