best company speeches

The 24 Best Motivational Speeches Our Employees Have Ever Heard

Published: July 19, 2023

It was halftime during one of my 7th-grade football games. And we were losing 14 - 0. With our knees planted in the grass, my team was quietly huddled, drenched in sweat and defeat. Suddenly, it was game over.

That's when our assistant coach burst into our circle and shattered our pity party, delivering one of the best motivational speeches I've heard to this day.

I can't directly quote him because he said some inappropriate things for a blog post (and, in hindsight, probably for a bunch of 13-year-olds too).

The point is he harnessed the power of words to rejuvenate a physically and emotionally drained team. And we came back clawing to win the game.

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Motivational Speech

A motivational speech can come from anywhere or anyone, but it usually has a specific audience in mind.

Whether it's a graduation speech, an all-company meeting, a championship sporting event, or a conference keynote, these speeches are designed to change how their listeners see the challenges facing them in the future.

Like in sports, being motivated at work is crucial for your performance. This rings especially true when you have a looming deadline, an important meeting, or colleagues or customers depending on your performance.

Think about the last time you felt generally unmotivated. What brought you out of that feeling? Sometimes all it takes to get you going is a good night's sleep or witnessing the benefits of your labor.

Still, other times, you might listen to someone say something that resonates with you — that alters how you've been looking at a particular task or problem.

Motivational speeches and speakers can come in all different forms, but this is the one thing they have in common — resonance. They resonate with the right listener at the right time and in the right way.

Who knows, this article is doing some for you right now. (I can dream, can't I?)

We selected 24 of the best motivational speeches from business, sports, entertainment, and other fields to help you stay motivated no matter what your work throws at you. Watch these videos if you want to feel inspired by a project.

Trust me, I was wiping my eyes after I saw them. And while the messages vary from speech to speech, they can put you in the optimal frame of mind for tackling and crushing your next big challenge.

(Disclaimer: Some speeches may contain NSFW language.)

Elon Musk: "The Importance of Never Giving Up" (2020)

Angela Ahrendts: "Leading with Empathy" (2023)

Arianna Huffington: "The Power of Sleep" (2023)

Tim Cook: "Inclusion and Diversity" (2023)

J.K. Rowling: “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination” (2008)

Sheryl Sandberg: "Lean In" (2021)

Jim Carrey: Commencement Speech at Maharishi University of Management (2014)

Steve Jobs: "How to Live Before You Die" (2005)

Matthew McConaughey: "The Pursuit of Happiness" (2022)

Denzel Washington: "Fall Forward" (2011)

Vera Jones: “But the Blind Can Lead the Blind…” (2016)

Oprah Winfrey: "The Power of Self-Belief" (2020)

Charlie Day: Merrimack College Commencement Speech (2014)

Brené Brown: "The Power of Vulnerability" (2013)

Kobe Bryant: “The Path to Greatness" (2020)

David Foster Wallace: "This Is Water" (2005)

Carol Dweck: "The Growth Mindset" (2020)

Al Pacino: "Inch by Inch" (1999)

Satya Nadella: "Empowering Others" (2023)

Sylvester Stallone: Speech from Rocky Balboa (2006)

Will Smith: Speech from The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Mel Robbins: "The 5 Second Rule" (2020)

Angela Duckworth: "The Power of Grit" (2020)

Kurt Russell: “This is Your Time” (2004)

The Best Motivational Speeches of All Time

1. elon musk: "the importance of never giving up" (2020), theme of speech: perseverance and resilience.

Elon Musk's "The Importance of Never Giving Up" speech about perseverance and determination is decisive.

In this speech, Musk emphasizes failing and learning from failures as keys to success. He recounts his life and career, demonstrating how he overcame challenges.

One key takeaway from Musk's speech is his advice to adopt a growth mindset.

Musk encourages listeners to view setbacks as learning experiences. He also highlights the value of perseverance, persistence, and taking risks.

Elon Musk's word serves as an upbeat reminder that perseverance, patience, and the desire to attempt things repeatedly in the face of difficulty are essential for success.

"If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it."

2. Angela Ahrendts: "Leading with Empathy" (2023)

Theme of the speech: empathetic leadership....

The "Leading with Empathy" talk by Angela Ahrendts emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence and compassion in leadership.

