how to start an inspirational speech

Motivational Speaking 101: How to Deliver a Killer Motivational Speech

Giving a motivational speech is helpful, especially for public speaking. These speeches offer new views, turn challenges into opportunities, and restore confidence. Knowing what to include is key to inspiring and persuading positive changes.

This article explains motivational speeches, guides you on writing one, and offers a glimpse at the most memorable speeches in the history.

What is a Motivational Speech?

A motivational speech aims to inspire change. It has a clear purpose and a personal story and ends with a call to action. These speeches improve personal growth , inspire action, offer new perspectives, reduce fear, build confidence, and boost work performance.

Why are Motivational Speakers Important?

A motivational or inspirational speaker inspires and motivates audiences through speeches. They encourage positive actions and offer new perspectives on challenges. Their talks often use real-life experiences for greater impact.

Entrepreneurs can hire motivational speakers to convey important messages. People often accept ideas more readily from an external source so this influential voice can reignite focus and enthusiasm, helping individuals and organizations achieve their goals and advance their careers.

4 Types of Motivational Speeches

There are 4 main types of motivational speeches:

1. The Hero

The Hero speech highlights people who have faced and overcome big challenges . It shows their courage and resilience. This inspires the audience by demonstrating the power of perseverance and bravery in tough times.

2. The Survivor

The Survivor speech honors individuals who have overcome severe hardships. It seeks to inspire others through stories of persistence and determination despite great obstacles.

3. The Religious

The Religious speech uses faith and spiritual beliefs to inspire and uplift the audience. It includes references to divine guidance, moral values, and the need to maintain faith during tough times.

4. The Success

The Success speech highlights achievements and the journey to reaching goals. It inspires by showing the benefits of hard work, determination, and effective strategies for reaching significant milestones.

What Makes a Great Speech?

If you want to become a motivational speaker, you should know that writing a good speech takes a few key steps. You need to plan carefully, know your audience well, and deliver it with impact. In this section, we’ll look at what makes a speech memorable and powerful.

Harness the Power of Eye Contact

Maintain eye contact to build trust and connect with your audience. It shows confidence and helps engage listeners, making your message more impactful.

Treat Your Speech as a Performance

Think of your speech as a performance. Use expressive gestures, different tones, and dynamic movements to keep your audience captivated.

Pay Attention to Your Posture

Good posture conveys confidence and authority. Stand tall, use open body language, and avoid slouching to project a strong, positive image.

Move Away from the Lectern

Step away from the lectern to connect more closely with your audience. This helps you engage naturally and make your speech feel more personal.

Add Stories to Your Speech

The best motivational content creators use personal stories and anecdotes to illustrate points. Stories make your message relatable and memorable, keeping your audience engaged.

Change Your Speaking Pace

Mix up the pace of your speech to maintain interest. Pause for emphasis, speed up to convey excitement, and slow down to highlight important points.

Talk About What You Know and Care About

Speak on topics you are passionate about and knowledgeable in. Your enthusiasm and expertise will make your speech more convincing and inspiring.

How to Deliver a Killer Motivational Speech

Whether you’re addressing employees, students, or a wide audience, the goal remains: inspire action and change. Let’s explore strategies and techniques that keynote speakers use to make their speeches memorable:

Introduce Yourself

Top motivational speakers start with an enthusiastic and confident introduction. Share a brief story or experience that shows your credibility and personally connects you with the audience.

Engage your audience with energy and passion. Use clear gestures, different vocal tones, and expressive body language. Keep their attention and make your message stick.

Have Fun With Your Content

Add humor and creativity to your speech. Have fun delivering your message and show your excitement. This will make your speech more relatable and enjoyable.

Practice Through Online Training Programs

You can leverage training programs to hone your speaking skills to become a professional motivational speaker. These resources offer valuable tips and feedback, helping you refine your delivery, build confidence, and advance your career as a motivational speaker.

Plan Out Main Points

Plan your main points carefully to make a clear and strong message. Use clear transitions and add stories to help your audience follow and keep the key points in mind.

The 5 Elements of a Great Motivational Speech

Crafting a motivational speech that connects and inspires involves key elements. These turn a basic talk into a powerful message that can create real change. Here, we will explore the five main components of an effective motivational speech.

1. Structured With a Beginning, Middle, and End

A great motivational speech needs a clear structure. Start with an engaging introduction to grab attention. Follow with the main message in the middle and end by tying everything together to inspire action.

2. It is Created and Delivered With a Passionate Energy

Passionate energy is crucial in a motivational speech. The speaker’s enthusiasm and conviction must be clear. This energy is contagious and engages with the audience, making the message impactful and memorable.

3. It Contains Inspiration to Make a Positive Change

Inspirational content is crucial for a motivational speech. It should prompt the audience to think about their lives and inspire positive changes. Provide hope and a vision for a better future.

4. Use of Stories Modeled After the Hero’s Journey

Stories based on the Hero’s Journey make the speech more relatable and emotional. They connect with the audience, showing that overcoming challenges is possible and that they can be heroes in their own lives.

5. It Gives the Audience an Actionable Strategy for Making Lasting Change

A good motivational speech gives the audience practical steps for making lasting changes. This helps them start working towards their goals and shows a clear path for continued progress.

