The Bobcat Nation

It is stated on the football board that coach Ash is looking into becoming a motivational speaker. I know that many of these speakers make a butt load of money, but has anyone here ever really been affected by a motivational speaker. I have never heard a motivational or inspirational story that made me want to change my life or had any affect on me 10 minutes after the story. How far from normal am I? Do you have a suggestion of someone who I should read or watch? I work a job where they want me to use inspirational stories to motivate and I feel weird using them because they don't work for me.

orsalak wrote:It is stated on the football board that coach Ash is looking into becoming a motivational speaker. I know that many of these speakers make a butt load of money, but has anyone here ever really been affected by a motivational speaker. I have never heard a motivational or inspirational story that made me want to change my life or had any affect on me 10 minutes after the story. How far from normal am I? Do you have a suggestion of someone who I should read or watch? I work a job where they want me to use inspirational stories to motivate and I feel weird using them because they don't work for me.

They don't work for anyone. ALL motivation comes from within. NO words or pep talk will help. BUT, it does make people feel good. People enjoy these type of lectures and it is fun to hear what influential and or successful people have to say. I went to hear Edward Deming speak once for 4 days. Didn't help me one bit but I loved seeing the guy and listening to him albeit I could only take 2 days worth. If Steve Jobs were alive I would love to see him also even thought it would not change my life 1%. Still would be fun to listen to him!

orsalak wrote:It is stated on the football board that coach Ash is looking into becoming a motivational speaker. I know that many of these speakers make a butt load of money, but has anyone here ever really been affected by a motivational speaker. I have never heard a motivational or inspirational story that made me want to change my life or had any affect on me 10 minutes after the story. How far from normal am I? Do you have a suggestion of someone who I should read or watch? I work a job where they want me to use inspirational stories to motivate and I feel weird using them because they don't work for me.

For me, yes. Although I will qualify that a bit. I can't recall sitting in any gymnasium or auditorium and being affected by a speaker after the presentation was finished, but I do listen to a lot of self improvement podcasts, ebooks, etc.

Setting goals and not giving up are extraordinarily important and these podcasts and ebooks serve as reminders to keep me motivated and to help me to stay focused. Plus, it's easy to go back listen to specific parts that are particularly inspiring and / or useful. These ebooks are read by someone and the podcasts are hosted and moderated by someone, so I think you can make the argument they're a form of motivational speaking.

Some people are fortunate enough to have this hard wired into them. I'm not one of them, which is something I recognize in myself and make an effort to work on.

Whether you think a motivational speaker has any effect on you or a motivational speaker has no effect on you, you're right. As for me I take what a motivational speaker has to offer, mull it around and reflect on it and some times come away with a small bit of new thought to add to my person, sometimes I get nothing. It is much the same as the food we eat or the exercise we do, some of it helps to build a better body in a very small way and some not so much. I wouldn't say that I have ever been profoundly changed by one. I can however look back in a couple instances and say, "It wasn't long after hearing that guy talk I stopped/started doing xxxxxxxx". xxxxxxx being something that he suggested in his speech. I also remember one speaker that said we should stop wasting time. He then went on with numerous other ideas that I didn't that I didn't find inspiring in the least so I decided to take his advice and left in the middle of his presentation.

changed my life!
[youtube][/youtube]

For me motivational speakers don't work. I went to see a disabled speaker (paraplegic in a wheel chair) through my job a couple of years ago and some of my coworkers were in tears. I don't mean to sound cold hearted but it didn't do anything for me. To me it seemed like he was using his disability to make a lot of money.

A while back I took the Dale Carnegie class. Now that is something that changes people. The transformations in people from the beginning to the end was pretty cool and real. I still use the techniques that I learned like stress relief and treating people the way I want to be treated.

I have done a lot of things that scared me. I always tell myself, others have done this so you can too. It does not always work out, but at least I tried. The point is that if you say you can't, and don't you never will.