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5 Steps to Writing a Motivational Speech With Sample Outline

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Who doesn't love a little pick me up or a dash of inspiration? When we're feeling low, a small bout of motivational medicine can be enough to lift someone up and out of their slump. If you've been tasked with this wonderful opportunity, we hope these five steps for how to write a motivational speech help you draw in the crowd and start changing lives, one truth at a time.
1. Be Clear About Your Message
Have you ever listened to someone deliver a speech and, although they were quite affable, wondered, "What in the world are they even talking about?" It might've felt disjointed or like they were moving all over the map. The problem there is that they probably weren't super clear themselves about the message they wanted to deliver. So, the first step for writing a motivational speech is to have a clear and concise message .
Create a Central Theme
You might compare it to the thesis statement of an essay. It's one sentence that defines the entirety of everything else that's to come. If you can focus on that one, central theme, you can direct every ensuing point back to that main motivational idea.
If you consider some of the most famous motivational speakers in the world, you'll note that every one of their speeches has one central theme. They don't speak on multiple topics within singular speeches; they focus on one powerfully potent thought. Tony Robbins has been transforming lives for years. Look at his catalog of videos to see how he uses one compelling message per video.
2. Start With a Bang
Of all the components of a speech, your opening lines are the most important. A good hook is absolutely crucial to your success. You may be likable. You may have great energy. But if you don't say something to perk up the ears in the crowd, you'll have lost them even before you've begun.
To help with this, check out how to write a hook . It'll reemphasize the power of the hook and helps you draft your own.
3. Share Narratives
There are a few ways to connect with your audience . The first is eye contact. As you move around the room, it's important to continually scan the crowd and make the audience feel like you're speaking to them directly.
Once you make that connection, share a personal narrative or two. Think of it as a conversation between friends. We're all interrelational on one level or another. Sharing a personal narrative helps you forge that connection in a way straightforward facts and figures cannot.
Consider these narrative essay examples . Although they're intended for the written word, you can see how one moving snippet is enough to move an entire audience.
4. Keep the Audience in Mind
If you consider the word "motivate," it implies action of some sort. This means your motivational speech can't be self-focused. Rather, you have to be the driving force that motivates the audience to some sort of action. Consider your speech as a two-way street. Ask rhetorical questions when possible.
Simply put, you never want to just focus on yourself, your testimony or your narratives. Instead, you want to keep the audience as your primary focus.
- Will they understand what you're saying?
- Can they relate to your narratives?
- Are you providing them with enough examples to encourage them to go out and make a change?
As an added bonus, keeping the focus on them (and not on you) will help keep your nervousness at bay. For more on this, check out these tips on speech writing . They'll help you stamp down any anxieties you may be having and organize a compelling speech.
5. Conclude With a Compelling Thought
Like the hook, how you close is also important. Humans are so fickle and distracted; it's possible your audience will walk out of the room and forget everything you just said.
But, you can stay with them if you can close in a manner that lingers in their mind.
- Ask them to take some sort of action.
- Ask them to step outside their busy lives and do something peculiar to them.
- Ask a rhetorical question that they can answer within their own minds.
A motivational speech is a persuasive speech. You want to foster some type of positive change. To help you along, check out these steps for writing a persuasive speech . They'll help you pull all your thoughts together into a cohesive, yet compelling, train of thought.
Motivational Speech Example
Who among us doesn't ponder the meaning of life from time to time? Where we have been and where we will be in the future is pivotal to our growth. Steve Jobs explored this in his motivational speech at the Stanford Commencement Address .
"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. 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."
As you watch Job's speech, you'll note he ends with a call to action, "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish". Those final words will stick with people and likely propel them toward some sort of action.
Motivational Speech Outline Example
For more on how to structure your speech, consider emulating the outline below. Use it as a template to help you gather your thoughts and make major waves.

5 steps writing motivational speech
How to write a motivational speech.
Wherever you go, you can choose to be the light in the room. Spread positivity. Let people know they can achieve their life's mission. Best of all, you don't have to toil over what to say. Just choose one thing and build out from there. The less your speech resembles a spider web, the more people you'll touch.
To help you stay on track, take a look at these quick keyword outline examples . A keyword outline will be your best friend when you're up there on the stage. It's a reassuring little piece of paper that lets you know you are, indeed, motivating the crowd.
Never Give up on Your Dream, Motivational Speeches
When you show courage in the ..., template: letter to request to attend a conference, do you want to attend a ..., motivational speech for teachers to help students learn at home, motivational speech template to congratulate your team.