The Best Motivational Speeches of All Time

Motivational speakers may change lives and inspire great change. Many famous speeches still impact people worldwide.

Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

Steve Jobs is one of the best motivational speakers of all time. His 2005 Stanford Commencement Address is renowned for its insights on life and work. He shared experiences like dropping out of college, getting fired from Apple, and battling cancer. His key messages were to do what you love, be true to yourself, and embrace uncertainties. The speech urged the audience to trust their instincts and remain bold and curious.

Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches”

Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech was delivered to the House of Commons on June 4, 1940. It is one of his most famous speeches. Churchill inspired British resolve during World War II. He promised that the British people would never surrender despite the tough situation after the Dunkirk evacuation. The speech is known for its defiant tone and powerful words. It lifted British spirits during a crucial time in the war.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”

Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This speech is a key moment in the American civil rights movement. King dreamed of a future where people are judged by their character, not their skin color. His call for racial equality and justice had a lasting impact. The speech energized the movement and inspired many to work for a just and inclusive society. It remains a symbol of hope and a crucial part of American history.

J.K. Rowling’s Harvard Commencement Speech

J.K. Rowling’s 2008 Harvard Commencement Speech is famous for its honest look at failure and creativity. She discussed hitting rock bottom before finding success with Harry Potter. Rowling emphasized that failure can eliminate distractions, allowing focus on true passions and abilities. She highlighted the power of imagination to empathize and assist others. Her speech encouraged graduates to accept failure and use creativity to make a positive impact.

Malala Yousafzai’s Speech to the United Nations

Malala Yousafzai spoke to the United Nations on July 12, 2013, her 16th birthday. It was her first public speech after surviving a Taliban assassination attempt. Malala called for global access to education, especially for girls. She highlighted books and pens as powerful weapons against extremism. Her speech resonated worldwide, emphasizing the importance of education for peace and progress. It solidified her role as a leading advocate for children’s and girls’ rights.

How does a motivational speaker benefit my event?

A motivational speaker can enhance your event with an inspiring message that resonates with your audience. Their engaging storytelling uplifts morale and promotes positive thinking. They motivate attendees to pursue their goals.

Sharing relatable stories and valuable insights provides new perspectives and actionable strategies. Their presence energizes the event, creating a memorable experience. This fosters a sense of community and collective motivation among participants.

How is a motivational speaker different than other types of speakers?

A motivational speaker aims to inspire and uplift the audience. They use personal experiences, emotional stories, and insights. Their goal is to spark motivation and drive positive change. They empower the audience to achieve goals or overcome challenges.

Technical experts or industry leaders share specific knowledge, skills, or updates. Their talks are data-driven and informational. They aim to educate or inform. While they may offer practical advice, their primary goal is to provide information.

What is the difference between motivational and inspirational speech?

A motivational speech drives the audience to take specific actions or make changes. It focuses on overcoming obstacles, setting goals, and achieving success. Speakers use persuasive language, personal stories, and practical advice for immediate action.

An inspirational speech uplifts the audience emotionally. It provides hope and a sense of purpose. Speakers share profound stories and insights that resonate with listeners. This encourages reflection on values, dreams, and the meaning of life. Motivation focuses on the “how,” while inspiration centers on the “why,” leaving the audience with renewed passion and deeper connection to their aspirations.

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Science of mind

Kickstart Your Speech: How to Start a Motivational Speech

Did you know that the first few seconds of your motivational speech can determine whether your audience tunes in or tunes out? It’s true! The way you start a speech has a profound impact on capturing your audience’s attention and setting the tone for the rest of your presentation. So, if you want to make a lasting impression and ignite inspiration, it’s essential to master the art of starting a motivational speech.

In this article, I will share effective strategies and practical tips for beginning a motivational speech that will captivate your audience from the moment you step on stage. From understanding your audience and crafting a compelling opening to engaging emotionally and structuring your speech with purpose, I will empower you with the tools you need to kick off your motivational speech like a pro.

Key Takeaways:

• Starting a motivational speech is crucial for capturing your audience’s attention and setting the tone.
• Your opening should be compelling and relevant to establish rapport and spark curiosity.
• Understanding your audience allows you to tailor your content and create a connection.
• Using personal stories and language that evokes emotion helps engage your audience on a deeper level.
• A well-structured speech with a clear beginning, middle, and end guides your audience on a journey.

Know Your Audience

Before starting a motivational speech, crafting a speech for your audience is crucial. It is essential to understand who you are speaking to and tailor your content accordingly. Conduct thorough research on your audience’s demographics, interests, and challenges. This knowledge allows you to address their specific needs and aspirations, creating a connection that fosters trust and engagement. By tailoring your speech, you can deliver a message that resonates deeply with your audience’s desires for growth and success. This level of understanding allows you to speak authentically and compassionately, creating a unique and powerful experience.

Addressing the specific needs and aspirations of your audience is key to captivate and inspire them. Tailoring your speech demonstrates a genuine interest in their concerns and shows that you have taken the time to craft a message that speaks directly to them. It is a powerful way to establish a rapport and make your audience feel understood. By doing so, you create an environment that invites reflection, growth, and action.