According to Ahrendts, leaders must view their employees as whole people with lives outside of work. Leaders can instill trust, respect, and mutual support in their employees and organizations.

Ahrendts emphasizes the importance of team mission as well. Leaders can inspire their teams by connecting them to a greater goal.

She believes that working together fosters creativity, innovation, and growth.

"Leading with Empathy" is a powerful reminder that leadership requires more than technical knowledge. To truly inspire and motivate their employees, leaders must understand their emotional needs and create a supportive, inclusive environment.

"Empathy is the glue that holds relationships together, whether they are personal or professional."

3. Arianna Huffington: "The Power of Sleep" (2023)

Theme of the speech: sleep and productivity.

The Huffington Post's founder, Arianna Huffington, emphasized the importance of sleep to overall health. In her 2023 speech, "The Power of Sleep," she discusses how sleep deprivation affects our health, productivity, and happiness.

Huffington observes that we have been taught to sacrifice sleep for success. She also mentions that well-rested employees are more creative, efficient, and effective.

To address these issues, Huffington proposes a cultural shift that recognizes sleep as essential to health and wellness.

She advises individuals and organizations to prioritize sleep, avoid technology before bedtime, and create a restful sleep environment. Sleep, according to Huffington, is a necessity, not a luxury.

By recognizing the importance of sleep, people and businesses can enhance their health, productivity, and general well-being.

Arianna Huffington's "The Power of Sleep" speech in 2023 emphasizes the importance of sleep and the dangers of sleep deprivation.

It promotes a culture where getting enough sleep is essential for health and well-being.

"Sleep is the Swiss Army knife of health, it does everything."

4. Tim Cook: "Inclusion and Diversity" (2023)

Theme of the speech: inclusion and diversity.

Apple CEO Tim Cook advocates for inclusion and diversity. He has been instrumental in the company's initiatives to advance fairness and equality inside its ranks and across the technology sector.

Cook has prioritized diversity and inclusion at Apple because he believes it is proper and necessary for innovation and business success.

Unconscious bias training, diverse recruitment, and employee resource groups contributed to his success.

Outside of Apple, Cook has advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and immigration reform. He has raised awareness of these issues and advocated for social change as a business leader.

Tech leaders and others have lauded Cook's commitment to diversity and inclusion. He has raised awareness of these issues, leading to significant change at Apple and elsewhere.

"Inclusion and diversity are not just buzzwords, they are fundamental values that drive innovation and creativity."

5. J.K. Rowling: “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination” (2008)

Theme of speech: failure.

In J.K. Rowling's 2008 Harvard commencement speech, the Harry Potter author explored how two phenomena -- failure and imagination -- can be crucial to success.

While failure can help you understand where your true passion lies, and where you should focus your energy moving forward, imagination is what will allow you to empathize with other people so you can use your influence to do good.

“We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.”

"You have to understand your own personal DNA. Don't do things because I do them or Steve Jobs or Mark Cuban tried it. You need to know your personal brand and stay true to it."

6. Sheryl Sandberg: "Lean In" (2021)

Theme of the speech: gender equality and leadership.

Sheryl Sandberg's 2021 talk, "Lean In," encourages women to lean into their careers and leadership roles. She urges women to stand up for one another and themselves to overcome societal and cultural hurdles.

Sandberg highlights the need to have distinct objectives and goals and be prepared to take calculated risks to achieve them.

She also underlines how crucial it is for more female leaders to advance diversity and gender equality across all industries.

Sandberg's speech also emphasizes collaboration. She urges women to mentor other women and look for sponsors and mentors themselves.

The "Lean In" talk by Sheryl Sandberg emphasizes women's voices and perspectives in all aspects of society.

To remove barriers and foster more inclusive and varied workplaces and communities, Sandberg urges women to pursue their professional ambitions with confidence and with the help of their communities.

"We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women's voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored."

7. Jim Carrey: Commencement Speech at Maharishi University of Management (2014)

Theme of speech: taking risks.

Jim Carrey might make a living as the goofiest comedian around, but in 2014, he combined classic Carrey humor with unforgettable insight at Maharishi University of Management's graduation ceremony.