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How to Give an Inspirational Speech in 5 Minutes or Less

Is it possible to motivate your team in under five minutes? Yes! People are more distracted than ever today, and they need short bits of inspiration to keep them focused. The biggest challenge most leaders have is they speak for too long, and the audience gets bored or distracted.
Studies show attention is highest in the first ten minutes of a speech and decreases steadily after that point. Some of the best motivational speeches in history( Gettysburg address, Winston Churchill ) have been less than twenty minutes.
A leader's best way to motivate others is to give regular short motivational speeches.
An Inspirational Speech in Five Minutes or Less
A motivational speech is a collection of small snippets of inspiration that can be taken apart and delivered on their own. The best motivational speeches are short so that the ideas are memorable. The most strong statements are those that don't conjure up the traditional image of 'speech' but, instead, take the audience on an enjoyable journey from one thought to the next.
Here are some tips to construct a quick and timely motivational speech:
OPEN. Get their attention. Keynote speakers know you have 10 seconds or less to get people's attention. Don't smother the group with facts and information. Open with some drama and create some excitement:
Say something startling or provocative.
Use relevant, timely information.
Share a short, funny, motivational story that links to the goal of your motivational speech.
Decide what needs to be said and what doesn't . Something most people overlook, people will only remember a few points from your speech. Don't overwhelm people with too much information, especially technical information that requires study and deliberation to understand. Decide what your primary goal is (what you want to motivate people to do), then focus and simplify your message around this.
Close with impact . To end an inspirational speech, quickly sum up your points and leave the audience with an inspirational and uplifting message. Every motivational speech should give people hope, a feeling that things are progressing, and that their efforts are making a difference.
Delivery. An inspirational speech is part content and part delivery. I believe delivery is even more important than information. Content has become a commodity easily accessible through Google. People can get information quickly online, why should they listen to you?
Your ability to deliver the message with charisma will make your inspirational speech impactful.
Prepare . Don't wing it or read a script. Looking effortless requires effort.
When giving an inspirational speech, focus on increasing your energy level, pausing after important points and speak to the audience, not at them.
Capture People's Attention with Humor, funny motivational speakers Lecture, Say Hello to Humor and Goodbye to Burnout!
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How to give a motivational speech
- By The Speaker Lab
Table of Contents
Introduction.
So you want to learn how to give a motivational speech. Maybe it’s for a motivational speech for work, or maybe it’s for a school project. You have an idea of what you want to speak about, but how do you actually create your talk? How do you give a motivational speech? And what makes a talk “good”?
In this post, you can read answers to all of those questions. You’ll learn tips to go through the process to create a great motivational speech from idea to completion. And you’ll learn how to write and give an inspiring motivational speech. Need examples of a motivational speech? Some examples will be at the end of this post!
What is a motivational speech?
A motivational speech is simply a talk meant to get your audience to see or do something. Many of the practices that you can do to prepare for a motivational speech apply to any other type of talk!
The best motivational speakers on the planet only have one or two talks they do and those talks are insanely good. Start by developing just one, really amazing talk that resonates deeply with your intended audience. The best marketing for your motivational speaking business is a great talk, so it is worth it to put in the hours for this part. Yes, even if your first speaking gig is a free talk at a community center.
Keep in mind: Your audience is always going to be asking two questions: “so what?” and “now what?” So what means, what does this have to do with me? Now what is what you want the audience to do as a result of your talk. Give them action steps to implement what you taught them. If they hear you speak but literally don’t do anything differently, what’s the point?
Giving a motivational speech is almost like mapping for a road trip. If you are going to go on a road trip, it’s easier to have a paper map or Google Maps to tell you where you’re going. But if you just get in the car and you start driving, and people are in the car asking you where we’re going, you’re in trouble! But by organizing and structuring your talk, you can lead the audience to your conclusions. And you can effectively answer those two questions: “so what?” and “now what?”
Want to learn how to write a motivational speech? Read on for 3 steps to make it unforgettable:
1. Begin with the end in mind and tell a story
Have you ever been left at the end of a speech wondering, “What was the point of this talk?” Don’t do that to your audience. When creating your talk, determine the destination that you want to take them to. Once you pick a point, then you can work backwards and reverse engineer how to get your audience to that place.