When you address the specific needs and aspirations of your audience, you show them that you have considered their unique circumstances and challenges. This level of personalization enhances the relevance and impact of your message. By tailoring your content, you ensure that your speech is not just a generic presentation but a transformative experience that can help your audience navigate their own paths to success.

Remember, knowing your audience well is the foundation for crafting a speech that truly resonates. It allows you to strike a chord with their hearts and minds, creating a powerful connection that can drive meaningful change. By understanding their needs and aspirations, you can deliver a message that inspires, motivates, and empowers your audience, leaving a lasting impact on their personal and professional lives.

Craft Your Story

Your personal story is a powerful tool in starting a motivational speech. It’s the heart of your message and what makes you relatable. Share your journey, the obstacles you’ve overcome, and the lessons learned along the way. Authenticity is key—your audience can sense when you’re genuine. A well-told story not only captivates but also serves as a living example of the principles you’re advocating.

Craft a compelling story that illustrates your core message, using descriptive language, dialogue, and relatable experiences. By sharing your own personal stories, you create a deep connection with your audience. These stories will resonate with them, allowing them to see themselves in your narrative and relate to the challenges they may be facing.

I remember the moment vividly. It was a dark time in my life—my business had failed, and I was on the brink of giving up. But then, I had a chance encounter with an old mentor who shared his own story of resilience and triumph. His words reignited my passion and reminded me of the importance of perseverance. Inspired by his story, I overcame my setbacks and built a successful business from the ground up.

Your story should evoke emotions and inspire others to believe in their own potential for change. By illustrating the principles you’re advocating through your own experiences, you provide tangible proof that transformation is possible. It’s through these personal stories that you can truly connect with your audience, sparking their own desire for growth and inspiring them to take action.

So, as you prepare your speech, reflect on the moments in your life that have shaped you and the lessons you’ve learned. Think about how these experiences can be translated into powerful stories that resonate with your audience. By sharing your personal journey, you have the potential to create a profound impact and ignite a fire within your listeners.

Engage Emotionally

To truly inspire, connecting with your audience on an emotional level is essential. As a motivational speaker, your words should evoke deep feelings and paint vivid images in their minds. One powerful way to achieve this is by sharing personal stories that demonstrate not only vulnerability but also triumph. By opening up and authentically expressing your own experiences, you create a sense of empathy and authenticity.

Your passion is contagious. When you genuinely express your passion during your motivational speech, your audience can feel the fire in your words. Use vivid language that stirs their emotions and vary your tone and pace to evoke specific feelings . Whether it’s excitement, determination, or hope, your delivery should be a reflection of your unwavering commitment to the message you’re conveying.

Engage your audience through eye contact and expressive body language . When you establish eye contact, you forge a connection that makes each individual in the room feel seen and heard. Your body language should be authentic and reflective of your message . By incorporating gestures and movements that align with your words, you amplify the impact of your speech.

“Sharing personal stories and expressing my passion is not just a technique; it’s a way for me to deeply connect with my audience. When I see their reaction and feel their energy, it fuels my own passion even more, creating a powerful bond that inspires action and transformation.”

A great way to facilitate interaction and make your audience feel personally connected is by encouraging participation. Ask thought-provoking questions or incorporate interactive exercises into your speech. When individuals have the opportunity to engage and share their own stories or insights, the motivational power of your speech expands beyond your words.

By engaging your audience emotionally, you create a strong connection that moves them to take action and make lasting change in their lives. Remember, your words have the power to inspire and transform, so use them with intention and authenticity.

Structure with Purpose

A well-structured speech can make all the difference in capturing your audience’s attention and delivering a powerful message. Whether you’re aiming to motivate, inspire, or educate, a well-crafted structure sets the stage for success.

Opening with a bang is essential to grab your audience’s attention right from the start. Consider sharing a personal story or anecdote that establishes rapport and relatability. This not only engages your listeners but also creates a foundation of trust and connection.

As you move forward, it’s crucial to clearly articulate the main message or takeaway of your speech. This ensures that your audience understands the purpose and direction of your talk. Incorporating engaging visuals, anecdotes, or multimedia elements can enhance your storytelling and make your speech more dynamic.

Throughout your delivery, maintaining enthusiasm and energy is key to keeping your audience engaged. Your passion and charisma will shine through as you navigate from one idea to the next, building a narrative that leads to a moment of realization or inspiration.

Incorporating a logical progression in your speech allows you to guide your audience through a journey. Each idea should flow naturally into the next, gradually building up to your main message. This creates a sense of anticipation and excitement, making your speech more impactful.

Remember, a well-structured speech not only captures attention but also leaves a lasting impression. By opening with a compelling introduction, building a captivating narrative, and leading your audience to a powerful conclusion, you can create a speech that resonates deeply and inspires action.

Practice Relentlessly

Practice is an essential aspect of starting a powerful motivational speech. By rehearsing your speech multiple times, you refine your delivery and build confidence in your abilities. Each iteration allows you to make necessary adjustments and improve your overall performance.

Recording yourself while practicing serves as a valuable tool for self-assessment. It enables you to critique your delivery objectively and identify areas for improvement. By carefully reviewing your recordings, you can refine your delivery, fine-tune your body language, and make your speech more impactful.

