best motivational speeches

16 Most Life-Changing Motivational Speeches & What You’ll Gain from Them

It’s all very well reading about ways to get ahead in life, but no account will ever reach you in quite the same way as hearing someone speak about their own experiences. While these people may be household names now, it wasn’t always that way, and this collection of some of the best motivational speeches will move you and inspire you to make your own dreams come true.

From Arnold Schwarzenneger talking about how he filled every moment of every day with steps to fulfil his ambition of becoming Mr. Universe, to J.K. Rowling’s life as an impoverished single mother, these speeches will fill you with the drive and determination to reach your full potential, and not let anything stand in your way.

Some are long, and some last just a few minutes, but each one will make you want to grab life with both hands and go for what you want, whatever it is.

“Most people have done all that they’re ever going to do – they raise a family, they earn a living, and then they die.”

That’s what we’re supposed to do, right? Wrong! Life is made for greater things, and you are meant for greater things.

When Les Brown was a child, he was labeled ‘educable mentally retarded’, and until a chance encounter with another teacher, he believed that he would amount to nothing. But this one teacher planted the seeds in Les’ head which would blossom and grow, and eventually make him one of the best motivational speakers of all time.

This speech will give you permission to rise above other people’s opinions, to break free of their prejudices, and make a success of whatever you do. Watch ‘It’s Not Over Until You Win! Your Dream is Possible’ and take those first steps towards following your passion and making your dream come true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f0nIhDpXuU

“Stress doesn’t come from the facts, stress comes from the meaning that we give the facts.”

Life is about choices. Every day we’re faced with hundreds of choices, and this speech by Tony Robbins will help you see that it’s the choices, not the conditions, which shape our lives.

Take a moment during this speech to pause and reflect on some choices you have made in the past, and really think about the direction your life took because of them, both good and bad. Tony Robbins explains in his inimitable way that we have the choice to focus on what we want, and that when we focus, we can achieve whatever we want.

Part of Tony’s speech explains how, when the economy is down, some people thrive and some people crash and burn, and the COVID 19 pandemic is the perfect example. Small businesses took a huge hit, and while some of them threw up their hands in despair and said ‘that’s it, it’s over for us’, others adapted, and saw it as an opportunity to expand, diversify, and turn the situation to their advantage.

And that’s the cornerstone of this video – how we react, how we adapt, and how we choose is the difference between success and failure.

“So every rep that I do gets me closer to accomplishing the goal to make this goal – this vision – into reality.”

Be inspired by Arnold Schwarzenneger as he talks about his goal of becoming Mr. Universe. Never wasting a second of his day, Arnie worked in construction, spent 5 hours in the gym, and went to acting classes, all of which took him further along his journey to making his dream come true.

We all have a propensity to waste time, but if you have a goal, if you have a passion that smolders away, take a leaf out of Arnie’s book and make sure that everything you do propels you forward.

And don’t be afraid to fail.

“Your conviction and your convenience don’t live on the same block.”

If you are a fan of The Secret, you will be familiar with Lisa Nicholls. In this video, Lisa tells Tom Bilyeu how she was willing to leave everything and everyone behind in order to grow into the version of herself that she knew she wanted.

Lisa explains how, as a young mother, she was forced to wrap her baby in a towel for two days because she had no money for diapers, and how it was at that moment that she vowed never to be that broke or that broken again.

Change, success, drive…they’re all inconvenient and disruptive, and Lisa Nicholls demonstrates that wonderfully in this emotional and highly motivating interview in which she declares “your story is not meant to be your fortress, your story is meant to be your fuel.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toQmqLwNtho

Eric Thomas had a dream, a goal, and that goal was to be the best motivational speaker in the world. He didn’t achieve this by giving 70%, or 80%…he didn’t achieve it by staying in bed late in the mornings. He achieved it by giving 100% every minute of every day.

Listen to Eric’s words, hear the passion in his voice, and feel the lessons he is giving to you if you want to be the best at whatever you do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtuHZC-ObA8

“If we don’t take control of our environment, it takes control of us.”

This short piece by Tony Robbins has been designed to show you that you are in control of your own environment. Whether you realize it or not, what goes on around you has a massive influence on the way you feel and the way you act.

By taking leadership of your own life, you can defy outside influences and set your own tone for the day ahead, regardless of whatever or whoever is exerting pressure from the outside.

Follow Tony’s example of taking 10 minutes for yourself at the start of every day – for gratitude, prayer or wishes for family and friends, and a recap of what you want to accomplish that day, and your day will continue on that same path of thankfulness, hope, and goals.

“Your mind doesn’t know the difference between something you vividly imagined and something that’s real, literally!”

If you want to emulate the way successful people behave, take these 10 billionaires’ habits and adopt them yourself for 21 days.

Billed by Jim Kwik as being ‘like a magic pill’, these habits will rewire your brain into thinking and behaving like some of the world’s most successful people.

In this 8 minute clip, Jim shares how, for instance, your brain reacts the same way when you imagine your dog walking in as it does when your dog actually walks in, and this can apply to anything. What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

As much as this applies to positive things, it also can be applied to negative things, so if you imagine failure, that’s what you will get. Fill your mind with thoughts of success and that’s what will happen.

None of these habits are difficult to accomplish, but in doing so you will change your entire mindset into one of a hugely successful person, no matter what you want to achieve in life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fzGPwY40Cw

“Don’t leave crumbs.”

If this sounds more like a housekeeping hint and less like a motivational affirmation, you’re 50% right. Our lives do need housekeeping, and not leaving crumbs – i.e. regrets – which will come back and rob your tomorrow of joy, is one of the chores you need to do on a daily basis.

Matthew McConaughey delivers a powerful speech in a gentle way at the University of Houston Commencement Address.

Discussing the five rules he lives by, he will show you how to avoid falling into a trap of entitlement, and why ‘Unbelievable’ is the stupidest word in the dictionary.

With some invaluable life lessons contained inside a highly watchable speech, Matthew McConaughey is an unlikely but very inspiring speaker who has stayed humble despite all his successes.

“There are a lot of sharks in the world; if you hope to complete the swim, you will have to deal with them. So if you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.”

Spoken with eloquence and quiet assuredness, this six-minute speech draws on US Navy Admiral William McRaven’s experience of survival in the Navy Seals.

He explains how making your bed, while seemingly insignificant and even pointless, will set a series of tasks in motion which will ensure that at best, the first job of the day is done, and at worst, you have a neat, tidy bed to fall into at the end of a trying day.

The world is full of people who want to bring you down (the sharks) but if you stand your ground, they will eventually swim away, leaving you to go on to bigger and better things.

“Sometimes life’s gonna hit you in the face with a brick…don’t lose faith.”

Steve Jobs, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Apple Inc. was hit in the face with more than one brick during his 56 years on earth. From being given up for adoption as a baby, to being fired from the very company which he founded, he never let anything get in his way.

In this commencement speech at Stamford University in 2005, Steve explained how his love for what he did spurred him on to rebuild his life in spectacular fashion.

Life dealt a further blow when, in 2003, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

This speech focuses on three stories which, when combined, show how life offers opportunities for change and growth, no matter how dire the circumstances.

Steve Jobs never graduated college, but when he died in 2011, aged just 56, he had a net worth of US$7 billion. He achieved this by doing what he loved, and in this speech he will inspire you to do the same.

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously than you might as well not have lived at all. In which case, you fail by default.”

Let J. K. Rowling inspire you with this 2008 commencement speech at Harvard University. Extolling the virtues of failure and imagination, she tells the graduates how being at rock bottom set her free to pursue her dreams of being an author.

As poor as it is possible to be without being homeless, she created the world of Harry Potter and went on to amass a fortune of £795 million, but that without her failures in life, she would never have had the opportunity to do so.

Let her words become your own mantra, and view every failure in your life as a future success.

“We shine, because baby you just can’t dim the sun.”

A beautiful antidote for anyone who has ever felt or been told that they are ‘too much’, Gina Hatzis’ winning Speaker Slam speech of 2018 will give you permission to be unashamedly you.

Although written by a woman for women, this powerful and sometimes humorous speech about being your own authentic self will inspire anyone – man or woman – to shine and never dim their own light to suit other people.

“The first step you need to take is just that…step.”

If you are in need of a short, sharp burst of motivation, listen to this speech by ex Navy Seal, Jocko Willink.

Running for less than three minutes, this recording will inspire you to take a step into whatever you want to achieve. Awarded both the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for service, Jocko Willink is no stranger to taking those brave steps, having come face to face with Iraqu insurgents in Ramadi. He will spur you on to put one metaphorical foot in front of the other, and will leave you in no doubt as to what you need to do to achieve your goals.

“On the other side of your maximum fear are all of the best things in life.”

If you like your motivation with a side order of laughter, watch Will Smith as he talks about fear. Agreeing to skydive on a night out with friends, Will realizes that he actually has to go through with it.

Discussing how fear ruins things (he couldn’t sleep or eat before the jump), Will also discloses that beyond fear was the most blissful experience of his life, and how that principle can be applied to anything in life.

“Only those that can see the invisible, can do the impossible.”

Tyrese Gibson knows success, and in this speech he talks about how it can be achieved, by anyone who wants it.

Actor, singer, author, model…Tyrese seems to have the Midas touch, but he didn’t get it by luck. Follow his words as he gently but passionately guides you along the path you need to take if you have goals and dreams in life.

“I refuse to be another man who lived and died, and wasn’t significant’”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzl3CQXMRVo

“If it is written, so shall it be.”

When Steve Harvey’s teacher crushed his dreams of being on TV, the one person who believed in him was his father. He told him to put a piece of paper with his dreams on in his drawer, and to read it every morning and every night.

His dreams came true.

It didn’t always come easy for Steve Harvey though – he spent years living in his car when he had nowhere else to go, but the one thing he never lost was his ambition and determination to see his dreams through to fruition.

A firm believer in the Law of Attraction, Steve still has vision boards and still commits his dreams to writing, and encourages you to do the same in this speech that made Obama cry.

These motivational speeches, and many more like them, show how having guts, determination, and a vision will get you anywhere you want to go, no matter your beginnings in life. These inspirational speakers have suffered loss, sickness, and unbelievable hardships, but the one thing that got them through was their desire to win and their belief that they could.

Immerse yourself in their words of wisdom, and take that next step into your best life.

More on Motivation

• 8 Rituals to Cultivating True Self-Motivation That Lasts
• 10 Monday Morning Habits for a Successful Week
• Motivational Quotes

Submit a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

The 24 Best Motivational Speeches Our Employees Have Ever Heard

Updated: July 19, 2023

Published: March 24, 2016

It was halftime during one of my 7th-grade football games. And we were losing 14 - 0. With our knees planted in the grass, my team was quietly huddled, drenched in sweat and defeat. Suddenly, it was game over.

That's when our assistant coach burst into our circle and shattered our pity party, delivering one of the best motivational speeches I've heard to this day.

I can't directly quote him because he said some inappropriate things for a blog post (and, in hindsight, probably for a bunch of 13-year-olds too).

The point is he harnessed the power of words to rejuvenate a physically and emotionally drained team. And we came back clawing to win the game.

Free Leadership Lessons Guide

Actionable leadership advice from HubSpot's Co-Founder, Dharmesh Shah.

• Qualities of Confident People
• Leading By Example
• Recognizing Excellence

Download Free

All fields are required.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Motivational Speech

A motivational speech can come from anywhere or anyone, but it usually has a specific audience in mind.

Whether it's a graduation speech, an all-company meeting, a championship sporting event, or a conference keynote, these speeches are designed to change how their listeners see the challenges facing them in the future.

Like in sports, being motivated at work is crucial for your performance. This rings especially true when you have a looming deadline, an important meeting, or colleagues or customers depending on your performance.

Think about the last time you felt generally unmotivated. What brought you out of that feeling? Sometimes all it takes to get you going is a good night's sleep or witnessing the benefits of your labor.

Still, other times, you might listen to someone say something that resonates with you — that alters how you've been looking at a particular task or problem.

Motivational speeches and speakers can come in all different forms, but this is the one thing they have in common — resonance. They resonate with the right listener at the right time and in the right way.

Who knows, this article is doing some for you right now. (I can dream, can't I?)

We selected 24 of the best motivational speeches from business, sports, entertainment, and other fields to help you stay motivated no matter what your work throws at you. Watch these videos if you want to feel inspired by a project.

Trust me, I was wiping my eyes after I saw them. And while the messages vary from speech to speech, they can put you in the optimal frame of mind for tackling and crushing your next big challenge.

(Disclaimer: Some speeches may contain NSFW language.)

Elon Musk: "The Importance of Never Giving Up" (2020)

Angela Ahrendts: "Leading with Empathy" (2023)

Arianna Huffington: "The Power of Sleep" (2023)

Tim Cook: "Inclusion and Diversity" (2023)

J.K. Rowling: “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination” (2008)

Sheryl Sandberg: "Lean In" (2021)

Jim Carrey: Commencement Speech at Maharishi University of Management (2014)

Steve Jobs: "How to Live Before You Die" (2005)

Matthew McConaughey: "The Pursuit of Happiness" (2022)

Denzel Washington: "Fall Forward" (2011)

Vera Jones: “But the Blind Can Lead the Blind…” (2016)

Oprah Winfrey: "The Power of Self-Belief" (2020)

Charlie Day: Merrimack College Commencement Speech (2014)

Brené Brown: "The Power of Vulnerability" (2013)

Kobe Bryant: “The Path to Greatness" (2020)

David Foster Wallace: "This Is Water" (2005)

Carol Dweck: "The Growth Mindset" (2020)

Al Pacino: "Inch by Inch" (1999)

Satya Nadella: "Empowering Others" (2023)

Sylvester Stallone: Speech from Rocky Balboa (2006)

Will Smith: Speech from The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Mel Robbins: "The 5 Second Rule" (2020)

Angela Duckworth: "The Power of Grit" (2020)

Kurt Russell: “This is Your Time” (2004)

The Best Motivational Speeches of All Time

1. elon musk: "the importance of never giving up" (2020), theme of speech: perseverance and resilience.

Elon Musk's "The Importance of Never Giving Up" speech about perseverance and determination is decisive.

In this speech, Musk emphasizes failing and learning from failures as keys to success. He recounts his life and career, demonstrating how he overcame challenges.

One key takeaway from Musk's speech is his advice to adopt a growth mindset.

Musk encourages listeners to view setbacks as learning experiences. He also highlights the value of perseverance, persistence, and taking risks.

Elon Musk's word serves as an upbeat reminder that perseverance, patience, and the desire to attempt things repeatedly in the face of difficulty are essential for success.

"If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it."

2. Angela Ahrendts: "Leading with Empathy" (2023)

Theme of the speech: empathetic leadership....

The "Leading with Empathy" talk by Angela Ahrendts emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence and compassion in leadership.

According to Ahrendts, leaders must view their employees as whole people with lives outside of work. Leaders can instill trust, respect, and mutual support in their employees and organizations.

Ahrendts emphasizes the importance of team mission as well. Leaders can inspire their teams by connecting them to a greater goal.

She believes that working together fosters creativity, innovation, and growth.

"Leading with Empathy" is a powerful reminder that leadership requires more than technical knowledge. To truly inspire and motivate their employees, leaders must understand their emotional needs and create a supportive, inclusive environment.

"Empathy is the glue that holds relationships together, whether they are personal or professional."

3. Arianna Huffington: "The Power of Sleep" (2023)

Theme of the speech: sleep and productivity.

The Huffington Post's founder, Arianna Huffington, emphasized the importance of sleep to overall health. In her 2023 speech, "The Power of Sleep," she discusses how sleep deprivation affects our health, productivity, and happiness.

Huffington observes that we have been taught to sacrifice sleep for success. She also mentions that well-rested employees are more creative, efficient, and effective.

To address these issues, Huffington proposes a cultural shift that recognizes sleep as essential to health and wellness.

She advises individuals and organizations to prioritize sleep, avoid technology before bedtime, and create a restful sleep environment. Sleep, according to Huffington, is a necessity, not a luxury.

By recognizing the importance of sleep, people and businesses can enhance their health, productivity, and general well-being.

Arianna Huffington's "The Power of Sleep" speech in 2023 emphasizes the importance of sleep and the dangers of sleep deprivation.

It promotes a culture where getting enough sleep is essential for health and well-being.

"Sleep is the Swiss Army knife of health, it does everything."

4. Tim Cook: "Inclusion and Diversity" (2023)

Theme of the speech: inclusion and diversity.

Apple CEO Tim Cook advocates for inclusion and diversity. He has been instrumental in the company's initiatives to advance fairness and equality inside its ranks and across the technology sector.

Cook has prioritized diversity and inclusion at Apple because he believes it is proper and necessary for innovation and business success.

Unconscious bias training, diverse recruitment, and employee resource groups contributed to his success.

Outside of Apple, Cook has advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and immigration reform. He has raised awareness of these issues and advocated for social change as a business leader.

Tech leaders and others have lauded Cook's commitment to diversity and inclusion. He has raised awareness of these issues, leading to significant change at Apple and elsewhere.

"Inclusion and diversity are not just buzzwords, they are fundamental values that drive innovation and creativity."

5. J.K. Rowling: “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination” (2008)

Theme of speech: failure.

In J.K. Rowling's 2008 Harvard commencement speech, the Harry Potter author explored how two phenomena -- failure and imagination -- can be crucial to success.

While failure can help you understand where your true passion lies, and where you should focus your energy moving forward, imagination is what will allow you to empathize with other people so you can use your influence to do good.

“We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.”

"You have to understand your own personal DNA. Don't do things because I do them or Steve Jobs or Mark Cuban tried it. You need to know your personal brand and stay true to it."

6. Sheryl Sandberg: "Lean In" (2021)

Theme of the speech: gender equality and leadership.

Sheryl Sandberg's 2021 talk, "Lean In," encourages women to lean into their careers and leadership roles. She urges women to stand up for one another and themselves to overcome societal and cultural hurdles.

Sandberg highlights the need to have distinct objectives and goals and be prepared to take calculated risks to achieve them.

She also underlines how crucial it is for more female leaders to advance diversity and gender equality across all industries.

Sandberg's speech also emphasizes collaboration. She urges women to mentor other women and look for sponsors and mentors themselves.

The "Lean In" talk by Sheryl Sandberg emphasizes women's voices and perspectives in all aspects of society.

To remove barriers and foster more inclusive and varied workplaces and communities, Sandberg urges women to pursue their professional ambitions with confidence and with the help of their communities.

"We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women's voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored."

7. Jim Carrey: Commencement Speech at Maharishi University of Management (2014)

Theme of speech: taking risks.

Jim Carrey might make a living as the goofiest comedian around, but in 2014, he combined classic Carrey humor with unforgettable insight at Maharishi University of Management's graduation ceremony.

