Jessica Cox Inspires The Eller College with Message of Grit and Possibility

On February 21, the Eller College of Management welcomed renowned motivational speaker Jessica Cox to Berger Auditorium, where she delivered an inspiring talk on perseverance, adaptability and overcoming adversity.

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An Arizona native from Sierra Vista, Cox has spent the past 18 years sharing her story across 28 countries, addressing audiences as large as 40,000 people. Featured on major platforms such as CNN, National Geographic and BBC News, she has spoken for organizations like NASA, AT&T, the Smithsonian, State Farm, and Cisco. She also authored Disarm Your Limits—an autobiographical self-help book that has sold over 10,000 copies. 

Cox was born without arms and learned to use her feet to accomplish everyday tasks—a journey that initially filled her with frustration and self-doubt. Over time, she embraced her uniqueness and transformed those challenges into opportunities. Today, she not only drives a car and leads an independent life but also flies airplanes. She is currently working with students from the University of Arizona’s College of Engineering on The Impossible Airplane—a groundbreaking project to design and build a custom 200 mph, four-seat aircraft that she will use to travel the world.

During her presentation, Cox captivated the audience by demonstrating how she performs daily tasks using only her feet, including tying her shoes—something she mastered at just six years old. She also showed how she buckles a seat belt and described the process of securing herself in a four-point harness while piloting a small aircraft.

Cox’s message revolved around resilience and the power of mindset. She emphasized the importance of grit in today’s fast-paced world, urging students to eliminate the words “I can’t” from their vocabulary. She encouraged the audience to reframe “FEAR” as False Evidence Appearing Real and instead embrace Face Everything And Rise.

A strong advocate for people with disabilities, Cox founded Right Footed International, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering differently-abled individuals. Through her work, she continues to inspire others to challenge limitations, redefine possibilities, and turn the seemingly impossible into reality.

Her visit to Eller left a lasting impression, reinforcing the idea that with patience, focus, and determination, anyone can rise above obstacles and achieve greatness.