Jim Carrey opened his speech dishing punchlines, but he eventually opened up about his upbringing and the role fear plays in our lives. You can actually hear the amazement in the students' reactions in the video above.

“I learned many great lessons from my father -- not the least of which is that you can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”

8. Steve Jobs: "How to Live Before You Die" (2005)

Theme of speech: life and career.

Considering the YouTube video of Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford commencement speech has 24 million views, it's likely that you've seen this one already.

In the speech, Jobs plays on two themes: connecting the dots (anecdote: how taking a calligraphy class helped inspire the design of the Mac) and love & loss (anecdote: how getting fired from Apple helped inspire his greatest innovations).

Perhaps the most memorable part his speech comes at the end, when he quotes the (now-famous) lines from the final issue of his favorite publication, The Whole Earth Catalog:

“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”

9. Matthew McConaughey: "The Pursuit of Happiness" (2022)

Theme of the speech: discovering true happiness and fulfillment in life..

In "The Pursuit of Happiness," famed actor and motivational speaker Matthew McConaughey provides his enlightened viewpoint on obtaining true happiness and fulfillment.

McConaughey presents a genuine and approachable study of what it means to live a fulfilling life through sincere storytelling and personal anecdotes.

The speech discusses the significance of authenticity and remaining true to oneself. McConaughey encourages people to define their success rather than succumb to social pressures or external expectations.

He stresses aligning our behaviors and decisions with our fundamental values and passions.

McConaughey expresses his conviction in the power of thankfulness and the importance of living in the present moment. He encourages people to create a grateful mindset, recognizing the blessings and possibilities surrounding them.

By appreciating the present and finding joy in the journey, individuals can experience more profound happiness and fulfillment.

"Happiness is not a destination. It's a state of mind, a journey, and a choice we make every day."

10. Denzel Washington: "Fall Forward" (2011)

In his 2011 UPenn commencement speech, Denzel Washington highlighted three reasons why we need to embrace failure in order to be successful. First, everybody will fail at something at some point, so you better get used to it.

Second, if you never fail, take that as a sign that you're not really trying. And third, at the end of the day, failure will help you figure out what path you want to be on.

“Fall forward. Here's what I mean: Reggie Jackson struck out twenty-six-hundred times in his career — the most in the history of baseball. But you don't hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs.

Fall forward.

Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments. Did you know that? I didn't know that—because #1,001 was the light bulb. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.”

11. Vera Jones: “But the Blind Can Lead the Blind…” (2016)

Theme of speech: perseverance.

Last year at INBOUND, Vera Jones told a moving story about the life lessons she's learned from raising her blind son.

She explains how having faith in your future and letting it lead you toward your true purpose will help you overcome blinding obstacles.

She also discusses how following your passion and trusting your vision develops empathy, which is a critical leadership skill.

“Passionately play your position no matter how bad things get. You are significant. Why we are here is not for our own glory. Ultimately, we're here to lead and serve everybody else. By doing that, we encourage others to do the same.”

12. Oprah Winfrey: "The Power of Self-Belief" (2020)

Theme of Speech: Self-Belief and Confidence

Oprah Winfrey's 2020 speech "The Power of Self-Belief" emphasized the importance of self-assurance. She attributed her success to her unwavering self-assurance.

According to Oprah, self-belief is not about being arrogant or overconfident. She stresses the significance of overcoming self-doubt and fear, which can prevent people from reaching their goals.

Oprah used personal stories to demonstrate how self-confidence has aided her in life and work. She encouraged her audience to believe in themselves and to embrace their inner strength.

The Power of Self-Belief" reminded us how important it is to have faith in ourselves and our ability to succeed.

"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."

13. Charlie Day: Merrimack College Commencement Speech (2014)

Best known for his role in the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, actor Charlie Day had lots of wisdom to share during the 2014 commencement speech at his alma mater, Merrimack College.

Day explained to the audience how college degrees are inherently valueless, since you can't trade them in for cash. Instead, it's you, your hard work, and the risks you take that provide real value in life.

“You cannot let a fear of failure or a fear of comparison or a fear of judgment stop you from doing the things that will make you great. You cannot succeed without the risk of failure.

You cannot have a voice without the risk of criticism. You cannot love without the risk of loss. You must take these risks.”