Jim Carrey opened his speech dishing punchlines, but he eventually opened up about his upbringing and the role fear plays in our lives. You can actually hear the amazement in the students' reactions in the video above.

“I learned many great lessons from my father -- not the least of which is that you can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”

8. Steve Jobs: "How to Live Before You Die" (2005)

Theme of speech: life and career.

Considering the YouTube video of Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford commencement speech has 24 million views, it's likely that you've seen this one already.

In the speech, Jobs plays on two themes: connecting the dots (anecdote: how taking a calligraphy class helped inspire the design of the Mac) and love & loss (anecdote: how getting fired from Apple helped inspire his greatest innovations).

Perhaps the most memorable part his speech comes at the end, when he quotes the (now-famous) lines from the final issue of his favorite publication, The Whole Earth Catalog:

“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”

9. Matthew McConaughey: "The Pursuit of Happiness" (2022)

Theme of the speech: discovering true happiness and fulfillment in life..

In "The Pursuit of Happiness," famed actor and motivational speaker Matthew McConaughey provides his enlightened viewpoint on obtaining true happiness and fulfillment.

McConaughey presents a genuine and approachable study of what it means to live a fulfilling life through sincere storytelling and personal anecdotes.

The speech discusses the significance of authenticity and remaining true to oneself. McConaughey encourages people to define their success rather than succumb to social pressures or external expectations.

He stresses aligning our behaviors and decisions with our fundamental values and passions.

McConaughey expresses his conviction in the power of thankfulness and the importance of living in the present moment. He encourages people to create a grateful mindset, recognizing the blessings and possibilities surrounding them.

By appreciating the present and finding joy in the journey, individuals can experience more profound happiness and fulfillment.

"Happiness is not a destination. It's a state of mind, a journey, and a choice we make every day."

10. Denzel Washington: "Fall Forward" (2011)

In his 2011 UPenn commencement speech, Denzel Washington highlighted three reasons why we need to embrace failure in order to be successful. First, everybody will fail at something at some point, so you better get used to it.

Second, if you never fail, take that as a sign that you're not really trying. And third, at the end of the day, failure will help you figure out what path you want to be on.

“Fall forward. Here's what I mean: Reggie Jackson struck out twenty-six-hundred times in his career — the most in the history of baseball. But you don't hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs.

Fall forward.

Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments. Did you know that? I didn't know that—because #1,001 was the light bulb. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.”

11. Vera Jones: “But the Blind Can Lead the Blind…” (2016)

Theme of speech: perseverance.

Last year at INBOUND, Vera Jones told a moving story about the life lessons she's learned from raising her blind son.

She explains how having faith in your future and letting it lead you toward your true purpose will help you overcome blinding obstacles.

She also discusses how following your passion and trusting your vision develops empathy, which is a critical leadership skill.

“Passionately play your position no matter how bad things get. You are significant. Why we are here is not for our own glory. Ultimately, we're here to lead and serve everybody else. By doing that, we encourage others to do the same.”

12. Oprah Winfrey: "The Power of Self-Belief" (2020)

Theme of Speech: Self-Belief and Confidence

Oprah Winfrey's 2020 speech "The Power of Self-Belief" emphasized the importance of self-assurance. She attributed her success to her unwavering self-assurance.

According to Oprah, self-belief is not about being arrogant or overconfident. She stresses the significance of overcoming self-doubt and fear, which can prevent people from reaching their goals.

Oprah used personal stories to demonstrate how self-confidence has aided her in life and work. She encouraged her audience to believe in themselves and to embrace their inner strength.

The Power of Self-Belief" reminded us how important it is to have faith in ourselves and our ability to succeed.

"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."

13. Charlie Day: Merrimack College Commencement Speech (2014)

Best known for his role in the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, actor Charlie Day had lots of wisdom to share during the 2014 commencement speech at his alma mater, Merrimack College.

Day explained to the audience how college degrees are inherently valueless, since you can't trade them in for cash. Instead, it's you, your hard work, and the risks you take that provide real value in life.

“You cannot let a fear of failure or a fear of comparison or a fear of judgment stop you from doing the things that will make you great. You cannot succeed without the risk of failure.

You cannot have a voice without the risk of criticism. You cannot love without the risk of loss. You must take these risks.”

14. Brené Brown: "The Power of Vulnerability" (2013)

The video above is an animated excerpt from researcher Brené Brown's speech, " The Power of Vulnerability ." In the speech, Brown explores how our fear of not being good enough (among other fears) drives us to shield ourselves from our own vulnerabilities.

The alternative to wearing this emotional suit of armor: Embrace vulnerability through empathizing with others.

"Empathy is a choice, and it's a vulnerable choice. Because in order to connect with you, I have to connect with something in myself that knows that feeling."

15. Kobe Bryant: “The Path to Greatness" (2020)

Theme of the speech: embracing dedication, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of greatness..

Bryant emphasizes setting ambitious goals and working tirelessly to achieve them. Through captivating storytelling and personal anecdotes, he reveals the sacrifices and relentless effort required to excel at the highest level.

Bryant's speech is a testament to the power of hard work, discipline, and a growth mindset in attaining greatness.

The speech also explores embracing failure as a stepping stone to success. Bryant shares how setbacks and challenges can fuel personal growth and resilience.

He encourages individuals to embrace failure, learn from it, and use it as motivation to push beyond their limits.

Bryant's speech goes beyond the realm of sports, offering valuable insights and life lessons applicable to all areas of life.

His relentless pursuit of greatness and unwavering commitment to excellence inspires individuals striving to achieve their goals and dreams.

"I have self-doubt. I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I'm like, 'My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don't have it. I just want to chill.'

We all have self-doubt. You don't deny it, but you also don't capitulate to it. You embrace it."

16. David Foster Wallace: "This Is Water" (2005)

From the opening minutes of David Foster Wallace's 2005 Kenyon College commencement speech , in which he questions commencement speech conventions, it's clear that Wallace has some serious wisdom to share.

The crux of his speech: Many of us are oblivious to our own close-mindedness. We picture ourselves as the centers of our own, individual universes, instead of seeing the bigger, more interconnected picture.

“If you're automatically sure that you know what reality is and who and what is really important, if you want to operate on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won't consider possibilities that aren't annoying and miserable.

But if you've really learned how to think, how to pay attention, then you'll know you have other options.

It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer hell-type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred — on fire with the same force that lit the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down.”

17. Carol Dweck: "The Growth Mindset" (2020)

Theme of the speech: cultivating a growth mindset for personal and professional development..

In "The Growth Mindset," Carol Dweck, a renowned psychologist, and author, delivers an enlightening speech on the power of adopting a growth mindset for personal and professional growth.

Dweck's extensive research on mindset and achievement provides the foundation for her impactful message.

Dweck explains the difference between a fixed mindset, where individuals believe their abilities are fixed traits, and a growth mindset, where individuals believe their abilities can be developed through effort and learning.

She demonstrates how a growth mindset fosters resilience, learning, and innovation through relatable stories and compelling examples.

Dweck's speech resonates with individuals seeking personal and professional development, as she provides insights into how adopting a growth mindset can positively impact all areas of life.

Her research-based approach and engaging speaking style make "The Growth Mindset" an inspiring resource for individuals striving for continuous growth and improvement.

"The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even when it's not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset."

Famous Short Speeches With Inspirational Takeaways

18. al pacino: "inch by inch" (1999), theme of speech: teamwork.

Yes, this speech is from a football movie (Any Given Sunday), but trust me: This isn't your stereotypical rah-rah-go-get-'em sports speech. It's deeper than that. It's about life, and loss, and ... gosh darn it just listen to Al Pacino.

He's pouring his soul out!

“Either we heal as a team or we're gonna crumble, inch by inch, play by play, till we're finished. We're in hell right now, gentlemen, believe me.

And we can stay here and get the $&#@ kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb out of hell, one inch at a time.”

19. Satya Nadella: "Empowering Others" (2023)

Theme of the Speech: Empowerment and Collaboration

Satya Nadella's 2023 lecture, "Empowering Others," emphasizes the importance of leadership that empowers others rather than focusing on personal success.

He emphasizes the importance of leaders cultivating a culture of inclusion and belonging in which everyone feels respected and able to accomplish their best work.

Nadella also discusses the significance of technology in positive development. Some of society's most important issues may be resolved by technology, but proper development and application are required.

According to Nadella, empathy and emotional intelligence are essential for outstanding leadership. He suggests that Leaders listen to and understand. their team members' needs and motivations.

Leaders can develop a culture of trust and collaboration that will help the team flourish.

Satya Nadella's "Empowering Others" provides a special message about leadership in the current day. By emphasizing diversity, empathy, and responsible innovation, Nadella encourages audiences to strive for excellence while being mindful of their impact on others and the world.

"Success is not just about what we achieve individually, but what we enable others to achieve."

20. Sylvester Stallone: Speech from Rocky Balboa (2006)

Theme of speech: never give up.

I had to put this one next since it plays along the same themes as Denzel Washington's UPenn speech. In the scene above, from the 2006 film Rocky Balboa, the title character (played by Sylvester Stallone) is having a heart-to-heart with his son.

The advice he gives him: Don't let your failures or the adversity you face slow you down. Keep. Moving. Forward.

“Let me tell you something you already know. 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!”

21. Will Smith: Speech from The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Theme of speech: don’t let them bring you down.

Here's another speech from the big screen, this time from the 2006 film The Pursuit of Happyness.

In the scene above, Will Smith's character explains to his son why he shouldn't pursue basketball (because he'll end up being "below average") before having a major change of heart.

“Don't ever let somebody tell you ... you can't do something. Not even me. All right? You got a dream. You gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they want to tell you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.”

22. Mel Robbins: "The 5 Second Rule" (2020)

Theme of the Speech: Action and Overcoming Self-Doubt

The "The 5 Second Rule" speech by Mel Robbins promotes action to achieve goals and overcome concerns and doubts.

When confronted with a decision or action that needs to be completed but you are hesitating or procrastinating, countdown from 5, and then act. According to Robbins, this method breaks habit loops that keep us unhealthy.

Counting down and taking action may assist us in overcoming uncertainty and self-doubt and moving toward our objectives. For success, Robbins also promotes mentality and self-talk.

She believes that to realize our potential, we must consciously reframe negative thoughts and limiting beliefs.

Mel Robbins' presentation "The 5 Second Rule" is a practical and efficient technique to overcome procrastination and achieve goals.

Robbins inspires listeners to take command of their lives and achieve by emphasizing attitude, self-talk, and positive actions.

"You are never going to feel like doing the things that are tough, difficult, or uncertain, but you have a choice."

23. Angela Duckworth: "The Power of Grit" (2020)

Theme of the Speech: Spirit and Perseverance

Angela Duckworth examines the significance of perseverance and resilience in achievement in her book "The Power of Grit." According to Duckworth, grit—passion and determination—is essential for long-term success and overcoming obstacles.

Duckworth addresses grit and mentality, believing that people who view challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than threats will develop resilience and determination over time.

She advocates for a growth mindset, which believes people can acquire intelligence and other qualities through hard work. Duckworth places a premium on rigorous practice to achieve skill and mastery.

She recommends soliciting feedback, setting challenging goals, and intentionally improving abilities and succeeding. Angela Duckworth's "The Power of Grit" illuminates long-term achievement.

Duckworth emphasizes attitude, focused practice, and resilience to urge listeners to acquire grit and pursue their passions with tenacity.

"Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality."

24. Kurt Russell: “This is Your Time” (2004)

Theme of speech: inspiring and believing in your team.

The Miracle on Ice is still considered the biggest upset in Olympic hockey history. And for good reason. The Soviet Union won six of the last seven Olympic gold medals, and the U.S. team consisted only of amateur players.

It was obvious the Soviets were better. But, in the movie Miracle, which told the incredible story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, Kurt Russell's character — Coach Herb Brooks — knew that this game was different.

The U.S. was better than the Soviets that day. And his speech conveyed such a strong belief in his team that they pulled off one of the greatest sports moments of the 20th century.

“If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game… Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can!

Tonight, WE are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players, every one of you. And you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time.”

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

99 Quotes That Celebrate Teamwork, Hard Work, and Collaboration

How to Write a Press Release [Free Press Release Template + 2024 Examples]

How to Write an Effective Communication Plan [+ Template]

15 Best Examples of Professional Goals [+Tips to Achieve Them]

How to Give Productive Feedback, According to HubSpot Managers & Editors

26 Best Slack Alternatives for Working Effortlessly in 2024

50 Fun Corporate Team-Building Activities & Outing Ideas Everyone Will Enjoy

Press Release Distribution: Top 11 Services + 4 Mistakes to Avoid

What is Public Relations? PR Definition Explained

13 Best Portable Apps in 2023

Lessons on leadership from HubSpot co-founder Dharmesh Shah.

The weekly email to help take your career to the next level. No fluff, only first-hand expert advice & useful marketing trends.

Must enter a valid email

We're committed to your privacy. HubSpot uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information, check out our privacy policy .

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

You've been subscribed

30 Famous and Short Inspirational Speeches (5 minutes or less)

• December 13, 2023

This post is all about the best short inspirational speeches.

If you are in need of a quick boost of inspiration and motivation, you will find that in this post. I am one of those people who loves to get motivated. That sounds weird, right?

Well, a lot of people these days tend to give motivation a hard time because they don’t believe that it has lasting effects. In other words, they believe that what’s most important is your own self-discipline, because that’s what you have to rely on when motivation isn’t there.

And while I do agree with that sentiment in general, I will never pass up a great motivational podcast or YouTube video! 😀 There’s just something about them that even if they might not have lasting effects, they do truly help pump me up in the moment to get work done. And that’s usually what matters to me the most when I am looking for them in the first place.

So, here are the very best short motivational speeches so you can get that quick fix of motivation that you’re looking for, and ultimately move closer to your goals and dreams.

Short Inspirational Speeches

Believe in yourself speeches.

If you lack confidence or you are doubting yourself, these short motivational speeches will help you to believe in yourself again.

1. Rocky’s Inspirational Speech to His Son | ROCKY BALBOA

In less than 5 minutes, you’ll watch Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) explain to his son that if he wants to have the life he desires, he needs to believe in himself. He needs to stop listening to the people that tell him who he is, and instead go be his own person, and stop looking for someone to blame when things aren’t working out for him because ultimately it’s on HIM. This is one of the greatest inspirational speeches of all time.

2. Find Your Purpose | David Goggins – Motivational Speech

David Goggins is truly incredible. A former Navy SEAL, he has broken records and ran more races than you’d imagine. But the one thing that really stands out about him is his mindset.

Listen to this video if you want to be great. He tells you exactly what you need to do to get there.

Also, if you’ve never read David Goggins’ book “Can’t Hurt Me” , I highly recommend it. He talks about his rough upbringing, and how he was able to essentially become an entirely new person to become a Navy SEAL.

3. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF – Motivational Video (ft. Jaret Grossman & Eric Thomas)

This video is all about how important it is to have the proper belief system. If you truly believe that you are one of the best, you will start acting that you are one of the best, and eventually you may just be one of the best.

4. DON’T LET YOUR DREAMS DIE – Motivational Speech

This YouTube short by Mel Robbins is so good, I had to share it. A light bulb went on in my head when I first watched this. If there is something that is always on your mind, don’t let it haunt you forever because you never put yourself out there to try it. Go and DO!

Motivational Speeches About Not Giving Up

The following short motivational speeches are all about not giving up on your dreams. If you are losing hope, these short motivational speeches will inspire you to keep going.

5. Brené Brown It’s Not The Critic Who Counts

This speech will give you chills, and it is packed with great lessons about life. Brené Brown is a researcher who went viral for a Ted Talk, and here she talks about how to overcome critics and to keep believing in yourself no matter what. If you are worried about what people think of you, you NEED to watch this.

6. Amazing Motivational Speech by Denzel Washington 

This is another video that gave me chills. The main theme of this famous speech is “ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship”. Stay consistent even when it’s hard. Easy task after easy task won’t get you to where you want to be.

7. Steve Harvey – Inspirational Speech | Motivational Short Video | Incredible You

This short motivational speech by Steve Harvey is short but impactful. If you are someone who stepped out of your comfort zone to pursue something really difficult, and you’re thinking about giving up, this speech may just prevent you from doing so.

8. Ed Mylett on The Power of One More

Ed Mylett shares the story of how his father stayed sober until his dying day, and how Ed himself uses that same philosophy to never give up. Personal stories like these are always the most inspiring.

By the way, if you REALLY want to push yourself and become the best, read Ed Mylett’s most recent book on this same topic, “The Power Of One More” .

Motivational Speeches If You’re Feeling Behind

Are you feeling behind in life? If so, let’s change that. Watch these videos to be reminded that you are on your own unique path. You have no competition other than your past self. These short motivational videos will help you believe that.

9. Before You Feel Pressure – WATCH THIS | by Jay Shetty

Jay Shetty talks to a school class about how there’s no one “perfect” life timeline to follow, and that we are all on our own clock. 

10. Kevin Hart Motivational Speech

If you’ve made mistakes in your life (haven’t we all) this is a great story from Kevin Hart (famous comedian and actor) that will remind you of the power of making mistakes and pushing through hard times.

11. Oprah Winfrey | 5 Minutes For The NEXT 50 Years of Your LIFE

In this video, Oprah talks about the importance of really knowing who you are and what you want in your life. She talks about surrounding yourself with great people, and how to have enormous success. “Let excellence be your brand.”

Listen To These If You Need Perspective

Sometimes in life, we get so caught up in the day to day that we forget what truly matters – the people we love. If you are having trouble with something in life, give these videos a listen, because they just might help you realize what is really important.

12. Arnold Schwarzenegger – Organize Your Day | 1 MINUTE MOTIVATIONAL VIDEO

Are you the kind of person who always complains that you don’t have enough time to do something? If so, you’re not alone. We are all busy humans, running around doing a million things. But if you aren’t prioritizing what you know you should be doing, listen to this video.

13. How to Judge Your Life Using 3 Simple Questions | Brendon Burchard Speech| Goalcast

Have you ever heard of Mortality Motivation? It’s essentially what it sounds like… being motivated by the impending reality of your death. It sounds a little morbid, but it’s actually quite beautiful and it can be really beneficial if you harness it for good.

In this video by motivational speaker Brendon Burchard, he shares how a car accident when he was 19 gave him mortality motivation and changed everything for him.

14. FALL, SUFFER AND LEARN | MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH BY OPRAH WINFREY

This speech by Oprah was given to Harvard graduates, and it’s a unique speech because she talks about failing, even after the major success of her television show for over 20 years.

It’s refreshing to hear that even the most successful people fail. What really matters, though, is what you do with your failure. Do you learn from it and move on? Or do you give up?