While practicing alone is valuable, it’s also beneficial to rehearse in front of a mirror or a small audience. Feedback from others can provide valuable insights, helping you gauge the effectiveness of your message and delivery. Their input allows you to make necessary adjustments to ensure your speech resonates with your intended audience.

Through consistent and relentless practice, you not only refine your delivery but also enhance your overall communication skills. The more familiar you become with your speech, the more confident you’ll be in delivering it with poise and conviction.

Building confidence is a natural byproduct of relentless practice. As you become more comfortable with your material, your stage presence will improve, and your delivery will exude authenticity and conviction. Your audience will sense your confidence and be more receptive to your message, allowing you to truly inspire and motivate.

Project Confidence

Confidence on stage is infectious. Your body language , eye contact , and presence set the tone for your speech. Stand tall, move purposefully, and make eye contact to establish a connection. Confidence doesn’t mean you won’t have nerves; it means you know how to channel them into energy that fuels your delivery. Your confidence reassures the audience that they are in capable hands, ready to be led on an inspiring journey. Embodying confidence is key to captivating your audience and making a powerful start to your motivational speech.

“Confidence is not ‘they will like me.’ Confidence is ‘I’ll be fine if they don’t.'” – Christina Grimmie

Additional Tips and Insights

When it comes to starting a motivational speech, incorporating these additional tips can make all the difference in capturing your audience’s attention and maintaining their engagement.

First and foremost, start with an actionable statement or disrupt the status quo. This bold approach immediately grabs the audience’s attention and sets the tone for an impactful speech.

Additionally, using personal anecdotes or experiences creates a genuine connection with your audience, allowing them to relate to your message on a deeper level. Employ meaningful pauses strategically to emphasize key points and allow your words to sink in.

To further captivate your audience, envision a scenario or refer to a historical event that sparks their interest. Incorporating humor thoughtfully can also help to lighten the mood and keep the audience engaged.

Lastly, opening with a definition can help set the stage for a focused discussion, while creating suspense throughout your speech ensures that the audience remains attentive and eager to hear what comes next. By incorporating these additional tips and insights, you can enhance the impact of your motivational speech and make it truly memorable.

Source Links

• https://myperfectwords.com/blog/speech-writing/how-to-start-a-speech
• https://www.slideteam.net/blog/13-powerful-ways-to-kickstart-your-presentation-or-speech
• https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/what-do-you-your-first-speech-motivational-qz5re

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Crafting a Message That Inspires: 7 Tips for Giving a Motivational Speech

• Carolyn Manion Kinnie
• March 16, 2024

Table of Contents

We talk a lot about the business side of speaking on The Speaker Lab blog. That’s because the business side is really important–and something you won’t get a lot elsewhere. But we’re here to help you with all aspects of professional speaking–not just marketing, lead generation, and building your speaker website . Do you need some tips for how to give a motivational speech ? Not just any motivational speech, but a great motivational speech? We’ve got those for you. 

Here are seven tips for how to give a motivational speech that you can start applying right now. As you get ready to deliver your next talk, you can use these tips as a checklist to help your words make the greatest impact. As always, we’ve linked other resources to dig deeper into each of these topics. You can also check out our founder Grant Baldwin’s book The Successful Speaker which has a whole section on preparing and delivering your talk! 

1. Practice

Practicing your speech might seem obvious. All the same, in case you trust too much in your ability to improv a motivational keynote we’re going to chat a bit about it. You may have heard the phrase “practice makes perfect,” but we’re not about that. Don’t worry about practice making perfect–your talk does not, in fact, need to be perfect. We like to say practice makes peaceful instead. Being well-prepared is one of the best ways to calm your nerves and keep any last minute panic from interfering with your talk. 

Practicing is key, but memorizing your speech down to the letter shouldn’t be the goal. Instead, focus on internalizing your key arguments. Once you’re comfortable with those, you can change up the “filler” content with each delivery. This kind of non-memorization practice is really helpful when you deliver the same talk to different audiences. Imminent circumstances or different contexts might make it necessary to adjust your talk slightly to suit your audience. When you know all your main points through and through, you can rearrange them more easily, and if inspiration strikes you in the moment you don’t have to worry about messing up the flow of your talk. 

The best way to practice is to read your talk out loud. Start by reading it all the way through start to finish a few times to get a sense for the flow of your argument. Make changes as necessary if you notice any confusing transitions, non-sequiturs, or too much extraneous info. Then, go through your talk section by section, paragraph by paragraph. This is where you exhaustively internalize work of every point, story, joke, and transition. Once you feel prepared to deliver the talk from memory, try to video record yourself rehearsing so you can analyze your facial expressions, gestures, and pacing.

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2. Tell Stories

We harp on this one a lot. But storytelling is just that important. Stories are one of the most powerful ways to connect with your audience and make your point come alive. 

There are five storytelling strategies you can follow to help you master how to give a motivational speech. These strategies come straight from a podcast episode we did with speaker and coach Mike Pacchione.  