14. Brené Brown: "The Power of Vulnerability" (2013)

The video above is an animated excerpt from researcher Brené Brown's speech, " The Power of Vulnerability ." In the speech, Brown explores how our fear of not being good enough (among other fears) drives us to shield ourselves from our own vulnerabilities.

The alternative to wearing this emotional suit of armor: Embrace vulnerability through empathizing with others.

"Empathy is a choice, and it's a vulnerable choice. Because in order to connect with you, I have to connect with something in myself that knows that feeling."

15. Kobe Bryant: “The Path to Greatness" (2020)

Theme of the speech: embracing dedication, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of greatness..

Bryant emphasizes setting ambitious goals and working tirelessly to achieve them. Through captivating storytelling and personal anecdotes, he reveals the sacrifices and relentless effort required to excel at the highest level.

Bryant's speech is a testament to the power of hard work, discipline, and a growth mindset in attaining greatness.

The speech also explores embracing failure as a stepping stone to success. Bryant shares how setbacks and challenges can fuel personal growth and resilience.

He encourages individuals to embrace failure, learn from it, and use it as motivation to push beyond their limits.

Bryant's speech goes beyond the realm of sports, offering valuable insights and life lessons applicable to all areas of life.

His relentless pursuit of greatness and unwavering commitment to excellence inspires individuals striving to achieve their goals and dreams.

"I have self-doubt. I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I'm like, 'My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don't have it. I just want to chill.'

We all have self-doubt. You don't deny it, but you also don't capitulate to it. You embrace it."

16. David Foster Wallace: "This Is Water" (2005)

From the opening minutes of David Foster Wallace's 2005 Kenyon College commencement speech , in which he questions commencement speech conventions, it's clear that Wallace has some serious wisdom to share.

The crux of his speech: Many of us are oblivious to our own close-mindedness. We picture ourselves as the centers of our own, individual universes, instead of seeing the bigger, more interconnected picture.

“If you're automatically sure that you know what reality is and who and what is really important, if you want to operate on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won't consider possibilities that aren't annoying and miserable.

But if you've really learned how to think, how to pay attention, then you'll know you have other options.

It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer hell-type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred — on fire with the same force that lit the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down.”

17. Carol Dweck: "The Growth Mindset" (2020)

Theme of the speech: cultivating a growth mindset for personal and professional development..

In "The Growth Mindset," Carol Dweck, a renowned psychologist, and author, delivers an enlightening speech on the power of adopting a growth mindset for personal and professional growth.

Dweck's extensive research on mindset and achievement provides the foundation for her impactful message.

Dweck explains the difference between a fixed mindset, where individuals believe their abilities are fixed traits, and a growth mindset, where individuals believe their abilities can be developed through effort and learning.

She demonstrates how a growth mindset fosters resilience, learning, and innovation through relatable stories and compelling examples.

Dweck's speech resonates with individuals seeking personal and professional development, as she provides insights into how adopting a growth mindset can positively impact all areas of life.

Her research-based approach and engaging speaking style make "The Growth Mindset" an inspiring resource for individuals striving for continuous growth and improvement.

"The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even when it's not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset."

Famous Short Speeches With Inspirational Takeaways

18. al pacino: "inch by inch" (1999), theme of speech: teamwork.

Yes, this speech is from a football movie (Any Given Sunday), but trust me: This isn't your stereotypical rah-rah-go-get-'em sports speech. It's deeper than that. It's about life, and loss, and ... gosh darn it just listen to Al Pacino.

He's pouring his soul out!

“Either we heal as a team or we're gonna crumble, inch by inch, play by play, till we're finished. We're in hell right now, gentlemen, believe me.

And we can stay here and get the $&#@ kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb out of hell, one inch at a time.”

19. Satya Nadella: "Empowering Others" (2023)

Theme of the Speech: Empowerment and Collaboration

Satya Nadella's 2023 lecture, "Empowering Others," emphasizes the importance of leadership that empowers others rather than focusing on personal success.

He emphasizes the importance of leaders cultivating a culture of inclusion and belonging in which everyone feels respected and able to accomplish their best work.

Nadella also discusses the significance of technology in positive development. Some of society's most important issues may be resolved by technology, but proper development and application are required.