15. YOU VS YOU – Best Motivational Video

This is a pretty intense video about competition. If your #1 competition is someone else, you need to change your perspective. Your only competition is YOU. The only thing preventing you from moving forward is you.

16. The Speech That Brought This Entire School To Tears

This is a speech about a man who never really paid much attention to his mother, until she passed away. It’s an emotional reminder to cherish the time you have with your loved ones, because you never know if the next time you see them will be the last time.

In my opinion, this speaker embodies many qualities of the best motivational speakers because he really knows how to capture the audience’s attention and pull on their heart strings.

17. 5 Minutes to Start Your Day Right! – MORNING MOTIVATION

This motivational speech is by a Navy SEAL who will remind you to start each day with a task completed, respect everyone, take risks, step up during tough times, and never give up. If you do these things, the next generation, and the generations that follow, will live better lives than we live today.

18. The Real You – Jim Carrey

This video is one of the best motivational speech examples because it reminds you of something so important: sometimes we can be so focused on earning more money, gaining fame, and becoming admired that we lose ourselves or we lose sight of what’s really important to us in the process.

Jim Carrey talks about how he is a great example of that. He got all of the money, fame, and admiration, and admits that that wasn’t really who he was. Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded that money and fame, or even getting to the top of the corporate ladder, while nice, aren’t going to be the thing that brings you fulfillment when it’s all said and done.

19. Ed Mylett Motivational Speech

I posted another motivational video by Ed Mylett above, but if you don’t know much about him, prepare to have your world rocked. He’s probably my absolute favorite motivational speaker because he is successful and he works hard, but he’s also (seemingly) a kind, family guy who’s been through a few things.

In this video, he talks about being “the one” that changed his family tree. Take a listen because I’m sure it’ll get you thinking on whether or not you can be “the one” in YOUR family.

P.S. If you love personal growth content, you should check out Ed Mylett’s podcast . I listen to it every week and it is one of my favorites.

20. If You Feel LOST, LAZY & UNMOTIVATED In Life, WATCH THIS! | Tony Robbins Motivation

If you are someone who is constantly blaming others or your circumstances for your unhappiness, you need to listen to this video by Tony Robbins . Bad things happen to us all, it’s up to you to focus on what you can control.

Great Inspirational Speeches About Hard Work

How hard do you think you work? Could you be doing more? If there’s a little voice inside of your heart that knows you could be doing more and better, these motivational videos about the value of hard work will help you push yourself.

And a side note: your chances of having good luck increase the harder and longer you work.

21. You’re Not Tired, You’re Just Weak – David Goggins Motivation

If you’re feeling lazy or like you don’t want to do something, watch this video til 2:25 . It will give you the push you need to put your head down and do the work. It’ll remind you to keep pursuing your goals and to keep challenging yourself. Key takeaway: push yourself beyond your perceived limits.

22. Hard Work & Patience – A Gary Vaynerchuk Original Film

If you want to be motivated to work hard, listen to Gary Vaynerchuk. Gary Vaynerchuk is a creative genius known for his marketing tactics. This famous motivational speech is all about playing “the long game”, as in, working for a long time and having patience instead of working hard for a short period of time and expecting to win quickly.

23. OBSESSION – Best Motivational Speech

This is one of my favorite short motivational speeches because it makes me feel a little more normal for being “weird”. I’m the kind of person who chooses to work on the weekends instead of hanging out with people. Crazy, right? But it’s because I’m working toward a dream of mine and it’s something that’s really important to me. The most important thing to remember: it’s okay to devote yourself to something. It’s the only way to get what you want in life.

24. WORK LIKE HELL – Best Motivational Video

This is a series of motivational speeches about doing a little bit more and outworking your competition. I’m not going to lie – I’m up late writing this post and listening to this very video is what’s motivating me to keep going.

25. The video EVERY woman should watch!

Whether or not you’re a Rachel Hollis fan may be up for debate (and that’s okay!) but I happen to think she’s a great motivational speaker. This entire speech will inspire you to work hard and take massive action – today.

26. NEVER SURRENDER – Powerful Motivational Speech (by Kobe Bryant)

This one minute video by the late Kobe Bryant is one of the most famous short speeches. I read a book recently by his former personal trainer and I learned that Kobe really outworked everyone. He talks about a quote in this video that really stuck with him, and I think it’s great advice if you’re the kind of person who needs motivation to keep working hard.

Motivational Speeches About Working Smart

Have you ever heard the saying “work smarter, not harder”? That saying is all about ensuring that the work you are doing is actually efficient. Are you getting to where you want to go with all of the work that you are putting in? Are you getting closer to your goals and your dreams? Or are you sprinting like a hamster on a wheel and just running in circles?

Here are great videos on the importance of working hard but also working intentionally.

27. SET SYSTEMS RATHER THAN GOALS – Motivational Speech – James Clear

A goal gives you a sense of direction, but if you don’t spell out precisely how you are going to get to a goal, it is useless. You must develop systems. Listen to this James Clear video to gain valuable life lessons.

By the way, James Clear is an author who wrote perhaps my favorite book of all time: “Atomic Habits” . It’s life-changing if you haven’t read it yet.

28. Matthew McConaughey | 5 Minutes for the NEXT 50 Years of Your LIFE

This is one of the best motivational speeches of all time about how to live a great life for YOU. It’s filled with little pieces of wisdom that’ll really get you thinking about how you live your life and in what direction you want to go.

29. Visualization is the key – Bob Proctor

Do you believe in the Law of Attraction? If not, I have to say I’m surprised! I’ve experienced it in my own life more than once, and it is incredibly powerful. Here’s a great video that sums up the power of visualization, and if you want to learn more about the Law of Attraction or manifestation in general, read this post .

This video shows the true power of words, thoughts, and feelings that you have.

30. How to Stay Motivated – Carla Harris

Here is a YouTube short with very practical advice from Carla Harris on HOW to stay motivated. It’s all about having a vision!

This post was all about short inspirational speeches. Which one was your favorite?

Related Posts

Life Update: I got a new job, here’s why

Hello, my friends. It’s been a while so let’s jump right on in. The past 1.5 years have been very transformative career-wise. It all started

15+ BEST Blogs About Minimalism and Decluttering

This post is all about the best blogs on minimalism that you will find on the internet.

Feeling Stupid? Here Are 50+ Funny, Inspiring Quotes

If you are feeling stupid today, these feeling stupid quotes will make you feel better and offer you a laugh!

Join the Imperfect Taylor Newsletter!

Stay in the know! Every week you’ll receive new blog posts that help you on your personal development journey – from mindset & money to health & career – no topic’s off limits.

About Taylor

A few years after graduating college, Taylor made it her mission to become debt free. After paying off all $60k of debt, she began to blog about what she's really passionate about: personal development. Nowadays, Taylor blogs about the topics of Mindset, Money, Health, and Career for women. Read more about Taylor here.

"It's Per$onal" is a super popular and anonymous blog series about the personal lives and finances of women all over the world. Check it out!

If you like this post, you might like these, too!

Top 125 Inspirational Alpha Leader Quotes for Life

44 Inspirational Barbie Movie Quotes & Captions

10 Famous Motivational Speeches You Need to Hear

• Carolyn Manion Kinnie
• April 1, 2024

Table of Contents

At The Speaker Lab, we’re dedicated to helping you launch and scale your speaking business. Since we’re dedicated to helping speaking professionals succeed, it stands to reason that we have a few favorite examples of our own! Today, we want to share some of the motivational speeches that our team thinks are most worth the listen. While you can find hundreds of inspirational talks on the internet, we think there’s something really special about these ten talks. Whether you want to be a speaker yourself or just need a mood boost, each of these examples is sure to leave you ample fuel for motivation and reflection! 

Topics of the speeches we cover today range from psychology and relationships, to goal-setting and growth, to effective leadership, to personal stories that carry weighty lessons. For each speech, we’ll include some insights into what really sets these talks apart. We also highly recommend setting some time aside to give each on its own and form your own opinions! Let’s dive into some of these amazing motivational speeches so you can see (or hear!) for yourself why we love them so much. 

1. Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability

We’re going to start with almost a too-obvious choice. You will see Brené Brown’s name pop up on just about any  list of important motivational speeches. And with good reason! This 2011 TED talk isn’t just one of the most-watched TED talks of all time. It’s an incredible investigation into the roles that connection, shame and vulnerability play in human relationships. It’s also an eye-opening exploration into why we all tend to shrink from vulnerability and what could happen if we flipped the script. And from a purely public speaking standpoint, it’s a great display of Brown’s wit and charisma. If you struggle with vulnerability in your own life or are trying to understand why a loved one keeps shutting you out, Brown’s short but impactful talk might have some answers for you. 

We covered this motivational speech in our recent article about pathos because Brown is a master of emotional connection. She backs up her argument with ample academic research, but connects her message to real, relatable experiences throughout. As she narrates her own experiences in a therapist’s office, she invites the audience to walk through those experiences with her. Making psychological research accessible to the masses is no easy feat, but Brown manages to do it with storytelling and humor. Her greatest lesson, perhaps, comes in how vulnerability can teach how to treat ourselves kindly.

“Our job is to look and say, “You know what? You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”

2. Simon Sinek: “How great leaders inspire action”

Simon Sinek is a world-renowned author and speaker with an incredible knack for delivering profound and easily intelligible advice on leadership, business, and success. He has written several books and delivered many motivational speeches. His TED talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” which grew out of his first book, is perhaps the most well-known. Similarly to Brown’s speech, we think no list of the best motivational speeches would be complete without it. In short, it’s an analysis of how people like Steve Jobs and Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright Brothers managed to accomplish amazing, unheard of things. Sinek theorizes that there is a unique way that great leaders communicate, and that’s how they get things done. 

If you’re a leader but don’t understand why your marketing and sales fall flat, or if you long to start a company but don’t know how to tap into what makes people excited about a business, Sinek has wisdom to share for you. His speech is for you if you’ll ever be in a leadership position or struggle to pinpoint your professional mission. And if you’re curious about why people trust certain political leaders and not others, you’ll want to listen to this speech. Sinek is a master of words and he distills a lot of fascinating information into simple stories and lessons about innovation and leadership. Give this one a listen to get fired up about what you believe and how you can make an impact with those beliefs. 

“ People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.

3. Steve Jobs: Stanford Commencement speech  

Commencement addresses can be hit or miss. Sometimes they fill graduating seniors with energy and inspiration for the life ahead, other times they get a few laughs and more than a few yawns. Even celebrities and business leaders aren’t always up to the task of sending young adults off into the world. But in 2005 at Stanford University, Steve Jobs not only rose to the task, but outstripped expectations by delivering an iconic motivational speech that today is the most-watched commencement speech on YouTube. 

If you’ve been around The Speaker Lab for a while, you know we’re big fans of storytelling . Steve Jobs illustrates our favorite speaking strategy by structuring his remarks as three stories. The first: his experience as a college dropout and how it paved the path to his future. The second: his expulsion from Apple that allowed him to found Pixar and meet his wife, among other endeavors. And finally: his first brush with cancer and the second chance at life he was provided. While the last story rings differently in light of Jobs’s death in 2011, the wisdom he draws from the twists and turns of his life is applicable to far more than college seniors. 

The lessons of Jobs’s commencement address are myriad, and it’s a speech you’ll keep coming back to at different points in your life. Fortunately he summed them up himself:

“ Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” 

Learn How You Could Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig — Guaranteed

We receive thousands of applications every day, but we only work with the top 5% of speakers .

Book a FREE call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students start booking paid speaking gigs even before they finish our program .

4. Randy Pausch: “The Last Lecture: Really Achieving your Childhood Dreams”

Randy Pausch was a pioneer in software and virtual reality development and a longtime professor at Carnegie Mellon University. In his 40s, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given just a few months to live. He delivered a final lecture as part of a series where academics were asked to give a talk on a topic that was deeply important to them–and he spoke about his childhood dreams.

Pausch showed his cancer scans at the start of his presentation, letting his audience sit with the reality of his terminal diagnosis. But his regular jokes (including onstage pushups) lightened the mood and allowed his audience to embark on a journey following his personal and professional ambitions. His lecture became a viral motivational speech and even landed him an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show a few weeks later.

Everybody has childhood dreams. Some people don’t accomplish them, but few forget them. Pausch’s lecture testifies to how having those big dreams can bear great fruit in your personal and professional life. He also provides great examples from his own journey of how going the extra mile–even if it seems crazy–can help you achieve those dreams. This is a long speech, but we encourage you to listen (or read ) in full because it’s so full of inspiration. But in the meantime, here are a few of our favorite lines: 

“Never lose the childlike wonder. It’s just too important. It’s what drives us.” 

“Remember, brick walls let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us from the people who don’t really want to achieve their childhood dreams. Don’t bail. The best of the gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap.”

5. Kelly McGonigal: “ How to make stress your friend “

Stress is something we all deal with, sometimes to an overwhelming degree. Many people try every possible hack to eliminate stress for their lives or live in fear of it. But what if we treated stress as something helpful–or even as a friend? What if we trusted ourselves to cope appropriately with stress rather than letting it ruin our lives? That’s what health psychologist Kelly McGonigal explores in this viral TED talk. 

Challenging the common parlance of stress as the bogeyman is no small task. McGonigal backs up her research with several studies to show that while stress can have deleterious effects on health, it doesn’t have to. She also undertakes some of our favorite tactics here at The Speaker Lab by interacting with her audience to further engage them. While a pop quiz from the stage probably wasn’t on their bingo cards, her in person audience members got a real-time taste of the “social stress test.” (To fully appreciate McGonigal’s point, we recommend pretending you’re in the auditorium with her and attempting to perform what she commands.) Then, she walks her audience through the stress reaction they just experienced and explains how, equipped with new strategies for leveraging stress, they could use that same reaction to approach the situation constructively.  

McGonigal’s research, which has also been published in book form, is not without controversy in the psychology space. But in an ever increasingly stressed out society, her talk could be the motivational speech you need to tackle your stressors head-on. The best part? Turning to the communities around you during stressful events can help you rather than drain you! As McGonigal says:

“People who spent time caring for others showed absolutely no stress-related increase in dying. Zero. Caring created resilience.”

6. Carol Dweck: “The power of believing that you can improve ” 

You’ve probably heard the term “growth mindset” thrown around in the professional and educational space. But do you know who coined it? Carol Dweck is a Stanford psychologist who researches the impact of mindset on how we approach failure and success. She has studied how believing in one’s ability to learn and improve can radically affect our reaction to challenges. Her research claims that by focusing on effort and strategy, we can help students expand their minds and overcome barriers by having a “growth mindset” rather than a “fixed mindset.” 

While her research focuses on students, her TED talk discusses principles with universal application, such as the profound impact of believing we can change for the better. She also explores ideas for constructive communication with the next generation to set them up for success. Do you feel limited by externally applied standards? Have you been put in a box your whole life that you struggle to break out of? Do you throw in the towel easily because you feel that you just can’t win? Dweck’s motivational speech might give you more confidence in your abilities. Our favorite line?

“…praising the process that kids engage in, their effort, their strategies, their focus, their perseverance, their improvement. This process praise creates kids who are hardy and resilient.”

7. Malala Yousafzai: “16th birthday speech at the United Nations”  

Malala Yousafzai is the world’s youngest Nobel laureate and one of the best known human rights advocates of her generation. Her speech before the U.N. in 2014 is a passionate appeal for setting worldwide injustices right. From her harrowing story of being shot in the head, to her advancement of nonviolence, this motivational speech is a moving reminder of how much work each and every one of us can do to lift the burden of the oppressed. 

Though her audience at the time of the speech was a group of world leaders, we can all learn a lot from Malala that applies to our own lives. In addition to her stirring personal story, she lays out a variety of action items that we can all undertake in our communities to lay a foundation for justice. Furthermore, she emphasizes how education and tolerance rather than violence and politics can help win the fight against terrorism. If you ever feel at a loss for what you can do to change the word, Malala is the motivator you need. This speech is also a great model for using your personal story and character or ethos to persuade your audience, which we cover here .

“Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced.”

“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.”

8. Joel Osteen: “The power of I am”

Oprah described this sermon by pastor Joel Osteen as life-changing, and you might find it so too! Osteen is a clergyman, but many of his sermons are functionally motivational speeches that can inspire your life regardless of whether you’re religious or not. “The Power of I Am” is about how excessive negativity can control our lives. Osteen argues that when we say “I am ______,” we’re inviting whatever that is into our lives. If we repeatedly say “I am” statements followed by something negative or something we hate about ourselves, we are just digging ourselves deeper into that hole. 

Osteen’s words are badly needed in a world where the internet encourages negative comparison and loneliness is epidemic. He uses examples from Scripture and from his own life to show how talking yourself down becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. This is something we all experience at some point! You mess up, say “I’m an idiot,” and for the rest of the day your idiocy, clumsiness, or incompetence suddenly seems like the most noticeable thing about you. Or maybe an authority figure once identified you with your failures and you internalized it for years and years. Osteen’s sermon is an amazing call to do better. We can carry ourselves with confidence, not pride, and disconnect our flaws from our sense of self. 

“My encouragement is never say negative things about yourself. Most of us would never go up to another person, at least to their face and criticize them yet we have no problems criticizing ourselves. “I am so slow. I am so unattractive. I am so undisciplined”. That is cursing your future. Do yourself a favor and zip that up. We have enough in life against us already. Don’t be against yourself.”

9. Nicole Walters: “Why Excuses Are the #1 Thing Keeping You From Your Goals”  

Nicole Walters is an incredible entrepreneur and businesswoman who quit her successful corporate career to start her own company when she realized her blog was generating her significant passive income. This keynote from a conference for online creators outlines how she managed to do it all…with blood, sweat, tears, and no excuses! 

While Nicole dishes out amazing strategies for building your business and avoiding excuses, this is also an incredible example of how to give a great motivational speech. Our founder Grant Baldwin even did an analysis of her professional speaking performance here . Nicole uses humor, storytelling , and credible examples from her career to show how to avoid excuses and maintain sustainable innovation as you build your personal brand. If you want to start a business or expand your content creation but struggle with ambition and motivation, Nicole is your girl.

Get ready for some hard truths and a lot of humility, because it’s not easy! You can hear even more of her tips on our podcast here . She also came on our podcast for a conversation about race in the speaking industry , sharing her experience as a black woman who speaks professionally. This is a must listen if you’re interested in DEI and how the speaking industry can improve its diversity and inclusivity. 

Nicole is an abundant source of amazing one-liners and truth bombs. Here are two of our favorites to finish off: 

“Excuses are tools of incompetence. Those who specialize in them, are seldom good at anything else.”

“You’re not Kim Kardashian.” 

“Automate systems, not relationships.” 

