Icons of Change International Awards 2025<br /><br />Dr. Ben Mueller<br />Founder, The Basic Ten: The Simple Way to Go from Couch Potato to Fit<br />Author of Attain Peak Running Through Cross-training, The Operating Manual for Great Health, 30 Minutes to Peak Thinking, Attain Peak Referee Fitness, and The Basic Ten<br />Lecturer, National and Regional Health, Education, and Athletics Conferences<br />Instructor, United States Soccer Federation Referee Program<br />Mathematics Content Creator, Barnes & Noble Education<br />Recipient, DeKalb County Youth Drug Prevention Award (2010, 2013)<br />National All-American Athlete, National Congress of State Games<br />Educational Doctorate, Concordia University Chicago<br /><br />SDG Focus: Sustainable Development Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-being<br />Champion of Accessible Fitness, Mental Wellness, and Whole-Person Development<br /><br />From the quiet streets of Sheboygan, Wisconsin to national platforms of sport, education, and wellness, Dr. Ben Mueller’s life exemplifies the transformative power of personal health and the deep connection between physical fitness, mental resilience, and lifelong learning.<br /><br />Rooted in the belief that health is foundational to every human endeavor, Dr. Mueller has spent over two decades building bridges between the worlds of athletics, education, and personal development. His work reflects the heart of Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being—empowering individuals and communities to achieve optimal health through movement, mindset, and meaning.<br /><br />As the creator of The Basic Ten program, a simple, time-efficient fitness method designed for busy professionals, Dr. Mueller has helped thousands of people reclaim their physical well-being in as little as 15 minutes a day. This innovative model—grounded in both academic research and real-world practicality—has redefined how office workers, educators, and parents integrate health into their daily lives.<br /><br />Dr. Mueller’s advocacy for well-being extends far beyond fitness. A passionate educator, he became one of the youngest college professors in the nation at age 24, teaching developmental mathematics to students facing high levels of anxiety. His groundbreaking doctoral research on the effects of physical activity on student anxiety has provided educators with new tools for supporting learners’ mental health. His instructional math videos, created in partnership with Barnes & Noble Education, have reached millions, making academic success more accessible and less intimidating for learners worldwide.<br /><br />Equally impactful is Dr. Mueller’s work in youth and community health. He has delivered hundreds of keynote speeches and lectures at marathons, coaching clinics, school conferences, and national youth programs, always emphasizing that health is not a luxury—it is a right and a responsibility. For his contributions to drug prevention and youth wellness, he received the DeKalb County Youth Drug Prevention Award in both 2010 and 2013.<br /><br />An elite athlete in his own right, Dr. Mueller is a na
