How Motivational Speech Succeeds – with a Touch of Perspective

What exactly is motivational speech? Ok, we admit you know what it actually is – motivate someone or a bunch of people with some pep talk. 

But we guess what you really want to know is does this really work? 

Motivational speech sounds good when you hear it. It entertains you, it makes you feel you can break the odds and swim against the current. But a few days after the talk is over, wouldn’t the psychological effects of it wear off? Wouldn’t all those anecdotes and thought-provoking quotes and statements just sound like a great story you heard? 

Well, if history is anything to go by, pep talk does work. It did play a big part in ending World War II. And it gave the United States the power it needed to bounce back from Pearl Harbor. 

Don’t get a clue what I’m talking about? 

It was one of Sir Winston Churchill’s famous speeches that gave Britain’s Royal Air Force the determination and the strategic nous it needed to fend off the Nazi fighter planes and destroy them over the English Channel in the crucial Battle of Britain:

“The Battle of Britain is about to begin. On this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization…Hitler knows he will have to break us in this island or lose the war.

If we can stand up to him all Europe may be freed and the life of the world may move forward into broad sunlit uplands; but if we fail, the whole world, including the United States and all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister and perhaps more prolonged by the lights of a perverted science.

Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.”

Excerpts from Winston Churchill’s “Finest Hour” speech to the House of Commons, 18 June 1940

President Roosevelt’s motivational addressing of the nation following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. It wasn't what the country intended, but its joining with the Allied powers helped them win the war and topple the dark powers:

“We are now in this war. We are in it–all the way. It will not only be a long war, it will be a hard war….We don’t like it–we didn’t want to get in it–but we are in it and we’re going to fight it with everything we’ve got.”

Excerpts from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Pearl Harbor Speech”, also known as “Infamy Speech” to the US Congress, 8 December, 1941

If you look at these speeches, they motivated by adding some perspective to the situation the audience was facing – the troublesome set of circumstances they’re in, the empathy by the speaker towards what they are facing, the dangers that could arise if the audience didn’t act despite being wearied by enemy attacks, and the glory that awaits them if they perform the decisive but dangerous and troublesome action of taking on the enemy.

So that’s where motivational speech succeeds – not just through anecdotes and quotes, but with a healthy dose of perspective. The motivation that perspective provides fails to disappear from the mind, no matter how adverse the situation is. And that’s how motivational speech powers people to perform seemingly impossible feats.  

Peter Theodorou has studied the effects of perspective and also other aspects that make motivational public speaking bring about the desired effects intended by the organizers on their audience. That’s why he is a sought after public speaker. 

Why Motivational Speakers Are Magicians of the Mind

 

Motivation is hard to come by. It’s also transient in most cases. When adverse circumstances show up, it’s hard to keep your motivation at a high level. Watching motivational movies definitely helps, and there are some that do stay in mind. “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “Hidden Figures,” “Whiplash,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “A Beautiful Mind,” etc are just some of the movies that come to mind, but there are obviously a lot more movies out there that depict how to fight the odds. A great motivational speaker does something like that too, but purely through the medium of speech. 

Oratory’s Role in History

That’s remarkable, come to think of it. But oratory has historically proven to be the greatest motivator. Winston Churchill’s call to decisive action through his radio speeches motivated an entire generation of Brits to put up the brave fight against the Nazi onslaught. Hitler himself managed to rally an entire nation behind him with fiery speeches. The great Greek philosophers of the past put forth their ideas through speeches, and war leaders throughout antiquity have been rallying their armies for superhuman fetes through fiery motivational addresses. The motivational speaker inspires people not to conquer nations or cross the Atlantic Ocean, but rather to face the daily challenges of life and attain higher goals, be that at work, home, school or the hospital. 

Magicians of the Mind

Motivational speakers are usually hired by companies to motivate their staff to further their goalposts and perform at a greater level. That only comes by uncovering their hidden potential. The responsibility of the motivational speaker is therefore significant. Through anecdotes, stories and thought-provoking fact presentation, speakers drive home the point that there is a lot more they can achieve in life, and in their work. The speaker also ensures that the principles, ideas and logical reasoning he/she presents are convincingly put forward, so they stay in the mind of their audience for years even in adverse circumstances. Motivational speakers are therefore magicians of the mind. 

Getting to Be an In-demand Motivational Speaker 

To be a motivational speaker, you first need to be confident in your abilities. Are you sure you can motivate your audience to great deeds? Do you have tried and tested principles you can impart to your audience so they can use and experience the results for themselves?  You need confidence in your abilities and in the ideas and principles you convey so you can inspire confidence in those who hear you.

• Observing Other Speakers 

It also helps to listen to other speakers and find out what anecdotes and principles they present. Can you bring anything new to the table? Are there new ideas or concepts you can present? Also, observe how those speakers move about on stage while they speak. Body language matters. Whatever you do, make sure you exude confidence.   

• Practicing

Practice giving a motivational speech. The more you practice, the more you can improve your skills. Performance matters, since how the audience and organizers feel about you will determine whether you’ll be called for further assignments. Word spreads fast, and success can give you opportunities in other organizations also. 