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

10. William Faulkner: Banquet Speech  

For our final must-listen motivational speech, we’re heading back in time. William Faulkner delivered this speech when he received the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature. The threat of nuclear war hung heavy at the time Faulkner received the award. Faulkner himself eschewed the acclaim and reward that his talent deserved. His speech is a testament to the immortality of art and literature. His words elegantly express how art and literature can help humanity survive beyond dark times. 

Especially in an age of AI, media cycles, and overwhelming access to information, a reminder of the power and importance of art is badly needed. Faulkner’s speech is short, but it’s extremely moving. Every sentence drips with the weight of writers and artists who went before him, carrying humanity through crises and catastrophes and helping rebuild and process their wake. Faulkner himself says it best: 

“I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poet’s, the writer’s, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet’s voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.”

Mastering how to deliver a great motivational speech is no easy task. We think these paragons of motivational speaking deserve special attention for their mastery and inspiration! And having a solid list of inspirational content to fall back on when you’re feeling down, bewildered, or uninspired is always a good idea.  If you want to become a motivational speaker yourself , taking inspiration from these great talks will help you find your own voice in the speaking industry. ( We can help too! ) 

• Last Updated: April 4, 2024

Explore Related Resources

Book a call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students start booking paid speaking gigs even before they finish our program .

If you’re ready to control your schedule, grow your income, and make an impact in the world – it’s time to take the first step. Book a FREE consulting call and let’s get you Booked and Paid to Speak ® .

About The Speaker Lab

We teach speakers how to consistently get booked and paid to speak.  Since 2015, we’ve helped thousands of speakers find clarity, confidence, and a clear path to make an impact.

Get Started

Let's connect.

[email protected]

Copyright ©2023 The Speaker Lab. All rights reserved.

TOP 10 MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES OF ALL-TIME

Motivational speeches are like the nuclear option for leaders. And they are typically a part of every good leaders toolkit. The motivational speech is a powerful tool that can be used to motivate and engage an audience into action and delivering a specific set of results. The motivational speech speaks directly to the hearts and minds people, cutting through the fluff and the inessential, to get right to the heart of the matter.

Having said that, chances are you’re here because you’re either looking for some good material to give your own motivational speech to fellow colleagues and team members. Or, you’re here looking to follow the path of self-leadership, by purposely listening to empowering motivational speeches to galvanize yourself into action. Despite the reason, one thing is for sure, you’re looking for the best motivational speeches of all-time, and you’ll find them here.

So, let’s dive in and see how much we can spur ourselves into action with these powerful motivational speeches:

Note: These motivational speeches are listed in order of lives touched, a.k.a. the amount of views they’ve managed to garner over the years. Our list starts from 10 and counts down to the #1 most watched speech.

10. Les Brown, “It’s Possible”

Year: 2014 – Views: 6.8 million

Setting: Les Brown is a legendary motivator, coach, author, and is considered one of the world’s most renowned motivational speakers. He’s given thousands of speeches all of the world, but this motivational speech is one of his most popular. The date for the video is the publication date of when Les added it to YouTube; however, the speech was likely given years before. That said, here’s one of our favorite quotes from his speech:

“Act on your dream as if your life depends on it. Why? Because it does.” – Les Brown

9. J.K. Rowling, “Harvard Commencement Speech”

Year: 2008 – Views: 7.5 million

Setting: J.K. Rowling is arguably one of the most popular and successful author’s in the world, who’s responsible for the famous book series; ‘Harry Potter’. Rowling gave this speech at a Harvard commencement ceremony on the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination. That said, her speech is still one of the most popular motivational speeches of all-time; which is why it’s made our list. Here’s our favorite quote from her speech:

“Rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life”. – J.K. Rowling

8. Any Given Sunday, “Inches”

Year: 1999 – Views: 10.1 million

Setting: This “Inches” speech given by Al Pacino in the hit move ‘ Any Given Sunday ‘ is definitely one of the most powerful motivational speeches ever given in movie setting. Sure, there are other speeches in other movies that may give some competition, but this one hits hard, because it deals with more than just sports, it speaks to life.

Having said that, here’s our favorite motivational speech quote:

We’re in hell right now, gentlemen, believe me. And, we can stay here and get the sh** kicked out of us… or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb out of hell one inch at a time.” – Coach Tony D’Amato

7. Eric Thomas, “You Owe You”

Year: 2015 – Views: 11.7 million

Setting: Eric Thomas is an extremely popular motivational speaker, author, and educator who’s raw and no-nonsense message about what it takes to succeed in life has helped millions of people all over the world. In fact, this “You Owe You” speech, which he gave in one of his workshops in New Zealand, is his quintessential work. And it’s one of his most love speeches of all-time. Here’s our favorite quote from his speech:

“Become a victor, not a victim” – Eric Thomas

6. Rocky Balboa, “Sunshine and Rainbows”

Year: 2006 – Views: 20 million

Setting: This powerhouse speech is from “Rocky Balboa”, just one of the many great movies created as part of the inspiring Rocky series. Certainly there are other great speeches included in all of the other Rocky movies, but this one in particular is a masterpiece. that said, here’s our favorite line from this short but sweet motivational speech.

“Let me tell you something you already know. 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.” – Rocky Balboa

5. Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Rules of Success”

Year: 2009 – Views: 31 million

Setting: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s classic “Rules of Success” speech was given at USC’s 2009 commencement speech. His speech is so popular, that it’s been chopped up and added to countless other motivational montages over the years, which are not included in the 31 million views Tally. That said, it is by far, one of Arnold’s greatest motivational speeches of all-time. Here’s are favorite line from his speech:

“I wanted to become a champion; I was on a mission. So rule number one is, of course, trust yourself, no matter how and what anyone else thinks.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

4. Mel Robbins, “How To Stop Screwing Yourself Over”

Year: 2011 – Views: 31.2 million

Setting: Mel Robbins  is a former lawyer who became a television host, then best-selling author, and now motivational speaker. She’s already sold millions of books, with her most famous being ‘The 5 Second Rule’. That said, this was one of her first motivational speeches which she gave at a Ted Talk, and before she became the success icon that she is today. Our favorite quote from this speech is the following:

“You wouldn’t hang out with people who talk to you the way you talk to yourself.” – Mel Robbins

3. Denzel Washington, ‘Put God First’

Year: 2015 – Views: 34 million

Setting: Denzel Washington is one of the most famous and highly respected actors in the world. With 60 different films under his belt, three Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and a Tony Award, people want to know what he has to say. So, in 2015 Denzel was invited to give a commencement speech at Dillard University. And it was a speech that would turn out to be one of best motivational speeches of all-time. Here’s our favorite line from his inspiring speech:

“Put God first in everything you do. Everything that you think you see in me. Everything that I’ve accomplished, everything that you think I have – and I have a few things. Everything that I have is by the grace of God. Understand that. It’s a gift.” – Denzel Washington

2. Steve Jobs, ‘Stanford Commencement Speech”

Year: 2005 – Views: 46 million

Setting: Steve Jobs  was the visionary founder and CEO of Apple. He pioneered the personal computer, founded a handful of other companies, and became a multi-billionaire before passing. That said, he was an inspiration to many, and in 2005 he was invited to give a commencement speech at Stanford. It was a speech that would just about break the internet. Here’s our favorite quote form this motivational speech:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” – Steve Jobs

1. Admiral William H. McRaven, “Make Your Bed”

Year: 2014 – Views: 51 million

Setting: Admiral William H. McRaven served as the 9th commander of the United States Special Operations Command. In 2014, McRaven gave a commencement speech to UT Austin’s graduating class. His speech would go viral, leading it to become what is now one of the most viewed motivational speeches of all-time. Here’s our favorite quote from this powerful speech:

“If I have learned anything in my time traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person, a Washington, a Lincoln, King, Mandela, and even a young girl from Pakistan, Malala, one person can change the world by giving people hope.” – Admiral William H. McRaven

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed our collection of what we believe to be (and which are supported by the numbers) the best motivational speeches of all-time. If this collection inspired you, please do us, and the world a favor, and the share the page with somebody. You never know who’s life you could touch or change with a few powerful words.

Till you reach your aims,

TOP 25+ YOU ARE A BADASS QUOTES TO HELP YOU LIVE AN AWESOME LIFE

TOP 50 MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES ON STAYING HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS

The STRIVE is on a mission to inspire and uplift 1 billion people by 2032. Our primary aim is to help as many people as possible believe in the uncommon thought, that they can be more than they are, do more than they've done, and achieve more prosperity than they've ever dreamed possible. Let's achieve the impossible together.

You may like

30 MOTIVATIONAL SAYINGS TO HELP YOU REACH YOUR POTENTIAL

TOP 30 GO THE EXTRA MILE QUOTES FOR SUCCESS

100+ MOTIVATIONAL COMEBACK QUOTES TO HELP YOU COME BACK STRONGER

THURSDAY WORK MOTIVATION TO HELP YOU FINISH THE WEEK STRONG

100+ DAVID GOGGINS QUOTES TO HELP YOU GET AND STAY INSPIRED

35+ STRIVE QUOTES TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE THE LIFE YOU DESERVE

Motivational sayings and phrases can reinvigorate us. Sure, they’re just words. But sometimes, a few good words is all it really takes to rekindle that fire that burns within all of us — that fire that yearns to reach it’s potential.

No doubt, everyone experiences moments or days even when they feel unmotivated, uninspired, and scattered. But, the key to reaching our potential and those dreams that once filled us with hope, is to press on when the going gets tough.

With that being said, there are no better words than this collection of powerful motivational sayings and phrases to help you reawaken your fighting spirit. So, give them a read, and let them inspire and move to feel and act once again, like the Rockstar you are. Let’s get to it.

BEST MOTIVATIONAL SAYINGS FOR REACHING YOUR POTENTIAL

1. “You Can Have Results Or Excuses, You Can’t Have Both.”

The person who wastes time making excuses for why they can’t do something, or why something won’t work, automatically puts themselves at a disadvantage against the person who immediately takes action.

So, get to work on achieving the results you seek, and leave the excuse making for your competitors.

2. “A Winner Is A Dreamer Who Never Gives Up.”

There really is only one true way to fail in life, and that is to give up. Slowing down, pivoting, and recalibrating is not the same as giving up. So don’t fret if you’re in a rut, and if things are challenging for you at the moment.

Just stay determined to keep moving forward no matter what, and the obstacles life throws your way will eventually get out of your way.

3. “If You’re Circle Doesn’t Inspire You… You Don’t Have a Circle, You Have a Cage.”

Too many people fail to see that what’s really holding them back is not a lack of ambition, lack of talent, or lack of skills, but rather, a lack of clarity that some of the people in our lives are suppressing our potential .

So, be sure to pay special attention to who the doubters, the negative-nellies, and the short-sighted people are in your life, and minimize the amount of time you spend with them.

4. “Great Things Never Come From Comfort Zones.”

Study a handful of successful people, and you’ll quickly realized that many had to overcome various situations of discomfort before they reached their aims.

So, embrace this motivational phrase, and learn from many successful people who have come before you to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

5. “Pause If You Must, But Don’t Stop.”

Success is hard, not doubt about it. But the challenge in reaching your aim is partially what makes what you are striving for so valuable. So, take a break if you must. Recharge, pivot, or reassess your approach, but whatever you do, do not throw in the towel.

6. “Success Is The Best Revenge.”

Remember those who doubted you? Remember the people who laughed at your dreams?

Never forget them. In fact, make it point some day relish in their astonishment of your massive levels of success. Keep pressing forward, and that day will come.

7. “Work Hard, Stay Humble.”

Work hard and you’ll see results. Success always flows towards the hard worker; but, don’t get too ahead of yourself when your success arrives. Don’t let your “wins” lull you into complacency, because that’s when you’ll surely lose.

So, work hard, keep working hard, and regardless of how much success you achieve, always stay humble.

8. “Life Has No Rewind, Enjoy Every Minute.”

It’s easy to forget that what we do matters. Every action or inaction on our part is a collection of what our life is to become. Unfortunately, too many of us take for granted the potential that each day holds for us.

So, let us not waste another moment doing things that won’t enrich lives, let us not waste anymore time on things that don’t bring us closer to our dreams.

9. “Dreams Weigh More Than Excuses.”

If your dreams are truly important to you, you won’t make excuses for why you can’t achieve them. If your dreams are important to you, you’ll do whatever it takes to make them a reality.

So, let your dreams pull you away from those pesky excuses, and nudge you into action.

10. “No One Cares, Work Harder.”

This is one of our favorite motivational sayings, believe it or not, most people don’t really care about whether or not you reached your goal, or why you haven’t, especially why you haven’t. Accomplishment is a personal thing. It only matters to the person who has the power to make them real.

So, no more excuses, no more telling others why you can’t or haven’t achieved something. Just get to work on turning our dreams into reality.

11. “Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes.”

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again, but expecting different results. So, if truly want to make change and start seeing some progress in your endeavors, do the sane thing, and switch some things up.

12. “Good Things Come To Those Who Go Out And Fu***ng Hustle.”

This is an extremely popular motivational phrase used by many brands across the web. And it’s popular for a reason, it speaks the truth.

You want to see more prosperity, find more luck, and achieve more success? Hustle , hustle, and hustle some more!

13. “Stop Saying “I Wish”, Start Saying “I Will”.”

Wishes are for children. Will is for achievers. So, put away the childish thinking, step up to plate, get into the arena of life and choose to start making things happen for you now.

14. “Hustle Until Your Haters Ask If You’re Hiring.”

The second best way to the silence your haters is to become so unbelievably successful, that they brag to others about knowing who you are. However, the best way to silence them, is to shine so bright, they’d be honored to work for you.

15. “Rest When You’re Dead.”

Your competition isn’t taking a break, so why should you? If you want to win the prize, the promotion, the corner office, or have your enterprise succeed, you have to be prepared to outwork the competition. There’s no other way.

So, don’t you dare let up! Keep pushing till you achieve what you are after. It’s the only way. You can rest when you’re dead.

16. “Your Life Is Your Story. Write It Well, Edit Often.”

You are the author of your own life story. Everything you do or don’t do, adds to that story. The great news is, you have your whole life to create an amazing story.

So, do something today that will lend to the creation of an epic chapter.

17. “If You Can’t Change The Cards You are Dealt, Change How You Play Your Hand.”

It’s not what happens to you that makes the difference in how your life turns out, it’s what you do about what happens. So, take ownership of your situation, choose to make the best of it, and the best of it you’ll make.

18. “The Person On Top Of The Mountain Didn’t Fall There.”

We all have to start somewhere. Some of us start near the top, some towards the middle, and others near the bottom. But regardless of where you start, you can’t reach the mountain top if you don’t climb.

So, stay laser-focused on your destination, keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you will eventually reach your mountain top.

19. “The Harder You Work, The Luckier You Get.”

Action is the goddess of good luck. The more action you take and the more effort you put forth towards creating value for others, the more blessings you’ll have come your way.

So, embrace the hard work, learn to enjoy it, and before you know it you’ll be consider one of the “lucky one’s” who seems to have it all.

20. “Keep Trying. You Will Get There.”

Most people fail not because they lacked ability, but because the lacked staying power. In fact, almost every success story involves a moment of pushing through when everyone else thought they should quit. So, don’t lose hope you your hopes and dreams. And know that if you keep trying, you WILL eventually get to your destination.

21. “If You’re Not On Forbes, Get Back To Work.”

Don’t settle. Aim for the highest and best in life, because it’s the only way you’ll ever achieve it. So if you haven’t reached your pinnacle yet, get back to it.

22. “You Miss 100% Of The Shots You Don’t Take.”

Everything is a numbers game. Life, success, relationships, you name it, it’s all a numbers game. And those who keep swinging, keep shooting, keep trying eventually hit their mark.

23. “Keep Looking Up, That’s The Secret Of Life.”

We move in the direction we face, and when we’re down, especially if we keep looking down, well…. we’ll stay down.

So, keep your face to the sunshine and your eyes on the prize, and the day will come when your dreams are realized.

24. “Follow Your Dreams They Know The Way.”

Steve Jobs once said that we should have the courage to follow our hearts and intuition. He said that our hearts somehow already know what we truly want to become. Do you believe it? We do!

Follow your dreams , they truly know the way.

25. “Act As If What You Do Makes A Difference. IT DOES.”

Your dreams matter, but if you treat them like they don’t, they’ll prove you right.

There’s an old saying that states “Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man, but sooner or later the one who wins, Is the one who thinks he can!

26. “Ideas Mean Nothing Without Execution.”

Execution is the name of the game. If you never take action on those great ideas you have in your mind, nothing will ever come of them.

So, when you have an good idea, seize your moment and take action on it.

27. “You Can Make Excuses, Or You Can Make History, You Can’t Do Both.”

Every great achievement was born of effort and action. No one gets to their mountain top with excuses and slothfulness. So, commit to your dream, and never make excuses for why you can’t take action to bring it to life, and one day it’ll become your reality.

28. “Rule #1, Don’t Be #2.”

Competition is the way of the world, and if you want to win your prize, you have to prepare to be the best at what you do. No doubt, you can settle for second-best, but if you do, you’ll have only yourself to blame for your second-rate life.

So pay heed to this motivational saying and strive for the best, always.

29. “The Path To Success Is Failure.”

Success is achievable, but it requires for almost every single person who endeavors to achieve it, a bit of failure. So, take note, be ready when it comes, and commit to pushing through no matter what.

30. “No Guts, No Glory, No Legend, No Story.”

You have to be willing to take some risks to achieve a better future. Big risk, big reward, small risk, small reward. Never forget that.

Bonus Motivational Saying

Bonus: Alright, here’s one of our most favorite motivational sayings. We think more people would be motivated to take action on their dreams if they followed the wisdom contained within these wise words. Enjoy!

“Doubt Your Limits, Not Yourself.”

They say doubt kills more dreams then failure ever will. Well, if true, perhaps the time has come to for you to start doubting your doubts. Perhaps the time has come for you to start doubting your limits and what you believe is impossible for you.

There you have it, the best motivational sayings to keep you inspired for success. We know how easy it is to lose steam and momentum as we strive for those things which are important to us. But, hopefully inspiring phrases and motivational sayings like these will help you get that pep in your step when you need it most.

With being, please share some of this inspiration with others, and don’t hesitate to bookmark the page, so you can back next time your motivation wanes.

PS – If you enjoyed these motivational sayings, then you will love this massive collection of 365 motivational quotes and you’ll probably enjoy these powerful mantras for success as well.

WHY CONSISTENCY AND PERSISTENCE BREEDS SUCCESS

If you study enough success stories , you’ll eventually come to the conclusion that success demands both consistency and persistence. Sure, every so often you’ll have an outlier where someone actually achieved massive success within just a few short years. But barring being well-connected, having an extraordinary IQ or talent, or even a highly advantageous financial starting point, most instances of enduring success have been achieved by ordinary everyday people who consistently persisted. There’s no doubt about it, consistency and persistence breeds success.

