Motivational speeches: what are they and how to create a memorable one

Motivational speeches are those that aim to inspire and motivate listeners to take action or make positive changes in their lives. They are often delivered by those who have achieved success in their field, overcame challenges, or possess qualities considered unique, but in reality, every day ordinary people, even unintentionally, create equally memorable ones for their co-workers, loved ones, or children.

The main goal of a motivational speech is to transmit a sense of energy and excitement in the audience, helping them to feel more confident, optimistic and strong. In this article we will discuss motivational speeches in simple terms, including their purpose, structure and key elements, clearly through the lens of Inborn Voice voice coaching, the leader in the voice training.

What is the purpose of Motivational Speeches?

A written or enunciated motivational speech prepared for the work, personal, parenting, or political environment may have different purposes, but they generally always share some common elements, for example:

1. Stimulating action: the goal is to incite others to take action to achieve some goal that they feel is unattainable or to contribute to goals, whether in personal or professional life, where unity is strength.
2. Building confidence: here the focus is on building or strengthening confidence and self-esteem in others by bringing in examples of success stories or offering valuable advice.
3. Encouraging positivity: this seeks to create a positive and optimistic atmosphere, encouraging others to focus more on their own strengths and possible opportunities rather than the weaknesses and difficulties they will encounter.
4. Promote change: Here, challenges are made to bring others to change their way of thinking or to adopt a different approach to a problem deemed insurmountable.
5. Entertain: Some motivational speeches, especially those of a political or educational nature, are designed primarily to entertain the audience, such as keynote speeches at conferences or events, and even if they arouse positive emotions, they do not include anything else.

Structure of a motivational speech

Written or improvised motivational speeches generally follow a specific structure that includes:

1. Introduction: this is used to establish an initial emotional connection with the audience, perhaps through the sharing of a personal story or a helpful joke to break the ice.
2. Body: in this part, the main emotion is conveyed through stories, statistics or examples to make the main points of the speech understood on an emotional rather than rational level. The body of the speech should be easy to follow and not be polluted by parasitic emotions, such as anxiety and fear.
3. Conclusion: The conclusion is when the central emotion is reinforced, perhaps with some call to action, encouraging the audience to repeat their experience or to take a specific action to succeed in changing their personal or professional lives.

Characteristic elements of a corporate motivational speech

Corporate motivational speeches often contain specific elements that help to engage and motivate the team or employees by a manager. These elements include:

1. Storytelling that can arouse emotions: stories are a powerful tool in motivational speeches because they help create an emotional bond between the teller and the listener, because they both identify with what is in front of them. The teller sees in others his past; the listener sees in the teller his future.
2. Emotions: Emotions are at the heart of any motivational speech, especially a corporate one. Humor is not always enough to break the ice and make the audience feel more comfortable. The emotions that are to be expressed through the voice must be appropriate to the audience and the topic, and they must by no means be polluted by undesirable emotions. This is the most difficult part of these speeches and only the Inborn Voice method teaches and helps you to express your emotions through your voice.
3. Empathy: Speakers must also be able to listen to the emotions of those in front of them, recognizing their difficulties and the challenges they fear, and offering solutions or advice that is in tune with what they detect.
4. Passion: Words without passion are empty vessels. Repeating a written speech, perhaps by others, is not the same thing as conveying and sharing one’s emotions with others: only in this way is it possible to infect others with one’s passion and arouse in them the same feeling.

Tips for giving a motivational speech

If you have to give a motivational speech, here are some tips for connecting to your deepest emotions:

1. Know your topic and your listener: make sure you know your audience and what they hope to get out of your speech. This will help you tailor your message to their emotions and needs.
2. Practice releasing emotions: there is no use in memorizing a written speech or “secret techniques” because if when you have to speak you are caught by emotions such as fear or anxiety, your brain will go into black-out, you will have already noticed. You need to practice getting in touch with your deep emotions through the Inborn Voice method so that you feel confident and prepared on the day of the event.
3. Don’t mind your body language: your listener must be impressed and overwhelmed by your emotions. No excited person will look at you, only people bored by an interminable and boring speech will scrutinize and judge you. Others will be impressed by your emotions and remember only those. They won’t even remember the words, so don’t waste too much time coming up with difficult words. Certainly it is essential that your voice responds to your emotions, which is really simple once you learn the basics of the Inborn Voice method.

Examples of famous motivational speeches:

• Speech given by Steve Jobs at Stanford in 2005: in this speech, Jobs shares stories from his life, including his adoption.
• Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech: powerful imagery and repetition are used in this famous speech to motivate the audience toward social justice and equality.
• J.K. Rowling speech at Harvard: Rowling shares her personal story of failure and perseverance, encouraging the audience to embrace their failures and use them as stepping stones to success.
• The movie “The King’s Speech”: although it is something of a movie, it illustrates well the relationship between emotions and public speaking

Conclusion

Motivational speeches are a powerful tool to inspire and motivate people to positive change, but only when the voice is able to convey the strong deep emotions to which only inextricably linked.

Understanding the structure and key elements of a motivational speech is not even necessary, but more importantly it is not enough. In fact, it is essential to master one’s voice in order to succeed in conveying one’s emotions. Sometimes even a single word, said at the right time, with the right emotional vibes is enough to create a bond that will take your personal, parental, or business relationship to the next level.

Whether you have to give a speech to a large audience or simply try to motivate yourself, learn to get in touch with your Inborn Voice, with your deep emotions, so that you can recognize them in yourself and others.