Mike Posner’s SubSummit Keynote Delivers Deep Reflections on Purpose, Happiness, and Taking the First Step

Mike Posner’s SubSummit Keynote Delivers Deep Reflections on Purpose, Happiness, and Taking the First Step

At SubSummit 2025, Grammy-nominated artist Mike Posner didn’t just speak—he transformed the main stage into a moving journey of self-discovery, purpose, and healing. Best known for chart-toppers like “I Took a Pill in Ibiza”, Posner used his time to share what he’s learned beyond fame: that true happiness doesn’t come from applause—it comes from growth.

A Pop Star in Search of Happiness

Posner opened up about his early life, calling his father his “biggest cheerleader.” Health came easy—he ran track in high school—but happiness was harder to come by. A shy, often depressed teenager, Posner confessed he pursued music to feel liked. And while the world cheered for him onstage, behind closed doors, he still felt alone. “At the end of the night, I was by myself,” he recalled.

Despite trying meditation, books, and therapy, nothing stuck. This went on for 10 years. That’s when he made a radical decision: to walk across America.

“All Great Ideas Are Crazy”

His music industry friends thought the walk was career suicide. But Posner clung to what he called his first gem of wisdom: “Not all crazy ideas are great, but all great ideas are crazy.”

Starting in Asbury Park, New Jersey, he began his walk with fears about failure and irrelevance—but those fears vanished after his first step. He crossed Pennsylvania alongside Amish buggies, trekked through Ohio, and continued on foot until he reached Colorado.

That’s where everything changed. Bitten by a rattlesnake in his left leg, Posner called 911 and asked, “Am I going to die?” The reply: “I don’t know, sir.”

From ICU to the Pacific Ocean

He spent three nights in the ICU and was discharged with a walker. Faced with the option of quitting or finishing the journey, he reflected: “When it comes to things I care about, my reasons to quit are always excuses in disguise.”

So, he returned to the site of the snake bite—and took another step. No podcast, guidebook, or shortcut could help him walk those final 1,000 miles. Step by step, he crossed the Rockies and made it to California, where he finally dove into the Pacific Ocean.

“It wasn’t about the water,” he told the SubSummit audience, “it was about the feeling that bubbled up while I was in it.” That feeling? Happiness.

Don’t Wait

Posner also spoke about loss. Two years before the walk, his father was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer that took his life. Mike had wanted to start his journey before the diagnosis but postponed it for album tours and recording sessions. “Don’t wait,” he urged. Life is not a dress rehearsal.

You’re Here to Serve

To close, Posner asked attendees to reflect on their biggest goals. If it were already done—who would you call? Why does it matter? Who does it help?

“You ain’t here to manage problems,” he said. “You’re here to create a life you’re proud of and serve others.” Then, breaking out into one of his most personal songs, he left the stage with a reminder to everyone in the room: “It’s a Beautiful Day to Be Alive.”