Consistently persisting in the face of failure, against seemingly insurmountable odds, and despite when results are meager or forthcoming, is one of the most powerful keys to success. It’s almost a universal law, almost. But don’t just take our word for it. Take a look at a few of these examples, and you be the judge:

CONSISTENCY AND PERSISTENCE

Consistency and Persistence In Compounding Interest

Albert Einstein believed that compound interest was one of the major wonders of the world. Here’s what he said exactly, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.”

For example, if you persisted in consistently investing just $10 a day into an generic S&P 500 index fund (assuming a 12% interest rate) for 30 years, you’d be a millionaire. The compound effort of your investment, and the compounding growth on each year’s growth, eventually leads to a breakthrough . And after that breakthrough, stratospheric growth typically follows.

If you’re wondering why we’re talking about compounding interest, it’s because both consistency and persistence is a key component. The magic of compounding interest isn’t possible without a consistent and persistent reinvestment. And the same goes for success in just about every category.

If you change up the amount your investing, and drop down to one cent a day versus the $10, your end result will be dramatically different. Which is why consistency is a critical component of this success equation.

Similarly, persistence is key as well, because if reinvestment stops, or the money is removed from growing in the market, the growth potential of that money also stops.

Hence, the success of compound growth relies on both consistency and persistence .

The Consistency and Persistence of a River

Here’s another example of the power of persistence and consistency. The Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is 10 miles wide, about 1 mile deep, and over 277 miles in length and is truly a site to see.

Now the Grand Canyon didn’t become grand all by itself. It actually required the help of a little persistent river known as the Colorado River. This river over the years, slowly, gradually, but eventually wore down the massive sedimentary rock that got in its way.

Now, if the river was diverted somehow long long ago, and the flow stopped, there would be no grand canyon. Or if the flow was strangled down to a weak little trickle, similarly there might be a canyon, but it wouldn’t be so grand.

Fortunately, the river flowed unfettered and free for millions of years. And thus, the persistent and unyielding consistent flow of the Colorado River succeeded in creating one of the most awe inspiring canyons in the world.

Imagine what you could create if you followed this river’s lead.

The Consistency and Persistence of Success

Here’s how consistency and persistence breeds success for people. First off, it usually works out best for those who are striving to reach their goals, as it requires intention.

After long periods of time comprising of sustained effort and persistent action, little success is typically seen in the beginning.

Sometimes, you’ll have to go years before you see any significant and worthwhile progress. Much like the example of compounding interest just mentioned, you’ll have to persist in consistently stacking effort upon effort, habit upon habit, accomplishment upon accomplishment. No doubt, there may even be a few setbacks thrown in along the way.

But, after persisting long enough, your consistent effort will eventually get you to your breakthrough point. This is a point just about every person experiences on their journey towards success .

So long as you dig deep, tap into your grit and consistently persist, you’ll eventually get there. And once you do, your small successes will begin to accelerate. You’ll have more and more wins, and eventually you’ll be able to use those wins, as solid stepping stones to get to the achievement and success you’ve been chasing for so long.

If you want to experience success, you must be consistent in effort and actions. You must be consistent in your persistence.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Consistency and persistence breeds success. If you want to achieve something grand, or if you just want to reach an important goal, remember that you can achieve it. You’ll just have to commit to being consistent in your efforts, and persist in doing whatever it takes till you reach your breakthrough point. And then, persist a little more.

Till you reach those aims,

PS – If you enjoyed this post about consistency and persistence and how they can lead to your success, then likely enjoy this motivating resource on how to never give up on your goals .

HUSTLE QUOTES TO GET YOU FIRED UP TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS

There’s a key element to success that many achievers give considerable credit to for their success these days.  It is a success element that we all have control over, and it can be summed up in one short, but very powerful word; Hustle .  

“No One Accidently Wins, Just Those Who Hustle.” – the strive –

Without a doubt, success remains elusive for those who are not willing to hustle.  It doesn’t matter if you are building a business, striving to for the corner office, or seeking to write a book that will land on the New York Time’s best seller’s list.  Success requires hustle!  Which is why we’ve dedicated this page specifically to hustle quotes.

Our aim is to lift you up, keep you moving, and keep your fire lit for chasing your dreams .  So, without further ado, we hope you enjoy these handful of inspirational quotes on hustle and success.  Consume them, and then get out there and start making things happen!

BEST HUSTLE QUOTE TO FIRE YOU UP FOR SUCCESS

1.   “Hustle until you no longer need to introduce yourself.”  –  Unknown

2.   “Wake up.  Pray.  Hustle.”  –  Anonymous

3.  “ Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil.”  –  J. Paul Getty

4.  “Without hustle, talent will only carry you so far.”  –  Gary Vaynerchuk

5.  “Some succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.”  –  Henry Van Dyke

6.   “Hustle until your haters ask if you are hiring.”  –  Hustle Quote

7.  “Success isn’t owned. It’s leased, and rent is due every day.”  –  J. J. Watt

8.  “Hustle in silence and let your success make the noise.”  –  Hustle Quote

9.   “You can’t have a million-dollar dream with a minimum-wage work ethic.”  –  Stephen C. Hogan

10.   “It’s not about money or connections.  It’s the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone when it comes to your business.”  –  Mark Cuban

11.   “Talk less, hustle more.”  –  Atlas Rowe

12.   “Where I excel, is ridiculous, sickening, work-ethic!”  –  Will Smith

Related: Badass Quotes About Work Ethic

13.  “Be not afraid of going slowly. Be afraid only of standing still.”  –  Chinese proverb

14.   “I am grinding while your sleeping.”  –  Gary Vaynerchuk

15 .  “Men of action are favored by the goddess of good luck.”  –  George S. Clason

16.  “The heights by great men reached and kept, Were not attained by sudden flight, But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.”  –  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

17.   “Ideas don’t work for people unwilling to do the work.”  –   Robin Sharma

18.   “It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.”  –   Theodore Roosevelt

19.   “If you’re not willing to risk the usual, you’ll have to settle for the ordinary.”  –  Jim Rohn

20.   “If you can’t outplay them, outwork them.”  –  Ben Hogan

21. “Worked so hard, forgot how to vacation….They ain’t never had the dedication.” – Post Malone

22.   “Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.”  –  Napoleon Hill

23.   “I love the work, love the grind . I love what I have to go through to get what I want.”  –  Deshaun Watson

24.   “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”  –  Abraham Lincoln

Related: Link Between Work Ethic + Success

25.  “Nobody cares.  Work harder.”  –  Anonymous

26.   “Hustle and heart will set you apart.”  –  Anonymous

27. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”  –  Walt Disney

28.   “Give your dreams all you’ve got, and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.”  –  William James

More Than Halfway There

Fun Fact: Did you know the word hustle derives from the Dutch word husselen , which means to shake?

With that being said, we hope you are enjoying these quotes about the hustle.  If you’ve found an ounce of value in any of these hustle and grind quotes before you leave here, please consider sharing the page, or any of the individual quotes with a friend or family member to help them shake things up (pun intended)! 

Alright, you’re almost there, so don’t stop now. Keep pushing, keep grinding!

29.   “I’ve got a dream worth more than my sleep .”  –  Unknown

30.   “ Action is the foundational key to all success.”  –  Pablo Picasso

31.   “Don’t wish for it, work for it.”  –  Unknown

32.   “There is no substitute for hard work.”  –  Thomas Edison

33.   “One day I am going to make it, until then I’ll just keep hustling.”  –  Grant Cardone

34. “Greatness only comes before GRIND in the dictionary.” – Hustle and Grind Quote

35.   “Success is not for the lazy.” – Anonymous

36. “Hustle, the most important word – ever.” – Gary Vaynerchuck

37.   “The dream is free.  The hustle is sold separately.”  –  Anonymous

38. “Success in anything will always come down to this: Focus and effort, and we control both of them.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

39.   “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”  –  Peter Drucker

40. “Talent without working hard is nothing.”  –  Cristiano Ronaldo

41. “Don’t struggle. HUSTLE.”  –  Hustle Quotes

42. “Work Hard, Stay Humble.” – Anonymous Hustle Saying

43. “Work your ass off, there is no magic pill.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

44. “There is no shortage of money in this world. Start hustling.” – Grant Cardone

45. “Some people want it to happen, some people wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

46. “Without hard work nothing grows but weeds.” – Gordon B. Hinckley

47.  “Go hard or go home.”  –  Hustle Hard Quote

48. “Strategy is a commodity, execution is an art.” – Peter F. Drucker

49. “Those at the top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” – Anonymous

50. “Hunger is the only differentiation in people; it’s not talent.” – Tony Robbins

51. “I never dreamed of success, I worked for it.” – Estee Lauder

52. “Work is a sure-fire money making scheme.” – Dave Ramsey

53. “You always want to out work your potential.” – Kobe Bryant

54. “Life is going to give you what you fight for.” – Ed Mylett

55. “Hard work, works.” – Denzel Washington

Bonus Hustle Quote

Bonus: Here’s one last bonus quote about hustling. We listed this as a bonus for you because hustling is all about going that extra mile , and because we want to encourage you to do more of it. Hustle a lot and you’ll achieve a lot. Enjoy!

“Good Things Happen To Those Who Hustle.” – anais nin –

Final Thoughts on The Hustle

There you have it, the best hustle quotes to help you keep your fire lit so you can do epic sh*t!

Remember, success is never an accident; it always has been and always will be, the biproduct of hard work and hustle. The creation of great businesses or the achievement of worthy goals is not something that happens overnight.  And if you wish to find your share of success in this life, you have to commit to never give in and to embrace the process. 

But most importantly, you must commit to consistent in your hustle .

Till you reach your aims…

PS – If you enjoyed these Hustle Quotes, then you’ll love this article about how hard work and hustle leads to success .

HOW TO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS

Have you been thinking about giving up on your dreams lately? If so, it is imperative you read this page in its entirety before you make a decision. Doing so may just keep you from choosing something you’ll certainly regret later.

 “Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams, or Your Dreams Will Give Up On You.”

If you’re on the ropes, and you’ve been thinking about throwing in the towel on your business, a big goal, or an important dream of yours, chances are you believe you are at the end of your journey. But, I am here to let you know that you are not at the end. In fact, you are more than likely in the very middle of your journey, the messy middle to be exact.

This messy middle is the area between your dream and the eventual achievement of it.  It’s an area we should all come to learn more about, because it’s the area where dreams die.

Thus, if you have a dream or a goal you are striving to realize, you may want to familiarize yourself with this area.  Why?  Because cliffs are easier to avoid when we know they are there.

So, if you want to avoid giving up on your dreams, please, keep reading.

The Messy Middle

One thing I’ve realized while striving to bring my own dreams to life, is that they are constantly being tested.  They are constantly tested by the ever changing shifts in industry, tested by time constraints, tested by changing emotions, tested by consistently changing circumstances.  Our dreams are constantly being tested by life.  This makes goal achievement, dream achievement, striving…extremely messy in the middle.

There will always be unexpected factors (external and internal) that get tossed into the equation on our journey.  These extra factors will always change the landscape of the path towards our intended end.  The push and pull of life, ensures that the path is never a straight one.

During my personal STRIVE to create something out of nothing, I’ve been tested more times than I’d like to admit.  This test I speak of, always comes in either the form of a loss of enthusiasm, a lack of motivation, or an uptick in self-sabotaging thoughts and self-doubt .

When things don’t go according to plan, we question the very soundness of our dream.  Asking ourselves,”is this even realistic?”

We wonder why we feel so unmotivated, or why we lack the fire we had just a few days ago.

Often, when we can’t quickly pin point the answer, we start to wonder if our decision to pursue our big lofty goals was even the right choice.  We then wonder if we should throw in the towel and just give up.

Cycles of Motivation

What I’ve come to realize, is that there is a pattern to these feelings of wanting to give up.  These feelings come about like clock-work at least every three months.  And for some people it could even be a weekly or monthly thing.  The duration can be different for different people, and vary based on the types of pursuits we are engaged in.

Regardless of the duration, it is phenomena that you should come to count on.  There are cycles to motivation.

This is the way it normally plays out.  You begin your journey, you feel supercharged, highly motivated, and ready to conquer the world.  You have 100% confidence that what you are doing will work and everyone will love it!

You relentlessly attack your dreams, your goals, for a few weeks.  But then, you get your first forms of feedback (or no feedback at all), and an unpleasant form of reality starts to kick in.  It is at this moment, that you realize your ideas, products, projects, or services are not receiving the type of fanfare or excitement that you imagined the whole world would have displayed by now.

Or, you feel the results you’re getting, aren’t quite measuring up against the amount of effort you are putting in.  In short, your effort and your results aren’t on par with each other.  When this happens, in minutes, you can go from feeling like hero to a zero.

This feeling, this moment in time of our journey is completely normal.  What you are experiencing, is known as the dip, and there are ways out of it .  If you are reading this, you may be in a position where you want to give up at this point. 

Typically, these moments are moments of truth.  Moments when you are forced to be honest with yourself and make the decision of whether your dream, or your goal is really worth it.

Know this before you quit; everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who is striving for a big goal will come to experience these dips eventually.  The difference between the ones who realize their dreams or their big audacious goals, and the ones who don’t, is that the achievers, make up their mind to find a way through this murky area.

7 Best Tips to Keep You From Giving Up On Your Dreams

To help you blast through this swamp, this slog, this horrid place where dreams usually die, I am going to provide you with 7 tips you can use to help you get through these dips.

1-Remember Why You Started

Sometimes, all we need to revive our mojo and our momentum, is a deep dive into why we got started in the first place.

If your motivation is sagging, and you feel like you are ready to give up, don’t.  Do this first.  Set aside a day if you can, and just deliberate on the very reasons you were so pumped to rock your dream just a few months ago.  When you do this, you will reconnect with those initial factors that inspired you to action in the first place.

When you give yourself some time to remember why you are chasing your dream, you increase the likely hood that you will stick to it.

Related: Finding Your Purpose Quotes

2-Talk To Someone

One of the worst things you can do, is to just throw in the towel before letting anybody know.  Trust me, I’ve done this in the past, and I’ve regretted it.

When you talk with someone about what you are going through, you are giving your dream another chance at life.

When we open up to someone we trust and whom we know believed in the project or journey we’ve embarked upon, we create an opportunity to release some of the stress and negative feelings we’ve accumulated from our recent dip.  In addition to this, we also create an opportunity to receive the slight positive nudge of encouragement that we really needed.  That nudge of encouragement to just keep moving forward towards our goals.  Don’t kill your dream, talk to someone first.

3 – Join a Mastermind Group  

Revive your efforts with the encouragement and cooperative efforts that are typically found within a mastermind group .

What’s a mastermind group?  In short, it is a group of two or more people whom you meet with regularly, to brainstorm with and encourage one another.  The purpose of these groups is to encourage and help each member of the group reach their goals.

This tip can be a tricky one to initiate, especially if you are lacking motivation.  However, if you can find a way to join a free or paid mastermind group, you will gain access to the type of feedback and encouragement that your dreams need to stay alive.  A best practice is to have one of these groups already in place, before you desperately need one.

Related: Create a Genius Network

4 – Delay Decisions Temporarily

If you feel like giving up, don’t make any rash decisions.  Instead, decide to give your dream a temporary pause.  Part of this pause is delaying any and all decisions related to moving forward, or throwing in the towel all together. Many times, all we need is a bit of time away from the grind.  

When we give ourselves this time, we allow ourselves to gain a better perspective on our life, our goals, and our dreams.

Sometimes, all we really need is a timeout to help us stay true to our dreams.

5 – Ignore The Discouragement and Take Small Steps

This tip is basically persistence in action.   Many times, if we make up our minds to ignore those normal feelings of discouragement, and just decide to take a few more small steps towards your goal, we’ll get over our slump.

This is definitely not a pain free option.  To implement it, don’t do anything drastic, don’t make any decisions, just keep taking small steps in your originally planned direction.  Action begets action.  And some times, all that is needed, is a little kick start of momentum.  And you may be surprised to find out that, that small amount of momentum was just enough to allow for you to come to the conclusion that things will work out.

6 – Ensure You’ve Set a Smart Goal  

If you’ve tried everything above, and you still feel like ‘it just ain’t going to happen’, try dissecting your goals to see if you set yourself up for failure from the get go.  Maybe you just needed to set up a S.M.A.R.T goal , which is a goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.

Many people find themselves discouraged when their goals stop seeming obtainable.  And many times, goals quickly seem unobtainable when they weren’t set up as smart goals from the onset.

Maybe you don’t have to give up, maybe you just need to give your goals a SMART tune-up.  To do so, make sure you goals follow these rules:

S pecific—What, why, who, where, and which?

M easurable—How much, how many, how will I know when it’s accomplished?

A chievable—How can I accomplish this, is it attainable, how realistic is it?

R elevant—Reasonable, realistic, worthwhile, results-based?

T ime-bound—When, what can I do 3 months from now, 6 months, today?

Related: Why You Must Write Down Your Goals

7 – Elicit The Advice of an Expert or Coach

Your last line of defense before throwing in the towel should be your sincere seeking out advice from an expert.

Before giving up, reach out to someone who has already done something similar to that which you are trying to do.  If you can’t find an expert who has done what you are striving to achieve, you can seek out a coach who has helped others achieve a similar goal.

If you pick the brain of an expert who has gone through what you are going through, you may learn a few key insights that you couldn’t see yourself.  And many times, these seemingly small insights can help you improve your results.  And more often than not, improved results is all we really need to give us that extra jolt of confidence needed to keep to it, to stay on track towards achieving our dreams.

“What Most Of Us Never Suspect Of Existing, Is The Silent But Irresistible Power Which Comes To The Rescue Of Those Who Fight On In The Face Of Discouragement.” – – Napoleon Hill –

Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams

There you have it… seven tips to get you through your dips.  Seven ways to help you help you avoid giving up on your dreams

Yes, dreams start small; however, the ideas that get chased with massive action, persistence , and a resolute determination , are the ideas that get actualized.

If you really want your dream to work, go through each of these steps, one by one.

If you’ve done every single one of these steps to try to revive your motivation, yet your enthusiasm and desire to keep moving forward has flat-lined, then, perhaps a pivot is in order.

Obviously, there are times when quitting and giving up is necessary.  But I believe you chose your grand goal for a reason. Which is why I hope this article helps you stick with it to the end .

Use these tips to push through your messy middle, and get back to reaching for your dreams!

And remember…..

 Till you reach your aims,

PS – If you found this resource helpful, but you’re still on the fence bout giving up on your dreams, then read this article on How to Become a Persistent Person . I may just give you the second-wind you need.