The best way to do the point of your talk is to find where your audience’s needs converge with your passions. Think about what problems you like to solve and what topics you want to talk about and look out into the world. Who is asking for solutions to those problems? Become the expert on that audience and commit yourself to meeting their needs. (for more on finding your big idea, check out this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast)
Okay, so now you have your topic, the idea you want to communicate. Now what? One of the best ways to create a memorable, relatable talk is by integrating first-person stories . You don’t have to have lost a limb or scaled Mount Everest. Keep an eye out in your everyday life for little moments that can contribute to your message. Write them down and integrate them into your talk. As you get more speaking gigs, you will very quickly learn which stories are a hit and which are total flops…which is all part of the process!
Humans relate to stories. We connect to stories. Funny stories. Sad stories. Inspirational stories. We love stories. So tell them. Lots of them. Stories will keep your audience engaged and are also easier for you to memorize. Telling stories that you lived and experienced generally makes the story better for you and the audience. For the audience, they can often times find themselves in your story. For you as the speaker, it’s much easier (and more powerful) to tell a story that you lived versus one you read in a book.
2. Write out your material
Professional speakers don’t just make stuff up. They don’t write a few thoughts on a notecard and then shoot from the hip for an entire presentation. They take the time to write and carefully craft their material.
Oftentimes speakers want to have Powerpoint or Keynote slides to use as notes for their presentation. This is lazy. Don’t do this. Any slides you use should be an enhancement not a replacement of your talk. If you’re just going to stand up there and read off the screen, what does the audience need you for?
Use Powerpoint to show images that make a point. Some speakers will build their talk around their slides. Start with the talk FIRST and then determine if slides are needed or necessary. Slides are generally most effective for showing images or videos that can’t be conveyed in words. For example, if you were in some death-defying crash and that’s part of your talk, it’s one thing to tell that story, but it’s incredibly more powerful if you show pictures or video of it all.
Consider writing out your material. Professional speakers don’t just write a few thoughts on a notecard and then shoot from the hip for an entire presentation. They take the time to write and carefully craft their material. There is no right way to create a talk. You don’t need to memorize your talk like a script, but manuscripting can help you to think through the entire presentation and to know exactly how it all flows together. Some speakers prefer to have an outline with several bullet points and flesh it out from there. Every speaker is different. Find a process that works for you. (For more on fleshing out your talk, check out this episode of the Speaker Lab podcast here .)
3. On stage, be an amplified version of you
The bigger the venue, the bigger you need to be on stage. The way you would communicate to a group of 10 people is very different than how you would need to communicate to a room of 10,000. Both should be an authentic version of you, but simply amplified to the setting. The bottom line is don’t try to be something you’re not on stage. Be you.
Keep it slow and steady. When you are talking really fast, it becomes difficult for the audience to follow. It’s hard to keep up and process. Plus the faster you talk, the harder it is to understand what you’re saying. So slow down and enunciate. Give the audience the chance to keep up with where you’re going.
Don’t be afraid of the silence. The silence to a speaker can feel deafening but it can be powerful. Silence shows confidence that you’re in control of the talk and the room and you’re continuing to guide them towards a common purpose. When you make a strong point, don’t rush to the next line. Stop and let it hang there. The silence is your friend.
For some reason, there’s this misconception that the audience is out to get you. Like they are rooting for you to fail. Nothing could be further from the truth. The audience wants you to do well. They don’t want it to be a train wreck. If they’re going to spend their precious time sitting in your session, they want it to be good. They are on your side. So relax. Take a deep breath and enjoy yourself.
By following these steps, you can set yourself up for success. Many external variables help make a motivational speech go well. Beyond working these steps before giving a motivational speech, you should try to put as many of those variables in your favor as possible. Don’t stay up late the night before at a reception. Don’t eat a massive pasta bowl before you go on stage. Try to avoid speaking during a slot when most of the audience will be distracted. If all the variables are stacked against you but you crush your talk, it can still come across as “meh” to the audience.
Keep in mind: Speaking is like playing jazz – you don’t have to give a talk the same way every time. You can improvise and mix it up sometimes, and you don’t need to plan out every hand gesture or movement or exact line you’ll use. Some of that is fine, but also be present enough with the audience that you can play jazz when the moment calls for it.
If you have a dream to inspire others with your message, you’ve probably considered taking your passion to the stage. Becoming a motivational speaker might sound like a charmed life in many ways. And while it does take hard work, it totally is. Want to go deeper and learn how to become a motivational speaker? Check out our article, “How to Become a Motivational Speaker” here!
In the meantime, here are a few rapid fire FAQs about motivational speeches. Happy speaking!