• Prime your audience. Storytelling is most effective when you have your audience’s full attention. Before you dive in, tell your audience that’s what’s about to happen. This could mean simply saying: “hey, I’ve got a story!” Or you can use a longer lead-in, like “something crazy happened to me once that illustrates this point. I’m going to tell you about it.” Once you say that, people pay attention. You don’t want to get started on your story while your audience is still trying to catch up to what you were talking about a minute before. 
• Use vivid details. Telling a story in itself doesn’t make your talk interesting. Use vivid details to help the story come alive for your audience. Try to keep them relevant though. If a detail doesn’t matter, your audience will fixate on it and be distracted from what matters. 
• Describe one of your characters in a sentence. This is really important for helping your audience really visualize what you’re talking about. Describe one character with one sentence about one trait. (You can describe more if the story calls for it, but only one is really necessary for helping your audience follow along). 
• Have a “tension” that gets released. Working backwards from the point you want to make, look at how your story fits into your overall message. Then, build up suspense, introduce a problem in need of solving, or utilize other “tension” in the story. This strategy serves a twofold goal. First of all, it keeps your audience on the edge of their seat waiting for what happens next! Secondly, the resolution should illuminate why the story is relevant to your talk. You want an “aha” moment– now they see what it’s all about!
• Declare the lesson learned in ten words or less. Whether you’re talking to 50 or 5,000, someone will inevitably zone out during your story. Wrap things up with a quick recap of what your listeners should take away before you move on with your talk. That way, if they missed the interesting part, they still get the requisite information. 

We have a few other podcast episodes about how to master storytelling here , here , and here . There’s no way out of it–storytelling is key when it comes to giving a motivational speech. 

3. Use humor 

Audiences love funny speakers. Humor is one of the easiest ways to draw your audience back into your talk. If you lose their attention, cracking a joke will often capture it again. Humor breaks the ice, defuses tension, and endears you to your audience. Unfunny speakers often come across as boring. Humor is a great fallback if you trip onstage or the mic stops working. If you’re not good at coming up with jokes, try to find ways to incorporate humorous side remarks, facial expressions, or gestures that make your audience laugh without demanding too much energy from you. 

It’s important to use humor that is well-fitted both to your niche and your audience. If you travel a lot for speaking engagements, that means doing some research about where you’re speaking and what they’re known for. Cracking a joke about Old Bay will go over well in Maryland but might leave a West Coast audience perplexed if not yawning. And we cannot stress this enough–avoid anything that might be considered offensive. If you have any doubt as to whether your audience will find something funny or inappropriate, go with a “safe” joke instead.

4. Close and open loops

This is one of our founder Grant Baldwin’s strategies for how to give a motivational speech that keeps your audience really engaged. Closing and opening loops helps your audience follow your argument and stay attentive. If you just rush into your talk making point after point, your audience might forget what you’ve already said or fail to make connections between parts of your speech. 

When you open a loop, you raise a question to which your audience wants to stick around and hear the answer. Closing that loop gives your audience closure, reminds them of what you’ve said already, and helps them connect the dots. Telling a story of which the meaning only becomes clear later on, for example, opens and closes a loop. So does saying “remember this–it will come in handy!” when you introduce a statistic, graph, or data point. Or you can hype up something that hasn’t happened yet: “in a few minutes, I’ll tell you _____.” Just make sure you close every loop you open!  

5. Involve your audience

Some of the best motivational speakers are those who use unorthodox but memorable means to engage with their listeners. Some ideas we have discussed on our podcast include magic, games, or using props in unexpected ways. Since your audience wants to make sure they catch what happens next, they’ll start paying attention (like when you start a joke, they listen for the punchline). Asking for a show of hands, leading a (serious or humorous) mental or physical exercise, and encouraging your audience to talk to those around them are all ideas for interaction.  

Involving your audience is a fun chance to think outside the box and do things that other speakers don’t do. Ideally, your audience will have a good time, really engage with the content of your talk, and remember what you have to say. We’ve had successful speakers come onto our podcast to share how they use everything from magic tricks to pop quizzes to interact with their audience in meaningful ways. 

6. Excel at your Q&A

Learning how to give a motivational speech goes beyond the speech itself. As we’ve discussed many times, you are the brand of your motivational speaking business. That means that how you handle your Q&A can affect the impact of your talk. 

Many motivational speakers dread the Q&A period. You can prepare, practice, and even perfect your speech to the best of your ability, but lose your presence of mind when someone asks a weird question. Though it’s tempting, you can’t count on planting allies at intervals in the auditorium who promise to ask questions that you give them in advance. Figuring out how to deal with questions of all kinds on the fly is part of becoming a good motivational speaker . 

Keep all your answers short and ask audience members to raise their hands before they say anything. This will start things off in an orderly and timely fashion. If an audience member rambles or gets off track, don’t feel shy about interrupting! You’re the one getting paid to speak. Gently redirect or restate the question, give your answer, and move on. It’s never a bad idea to say “I don’t know off the top of my head, but you can email me later” and share an easy way to contact you. 

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7. Win over your audience off the stage.

Interacting with people before and after your talk can make them more agreeable to what you say onstage. At big conferences, there are usually built-in opportunities like cocktail hours or welcome receptions that fulfill this purpose. In the absence of those events, small tweaks to your schedule can go a long way toward winning over your audience. You might be able to hang out during the half hour before your talk, introducing yourself and chatting with people as they walk in. By the time you go onstage, you’ll have a few friends and allies in the audience already. 