50+ INSPIRING QUOTES TO HELP YOU BOUNCE BACK FROM FAILURE

Failure comes to us all at some point or another. You could be an entrepreneur, an aspiring artist, or a working professional, or fill in the blank, because it doesn’t really matter what you are or what you do, failure will eventually find you. Why? Because failure is a part of life and the success process. Truth is, if you’re striving for something above and beyond what you now are or have, there’s a good chance you’ll experience some failures along the way.

“Success Is Usually The Culmination Of Controlling Failures.” – sylvester stallone –

The great news is, failing does not make you a failure. Failing makes you human. It means you’re someone who is going somewhere. In fact, the more you fail, the more adept you get at bouncing back from your failures; directly impacting the amount of success you are likely to find in life. So, with that being said, we’ve rounded up these inspiring bounce back quotes to help you mount a successful comeback when failure inevitably comes for you.

Top Quotes to Help You Bounce Back From Failure

1. “The true measure of success is how many times you can bounce back from failure.” – Stephen Richards

2. “Take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” – Anonymous

3. “To achieve major success in life, to achieve those things that are most important to you, you must assume 100% responsibility for your life. Nothing less will do.” – Jack Canfield

4. “Remember that life goes beyond failure and success: do not simply focus on these two categories of prospects. Life goes beyond the moments we find rewarding, and the moments we find upsetting.” – Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

5. “Just because you fail once doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything.” – Marilyn Monroe

6. “It’s not how far you fall but how high you bounce that counts.” – Zig Ziglar

7. “Failure is a prerequisite for great success. If you want to succeed faster, double your rate of failure.” – Brian Tracy

8. “Even when you have doubts, take that step. Take chances. Mistakes are never a failure – they can be turned into wisdom.” – Cat Cora

9. “We all get distracted, the question is, would you bounce back or bounce backwards?” – Kendrick Lamar

10. “Success is how high you bounce after you hit bottom.” – General George Patton

11. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

12. “Sometimes life hits you on the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.” – Steve Jobs

13. “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” – Ernest Hemingway

14. “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life.” And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

1 5. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison

16. “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

17. “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” – Maya Angelou

Most Inspiring Bounce Back Quotes

Our next batch of bounce back quotes are particularly inspiring. These are the quotes that everyone who is going struggling with a temporary defeat or set back needs to hear. Enjoy!

18 . “Failure is nature’s plan to prepare you for great responsibilities.” – Napoleon Hill

19. “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” – Og Mandino

20. “Falling down is part of life. Getting back up is living.” – Anonymous

21. “Even people who have a long record of NOT succeeding can be turned into tremendous achievers if they will discard their images of themselves as failures.” – Norman Vincent Peale

22. “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” – Margaret Thatcher

23. “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” – Billie Jean King

24. “Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” – Fred Rogers

25. “Losers quit when they fail. Winners fail until they succeed.” – Robert Kiyosaki

26. “When we give ourselves permission to fail, we, at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel.” – Eloise Ristad

27. “Resilience is knowing that you are the only one that has the power and the responsibility to pick yourself up.” – Mary Holloway

28. “Embrace failure. Missteps and roadblocks are inevitable but are ultimately an opportunity to learn, pivot, and go after your goals with new perspective.” – Jenny Fleiss

29. “The difference between a strong man and a weak one is that the former does not give up after a defeat.” – Woodrow Wilson

30. “Where you stumble and fall, there you will find gold.” – Joseph Campbell

31. “It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated…it is finished when it surrenders.” – Ben Stein

32. “With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.” – Wayne Dyer

33. “You build on failure. You use it as a steppingstone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.” – Johnny Cash

34. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela

35. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling

36. “He knows not his own strength who hath not met adversity.” – William Samuel Johnson

37. “Success is usually the culmination of controlling failures.” – Sylvester Stallone

38. “I don’t look at failure as death, I don’t look at failure as finality. I just look at it and pick myself up and say ‘we shouldn’t have done that’ and move on.” – Robert Herjavec

39. “Develop success from failure. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” – Dale Carnegie

40. “Success is a pile of failure that you are standing on.” – Dave Ramsey

41. “It is hard to fail, but it is worse to never have tried to succeed.” –  Theodore Roosevelt

42. “My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.” – Abraham Lincoln

43. “Your setback is just a setup for your comeback.” – Steve Harvey

44. “The key to success is failure.” – Michael Jordan

45. “The only person who could be called a failure, is that person who tries to succeed at nothing.” – Earl Nightingale

46. “The only way you are going to have success is to have lots of failures first.” – Sergey Brin

47. “Any true champion can bounce back. That’s what being a champion is: being able to deal with adversity and being able to bounce back.” – Floyd Mayweather Jr.

48. “The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived.” – Robert Jordan

49. “If you can look up, you can get up.” – Les Brown

50. “One has to remember that every failure can be a stepping stone to something better.” – Colonel Sanders

51. “Turn every setback into a comeback” – Kobe Bryant

52. “The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That’s real glory. That’s the essence of it” – Vince Lombardi

53. “You can bounce back from failure, if you choose to.” – Atlas Rowe

54. “Sometimes it takes a thousand tries to win.” – Rihanna

55. “There’s only one direction you can go if you’ve hit rock bottom, at that’s up.” – The STRIVE

56. “Just because you failed doesn’t make you a failure… take that experience and learn from it.” – Russell Brunson

Bonus Bounce Back Quote

Bonus: Alright, here’s our final and favorite of this collection of bounce back quotes. We believe this one last quote holds the key to easily bouncing from any and all obstacles.

“Failure Shows Us The Way—By Showing Us What Isn’t The Way.” – RYAN HOLIDAY –

There you have it, some of the best bounce back quotes on the web. No doubt, setbacks and disappointments are a part of life, and they seem especially common when we’re reaching for the stars .

With that being hope these quotes have inspired you to dust yourself off and try again despite any failures you may have recently experienced. Lastly, don’t forget, failures are necessary, but they are temporary experiences, so use them as stepping stones to your better future.

Till next time,

PS – If you enjoyed these bounce back quotes, then you’ll love this article on how you can easily bounce back from failures and set backs .

HOW TO RETIRE IN 10 YEARS WITH JUST $100K

Have you ever felt like you’re falling behind on your investment goals? Do you have at least $100K built up in assets, but feel like you’ll never be able to retire at the rate you’re going? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you might want to know how to retire in 10 years with just 100K.

So, that’s exactly what I am going to show you how to do. Now, this is not investment advice, it’s merely a thought experiment for you to consider.

So, first things first. It’s important to know that the median personal income across the U.S.A at the time of this writing is roughly $44K per year. [1]

That said, I’ll use this figure as a baseline income goal for early retirement. FYI, this plan is a simple two-step plan, so it’ll be brief. You ready? Alright, then let’s dive into the nitty gritty.

Note:  All content on this page reflects our own opinions and should NOT be taken as legal advice, financial advice, or investment advice. Please be safe and seek out guidance from professionally trained and licensed individuals before making any investment decisions.

Step 1. Grow

Here’s what I wish I had done ten years ago, but I am planning on doing now. The first thing I would do, is allocate my funds into aggressive growth ETFs .

One ETF that I wish I knew about ten years ago is Vanguard’s Information Technology ETF. The ticker symbol is VGT .

This ETF, just in the last 10 years alone, has grown by approximately 543%. [ 2] So, had you invested around $100K about 10 years ago, it would be worth over $643,000 today.

That’s close to a 21% year-over-year growth. That’s Warren Buffett territory!

So yeah, that’s what I would have done. Now, as they say… past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. But Technology is, and will be for the foreseeable future, a high-growth industry.

Which means, it may still be a good industry to place your bets. Per my research, it’s grown at a rate of roughly 25% in just the past five years alone! So, it’s growth rate seems to be accelerating… it could be related to Moore’s Law, and the hyper-acceleration of technology, but who knows.

So, let’s do some math. Assuming you moved $100K into this fund today, and it grew for the next 10 years at 25%. You would potentially have about $931K to $1 million play with.

Now that might not seem like a lot, especially since everyone is focused on making a million first before retiring these days. But this leads us to step 2.

Step 2. Flow

Okay, so step 1 was all about moving your money into hyper-growth assets. Now, this next step is all about focusing on hyper-flow assets.

So, here’s what you could do. Once that $100K compounds into around $931K or a million dollars, you then set your sights on a handful of solid ETFs that are stable in price, but pay out the wazoo in cashflow.

One of my favorites these days is an ETF known as JEPI . I like this ETF because it doesn’t fluctuate in price too much, and because it pays out a lot of money. And even more of a bonus, is that it is paid out monthly.

The last I checked, this ETF has a dividend that pays out approximately 7.9% (this could change in time). [3] So, if we do some math on $1 million (assuming you moved all your eggs into this basket), you could expect at least a payout of $79,000 every year.

And like I mentioned earlier, this ETF pays monthly. So, every month you’d see around $6,583 in pre-tax money arrive into your bank account like clockwork!

When you consider $44K is the median income now, it may not be much larger come 2034. Now you know how you can retire in 10 years with just $100K….

First you invest in assets that grow, then you change your investment strategy into one that leverages assets that cash flow. In other words, you Grow Then Flow .

Keep in mind, this is not investment advice. It’s just some food for thought about how you can possibly retire or semi-retire sooner rather than later.

Investing can be risky, so be sure to always do your due diligence when searching for information on how to retire in 10 years. And remember, this is just one way of many ways to retire early my friends.

Disclaimer: I am long on JEPI, and VGT, and in no way does my mentioning these investments benefit me in anyway, as this publication is for educational and entertainment purposes.

50 BEST QUOTES TO HELP YOU OVERCOME THE FEAR OF FAILURE

Most people don’t know this, but one of the greatest obstacles to finding more success, more money, and more happiness in life is related to a fear of failure. In fact, most people actually attribute a lack of success or not getting what they want in life due to a lack of talent, or being born in the wrong place, wrong time, to the wrong family, etc.

“Failure Is A Detour, Not A Dead-End Street.”

Put bluntly, it is our fear of an imagined outcome that keeps most of us stuck. Our fear of this potentially unpleasant outcome paralyzes us.  It keeps us from taking action.  It keeps us holed up in our comfort zones, pinned down to our existing conditions. But, if you can overcome your fear of failure and begin taking action , everything can change for you.

With that being said, if you’ve been letting your fear of failure get the best of you lately, then you’ll love these handful of fear of failure quotes we’ve rounded up for you. Our hope is that they will lift you up and galvanize you to take on that goal or dream you’ve been brushing aside for fear of failing at it. So, if you’re ready for some inspiring quotes to help you overcome the fear of failure, let’s dive in:

BEST FEAR OF FAILURE QUOTES

1. “It is not failure itself that holds you back; it is fear of failure that paralyzes you.” – Brian Tracy

2. “Do not fear failure, fear the absence of progress.” – Anonymous

3. “The easiest way to deal with the fear of failure is to be more fearful of not taking action, to be more fearful of settling for a life that is far below then what you deserve and what you desire.” – Tony Robbins

4. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

5. “If something is important enough, you should try even if the probable outcome is failure.” – Elon Musk

6. “Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Suzy Kassem

7. “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” – Paulo Coelho

8. “When the fear of failure cripples you to the point where you don’t make the call, you’ll eventually get to the day where you see you haven’t lived at all.” – Ms. Moem

9. “It’s hard to fail but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” – Theodore Roosevelt

10. “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” – Jack Canfield

11. “Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street.” – Zig Ziglar

12. “Don’t fear failure. Not failure, but low aim is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.” – Bruce Lee

13. “Those who are willing to fail win. Don’t fear failure, embrace it.” – John Morgan

14. “Fear stops a lot of people. Fear of failure, of the unknown, of risk. And it masks itself as procrastination.” – Lisa Anderson

15. “90% of all those who fail are not actually defeated. They simply quit.” – John Maxwell

16. “Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.” – Napoleon Hill

17. “Failure doesn’t mean you are a failure. It just means you haven’t succeeded yet.” – Robert H. Schuller

18. “Fear of failure leads to failure.” – Paulo Coelho

19. “Don’t let your fear of failure stop you from realizing your dreams.” – Catherine Pulsifer

20. “ Successful people don’t fear failure, but understand that it’s necessary to learn and grow from.” – Robert Kiyosaki

21. “The key to success is failure.” – Michael Jordan

22. “Success is usually the culmination of controlling failures.” – Sylvester Stallone

23. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”  –  Colin Powell

24. “Regret is the heritage of people who choose to live a fear-driven life.” – Taneka Rubin

25. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”  –  Thomas Edison

26. “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”  –  Og Mandino

27. “Great achievers are driven, not so much by the pursuit of success but by the fear of failure.” –  Larry Ellison

28. “Many times, the thought of fear itself is greater than what it is we fear.” – Idowu Koyenikan

29. “Don’t think about the possibilities of failing. Never forget to think about the possibilities of flying.” – Debasish Mridha

30. “Don’t let the fear of failure stop you; the world needs your greatness .” – Emmanuel Apetsi

31. “If you’re trying and failing, you’re still getting one step closer to success than if you’re doing nothing. You don’t fail; you only learn what works and what does not. Failure is not an option only learning and getting better.” – Jeanette Coron

32. “You can’t be paralyzed by fear of failure or you will never push yourself. You keep pushing because you believe in yourself and in your vision. And you know that it is the right thing to do and success will come.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

33. “People get envious of others and fear failure because they define the “game” in the same way the world tells them to define the game.” – Gary Vaynerchuk

34. “The greatest fear we face is ourselves.” – Kobe Bryant

35. “Fear regret more than failure.” – Taryn Rose

36. “I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate.” – George Burns

37. “You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

38. “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” – Elbert Hubbard

39. “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie

40. “ Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius

41. “Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.” – Anonymous

42. “Failure is success if we learn from it.” – Malcolm Forbes

43. “ For every failure, there’s an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.” – Mary Kay Ash

44. “Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something.” – Frederick Smith

45. “One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again.” – Henry Ford

46. “Don’t fear failure — embrace it! The most successful people in the world failed the most.” – Les Brown

47. “I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.” – Tony Robbins

48. “People who avoid failure also avoid success.” – Robert T. Kiyosaki

49. “It is foolish to fear what you cannot avoid.” – Publius Syrus

50. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I built my life.” – J.K. Rowling

Bonus Quote Fear of Failure Quote

Bonus: Alright, here’s one last bonus quotes to help you overcome the fear of failure. We feel that it you follow through on this quote, it will help you overcome fear of failing for good.

“All The Excuses In The World Won’t Change One Simple Fact: That Fear Is A Sign To Do Whatever It Is You Fear—and Do It Quickly.” – grant cardone –

Atchyiphobia is a health condition that leads to an extreme fear of failure. If you have not been diagnosed with this malady, then you can, without a doubt overcome your fear of failure .

With that being said, we hope these fear of failure quotes have encouraged you to lean into that which scares you the most. Why? Because that’s where your biggest opportunities await.

PS – If you enjoyed these fear of failure quotes, then you’ll love these quotes about being fearless.

THE COLONEL SANDERS SUCCESS STORY

ADAM ENFROY’S NET WORTH AND HOW HE BUILT HIS FORTUNE

50+ POWERFUL QUOTES TO INSPIRE YOU TO GET RICH

BRITISH BILLIONAIRE RICHARD BRANSON’S NET WORTH

100+ EMPOWERING OPRAH WINFREY QUOTES FOR SUCCESS

DAN PENA’S NET WORTH AND HOW HE GOT SO RICH

15+ BEST BOOKS TO BUILD SELF-DISCIPLINE AND MASTER SELF-CONTROL (2024)

100+ SELF-DISCIPLINE QUOTES TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE UNLIMITED SUCCESS

100+ INSPIRING EFFORT QUOTES TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR POTENTIAL

100+ HARD WORK QUOTES TO HELP YOU GET MOTIVATED FOR WORK

100+ PURPOSE QUOTES TO HELP YOU FIND AND LIVE YOUR PURPOSE

100+ INSPIRING QUOTES ABOUT FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

100 INSPIRING COURAGE QUOTES TO HELP YOU FEEL COURAGEOUS

•  Post a job  Login

The 12 Best Motivational Speeches of All Time [Ranked]

Get inspired by some of the most influential people on the planet. Learn the best motivational speeches to take action and change your life!

Brett Helling

Brett Helling is the founder and owner of Gigworker.com. Having worked in the gig economy for nearly a decade, he has mastered freelance, remote, and app-based work. You can learn more about his journey in his book, "Gigworker: Independent Work and the State of the Gig Economy", now available on Amazon.

Key Takeaways

• Recognizing employees significantly boosts performance, productivity, and morale.
• Motivational speeches can transform views and inspire action in challenging times.
• Speakers emphasize courage, perseverance, and embracing failure for personal growth.
• Learning from successful figures helps ignite passion and boost confidence.

Include a personal profile or introduction statement at the top of your resume

Fermentum quis tincidunt nunc dui egestas. Vel fringilla odio amet sed dignissim purus id aliquam commodo egestas parturient viverra tincidunt viverra condimentum adipiscing consectetur placerat odio justo neque neque. Tristique adipiscing purus platea quis blandit sollicitudin tortor magna vulputate condimentum nullam lorem pharetra lorem et urna.

• Erat scelerisque eu dui diam varius in proin sit elementum amet vitae et.
• Enim elementum bibendum habitasse mauris at amet aliquet morbi risus.
• Ipsum ultrices sit massa amet nulla lobortis justo pharetra metus mattis felis.
• Tempor sollicitudin et maecenas aliquam turpis suspendisse non eget.

Add an infographic element that displays your best traits and accomplishments

Fermentum quis tincidunt nunc dui egestas. Vel fringilla odio amet sed dignissim purus id aliquam commodo egestas parturient viverra tincidunt viverra condimentum adipiscing consectetur placerat odio justo neque neque. Tristique adipiscing purus platea quis blandit sollicitudin tortor magna vulputate condimentum nullam lorem.

Use headings and subheadings throughout your resume to highlight key sections and make the information easier to read

At montes at ut arcu ut faucibus tempor pretium. In lobortis id nisi cursus massa vel volutpat mauris. Turpis vitae mi nibh gravida id adipiscing. Convallis turpis pellentesque bibendum velit facilisi. Quam vitae lacus nullam lorem adipiscing suspendisse quis tortor aenean. Massa ipsum accumsan arcu.

• Feugiat in feugiat egestas scelerisque eget phasellus ipsum imperdiet.
• Convallis nulla id quis suspendisse enim molestie sed feugiat neque egestas.
• Natoque in massa mi quis. Mi amet sed curabitur in urna venenatis sem.
• Id viverra sed pellentesque rhoncus eu gravida suscipit et vulputate.

Utilize space by using bullet points to outline skills and job qualifications

“Nec nunc morbi dolor volutpat a ullamcorper fusce gravida condimentum sit turpis nunc est vitae ornare augue odio nec varius sed”

Incorporate visuals and images such as graphs and charts

A  study by Harvard Business Review  made an important discovery: recognizing employees for their work contributes significantly to their performance, productivity, and morale.