What are some examples of a motivational speech?
Some of the best motivational speeches have been at graduations from a school or training. One example is David Foster Wallace’s famous “This is Water” speech, delivered at Kenyon College in 2005. Foster Wallace’s big idea, that liberal arts should be about taking a step outside one’s own point of view, is brought home by his analogy of a fish that can’t discern the water it swims in.
Another example of a famous motivational speech is academic researcher Brené Brown’s breakout 2010 TEDx Houston talk, “The Power of Vulnerability”, which became a top 5-viewed TED Talk online.
Looking for more examples of a motivational speech? Check out this article here.
How much money can you make as a motivational speaker?
The runway to a successful business is often slow. But many speakers make 6+ figures a year within a couple years of starting their speaking business!
What degree you need to become a motivational speaker?
It does not matter! You can have no degree or a PhD in whatever field you like and still be a great motivational speaker.
Can anyone become a motivational speaker?
Absolutely.
How long does it take to become a motivational speaker?
This may vary quite a bit, primarily based on your state in life.

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How to Start a Motivational Speech: 5 Strategies for Capturing the Audience

Inspiring people to take positive action is a superpower for CEOs like you. The five strategies for starting a motivational speech covered in this article are meant to help you acquire this superpower and use it to motivate clients and employees alike.
Imagine standing on stage in a room filled with people in your target audience. You have been booked to give a motivational speech. How are you going to start? You have to capture the attention of your audience before you can motivate anyone. Each type of audience requires a different attention-grabbing tactic. The best motivational speakers are masters at knowing their audience and adapting their speeches accordingly.
Master the following five strategies for how to start a motivational speech and you will leave your next audience feeling energized and inspired.
1 – Ask a Question to Make the Audience Feel Like Part of a Conversation
A dry, one-way lecture is the fastest way to lose your audience. Great motivational speaking makes the audience feel like a part of a conversation. Starting with a question is a great way to start that tone. Your question should act as a lead-in to the core topic of your speech.
If your speech is on how to stay motivated when their business is struggling , then your question could be something like “By a show of hands, how many of you have ever felt like you just wanted a give up and close the business down?”
2 – Engage Your Audience With an Activity
Your audience is much more likely to pay attention to you if you can get them moving. The key to successfully using an activity to start a motivational speech is to pay attention to detail. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How many people are expected?
- What are the demographics of attendees?
- How much time do you have?
These seemingly insignificant details are the difference between a hit activity and a flop.
Just like asking a question, you want your activity to be a lead-in for the content of your speech. The best activities include a physical element. Say your topic is the relationship between your mood and your motivation to improve your business . You could start your motivational speech with a breathing exercise for calming one’s mind or a quick smiling exercise.
3 – Tell a Story to Make Your Motivational Speech More Relatable
We are instinctually wired to learn through storytelling, dating back to our days as cavepeople . There are a few different types of stories you could tell to start your motivational speech – each with a different effect.
- Historical Stories
You can use a story from history that relates to the subject matter of your speech. This story could be based on a popular fable or a factual historical event. The benefit of a historical story is it is easy to find a story that fits with your topic perfectly. The downside is they are not as personal as your other options. Your audience may relate to the story, but do they relate to you ?
- Professional Stories
As a successful CEO you have a bunch of professional stories you can use to inspire your audience. These stories are especially effective when trying to motivate employees or speaking in front of industry colleagues.
The key to using professional stories is to make sure they fit the context of the speech topic. If you are speaking to fellow CEOs, tell a story about overcoming a problem a fellow CEO would face. If you were speaking to aspiring business owners , tell a story from when you first started your business.
- Personal Stories
It takes courage to be vulnerable and tell a story from your personal life, but it is one of the most powerful tools for connecting with your audience. You have to prove you have motivated yourself in your darkest times if you want to motivate your audience to do the same.
Again, context is key. A personal story is only powerful if you can use it to segue into your main topic.
4 – Quote a Scientific Study to Give Your Motivational Speech Authority
A scientific study gives your motivational speech instant authority. A piece of interesting research related to your topic signals to your audience that you are not just going to pull information out of thin air.
You can even start your motivational speech with research on motivation. This article here from Business Insider is a good place to start. It has 42 different studies on motivation for you to choose from complete with visual aids.
5 – Tell Your Audience Something They Were Not Expecting to Hear
So many motivational speeches start the same way. The speaker will ask the audience how they are doing, and then they will give an overview of the main point of their speech. It is ineffective because it is what your audience expects.
