Motivation has always been one of my favorite concepts to talk about, learn about, write about, yada yada yada. There is a lot that goes into motivation. First of all, you have to gain it, but most importantly, you have to sustain it. That’s a lot easier said than done. Although I’m a driven person, there are times when I feel unmotivated and uninspired, and for me, those are some of the worst feelings. When I feel that way, I try to find ways to get back on track. For as long as I can remember, TED Talks have always been a huge source of motivation for me. I have multiple playlists on YouTube dedicated to motivating TED Talks and I refer to them when I need a little push in the right direction. So I thought, why not make a blog post dedicated to these so-called TED Talks? I hope that they spark some motivation and inspiration in you that you may or may not have known you had!
Here are 5 TED Talks that are almost GUARANTEED to motivate you:
1. Grit: the power of passion and perseverance – Angela Lee Duckworth
Back in college, I had an incredible mentor who was a sport psychologist for professional athletes. During one of our phone calls, he told me to watch this TED Talk about grit and said that it’s one of the most important topics that he discusses with athletes, because in his opinion, grit is the key to success. I mean, I agree. If you are passionate about a career, or a goal, or anything, the only way to ever achieve it is to persevere and not give up. That’s exactly what Angela Lee Duckworth lays out in this motivating speech.
2. Programming your mind for success – Carrie Green
Although anyone can find motivation from any of these videos, as a female in my young twenties figuring out my path, this speech is very easy to relate to. Carrie Green tells her story of being knocked down, figuring out what she wanted, getting everything she wanted, and what she learned along the way. I think she makes some very good points that a lot of us can find motivation from.
3. How to Achieve Your Most Ambitious Goals – Stephen Duneier
This speech is special because Stephen Duneier brings a more analytical approach to ambition and achieving goals. He talks about making small adjustments to your routine that will inevitably help you reach your goals. For example, if you want to read a book, but don’t feel very motivated to do so, just open a book and read one word. If you read one word, you’re likely to read two words, then maybe a sentence, then a paragraph, then a page, and before you know it, you’ll have read a book. What he has accomplished in his life is inspiring and he maps it all out to prove to us that reaching goals is very attainable.
4. A guide to believing in yourself (but for real this time) – Catherine Reitman
I found motivation from Catherine Reitman’s speech because she discusses listening to that inner voice and following its lead. She makes it clear that you shouldn’t let fear or a challenge get in the way of doing what you want to do. Fear is the biggest cause of people not following their dreams, so in my opinion, it’s essential to face fears no matter how scary they are.
5. How to stop screwing yourself over – Mel Robbins
This TED Talk has millions and millions of views, and it’s for good reason. Mel Robbins basically talks about how it’s simple to get or do anything you want in life, but it’s not easy. She goes over the necessary actions and ‘5 second decisions’ that are essential to achieve what you want.
Personally, I have found a lot of inspiration from these 5 motivating TED Talks. I think each speaker makes incredibly valuable points that can be utilized by anyone. If you’re in an unmotivated slump, well, I’ve been there, and it sucks. With that being said, there are steps you can take to gain back your motivation. All you need is a positive mindset and perseverance, and it doesn’t hurt to take advice from others who have been at the bottom and picked themselves up.
I hope these speakers have motivated and inspired you to get up and get going with whatever your heart is telling you to do!
For more motivating TED Talks and wellness topics, check out this page!