We recommend when possible to make yourself available for questions and conversations after your talk. Is that too late to make an impression on your audience? We don’t think so! Being there to address their questions and help them put your talk into action makes a huge impact. And if you announce that you will be available before you start your talk, you have already established your brand as a helpful speaker who really cares about their audience. These conversations are a great opportunity to direct audience members to other products and resources you offer, like an email list or course . It’s a win-win! 

Speakers who are very introverted or travel from gig to gig won’t want to spend much time on this so they can preserve their energy. (We have a podcast episode about speaking as an introvert right here .) If that describes you, that’s totally fine! Just find another area of your speechcraft or marketing to pour some of that effort into. Remember, while giving a great speech is the best marketing for your speaking business, it shouldn’t be the only thing you do. building a good rapport with clients and audience members helps a lot too!

These are our top seven tips for how to give a motivational speech, but it doesn’t stop here! Many other factors contribute to preparing and delivering a great talk. Becoming a great speaker is all about finding the strategies that suit your message and your mission. 

• Last Updated: March 16, 2024

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Writing a motivational speech: A guide to inspire, engage, and transform

In moments of vulnerability, motivational speeches act as shining beacons of hope. They form a bridge between where you currently stand and the destinations you aspire to reach, reigniting your spark of hope and potential. In this article, we’ll show you how to master the art of writing a motivational speech. By following these strategies, you’ll be well-equipped to create speeches that not only captivate but also inspire.

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Shaping actions or shifting beliefs? The difference between motivational vs. persuasive speech

Motivational speeches and persuasive speeches both seek to influence audiences, but they do so in distinct ways. Motivational speeches are designed to ignite emotions and inspire listeners on a personal level. They often use anecdotes and stories to create a strong emotional connection, aiming to empower and motivate individuals to pursue positive changes in their lives.

On the other hand, persuasive speeches focus on presenting logical arguments, data, and evidence to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take specific actions. They prioritize rational persuasion, aiming to change opinions, beliefs, or behaviors by providing well-structured reasoning and factual support.

To summarize, the key differences between these two speeches are as follows:

• Emotion vs. Logic: Motivational speeches evoke emotions, while persuasive speeches lean on logical appeals.
• Focus: Motivational speeches use personal stories, while persuasive speeches present information and reasoning.
• Outcome: Motivational speeches aim to inspire and motivate, while persuasive speeches seek to change minds or prompt actions.

How to Write a Motivational Speech that Ignites Change

Creating a motivational speech that truly resonates requires a thoughtful approach. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you craft an impactful motivational speech:

Step 1: Define Your Purpose and Message

Start by clarifying the purpose of your speech. What do you want to achieve? Whether it’s inspiring personal growth, overcoming challenges, or embracing change, your purpose will guide the entire speech. Define a clear, concise message that encapsulates the core idea you want to convey.

Let’s say your goal is to inspire professionals to adopt a more balanced approach to work. Your message could revolve around the theme of achieving success through work-life balance. This theme captures the core idea of balancing career aspirations with personal well-being. If your purpose is to motivate students to overcome obstacles and excel academically, your message could center around the theme of unleashing inner potential.

With this theme, you’re conveying the message that challenges are opportunities for growth and that each student possesses untapped potential.

Step 2: Know your audience

Understand your audience’s aspirations, challenges, and emotions, and tailor your message to resonate with their experiences. Consider demographics, interests, and the context of the event to create a speech that speaks directly to them.

Suppose you’re speaking to a high school graduating class. They’re on the cusp of embarking on their individual journeys, be it higher education or the workforce. Your speech could empathize with their uncertainty while emphasizing the boundless opportunities ahead.

Incorporate stories of renowned personalities who faced similar crossroads, illustrating how resilience and a willingness to embrace change led to remarkable achievements.

Step 3: Craft a compelling opening

Grab your audience’s attention from the beginning. Start with a captivating quote, a relatable anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a surprising statistic. Your opening should set the tone and pique curiosity. As you develop your narrative, ensure it flows seamlessly from your attention-grabbing opening. The transition should feel natural, guiding your audience into the heart of your speech.

Step 4: Develop the main points

Organize your speech into a coherent structure with main points that support your message. Each main point should be a key idea that reinforces your overall theme. Use personal stories, examples, and facts to make your points relatable and engaging.

Step 5: Include inspiring stories

When you share narratives that mirror the challenges, triumphs, and aspirations of your audience, you create a connection that bridges the gap between the stage and the seats. These stories validate the experiences of your listeners, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding that cultivates an atmosphere of shared purpose.

Real-life examples hold a special allure. The accounts of ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary feats lend authenticity to your speech. These stories emphasize that success is attainable by anyone willing to invest effort, perseverance, and a commitment to personal growth. They dismantle the notion of unreachable heroes and replace it with the belief that greatness resides within the grasp of each person.

Step 6: Evoke emotions

Emotions are universal threads that bind humanity. When you share stories infused with relatable emotions, you create an immediate bridge between your experiences and those of your audience. They’ll feel seen and understood, fostering a sense of connection that enhances receptivity to your message.

