A powerful motivational speech is a type of persuasive speech that encourages the audience and urges them to take action, whether winning the big game, exercising more, or improving sales. This type of speech makes listeners think, evokes an emotional response, and calls them to action.
When speakers want to convince individuals that they should act or behave in a certain way, they deliver motivational speeches that inspire their audience to change their behavior or way of thinking. Common themes are to “believe in yourself,” include “tips to change your life,” or perhaps offer advice on how to live a better life every day.
Motivational speakers use their best tactics to achieve a result. Sometimes, those results are life-changing for the listeners.
What Is A Motivational Speech?
Motivation is defined as the reasons someone has for acting or behaving in a certain way. Sometimes the best motivation can come in the form of words spoken by someone considered an expert on the topic.
A motivational speech, a type of persuasive speech, aims to encourage listeners to call upon the resources within themselves to take action. Win the game, Get a job. Give up smoking. Increase sales among suburban women. Some of the best motivational speeches include a specific call to action.
How Does A Motivational Speech Differ from An Inspirational Speech Or A Keynote Speech?
Many occasions call for speeches that include some motivational and inspirational aspects.
Conferences often include a keynote speech by the lead speaker that may discuss trends in the industry, while a commencement address may speak about the world the graduates face. Any speech like this can include inspiring or motivating.
A motivational speaker and an inspirational speaker can be quite similar. The terms “motivational” and “inspirational” are sometimes used interchangeably. The biggest difference is that an inspirational speech is meant to touch you and evoke emotions. You might hear a very inspiring speech and leave feeling all warm and fuzzy but not feel called to action in any way.
This type of speech is also considered a self-help speech. The speaker might relate how they went from an impoverished childhood to becoming a physician or how a blind Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder got past their physical challenges to become music icons. The intent is for you to look inside yourself and take action on the premise that if they could excel, so could you.
A motivational speech, on the other hand, delivers some kind of call to action. The goal is for you to leave feeling inspired to make some change by implementing certain steps or taking specific actions. Where an inspirational speech challenges you to pull something from within yourself, a motivational speech pushes you toward action.
What Are The Examples Of Motivational Speech?
Many speeches both motivate and inspire.
David Goggins is a retired United States Navy Seal who is also an American ultra runner, ultra-distance cyclist, triathlete, and extraordinary human being. Goggins was told he would never amount to anything. Needless to say, he did not listen. Goggins has many speeches, including the powerful motivational speech Outwork Everyone Else. Goggins asserts that relentless self-discipline is the key to success.
Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House has a famous sermon that has evolved into something widely listened to even beyond the parishioners who have followed him. This speech, titled Prove Them Wrong, has motivated many people to move forward and make changes in their lives.
Motivational speakers may hire themselves out to businesses, entrepreneurs, organizations, churches, and the general public. Some top speakers currently in demand include:
- Eric Thomas
- Tony Robbins
- Les Brown
- Jim Rohn
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Zig Ziglar
- Dr. Wayne Dyer
- Robin Sharma
- Brian Tracy
- Nick Vujicic
Other favorites include Deepak Chopra, Simon Sinek, and Maylala Yousafzai. Past choices like late Apple founder Steve Jobs or self-help guru Louise Hay are now available on videos.
The popularity of speakers changes from year to year. For example, J.K. Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, is under fire for her comments on transgender individuals, so her popularity as a speaker has declined.
What 3 Things Make A Good Motivational Speech?
Looking for a template for writing an excellent motivational speech?
- Clear Purpose: You should know what your objective is when starting to outline a motivational speech. What are you trying to move people to do or change?
- Storytelling: The best motivational speeches often include a personal story that pulls in the audience and offers inspiration.
- Audience Engagement: What is the audience for a motivational speech? Who will be there? How will you engage them in your story? What are the best tactics to get them moved to change?
What Are 10 Reasons Motivational Speeches Are Important?
- Perspective: Sometimes, all listeners need is a gentle nudge toward a perspective change. An exceptional speaker can often help provide that.
- Performance Improvement: When listening to a motivational speaker, you may feel compelled to get up and start working toward your goal.
- Fresh Approach: Even though you may have already wanted to make a change in your life, it is not uncommon to lack ideas on implementation. A strong motivational speech will often give you a fresh approach with new ideas and solutions to tackling the task.
- Energize and Inspire: Think back to the most motivating coaches you have ever had. They energize and inspire you to do more and be better. The same is true of motivational speakers.
- Reduces Fear: It is normal to have some fear or hesitation when chasing a big goal. After all, if your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough. When you are hit with a burst of good motivation, you should experience a reduction in fear and anxiety.
- Confidence Building: After listening to someone like David Goggins, you might feel invincible.
- Offers Balance: Sometimes, you will have to experience setbacks amid success. A strong motivator helps you to see that setbacks are not failures.
- Find Common Ground: Finding like-minded individuals can be a game changer as you work to reach goals.
- Implementation Boost: Another perk is that you may find yourself with a creative boost or some other slight kick to help you progress.
- Baby Steps: The baby step to go forward may sometimes be the most important step. Getting the motivation to take that first step is the most crucial.
Examples of Famous Motivational Speeches
Most Motivational Speech Ever
Most people agree that the best motivational speech of all time is Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech. Not only did it inspire people of that time to fight racism, it continues to push individuals to believe in the power of fighting for an important common cause. King’s speech continues to resonate with people all these years later.
Positive Motivation Speech
Although he is a comedian and actor by trade, actor Jim Carrey gave an incredible wake-up call to graduates when he gave the commencement speech at Maharishi University. “Like many of you, I was concerned about going out into the world and doing something bigger than myself until someone smarter than myself made me realize that there is nothing bigger than myself,” Carrey said. “My soul is not contained within the limits of my body; my body is contained within the limitlessness of my soul.” Here is an excerpt of his speech.
Motivational Speeches From Movies
Are you familiar with Al Pacino’s “Inches” speech from the movie Any Given Sunday? Sure, it’s just a movie. But is it? He reminds the players they can “climb out of hell one inch at a time.”
Pacino’s character reminds the team, “The inches we need are everywhere around us. They’re in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch.”
This fictional team and their motivational speech resonate with us because we are reminded that hard work and hustle can get it done if the team works together.
Rocky Balboa (played by actor Sylvester Stallone) reminds his son, “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are; it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!
“Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth, but you gotta be willing to take the hits and not point fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him or her, or anybody. Cowards do that, and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!”
Another great example is when Will Smith played Christopher Gardner in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. He said, “You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves; they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it.”
Actor Denzel Washington is famous for his powerful motivational speeches in films such as Remember the Titans and his real-life speeches at commencements. For example, in 2015, he gave a speech at Dillard University that is often quoted:
“Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to fail big, to dream big, but remember, dreams without goals are just dreams, and they ultimately fuel disappointment. So have dreams, but have goals. Life goals, yearly goals, monthly goals, daily goals.”