If you cannot think of a good way to use the other four ways to start a motivational speech, just say anything besides what they expect. Do not be afraid to be different – the more you let your personality shine through in your introduction, the more likely your audience is to actually be motivated by your words.
5 Inspiring Motivational Speeches From Highly Successful People
How to start a motivational speech is, literally, just the beginning. The best way to write a motivational speech that is impactful from start to finish is by studying amazing motivational speeches. Watch the following speeches with a pen and notepad. Answer the following:
- When is the first point in the speech where you feel drawn in? What were the words?
- What is the speaker’s tone of voice? Does the pace change throughout? How?
- What pieces of information stuck with you after you got to the end?

1 – Denzel Washington Commencement Speech – Fall Forward
Denzel Washington’s 2011 commencement speech at the University of Penn. He says he doesn’t want to fall back on anything, but rather fall forward by taking risks.
He mentions how Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiences before he created the light bulb.
The motivational message is that failed experiences are a necessary part of success. He backs it up with a personal story from his own failures auditioning for roles early on in his acting career.
2 – Eric Thomas Speaks to Olympic Athletes – I Can, I Will, I Must
In 2016, Dick’s Sporting Goods brought in Eric Thomas to speak to the Olympians they sponsored.
Knowing that his audience was a bunch of high-achievers, he tailored his speech to them. He talks about how important it is to stay hungry when you have already achieved a high level of success.
This point is driven home by saying how an alligator can be killed by a human with their bare hands right after the alligator eats. Why? Because they go into a state similar to paralysis once their hunger is satisfied.
3 – Arnold Schwarzenegger – Work Your Ass Off
Arnold Schwarzenegger gave this motivational speech in 2018 and it has since racked up millions of views on YouTube.
He gives some secrets to his success, but his most important message is that nothing else matters if you don’t work your ass off.
The speech is filled with personal stories from his own life that show how he worked his ass off to become a successful bodybuilder, movie star, and politician.
4 – Jim Carrey Commencement Speech – Passion is Worth the Risk
Jim Carrey’s 2014 commencement speech at the Maharishi University of Management is one of the most highly viewed motivational speeches on YouTube.
He starts his speech with classical Jim Carrey humor, but by the middle of the speech, he shares profound wisdom on pursuing a career in what you love.
Jim Carrey shares his own personal story of resilience, but perhaps more powerful is the story of his dad, who settled for the “safe” career and still ended up failing.
5 – J.K. Rowling Commencement Speech – The Fringe Benefits of Failure
J.K. Rowling’s 2008 Harvard commencement speech is all about the benefits of failure.
She starts the speech with her typical sense of self-deprecating humor, even though she is the most successful children’s author who has ever lived.
Rowling shares how the first Harry Potter novel was rejected dozens of times, and how her faith in herself kept her going through the rejection.
Fictional Motivational Speeches That Provide Real Inspiration
A fictional motivational speech may be scripted, but that doesn’t mean it can’t give you real inspiration. These are the most popular movie speeches.
1 – Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness – Protect Your Dream
At first, Will Smith’s character discourages his son’s dream of being a professional basketball player.
He quickly realizes his mistake after seeing his son’s reaction and tells him to never let anyone discourage him from pursuing his dreams – even his own father.
2 – Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday – Inch by Inch
Pacino’s character gives an inspirational speech at halftime that applies to both football and life.
He says life is a game of inches, and those willing to fight and claw for every single inch are the ones who are the most successful.
3 – Sylvester Stallone in Rocky – Take the Hits
Sylvester Stallone’s character is talking to his adult son, who he feels has lost his way.
It is a great motivational speech on the power of resilience, and how success comes from taking the hits and getting back up until you achieve your goal.
4 – Kurt Russel in Miracle – You Were Born for This
Kurt Russel’s character is speaking to the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team in the locker room before they take on the highly favorited Russians.
His speech is a great message about how the odds of success don’t matter. If you only believe you can succeed when the odds are in your favor, then you really don’t believe in yourself at all.
5 – Mel Gibson in Braveheart – They Will Never Take Our Freedom
Mel Gibson’s character rallies his troops before heading into battle against a much bigger army.
This speech is one of the most popular motivational movie speeches of all time because makes people think about how they are failing to fight for their own freedom in their lives.
How to Start a Motivational Speech: Final Thoughts
Now that you are armed with the firepower and secrets for instantly capturing your audience, don’t forget that the real challenge is how to keep their attention throughout your time on stage!