This stresses the importance of motivation, especially today, where impossible success stories and unhealthy expectations set by social media smother us.

Now, anyone can motivate you anywhere, be it your classmate during a graduation speech or your CEO during a conference keynote.

After all, motivational speakers don't have to be famous or successful, but they tend to have a specific audience in mind their ideals resonate with.

Usually, their speeches attempt to alter your view of your current challenges, but they can also be a call to action.

We also believe that part of the human experience is feeling overwhelmed and helpless at some points.

Our list of motivational speeches is an attempt to help pull you out of whatever pit you feel stuck in and fire you up for your next journey, be it for personal growth or career success.

Continue reading to get inspired!

The 12 Best Motivational Speeches

Your journey is unique, and we understand that your struggles differ from those of others.

These motivational speeches revolve around various facets of life, and you should find something for yourself below, no matter what challenges you face.

These talks are not ranked in terms of superiority, by the way!

• Al Pacino: Scent of a Woman – 1992
• Les Brown: It Is Not Over Until You Win! Your Dream is Possible – 1996
• Steve Jobs: Stanford Commencement Speech – 2005
• J.K. Rowling: The Fringe Benefits of Failure And The Importance of Imagination – 2008
• Will Smith: The Pursuit of Happyness – 2006
• Elizabeth Gilbert: Your Elusive Creative Genius – 2009
• Al Pacino: Any Given Sunday – 1999
• Bill Gates: Harvard Commencement Speech – 2007
• Jim Carrey: Maharishi University of Management Commencement Speech – 2014
• Sheryl Sandberg: Get on a Rocket Ship Whenever You Get The Chance – 2012
• Denzel Washington: Fall Forward – 2011
• David Foster Wallace: This Is Water – 2005

1. Al Pacino: Scent of a Woman - 1992

Theme:  Courage, Integrity

Few Hollywood actors can match Al Pacino's eloquence, especially in the 1992 movie  Scent of a Woman .

Pacino, playing blind retired army Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, delivered an emotionally charged speech highlighting the importance of courage and integrity near the end.

Slade defended Charlie Simms, a student who stood up for what's right despite adversity and emphasized the importance of integrity. He contended that you must be courageous to act honorably and justly, even when faced with hardship.

He commended Charlie for his unwavering commitment to justice and truth and the immense character it takes to stand up against wrongdoing and not succumb to peer pressure.

The context, you may ask? Charlie was pressured to snitch on his friends, who pulled a prank against the headmaster, Mr. Trask, in exchange for keeping his scholarship. Expectedly, Charlie refused to sell his soul and betray his friends for his benefit.

The movie challenges attitudes common today. The lesson it presents is simple: don't step on others to get your way, and have the courage to stand up to oppression and wrongdoings.

2. Les Brown: It Is Not Over Until You Win! Your Dream is Possible - 1996

Theme:  Perseverance, Ambition

Les  Brown's famous motivational speech started with an interesting quote: "I do not believe that any of us have dreams that were not given to us for the purpose of accomplishing those particular dreams."

This means that Les Brown believes that our dreams are given to us by some higher power or purpose and that we have the responsibility and—focus on this—the ability to pursue them and make them come true.

He spent time sharing his personal story with his audience: how he started from humble beginnings and faced many obstacles that didn't stop him from completely changing his life and finding success.

The takeaway from his speech is that your potential is endless, and failing is part of your journey to success.

To make it in life, protect your ambitions from the criticism of negative people and persevere despite being faced with disappointments, frustrations, and obstacles.

How do you do that?

Surround yourself with people sharing the same hunger for success as you, be creative in finding solutions to problems and ways to  motivate yourself , and understand that your responsibility is to take risks and work hard toward achieving your goals.

3. Steve Jobs: Stanford Commencement Speech - 2005

Theme:  Destiny, Love, Death

Steve Jobs was a pioneer and magnate in the business world before his untimely death in 2011.

His Stanford motivational speech revolves around three stories from his life: connecting the dots, love and loss, and death.

During the first story, Steve Jobs recounted his experiences as a college dropout who attended a calligraphy class at Reed College which seemed utterly useless then.

It didn't dawn on him until later in life that that class was indispensable to designing the typography of Apple computers—the best back then, according to Jobs.

Jobs said to trust in something to build faith in your abilities and pursue your passions, which make all the difference in life. It doesn't matter what it is: karma, your gut, destiny, or whatever you fancy.

Second, he said: "You can only connect the dots looking backward." This is about having confidence that everything you do will have a purpose later in life.

His second story revolved around his getting fired from Apple, the company he started, and his fearless motivation to  try new things  that ensued.

He said that the best thing that happened to him was getting fired. It opened him to new opportunities and enabled him to rekindle new passions.

Jobs said: "Sometimes life is gonna hit you in the head with a brick."

He also added a quote that reflects what  people struggle with  today: "You've got to find what you love."

Never settle. You'll do great in what you love once you find it, and you'll know when you do. It just gets better as the years roll on, too.

Finally, Jobs spoke about the inevitability of death. It was a stark reminder that our time on Earth is limited, and what we do with it is what matters.

We must follow our dreams and not succumb to others' dogma to live a fulfilling life.

4. J.K. Rowling: The Fringe Benefits of Failure And The Importance of Imagination - 2008

Theme:  Failure, Imagination

Among the most inspiring motivational quotes you could read is: "It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default."

What constitutes failure? How do you define success? J.K. Rowling, the mastermind behind  The Wizarding World , says it's up to us to decide.

Rowling shared two crucial lessons she learned from her life experiences: the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination.

You will fail miserably at one point in life. You may even hit rock bottom. For Rowling, rock bottom was a divorce and complete destitution seven years after graduation.

However, that rock bottom could become the foundation of your new life.

It liberates you to connect with your authentic self, start fresh, pursue your dreams, and gain wisdom you can't learn from any other aspect of life.

It's what helped her discover her true passion for writing novels, resilience, and inner security.

Imagination

Rowling also emphasizes the importance of imagination in empathizing with others.

Many choose not to express their imagination, preferring comfort over the courage to step outside and make a positive difference in the world.

She urges us to use it and our intelligence and influence to better the world.

5. Will Smith: The Pursuit of Happyness - 2006

Theme:  Ambition, Dreams

Motivational speakers will often inspire you with long speeches carrying many anecdotes.

After shattering his son's dream by telling him he likely won't become a professional basketballer, Will Smith, in 40 seconds, rectified the situation by telling him what everyone must hear in a speech so short yet so powerfully moving.

"Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something. Not even me. All right? You got a dream? You gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they want to tell you you can't do it. You want something? Go get it! Period!"

The Pursuit of Happyness  is based on the real-life story of  Christopher Gardner . We recommend checking it out.

6. Elizabeth Gilbert: Your Elusive Creative Genius - 2009

Theme:  Fear, Success, Determination

Elizabeth  Gilbert's famous motivational speech is more of a philosophical food for thought than a "Get up. Do it."

She spoke about the challenges and pressures of creative people in the modern world. She also explained how differently people have understood their creative impulses from ancient times to the present.

The key takeaway is that today's idea of creativity (as a whole) as something that comes from within the individual is harmful and unrealistic as it's too much responsibility for a single frail being to handle.

Gilbert suggests that we return to the older notion of creativity as something that comes from outside the individual and that we can't control.

What you have to do, in turn, is to keep showing up for your work. Find your niche and keep trying, even if you fail.

It doesn't matter if you do a horrible job.  Learn to enjoy life . Embrace the mystery and unpredictability of creativity. "Olé!" to you if you dare to be creative.

Her talk is captivating, and a summary can't do it justice. Give the video a watch.

7. Al Pacino: Any Given Sunday - 1999

Theme:  Fear, Winning

The speech Tony D'Amato, played by Pacino, gave before his football team's crucial game during the movie  Any Given Sunday  is invigorating.

That said, the talk doesn't apply to football only, as it's about overcoming obstacles of all sorts.

He emphasized that life and football are both games of inches, where the margin for error is small and every inch matters.

His team (and you) must fight for every inch with passion, courage, and sacrifice. His team must also heal together and trust and support each other, as they're all in it together.

Living, to D'Amato, is overcoming fears, doubts, and failures and finding your inner strength and will to win.

This speech is a rallying cry for individuals paralyzed by fear and unable to step forward and achieve their goals.

It's a resounding affirmation message that says: "It's okay. You can do it. And, if you think you can't, you have friends to help you do it."

8. Bill Gates: Harvard Commencement Speech - 2007

Theme:  Change, Progress

During his Harvard commencement speech, Bill Gates reflected on his time at Harvard and the intellectual and social experiences that came with it.

He commented on how the worst part about dropping out of Harvard was his leaving without a sufficient understanding of the world and its inequities and the millions of issues impoverished and less fortunate people face daily.

His speech is a call to action. He emphasized that reducing inequality is humanity's greatest achievement and calls for applying new technologies toward that endeavor.

In other words, Gates urges those who are more fortunate intellectually, financially, and socially to be the change this world needs.

9. Jim Carrey: Maharishi University of Management Commencement Speech - 2014

Theme:  Risk-Taking

People know Jim Carrey for his hilarious roles in comedy classics like Ace Ventura and  The Mask . But did you know that he also has a profoundly deep side that can surprise you?

His commencement speech at the Maharishi University is philosophical and impactful, but one part stands out:

"...Sometimes, it's okay to eat your feelings. Now fear is going to be a player in your life, but you get to decide how much.

You can spend your whole life imagining ghosts and worrying about the pathway to the future, but all there will ever be is what's happening here and the decisions we make at this moment, which are based on either love or fear.

So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality. What we really want seems impossibly out of reach and ridiculous to expect. So we never dare to ask the universe for it..."

Carrey's father chose to be an accountant instead of a comedian in fear of failing. You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance at doing what you love.

The lesson to take away is simple: take risks in life. It's the only way you can progress and truly enjoy it. Decisions based on fear will only get you to a future where you'll be neither proud of yourself nor satisfied.

10. Sheryl Sandberg: Get on a Rocket Ship Whenever You Get The Chance - 2012

Theme:  Opportunity, Personal Growth, Honesty

Sheryl Sandberg  is an ex-Facebook COO. She imparted many crucial qualities that people in the business world should have. Her 2012 speech at the Harvard Business School covers three main points. They are:

Opportunity

Eric Schmidt  said: "If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, don't ask what seat. Just get on."

Lori Goler , Schmidt's co-worker, also compared careers to a jungle gym instead of a ladder.

You'll get tired of working and stagnate if you don't look for opportunities and growth.

Today's overly competitive, hyperconnected world demands a new approach. Viewing jobs how people did thirty years ago is no longer viable.

Sheryl urges us to look for a mission, move in all directions (hence the jungle gym comparison); build our skills, not our resume; and evaluate what we can do, not the title we'll get.

"A good leader recognizes that most people won't feel comfortable challenging authority, so it falls upon authority to encourage them to question."

Being honest in workplaces is difficult, as people fear challenging authority. Sheryl urges leaders to welcome dissenting opinions and feedback, not punish them.

This doesn't apply to leaders only, though. Everyone should ask for input, especially from those who might disagree with them, and listen to their perspectives.

Admit your mistakes and share your vulnerabilities, as it's the best way to build trust and transparency and grow.

Personal Growth

"As you lead in this new world, you will not be able to rely on who you are or the degree you hold. You'll have to rely on what you know."

Pieces of paper don't define you; your skills do. Working on your professional and interpersonal skills to stay ahead of others is crucial.

Focus on talent, skills, imagination, vision, and the ability to communicate authentically.

Developing such skills isn't exactly easy, though. That's why reading is important . We recommend checking out some of these must-read books .

11. Denzel Washington: Fall Forward - 2011

Theme:  Failure, Risk-Taking

Actor  Denzel Washington  gave an inspiring speech about the importance of failure and taking risks at the Pennsylvania 2011 Commencement Address. There are two parts to his speech.

Risk-Taking

"I found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. Nothing. Nelson Mandela said: 'There is no passion to be found, playing small and settling for a life that's less than the one you're capable of living.'"

Washington highlighted how people always tell you to ensure you have something to fall back on. He said he never understood this concept and that falling back on your faith or forward is always better.

His example? Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments. Few know that because the 1,001st experiment was the lightbulb.

Take risks. People don't care about your failures; they only remember your successes. There's nothing to be afraid of.

Washington also spoke about how every failed experiment is a step closer to success.

He emphasized that you'll fail at some point in your life; you must accept it. He also said you're not trying in the first place if you don't fail.

Failure is inevitable, but what sets the winners apart from the losers is perseverance, and he gave an interesting—and funny—quote to exemplify his point:

"There's an old saying, you hang around the barbershop long enough, sooner or later, you're going to get a haircut. So you will catch a break. And I did catch a break."

It doesn't matter how long it takes to achieve your mission. Small steps accumulate. Take it easy, one step at a time, and you'll inevitably reach whatever you set out to do.

Accept new views, be open to new opinions, meet new people, and take new chances. They're what's going to define you. Keep going forward. Never stop.

12. David Foster Wallace: This Is Water - 2005

Theme:  Thinking, Open-Mindedness

David Foster Wallace 's talk is another overly philosophical didactic that makes you say: "Woah, I never thought of it this way before."

He invites us to free ourselves from the prison of self-centeredness by being more conscious, humble, and compassionate.

His motivational speech mainly revolved around the value of a liberal arts education. He said it's not about the knowledge you gain, it's about being taught how to think and what to pay attention to in life.

Most of us are trapped in our default setting of self-centeredness and automatic thinking, making us unhappy and unaware of what's unfolding around us.

He explained it best in two quotes:

"Learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience."

"But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell-type situation as not only meaningful but sacred, on par with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down."

The speech is called "This Is Water" because of the metaphor he proposes at the beginning: fish swimming in water. It's about how we often take life's most important things for granted.

Wrapping Up

Life isn't easy. Sometimes, it can be so overwhelming that we consider giving up on our dreams and aspirations in return for some peace of mind.

Luckily, we don't have to face our problems alone. We learn from them, and motivational speakers ignite our passion to chase our goals with vehement determination and boost our confidence.

We shared some impactful speeches by some of the most brilliant minds the world has ever seen in hopes of implanting one belief in your mind: It's okay. You can make it. And, if you don't, you have a lifetime to make it. Don't give up.

We hope you found these talks as touching as we did. Don't forget to leave your feedback and share this article with your friends if you enjoyed it!

Latest articles

How To Use Asana: A Simple Step-By-Step Guide

Asana vs. Trello: Pros, Cons & Which To Choose, When

9 Best Free Posting Sites To Reach More Candidates

Inspire Your Success

Top 25 Best Motivational Speeches About Life: Short Motivational Speeches to Take Massive Action

• Facebook 41
• Pinterest 573

These are the top 15  best motivational speeches  about life to help motivate and inspire you!

Every day our motivational levels will waiver but if you can figure out how to stay motivated you will set yourself for an incredible amount of success in life.

Tony Robbins talks about this as push vs. pull motivation . Push motivation is usually where you have to push yourself to do something and oftentimes include a lot of willpower. Pull motivation is much easier, more natural, and flows easily as you want to do the specific event.

In this Psychology Today article it says that “Pull-based motivation is about tapping the desire to achieve something. It’s about establishing a quest and taking action not to remove a current pain, but to bring yourself closer to a deeply desired end. Maybe it’s completing a marathon or learning to play guitar.”

Ultimately you want to find activities in life that have you being pulled to do them. That usually happens when you begin to align your life with your goals, values, and daily routines. 

Motivation will determine how great your life ends up being. If you want to change your life you have to get moving, change your physiology, and create powerful habits. I listen to one of the videos as morning motivation every single day!

Here are the 15  best motivational speeches to help you get inspired!

Table of Contents

Top 15 Best Motivational Speeches

1.) tony robbins – why we do what we do (tedx speech).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpc-t-Uwv1I&list=PL3JDCD84BjcJv0_bOMqejyCBBz8JCZ_Ks&index=5

Imagine speaking in front of the most wealthy and successful individuals in the world — what advice could you possibly give to billionaires and CEO’s? Tony Robbins is one of the few people that can motivate and inspire them as some of his top clients are those exact people. This TedX speech will help you understand why you do what you do.

2. Steve Jobs – 2005 Standford Commencement Speech

Steve Jobs Harvard commencement speech is one of the best motivational speeches of all time, not to mention the best commencement speech ever. While many of us admire Jobs and love his work, he was often very misunderstood by the masses. This rare and candid speech will show you how to follow your passion and create a life you love.

And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever that somehow the dots will connect in the future.” — Steve Jobs

3. Les Brown – Georgia Dome Speech

Les Brown has some of the best motivational speeches ever. He is a world renown speaker, author, and trainer that has accomplished amazing feats in his life.

While his list of accolades is impressive when you learn where he came from it’s even more so. Enjoy this amazing speech live from the Georgia Dome in front of 30,000 people!

This is one of my favorites of all time. When things aren’t working, I listen to this inspirational speech about success to overcome challenges.

4. David Goggins – Driven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIrT1eHs1b0&t=1571s

David Goggins is arguably the most badass human being ever. He’s been a Navy Seal, Army Ranger, ultra-marathon runner, and holds the pull-up record for most pull-ups in a 24 hour period (4,030)! When I think of the best motivational speeches I can’t help but add David Goggins!

5. Arnold Schwarzenegger – 6 Rules of Success (Commencement Speech)

Regardless of your political views, it’s hard to admit that Arnold has not accomplished an incredible amount in his lifetime. From moving to Austria to America to becoming a bodybuilder, Mr. Olympia champion, top-grossing actor, and governor of California.

6. Tony Robbins – New Year, New You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIHmty265Us

This is probably the video that will get you to reshape your life and vision more than most. If you’ve ever set a resolution only to fail while it’s still January (who hasn’t done that?) this video is for you.

Most of all, Tony talks in-depth about how to make lasting changes in your life. Instead of focusing on resolutions or abstract goals, focus on what really matters to make the change you need!

This is one of the best motivational speeches about life I’ve ever heard. Anytime I’m in a rut or feeling stuck, I always play this and get super inspired.

7. Mel Robbins – Secret to Self-Motivation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoWnfCoFdYs

Mel Robbins is a top speaker and best-selling author after creating “ The 5-Second Rule ” and sharing it with the world. After getting to meet her in person, I can say she is incredibly inspiring and loves to help people.

8. Terry Crews Motivational Speech

Terry Crews is well known by many but his backstory & route to success is even more impressive!

9. Denzel Washington – Commencement Speech at Dillard University

Who doesn’t love Denzel Washington? His acting is incredible but his speech about succeeding in life is one of his truly epic performances. If you feel lost or disappointed with your life, this is a great video to get you motivated!