Use vivid language, metaphors, and descriptive imagery to evoke feelings that resonate with your message.

Step 7: Build a climax

Build momentum throughout your speech, leading to a powerful climax. This is the moment of peak emotion and inspiration. It’s where you drive home your main message with maximum impact.

Step 8: Provide practical insights

Offer practical insights, tips, or action steps that your audience can apply in their lives. This adds value to your speech and empowers listeners to act after the event.

Step 9: Maintain positivity

Maintain a positive and hopeful tone throughout your speech. Your goal is to encourage your audience to focus on solutions and opportunities rather than dwelling on challenges.

Step 10: Craft a memorable closing

End your speech with a strong and memorable closing. Summarize your key points, reiterate your message, and leave the audience with an impression. Consider using a powerful quote, a call to action, or an uplifting statement.

Wrapping up

As you weave your speech, consider the faces before you, the dreams they carry, and the hurdles they face. Your words can be the guiding light that illuminates the path to realization, resilience, and rejuvenation.

As you conclude your motivational speech, remember that you are not just imparting words; you’re instilling hope, sparking transformation, and leaving an indelible mark on the souls of those who are fortunate enough to hear you.

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"As an internationally recognized motivational keynote speaker, Jody has the expertise, the passion, and the experience to deliver the right message to revitalize hardworking professionals."

- “A Great Speaker” Byron, Washington County Treasurer

How to write a motivational speech

There is no better way to influence a group of people than through public speaking. Today, people count on email, social media, blogs and several online means to communicate ideas. However, nothing trumps the power of getting up in front of a room, looking people in the eyes and sharing your energy and ideas. Look at any influential leader today, and you will see he regularly gives motivational speeches to move a room to action. 

Any leader who cowers at public speaking needs to understand it's powerful impact on a team, culture, and morale. Without regular motivational speeches, groups lack congruence, purpose, direction, and confidence.

You can learn to become a powerful speaker, and reduce nerves, stress, and anxiety around public speaking .

Stop Making it All About You.

When I started as a motivational speaker, I remember the days when I would approach the stage, overwhelmed with fear and self-doubt. My mind kept gnawing at me with reminders;  I have to be interesting, I have to say it correctly, I have to be energetic .

The trouble with this thinking is it’s all about me. I was so wrapped up in preserving my self-worth that I forgot to focus on the audience. 

In any area of life, the pressure to perform mounts when the focus is self-absorbed, eventually it can exhaust you to burn out.

With the help of the book,   Feel the   Fear and   Do it   Anyways , I learned to focus less on me and more on the audience and the goal of the speech. 

Motivational speaker, Dale Carnegie says, being interested in other people is a lot easier than trying to get others interested in you. 

Here are some tips for writing and delivering an outstanding motivational speech:

Actively involve the audience and think of yourself as a facilitator rather than a performer. Ask for audience input, feedback, and ideas throughout the presentation.   Also, have empathy for the audience and forget about yourself. We often assume other people are judging us when they are too busy thinking about their life problems. 

Focus on your motivational speech message, not on yourself.  Instead of worrying if the audience likes you, focus on how your message will help and support them. Let the audience judge the words, not you

How to Write a Motivational Speech

Open a speech with something that gets people's attention. A startling fact, quote or story will help set people up to listen. Also, consider using interaction right away, so the audience knows this is not a passive learning experience or just another speech.  Next, set out your objective. A speech objective anchors you and your audience to your message. It will help a speaker stay on track with the speech and guide the audience toward your goal.

Once you have developed your speech objective than you will design your content around the objective.

Take the audience on a journey

First, decide on the destination. Tell the audience the result, so they know what they are investing their time in and don’t get lost along the way.   Be very clear and specific about your goal.

Also, provide guideposts along the way, so they know when you are switching directions. 

Motivational speaker Hugh Culver suggests using the formulae -story, lesson, and application to illustrate a point.

The audience needs you to Segway for them the lesson to take away from the story and application of their lives. 

Be Motivational and Inspire Hope

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 sharing information, you are organizing the message around a goal and using motivational techniques to influence others.

To persuade others, you have to tap into their emotion, not just logic. Ignite passion through story, analogy, humor or interaction.  Story and analogy draw an audience in by describing events that they can relate. A story can elicit emotion like fear, inspiration, sadness, joy and more. The feeling is critical to help the audience tap into the emotive part of their brain. Stories also illustrate points.

Humor and interaction keep an audience awake, focused and engaged. A laugh in the middle of a speech floods the brain with endorphins that wake you up and creates interest. Interacting forces the audience to think about the message and pay attention.  When time allows, you can sprinkle in some fun audience-interactive games or activities. Anytime a group comes together and has fun, it builds rapport, creates memories and decreases stress.  

  A leader's most magnificent job is to give people hope, and your team needs optimism to lift them up.  Thus, leadership should have a  goal of providing regular inspirational speeches with the objective of spreading faith in uncertainty. Many people today are overworked and overwhelmed and starved for inspiration. With the pace of change in work today, people just need to feel like what they are doing is not getting lost in the shuffle and that it means something.  Connect work activity to the team, organization or greater community good, this is essential to keep people focused and motivated.