Capture their attention and inspire them to do things they never thought possible without using anything but your words. That is the true superpower you can have if you learn the secrets to inspiring others to take action .
Knowing how to start a motivational speech is just the first step towards being an effective motivational speaker. Stay tuned to the Titanium Success blog to learn how to select a good topic for your speech and how to conclude your speech so your audience remembers you.
As a business coach and CEO advisor , one of the things I help my clients with is establishing themselves as experts in their industries. I teach you how to use educational content to build trust and generate opportunities to speak within your industry. Schedule a consultation with me if you want an advisor to help you become a magnetic speaker.
This video below shows me in action as a motivational speaker. If you want to book me as a motivational speaker, check out this page .
If you have any questions about how to start a motivational speech, leave them in the comments. I will answer as soon as I can.
Comments (11)
I want to become a motivational lecturer.
It’s really a very nice blog. This blog is a blessing for the people. It will help to make them aim. This blog is very useful for those who are unable to set their goals. I hope that it will benefit everyone.
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I am going to be the number one meditation speaker in the world
I am a long distance runner and walker for 50 years. it is about time I start telling people what I know and how to succeed in life and sport. I am also a Christian and have talked to groups of men. I live in the Central West of New South Wales. it would be good if someone could help me get started.
I wanna to be a fluent speaker
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The front office staff was very friendly and professional! This facility is clean and great! He offered us water and made sure we had everything we needed! https://g2a.com
Thanks for the blog,it has helped me alot and i want to be a motivational speaker,pls how do i go about this.Am really bless with this blog,ernestly it’s awe-inpiring.
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I like that you discuss how public speaking can help get listeners’ attention for the motivational speech. I agree when you mention that you capture their attention and inspire them to do things they never thought possible without using anything but your words. That is the true superpower you can have if you learn the secrets to inspiring others to take action. Having that attention will be the beginning of the motivational talks. https://brandonleewhite.com/speaking/youth/
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100 Motivational Speech Topics & How to Structure Speeches
Updated 01 Feb 2023
A motivational speech is a type intended to deliver a convincing and inspiring message – this oftentimes messages listeners are expected to act upon/ implement in their own lives/ communities to improve themselves or their immediate environment.
Knowing how to deliver a brief or long motivational speech is especially important for students from a professional perspective given that they might obtain managing positions and might need to inspire or guide people from time to time. This article comprises wide selection of motivational speech topics as well as set of guidelines for structuring an effective motivational speech. And remember that our professional essay writers help you get your ideas across. Top grades guaranteed!
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Motivational Speech Importance & Structure
Motivational speech is important because it helps focus human attention on reaching consensus on a problem or for guiding and synchronizing individual or collective efforts towards performing an action, searching for or implementing solutions to a given problem.
Regardless of what motivational speech ideas they originate from, such speeches usually share some common structural elements – they start with highly interesting, shocking remarks or with highly relevant information for public whose attention needs to be captured.
After that, either a problem is stated or an argument/ position is presented – for both cases, this is explained, supported with evidence, reasoning, or real-life examples. A fairly common ending for motivational speeches is a call to action, be it a change in behavior, worldview, or something else. Writing a motivational speech can be a difficult thing to do, especially when your deadlines are coming, that is why the decision to buy assignments for this type of academic paper is reasonable.
If you a “write my speech for me” request, Edubirdie can take care of all aspects related to structure, style, formatting, grammar, content, sources, and even helping with selecting some inspirational speech topics. In case deadlines are particularly tough or budget limited, you might also consider requesting prewritten speeches from our experts.
Monroe’s Motivated Sequence
Monroe's motivated sequence is a technique of persuading an audience or interlocutor, which is applicable to a wide variety of motivational topics that have persuasive component. This sequence consists of five key elements/ steps:
- Capture attention – do this through storytelling, by using humor, shocking statistics, inspiring quotations, rhetorical questions, etc. You could do this through 1 minute to 5 minute intervention depending on how much you want to say here and depending on how much time you have allocated for entire speech.
- Illustrate the need – you should illustrate/ convince audience that it has a psychological or other kind of need that is not going to disappear by itself and which requires action for achieving desired result. It means that you should demonstrate (using arguments, persuasion, evidence) that there is a serious problem, that negatively affects audience, and that addressing it would bring significant benefits while not doing so would have negative consequences. The main point is to make audience eager to embrace proposed solution to this problem.