•  Building Your Online Presence 

Ensure that you make yourself visible online through blogs and a social media presence. Post motivational stuff, including videos and thought-provoking quotes, and you’ll be building up your profile for prospective clients to contact you when they’re in need of some serious motivation for their staff or students.

Peter Theodorou is one of the foremost motivational speakers out there, and has built a reputation for giving life-changing speeches. Following him can actually give motivation to wannabe motivational speakers.

The Recipe for Success

You cannot progress if you remain still. So keep moving and furthering the goalposts. Contemplating never gets you anywhere. Ensure that action succeeds planning.

How a Motivational Speaker Makes a Difference to Other People’s Lives

If motivation can do something, it is breaking the shackles of doubt, disbelief and discouragement. That’s why motivational speakers are so sought after. Behind every success is the momentum that led listeners to keep pushing relentlessly and turn the tide in their favor.

Motivation Is Great, but It May Not Stay With You

It’s not easy to stay motivated. When we’re living or working in situations that cause stress and strain, life becomes a struggle, and it’s hard to think you can do extraordinary things. When daily chores are a struggle, how can you even think of doing something extraordinary?

Motivation also evaporates quite easily. Sometimes we get pumped up with motivation and excitement. But when a mountain of difficulty comes up, or a series or hurdles keep presenting themselves, the drive and motivation may wear off.

So does motivational speaking work? How do motivational speakers inspire people to overcome their fears and stay positive and motivated even in difficult situations?

Motivational Speakers inspire You to Stick to Your Goals

Motivational speakers are not like preachers or sales professionals. They present thought-provoking quotes and anecdotes don’t leave your mind. In fact, when those challenges keep coming in quick succession and you are tempted to give up, those motivational stories keep urging you not to give up and to push forward. You see, motivational speakers don’t just keep the audience hooked during the speech. They ensure that their words carve a unique place in the minds of the listeners and stay there, energizing you to continue pursuing your goals till you succeed.

That’s why not any orator can become a motivational speaker. This requires specific skills that can totally change the perspective of the audience from negative to positive, and keep that positivity alive and kicking whenever challenges come their way.

How to Become the Source of Motivation

To become a successful motivational speaker, you need to watch other speakers in action. See how they motivate, what they say, how they entertain the audience and make them laugh or think profoundly, or even how they move about on stage during their speech. After studying the speeches of many motivational speakers, see what you can bring to the table that’s different or perhaps even more effective than what you’ve seen and heard from these speakers.

It goes without saying that you need to be a good orator, someone who can capture a distracted audience or lift up bored souls. Finally, you need the gait and voice of confidence, so you can be sure that your audience can draw confidence from what you say, and believe in its capability to produce results. Most importantly, it must stay in the minds of your audience for a long, long time.     

Peter Theodorou has all of these qualities and that’s what has made him a celebrity motivational speaker.  You can become a one too if can speak eloquently, inspire and encourage your audience to action, and create an impact that’s hard to shake off. 

Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Motivational Speaker?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a motivational speaker doesn’t just need speech skills. He/she needs ideas and the ability to put them in words – words that can motivate and bring out the best in the audience. That’s the general premise.

Everyone Needs Motivation, but Their Specific Needs Vary

Specifically, the task of a motivational speaker could vary based on what the needs of the audience are. You could be called by high level companies, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, colleges, schools or even hospitals. You could be addressing businessmen, senior or junior-level employees, government staff, inmates, students, doctors and medical staff, or even patients. 

The only thing that unites them all is their need for motivation, but their specific requirements vary. You need to be able to cater to those specific needs. That means you need to be well read, be willing to extensively research the specific requirements of the audience, and have a desire to accommodate new ideas. You should also have a thirst for knowledge. You must ensure that you have the right and fresh ideas to put into effect to motivate the audience you’re paid to address.

Confident Presentation and Positive Mannerisms

But it isn’t fresh ideas alone that you need to have. You need to be able to present them in a manner that conveys positivity. Presentation is everything for a motivational speaker. You need to embody the right body language, and every bit of it matters – the way you move your hands, how you present an anecdote, how you move about on the stage as you speak, and even your facial expressions and the manner in which you look at your audience. 

All these can make a big difference to not just the effectiveness of your presentation but also the organizers’ assessment of you, which does play a part in whether you’re called for future assignments. Most importantly, the motivational speaker shouldn’t appear to lack motivation! Everything you say and do must exude confidence.      

Observe the Masters at Work

So how do you know you have the right ideas and the style to be a successful motivational speaker? It would be helpful to observe other motivational speakers. Watch their body language and listen to their speeches, observing how they present ideas. We don’t mean to say you need to copy their style. You need to have your own unique style but it can help you to observe how the pros do it, especially when you’ve not hit the big league. 

Start With Blogging

You can start with motivational blogging. You can experiment with your ideas through your blogs. Share them on social media. Check the reactions of the audience, and if they’re favorable you can incorporate them into your speeches. If the reactions aren’t particularly positive, you may need to think outside the box or borrow ideas from other speakers out there, or even get ideas from audience reactions. 

Celebrity motivational speaker Peter Theodorou has experimented with various styles and has displayed the flexibility to address the specific needs of varied audiences. That’s what makes him a much sought-after speaker.