Oh, hey there! Welcome to this post about the Top 10 most inspirational speeches I enjoyed watching (Many of these would also make The Most Inspirational Speeches of All Time list).
You must be an entrepreneur hustling to change the world. Or a homemaker working your behind off to make the world a bit better for your family. Or an ambitious person trying hard to climb the corporate ladder. Or someone who finds meaning and purpose by helping others. Or a person who feels there is nothing to be ‘achieved’ in life. Or someone going through a rough patch now.
Whoever you are, I pray and wish that you get what you are looking for.
Here’s a bit of something that can help you along the way: a collection of 10 of the most inspirational speeches I enjoyed watching on the internet. This collection has something for every kind of person. They are delivered by people from different walks of life who believe in different ideologies. Based on the stage of life you are in, I am sure you will enjoy and learn from at least one of these videos in the collection. So enjoy! Please also share any other gems that you feel should be added to this collection.
Table of Contents
Steve Jobs’ speech at Stanford University in 2005
Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford address is the most-watched commencement speech in history. It includes 3 stories from his life and is packed with wisdom and inspiring lines that will give you goosebumps. Frame these lines and hang on your wall:
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life…Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become”.
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet — keep looking.”
“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger 2018 – The speech that broke the internet
In 2018, Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered a speech at Jurgen Holler’s Power Weekend seminar that quickly went viral. Hailed as the ‘speech that broke the internet, this has some power-packed life advice that can get you pumped up. He talks about the importance of having a goal, believing in yourself, and several other ideas that you can reflect on. The one big idea I found brilliant is how never to have a Plan B.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Eye-opening speech
At the “Genius Talks” series for the Los Angeles Lakers, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson gave this powerful talk that can inspire and motivate you to go out there and achieve your goals. Remembering the hard times when you are working towards your goals will keep you motivated, he says and stresses the importance of staying focused on your vision no matter what obstacles get in your way. So watch it already, I say.
Eric Thomas – I Can, I Will, I Must
Some of us feel as if we are close to our breaking point. We feel as though if we have one more setback or one more disappointment, we will crumble. Eric Thomas offers this advice: Survive today and tell yourself, “I CAN, I WILL, I MUST.” This will help you climb back into life. Make up in your mind that you can make it through your challenges and you are never going to give up. Watch the video for more.
The Thailand farmer’s talk: Life is easy. Why do we make it so hard?
Jon Jandai is a farmer from northeastern Thailand. In this TEDx talk, he talks about how easy life is and how we make it complicated. This is one talk that will help you relax a bit and make you reflect on your own life—Don’t miss this simple yet powerful talk – a very refreshing one indeed.
Candy Chang: Before I die, I want to…
This is another simple and refreshing talk that will make you reflect on your life and life goals. Candy Chang is an artist, designer, and urban planner who explores making cities more comfortable and contemplative. In this TED speech, she talks about her project ‘Before I Die’, where she transformed an abandoned house in her neighbourhood in New Orleans into an interactive wall for people to share their hopes and dreams. You can see more details about the project here: https://beforeidieproject.com/.
Scott Dinsmore: How to find work you love
This simple TED talk by Scott Dinsmore is about finding out what matters to you and then getting started doing it. He quit a job that made him miserable and spent the next few years looking for meaningful work. Watch this video to find out more.
Meaning of a Successful Life: Dalai Lama
How can we have a list of most inspirational speeches without including one from the Dalai Lama? In this video, watch the Dalai Lama answer a question from a student on what it means to lead a successful life. This is from one of his talks at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in Chennai.
J.K. Rowling’s Harvard Commencement Speech
This one from J.K Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, is a pure gem. She shares wisdom gained from her life with self-deprecating wit and talks about how failure and imagination helped her succeed. Among the many quotable quotes that she came up with, here is a beautiful one: As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.
Master Shi Heng Yi – 5 hindrances to self-mastery
This is a talk for those who want to pursue mastery. Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi, in this serene TEDx talk about self-discovery, says that pursuing a life of mastery, whatever the craft, is a long and tedious journey, one that does not have any short-cuts. He talks about the 5 hindrances to self-mastery: Sensual Desire, Ill Will/Aversion, Dullness/Heaviness, Restlessness, and Skeptical Doubt.
Note: Sonny boy picked this one
So there, those are the top 10 most inspirational speeches I enjoyed watching. Do you have a favourite one that I missed here? Drop a comment below.
As a bonus, here are 6 more that are inspiring:
Bonus: 6 more of the most inspirational speeches
- Michelle Obama:
- Michelle Obama’s address to the Eastern Kentucky University graduating class in 2013. She spoke about finding a way to turn their weaknesses into strengths.
- Elizabeth Gilbert
- Elizabeth Gilbert’s (author of the bestseller ‘Eat, Pray, Love‘) inspiring Ted Talk about the genius in all of us
- Denzel Washington
- Denzel Washington’s commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania, about embracing failure and using it as an opportunity to learn
- Sly Stallone
- Sylvester Stallone’s inspirational speech in the sixth film in the Rocky franchise. “It ain’t about how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward”, he said.
- Tony Robbins
- Tony Robbins’ TED talk: “Why We Do What We Do”
- Jim Carrey
- Jim Carrey’s emotional commencement speech at Maharishi University in Iowa: Never give up and follow your dreams