- Satisfy the need – present solutions that address specific problems. Solutions and your position should be well-explained, viable, based on convincing examples or statistics, on high-quality and trustworthy data/ sources. At this stage, presenters should be also ready to convincingly refute counterarguments.
- Visualize the future. This could be done for one or both of following scenarios: if solution is adopted and in case it is not. You should be as detailed as possible in depicting each scenario – current deficient status-quo disadvantages should be presented clearly, just like benefits of a brighter future resulting from adopting mentioned solution. To ensure credibility, it is important that these visions are realistic and not exaggerated/ inflated.
- Encourage action – inform audience about specific actions they take for addressing/ solving problem. This could be done through a short 2 minute to 3 minute intervention but much more time should be dedicated depending on the topic and on what role action has an overall story. Don’t set exaggerated and numerous expectations but rather encourage involvement and step by step solutions, you might actively participate in or organize follow-up events.
100 Motivational Speech Topics for Students
Below is an original and comprehensive list of motivational speech topics intended for college students, for youth in general, for anyone else interested and which could be used directly or could serve as inspiration source for related topics:
Business & Management Topics
- The Opportunity Cost that I Have Encountered in My Life
- Use of Risk Management in Civil Engineering
- Opportunity Cost: Decision Making in Everyday Life
- Comparing and Contrasting Servant Leadership and Followership
- Reasons Why Big Data are Relevant to Risk Management
- Leadership and Its Function in Developing Psychological Connect
- Effects of Public Debt on Household Welfare in Kenya
- The Mayo Clinic and Its Risk Management Facility
- Business Integration of Offline and Online Retailing
- Risk Management Approach Used in Non-Financial Corporations
- Connections Between Business Continuity Management and Risk Management
- Importance of Quality Management in Forensic Science
- The Concept of Opportunity Costs in Business
- Analysis of Risk Management Techniques
- Use of Risk Management in IT
- Diversity in Business Management: Benefits and Possible Reverse Effects
- Is it More Important for a Junior Officer to be a Good Manager or a Good Leader? Essay Sample
Educational Topics
- Educational Value Of Dialogue Talks
- Philosophy Of Education: Insights From Key Educational Theorists
- Social Justice In Education: Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
- A Guide To Kindergarten Educational System
- Holistic Education as Educational Theory
- Statement of Educational Philosophy
- Drugs Abuse in Educational Institutions
- The Issue Of Inequality In Educational System
- Aristotle’s Theory And Philosophy Of Education
- Imam Ghazali’s Educational Views
- The Effect Of Meditation To Enhance Educational Development And Academic Performance
Environmental Topics
- Why Environmental Sustainability is so Important
- Role Of Media In Environment Awareness
- The Role Of Church In The Development Of Policies That Promotes Care For The Environment
- Peculiarities And Components Of Environmental Education
- Ecology And Environment: Social Science
- Effectiveness Of Media Utilization In Environmental Education At Secondary Level
- The Characteristics Of Environmental Biotechnology
- The Environmental Ethics And Hinduism Religion
- An Education Tourism For The Students Of Environmental Studies
- Environmental Education And Climate Change
- Drivers Of Environmental Leadership In Corporate Organizations
- Environmental Vandalism Or Economic Stimulus?
- Environmental Factors Contribute To The Development Of Obesity
- Environmental Impact Of Nuclear Power
- Factory Farming: Development And Its Major Environmental Problems
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Nature vs Nurture Topics
- The Nature Vs Nurture: Human Growth And Development
- What Influences Do Nature And Nurture Have On Being An Extrovert Or Introvert?