Some teams are working to build something that doesn't exist right now. Thus, they have to believe in it and belief requires hope. It's easy to continue doing thing the way you have always done them because you have concrete evidence that it works.  

Hope believes that our efforts will contribute to something worthwhile. For instance, you don't say I believe in gravity or coffee because you have proof and experience with it - it already exists. What leaders often overlook is that their team needs hope and to believe in something down that road that doesn't permeate their lives right now. This unknown can be challenging for organizations, and they need confidence that its possible. 

Building Your Content

Less is More

Never overwhelm the audience with too much information. People will only retain two or three points anyways, so be clear on what those ideas are. 

Trying to dump everything you know about a topic on your audience will cause information overload, and many people will tune you out. 

Statistics are not impressive unless you point out why they are essential. Unravel a learning point with several techniques: analogy, interaction, humor, etc

Rhetorical devices like questions (i.e., could we do better?) or repetition and parallelism help build momentum and reinforce ideas. Relying on these devices can make writing a motivational speech a lot easier, and it creates consistency in your speaking style.  How long should you speak?  A motivational speech does not have to be a 60 minute or more. In fact, it is better for leaders to deliver short 5- 10-minute motivational speeches on a more regular basis to reinforce direction and keep momentum high. These short motivational speeches serve a purpose to appreciate and celebrate progress, provide information or to boost morale. Often a motivational speech is to celebrate an achievement. Thus, highlight what the team has accomplished as a group, recognize specific individual efforts and tie it all back to what the goal is and a vision of where you're headed. Most people don't feel enough appreciation in their work, and lack of recognition is the number one reason people leave their job. 

The Audience Doesn’t Know your Speech

Once I finished a speech, got off the stage and suddenly realized I forgot an entire section of my talk. I was mortified but soon realized the audience doesn’t know anything was left out. You can’t miss what you didn’t know about in the first place.

I often see speakers stumble and apologize for messing up, this just wastes time and undermines your confidence. If you just carry on as nothing happened, nobody will know the difference. 

Energy & Confidence

Fake it until you make it

Increase your energy and act like you’re incredibly excited about your audience and your message. If you feel nervous, just pretend you’re confident. Act like a confident person, and eventually, you will catch up.

The body doesn’t know the difference between a real and an imagined thought, so if you tell yourself you're scared, or you tell yourself you’re confident, either way, you’re right.

Body Language 

Confidence starts in the brain. If you believe you are uncomfortable or lack certainty, it will show. 

Act the part, act as you belong, that you are prepared and confident and others will treat you like you do. Confidence is what gets you in the door, without it you miss out on a lot of opportunities. 

Natural is Overrated

I once took a public speaking seminar about being authentic. The main idea was to be yourself. It’s  encouraging to know that being who you are naturally is all you need. However, the best motivational speakers I’ve known increase their energy and presence on stage. In a keynote speech delivered to hundreds of people, you have to have enough power to infect everyone. Most people don’t naturally walk around emphasizing specific words or projecting their voice to fill the room

Also, the idea of trying to be natural seems- unnatural.

  How to Influence Different Audiences

Knowing your audience is key to public speaking. But what does this mean and why is it so critical?

It means you want to Influence from the perspective of the audience. Usually, your own style   of influence only works with people similar to you. 

It’s far more difficult dealing with people who don’t think like you. With these audiences, first, you have to find out what really does matter to them. Uncover their magic buttons by listening to them. 

When I started as a motivational speaker, I did well with female audiences because we share similar experiences and perspectives. I found it much easier for me to influence this group because we are more alike.

The most difficult groups for me to connect with were blue-collar male audiences. Our perspectives were worlds apart, so I had to figure out what makes them tick. After listening to many of them over the years, I’ve found they are very hands-on, hard-working people. Thus, I stick to concrete hands-on advice, related to their work. They don’t do well with generalities; it has to be connected to their job.

Next, they are usually family oriented, so I evolve key points around family.

Finally,  they also like to laugh at themselves, so I engage them with interaction and humor.  Thus, small adjustments help create a much stronger connection with an audience. 

Always start writing a motivational speech by researching and understanding the audience. I often use a questionnaire and interview audience members before a speech.  Some of the questions that help me understand the audience include: What is important to people in the audience? What do they most need to hear? What are this audience top sources of stress and joy? What is a typical day? What are some buzz words or acronyms that the group use regularly? By knowing the audience, you can relate to them in their language.  How to Overcome Stage Fright 

We all have times in our lives when we doubt ourselves. Doubt can quickly come screaming to the surface when you are thrust in the limelight in front of hundreds of people and expected to perform

Fear creates a deep emotional outpour that goes along with physiological changes like sweaty palms,  shakiness, increased blood pressure, heart rate and more.  None of this lends itself to a focused, dynamic performance. 

Circumvent the fear by focusing on your message and the audience -use this to stay in the present moment. Don’t let fear and self-doubt pull you into negative dialogue in your head. 

The Motivational Speech Close

People remember the first and the last words that you say. Thus, close your speech with a call to action, it should link to and reinforce your objective. Therefore, you want to end where you began and remind people of what they have learned along the way.

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