10. Admiral William H. McRaven – University of Texas At Austin

Do you make your bed each morning?

Admiral William McRaven shows why making your bed as part of your morning routine will give you discipline and start the day winning.

Let’s be honest, there are way too many amazing motivational speeches about life to only include ten. Here are some other incredible speeches that can change your life!

More Motivational Speeches About Life

11. extreme ownership with jocko willink (tedx speech).

Jocko Willink is a retired, ex-Navy Seal and also the best-selling author of “ Extreme Ownership .” If you don’t follow him on Twitter I highly recommend it as he seems like one of the most disciplined human beings alive.

After seeing him at a “ Success Live ” seminar I can say his intensity his second to none. Jocko gives one of the best motivational speeches ever with this TEDx talk!

12. J.K. Rowling – Harvard Commencement Speech

J.K. Rowling has an incredible story. From a broke waitress barely able to survive turned into one of the best-selling authors of all time. She has gone on to publish the Harry Potter series that also turned into one of the most successful movie franchises ever.

I love this quote from her epic motivational speech:

We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.”

13. Inky Johnson – One of the Most Epic Speeches About Life

Inky Johnson gives one of the best speeches about life challenges ever. After working his entire life to make it to the NFL, a freak injury in college paralyzed his right arm entirely. But instead of letting this injury ruin his life he turned his pain into passion by becoming a motivational speaker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH1OFoBfDRM

14. Eric Thomas – Motivation Addicts Speech

Eric Thomas aka “ET the Hip Hop Preacher” is one of the world  best motivational speakers of all time! In fact, if you type in motivational videos on Youtube his videos almost always come up first.

He is so passionate it’s hard to not love his message. His motivational speeches have taken over and this is one of my all-time favorites!

15. Jim Carrey Commencement Speech at Maharishi University of Management

Jim Carrey is often portrayed negatively in the media as of late but I think he’s incredible. He genuinely understands what’s important in life and wants to help others find the way to success. Jim used his vision to create an epic life and shares his gift with the world in this inspirational speech about life.

This might be the best motivational quote I’ve ever heard. Never forget, always follow your passion:

I learned many great lessons from my father — not the least of which is that you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you  love .”

16. Ellen DeGeneres: Tulane University Commencement Speech

Ellen DeGeneres has overcome a lot of odds in her life and created a truly epic life. I love how much wisdom, inspiration, and humor is in this amazing speech about life. She is an incredible person who continues to inspire millions of people around the globe.

Really, when I look back on it, I wouldn’t change a thing. I mean, it was so important for me to lose everything because I found out what the most important thing is … to be true to yourself. Ultimately, that’s what’s gotten me to this place. I don’t live in fear. I’m free. I have no secrets and I know I’ll always be OK, because no matter what, I know who I am.”

17. Sheryl Sandberg Commencement Speech

Sheryl Sandberg is another amazing motivational speaker and COO of Facebook. Her speeches and words have helped inspire women worldwide.

18. Oprah Winfrey – Harvard Commencement Speech

Oprah is one of my favorite inspirational stories about perseverance of all-time. She had such a difficult childhood it’s nearly impossible for most people to even believe.

Yet she went on to become one of the most successful, wealthy, and influential people the world has ever seen. I love her message of positivity and fulfilling your dreams in life.

19. Will Smith Inspirational Speech – Pursuit of Happiness

This movie is phenomenal and really invokes a ton of emotion and feelings in this particular scene. Remember, never listen to anyone telling you what’s possible!

Don’t ever let somebody tell you … you can’t do something. Not even me. All right? You got a dream. You gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.”

Best Sports Motivational Speeches

Sports have created some of the best motivational speeches ever. Fake or real, these are some of the most popular motivational speeches from Hollywood!

20. Al Pacino – Any Given Sunday Speech

As a huge movie fan, I love this speech and consider it the best sports motivational speeches of all time. Al Pacino is an amazing actor and he delivers an incredible speech to motivate his team to victory.

“ On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We CLAW with our fingernails for that inch. Cause we know when we add up all those inches that’s going to make the fucking difference. Between WINNING and LOSING…between LIVING and DYING. ”

21. Herb Brooks – Miracle Speech

While the speech is great it’s even better because it’s based on a true story about the Olympic team in the 1980’s! This speech propelled the U.S. to beat the Soviet Union and become the gold meal champions!

As Herb said, “ Great moments are born from great opportunity .”

22. Rocky Motivational Speech

Rocky might be the best motivational video ever. While the original is a little outdated there have been so many sequels it continues to stay relevant in mainstream culture.

If you learn about the story behind the movie it’s even more inspirational. At the time Sylvester Stallone was so broke he had to sell his dog and was sleeping on park benches. After watching a boxing match he got motivated and wrote the script that would change his life.

Check out my favorite quote from the Rocky motivational speech:

The world ain’t’ all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a mean and nasty place. And I don’t care how tough you are it’ll beat to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is going to hit as hard as life. It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! “

23. Ray Lewis & Eric Thomas – “Beast” Motivational Speech

This inspirational speech is from two icons – Ray Lewis and Eric Thomas. Ray is a former hall of fame NFL player who knows how to generate hype, excitement, and enthusiasm from his teammates. This was a no-brainer when selecting the best sports motivational speeches.

Remember as Eric Thomas said, “ Sleep, sleep is for people who are broke. I got an opportunity to make a dream become a reality. ”

24. Best Motivational Sports Speech 

The crazy thing about this inspirational speech is that it’s a true story!  This epic speech was delivered to a group of high school football players.

25. Tom Brady – Best Motivational Video To Prove Haters Wrong

Tom Brady is the greatest player of all time. He was doubted from the moment he walked into the NFL combine. Yet, he is still playing the game 20+ years later and is arguably the best quarterback of all time.

He’s proven the haters wrong with his relentless work ethic, consistent performance, and longevity in a physically challenging sport. I love this motivational video!

Remember what Tom Brady said, “ To me what separates good players from great players is to execute under pressure. ”

Enjoy the best motivational speeches to give you the momentum to take the next step!

Are you ready to make this the year that will change your life forever? Quit waiting and start creating success today!

Never give up, this is your year to create success! 

Do you think these are some of the best motivational speeches about life ? Which one of them is your favorite?

Did I miss a motivational or commencement speech that you love? Let me know in the comments! 

• Recent Posts

• Cold Pitching Tutorial For Freelance Writers – 5 EASY Steps to Land Clients! - March 25, 2021
• Upwork Proposal Tips For Copywriters - March 11, 2021
• Upwork Profile Tips - February 2, 2021

About Michael Leonard

My name is Michael and I'm the creator of Inspire Your Success. My goal is to give you the tools, resources, and inspiration to build an epic freelance writing business.

January 30, 2018 at 2:07 am

Love these and wanted to add 1 more from Eric Thomas, literally one of the most motivational people to so many people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vuetQSwFW8

February 7, 2018 at 7:10 am

Damn great call I totally forgot about ET — he’s one of the best!

January 30, 2018 at 3:04 am

Glad you included Jocko. Highly recommended podcast.

February 7, 2018 at 7:09 am

Thanks Drew — Jocko is the man! After seeing him live I was ready to run through a wall haha inspiring guy!

April 17, 2018 at 6:43 am

Amazingly informative and helpful post. Everything is good enough and website is very well designed. I am very glad that I have come across to your blog because you have shared a one of a kind blog which has all the things in a very pleasant manner. Basically I’m a writer I would like to share my website here and sometimes I wait for your post to get more this type of blogs. A good blog always comes-up with new and exciting information and while reading I have feel that this blog is really have all those quality that qualify a blog to be a good one. What a great post, love this education related post! Great blog you have Thanks for sharing.

December 2, 2020 at 6:31 am

All are best speeches. Many i have listed but remaining i will listen soon. It is really motivational. Arnold speech is really motivational.

December 2, 2020 at 6:33 am

JK Rowling speech is my favorite. She is a wonderful author and worked very hard to get success. Remaining all are best.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CONTACT WORK WITH ME DISCLAIMER BLOG

Share with others.

Build Strong Mindset

12 Best Motivational Speeches that will change your life in 2023

Motivational speeches always work like a game changer in a lot of people’s life. Most people when feeling stuck and depressed in life always prefer to lesson to a speech that can help them feel good and confident about themselves.

I know that motivation is a short time and it will not help you achieve your goal but when you feel down in your life, you need some powerful words that can reenergize you and push you towards your goal. That is where motivational speeches help you bounce back from the down phase in your life.

In this article, I am going to share the list of the top 12 best motivational speeches given by great personalities in the world. These speeches motivated so many people to take action toward their goals and I am also one of them. Let’s see the list of speeches one by one – 

Table of Contents

Top 12 Best Motivational Speeches 

Motivation is very important for every individual on this planet whether you are in sports, politics, an actor, a businessman, doing a job, a student, etc. Whatever might be your field there is a time when you feel demotivated and stuck because you can’t get the expected results.

Everyone on this planet goes through such down phases in life where they feel completely lost and demotivated. How do most people come out of such phases? either they talk with their family members/friends or listen to motivational speeches on the internet.

We love motivational speeches because the story in the speech resonates with our own struggles in life. The speaker talks about their life experiences and how they overcome different challenges in their life to achieve their goal.

Their life experiences resonate with us which gives us clarity in our life. Ultimately these speeches give us the motivation to perform better in our professional and personal life. It gives us the energy to bounce back from failure and down phases in life.

So, It doesn’t matter in which field you are working being motivated is super important to give your best performance at work and to face difficult challenges in life.

Now let me share the list of the best 12 motivational speeches given by extraordinary people from different fields that will change your life forever.

1. Steve Jobs

This is one of the most loved motivational speeches of all time. In his 2005 commencement speech at Standford university, Steve Jobs shared three inspiring stories from his life that made him successful in life.

The first story was about connecting the dots where he talks about after dropping out of college how he took a calligraphy class which later influenced the design of the macintosh computer (1st popular product from apple).

The second story was about failure. How he was fired from his own company and how he felt like a failure. The lesson he learned from this is failure is never the end of life. It is the chance to learn something new, build something new and lead to new opportunities in life.

In the third story, he was talking about his battle with cancer and how that made him appreciate the time he had left. He motivated the graduates that don’t waste their time by doing things they don’t like to do. Find your passion and follow it because life is too short.

Watch this speech here – Steve Jobs (2005 Standford Commencement)

2. J.K Rowling

J.k. Rowlings world’s first millionaire author of harry potter books. In her 2008 commencement speech at Harvard, she discusses the importance of failure and the power of imagination for success.

She shares her personal failure experience in life when she got rejected multiple times from different publication houses for her harry potter series and after so many rejections and struggles later she became a millionaire author.

Rowling encouraged the entire audience that embraces failure, face it and not let it define them. In her speech, she also emphasized the importance of imagination and the power it has to change the world.

Throughout the speech, she encouraged the audience to never give up on their dreams and to believe that they can achieve anything in life with determination and resilience.

Watch this speech here – J.K. Rowling (2008 Harvard Commencement speech)

3. Sandip Maheshwari

Sandip Maheshwari is India’s one of most popular motivational speakers and holds a Guinness book of world record for the highest watched motivational speech on youtube. He delivered one of the best transformative and motivational speeches of all time in 2013.

Through his captivating storytelling, he delved into the depths of the human mind and revealed the secrets to unlocking our full potential.  He emphasized the importance of taking control of our thoughts and emotions and how doing that can lead to a life of fulfillment and success.

Sandip urged the audience to let go of limiting beliefs, pursue their passions, as well as never give up on themselves and embrace a mindset of unlimited possibilities. With his dynamic and passionate delivery, Sandip inspired the audience to take action and make positive changes in their lives.

He reminded everyone that true freedom and happiness can only be found within ourselves. His words were a powerful reminder to break free from our fears and limitations and to live life to the fullest.

Watch this speech here – Sandip Maheshwari (Last life-changing seminar)

4. Denzel Washington 

In his speech at the University of Pennsylvania, Denzel Washington spoke about the importance of education and hard work in achieving long-term success in life. Denzel emphasized the importance of setting goals, making a plan to achieve them, and not giving up when faced with obstacles.

He also spoke about the importance of having a strong work ethic, being dedicated to one’s craft, and staying true to oneself. Denzel also shared the personal experiences and life lessons he has learned throughout his career.

He encouraged the entire audience to always focus on learning and to never stop pursuing their dreams, as success is not guaranteed and must be earned through hard work, determination and perseverance.

Watch this speech here – Denzel Washington (University of Pennsylvania speech)

5. Will Smith

This speech is actually a scene from the movie ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ starring Hollywood star Will smith. In this movie, Will smith’s character Chris Gardner delivers a powerful message to his son about the importance of perseverance and determination in the face of adversity.

He speaks about his struggle as a single father trying to make ends meet and how he never gave up hope despite the many challenges he faced. Will Smith encourages his son to never give up on dreams and to always strive for happiness, no matter how difficult the Journey is.

He concludes the conversation with his son by saying “Don’t ever let somebody tell you, you can’t do something. Not even me All right? you got a dream, you gotta protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they are going to tell you that you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.”

Watch this powerful message here – Will Smith (Pursuit of Happiness)

6. Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey one of the most loved comedians/actors around the world gave a super inspiring commencement speech at Maharishi University of Management in 2014.

He urged graduates to embrace their fears and pursue their passions, telling them “You can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.” 

Jim shared his own life journey of following his dreams, and how he faced rejection and failure before achieving success. He also talked about the importance of living in the present moment and the power of positive thinking in life.

Jim encouraged the audience to not let fear and uncertainty hold them back and to trust in their own abilities to achieve their goals. He ended one of the best motivational speeches with the powerful message “You can not be really alive until you are living on the edge.”

Watch this speech here – Jim Carrey ( Maharishi University of Management )

7. Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek is a New York Times best-selling author and Leadership coach, he always talks about Leadership in business. He gave one of the best motivational speeches on leadership and that speech is available on his youtube channel.

In his speech, he emphasizes the importance of understanding the game you are playing as a leader. He argues that too many leaders are operating without a clear understanding of their role and the rules of the leadership game they are playing.

Simon Sinek highlights the point that in order to be an effective leader, you must understand the game you are in and be able to communicate that to your team. He also highlights the importance of having a clear vision and purpose for your team, which will help your team understand their roles.

Sinek concludes the speech by urging leaders to take the time to understand the game they are in and to be clear and consistent in communicating that understanding to their team.

Watch this speech here – Simon Sinek ( Leadership speech )

8. Les Brown

Les Brown is considered one of the greatest motivational speakers of all time. His motivational speech on Goalcast’s youtube channel is so inspiring, in which Les brown encourages listeners to push through difficult times in life and never give up on their dreams.

He reminds all the listeners that hard times are a natural part of life and everyone goes through them at some point of time in their life. However, it’s important to remember that these challenges are opportunities for growth and development.

He emphasizes that the key to getting through hard times is to have a positive attitude, be resilient, and stay focused on your goals. Les Brown also highlights the importance of a support system in life like friends, family, and mentor to help you through the tough times.

He concludes his powerful speech by reminding everyone that we all are capable of overcoming any obstacle in life and achieving our dreams with a strong belief and with never give up attitude.

Watch this speech here – Les Brown ( Motivational speech )

9. Arnold Schwarzenegger 

Arnold is considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. He shared his amazing journey on the motivation hub youtube channel where he encourages the viewers to never give up on their dreams and to always strive for success.

He stresses the importance of setting goals, working hard, and believing in oneself. He also shares his personal journey in which how he overcomes all the obstacles and setbacks in life to become a successful bodybuilder and actor.

Arnold encourages the viewers to be persistent and to never, let anyone tell them they can’t achieve their goals. He reminds them that they have the power to create their own destiny and to never give up on their dreams. 

Overall this is one of the best motivational speeches that tell you why you should never give up on your dreams and you should always strive for success.

Watch this speech here – Arnold’s speech on Motivationhub

10. Admiral McRaven

Admiral McRaven is a retired Navy seal who gave an amazing speech 4 years back and that speech is available on Goalcast’s youtube channel. This speech is a complete experience of Admiral McRaven learning as a Navy Seal.

It is the most powerful and motivational speech that encourages individuals to start their day with a small task like making their bed in the morning because such small tasks set the tone for a productive and successful day.

He explains how completing small tasks can lead to a sense of accomplishment and how that sense of accomplishment can build momentum and lead to bigger and more meaningful achievements.

Admiral uses his own experiences from basic training in the Navy seal to illustrate how small actions can lead to greater success, and how developing discipline and a strong work ethic can help one overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

This is one of the most practical motivational speeches I have ever seen that gives you a powerful reminder of focusing on taking small steps toward your goal creates a big positive impact on your life in the long term.

Watch this speech here – Admiral McRaven (Make Your Bed)

11. Jay Shetty

Jay Shetty is one of the most popular self-help authors and motivational speakers. 2 years back he gave a thought-provoking speech in which he encourages the audience to find their purpose in life and to pursue it with passion and determination.

He reminds the audience that life is not just about going through the motions, but about making a real impact and leaving a lasting legacy. Jay explains that purpose is not something that is given to us, it is something that we have to discover for ourselves. 

It is our own responsibility to look inside to explore passion and interest and be open to new life experiences. He also emphasizes the importance of taking action toward our purpose and not just dreaming about it.

Jay encourages the audience to set goals, work hard and be persistent in the face of challenges and obstacles. He also encourages everyone to be of service to others and use their purpose to make a positive impact on the world. Because by living a purposeful life, we can find true happiness in life.

Watch this speech here – J ay Shetty (Find your purpose)

12. Muniba Mazari

Muniba Mazari is a social activist and motivational speaker who delivered a powerful speech on the topic of ‘perfectly imperfect’. She spoke about society puts pressure on individuals to be perfect in every aspect of life and how this pressure can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem .

Muniba shared her own personal story of overcoming this fad of being perfect. She spoke about her car accident incident that left her paralyzed and how that experience taught her the true beauty and strengths that come from embracing her own imperfections and using them to become the best version of herself.

Through her powerful words, Muniba reminded the audience that it’s okay to be imperfect and it’s through our imperfection that we can find true meaning and purpose in life. She urged everyone to embrace their own unique journey no matter what challenges they may face.

Watch this speech here – Muniba Mazari (You are all perfectly imperfect)

Conclusion 

Whether you are looking to overcome fear and self-doubt , achieve your goals, or find your purpose, these top 12 motivational speeches will inspire you to take action and make positive changes in your life.

Each of these speakers shared a unique perspective with the common belief that ‘you have the power to shape your own destiny’. So take time to listen to these motivational speeches and let them be your sources of motivation for you as you work toward your goals.

If you found this article useful then please share it in your network and subscribe to get more such articles every week.

Related Posts:

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.