- Nature Vs. Nurture: How Human Development Is Explained By Genetics Rather Than Environmental Factors
- Nature Vs Nurture: Deciding Between Blind Identity And Influence
- Nature And Nurture In Romeo And Juliet
- Child Sexual Abuse: Caused by Nature or Nurture
- Good vs. Evil: The Bloody Battle Of Nature Against Nurture
Sound mind, sound body
- Meditation: Individual Control Of Negative Feelings And Emotions
- Benefits Of Meditation To Health And Lifestyle
- How Music Mends The Mind
- Listening: Components, Challenges And Improvements
- Mindfulness: A Basic Human Ability
- Language And Brain
- The Effects Of Physician-assisted Suicide On Family Members
- Music As A Therapeutic Measure
- Body Image In Cross Cultural Psychology
- The Effects Of Music On Human Brain
- Brain Development And Cognitive Learning
Topics about Technology
- Essay About the Advantages and Disadvantages of Computers
- The Effects of Computers on the Environment and Human Life
- Artificial Intelligence In Construction Project Management
- Existing Systems and Future of Artificial Intelligence
- Positive and Negative Effects of Children's Use of Devices
- Are Robots Better than Humans? Essay
- Essay on the Benefits of the Internet
- Robots in the Workplace: An Essay
- How Artificial Intelligence Will Change the Future? Essay
- Internet of Things: Future of the World
- Why Cyber Security Is Important? Essay
- Digital Literacy and Its Importance for Adapting to Future Digital Environments
- Neuropsychological Impact of Technology on Children
- A Critical Look at the Blockchain Revolution and Its Socio-Economic Impact
- Engineering Marvel: 5G Network Technology
- The Impact of Virtual Reality on the Workforce, Society and Environmental Sustainability
- Cyber Security and Its Importance: How to Protect Your Business from Hackers
- Argumentative Essay on Banning Cell Phones in the Workplace
- Computer Hackers and Their Role in Our Community
- Reasons for Increasing Demand for Drones in the Construction Industry
- The Cost We Pay for Modern Technology
Science Topics
- Amerigo Vespucci: The History of Life
- The Discovery of Hundreds of Pterosaur Eggs in China
- Francis Bacon, The Original Thinker of The 17th Century
- Using Technology to Breed Perfect Cows
- Science And Technology In The Modern World
- Roles Of Science In Space Exploration
- The Philosophy Of Science
- Impact Of Leadership In Science
- The Conception Of Public Communication Of Science
- Science That Inspires Me
- Science Fiction And The Concept Of Future
- Science And The Cinema: From Dinosaurs To AI
Effective Motivational Speech Topics
- A Study On Work Life Balance: A Real Challenge
- Effective Motivation In The Workplace Is About Satisfying
- Why Employee Motivation Is Important And How To Improve It
- Abraham Maslow Theory And Students Motivation
- Reflections on Why People Do What They Do
- Employee Motivation & Satisfaction
You’ll also find more topics for motivational speeches on our website, such as our commemorative speech ideas rubric or our demonstration speech topics rubric. Many funny motivational topics can be found in our comprehensive lists of funny topics (for instance, among our lists of funny persuasive speech topics).
Instant Speech Help and More
We hope that the selection provided above helped you identify at least a few good motivational speech topics for further pursuit. As stated, our professional writers help you both with topic selection and with writing up your entire speech. Our policies allow you to select your preferred speech writer online based on performance scores and to communicate with him/her throughout the project by providing additional guidance and feedback and by reviewing speech outlines and drafts.
This transparent procedure will ensure your speech is maximally tailored to your needs of " write my speech " request. Remember that you can ask for multiple free revisions if delivered work does not fully match instructions or quality level set, that almost never happens. Place an order and our custom speech writing services try to do our best to leave you satisfied.
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Written by Jeremy Raynolds
One of the most hard-working and thoughtful personalities, Jeremy holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and Masters degree in Sociology. Jeremy likes to write about professional development, career growth, education, social issues, and motivation. He believes in the culture of sharing things and learning non-stop, which is why his writing reminds of talking with an old friend who truly cares.
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How to write a motivational speech · 1. Determine your purpose · 2. Know your audience · 3. Start with a hook · 4. Include narratives · 5. Include a
5 Steps to Writing a Motivational Speech With Sample Outline · 1. Be Clear About Your Message · 2. Start With a Bang · 3. Share Narratives · 4. Keep the Audience in
1. Have a point (but no more than a few). · 2. Think about structure. · 3. Connect, connect, connect. · 4. Write poetry, not prose. · 5. Tell a
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A motivational speech is different from other types of speech. It has to be motivational with the purpose of moving people forward. Thus, you're not just
An Inspirational Speech in Five Minutes or Less · OPEN. Get their attention. · Decide what needs to be said and what doesn't. · Close with impact. · Delivery. An
To inspire people, you need to have a clear concept of what the audience needs to hear. This means that you must know your audience. Before you get started with
Keep it slow and steady. When you are talking really fast, it becomes difficult for the audience to follow. It's hard to keep up and process. Plus the faster
How to Start a Motivational Speech: 5 Strategies for Capturing the Audience · 1 – Ask a Question to Make the Audience Feel Like Part of a Conversation · 2 –
Capture attention – do this through storytelling, by using humor, shocking statistics, inspiring quotations, rhetorical questions, etc. You could do this