According to Nadella, empathy and emotional intelligence are essential for outstanding leadership. He suggests that Leaders listen to and understand. their team members' needs and motivations.

Leaders can develop a culture of trust and collaboration that will help the team flourish.

Satya Nadella's "Empowering Others" provides a special message about leadership in the current day. By emphasizing diversity, empathy, and responsible innovation, Nadella encourages audiences to strive for excellence while being mindful of their impact on others and the world.

"Success is not just about what we achieve individually, but what we enable others to achieve."

20. Sylvester Stallone: Speech from Rocky Balboa (2006)

Theme of speech: never give up.

I had to put this one next since it plays along the same themes as Denzel Washington's UPenn speech. In the scene above, from the 2006 film Rocky Balboa, the title character (played by Sylvester Stallone) is having a heart-to-heart with his son.

The advice he gives him: Don't let your failures or the adversity you face slow you down. Keep. Moving. Forward.

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.

You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!”

21. Will Smith: Speech from The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Theme of speech: don’t let them bring you down.

Here's another speech from the big screen, this time from the 2006 film The Pursuit of Happyness.

In the scene above, Will Smith's character explains to his son why he shouldn't pursue basketball (because he'll end up being "below average") before having a major change of heart.

“Don't ever let somebody tell you ... you can't do something. Not even me. All right? You got a dream. You gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they want to tell you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.”

22. Mel Robbins: "The 5 Second Rule" (2020)

Theme of the Speech: Action and Overcoming Self-Doubt

The "The 5 Second Rule" speech by Mel Robbins promotes action to achieve goals and overcome concerns and doubts.

When confronted with a decision or action that needs to be completed but you are hesitating or procrastinating, countdown from 5, and then act. According to Robbins, this method breaks habit loops that keep us unhealthy.

Counting down and taking action may assist us in overcoming uncertainty and self-doubt and moving toward our objectives. For success, Robbins also promotes mentality and self-talk.

She believes that to realize our potential, we must consciously reframe negative thoughts and limiting beliefs.

Mel Robbins' presentation "The 5 Second Rule" is a practical and efficient technique to overcome procrastination and achieve goals.

Robbins inspires listeners to take command of their lives and achieve by emphasizing attitude, self-talk, and positive actions.

"You are never going to feel like doing the things that are tough, difficult, or uncertain, but you have a choice."

23. Angela Duckworth: "The Power of Grit" (2020)

Theme of the Speech: Spirit and Perseverance

Angela Duckworth examines the significance of perseverance and resilience in achievement in her book "The Power of Grit." According to Duckworth, grit—passion and determination—is essential for long-term success and overcoming obstacles.

Duckworth addresses grit and mentality, believing that people who view challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than threats will develop resilience and determination over time.

She advocates for a growth mindset, which believes people can acquire intelligence and other qualities through hard work. Duckworth places a premium on rigorous practice to achieve skill and mastery.

She recommends soliciting feedback, setting challenging goals, and intentionally improving abilities and succeeding. Angela Duckworth's "The Power of Grit" illuminates long-term achievement.

Duckworth emphasizes attitude, focused practice, and resilience to urge listeners to acquire grit and pursue their passions with tenacity.

"Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality."

24. Kurt Russell: “This is Your Time” (2004)

Theme of speech: inspiring and believing in your team.

The Miracle on Ice is still considered the biggest upset in Olympic hockey history. And for good reason. The Soviet Union won six of the last seven Olympic gold medals, and the U.S. team consisted only of amateur players.

It was obvious the Soviets were better. But, in the movie Miracle, which told the incredible story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, Kurt Russell's character — Coach Herb Brooks — knew that this game was different.

The U.S. was better than the Soviets that day. And his speech conveyed such a strong belief in his team that they pulled off one of the greatest sports moments of the 20th century.

“If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game… Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can!

Tonight, WE are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players, every one of you. And you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time.”

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13 Best Motivational Speeches for Entrepreneurs (2024)

Who couldn’t use a few of the best motivational speeches for entrepreneurs?

Business can be hard. Heck, life can be hard.

We’re all on a journey, and we’ve all been down in the dumps before, wondering if what we’re doing is really worth it.

Wondering if what we’re doing is really making an impact.

But, it’s important that we’re always moving forward. This is a lesson that I learned early in life.

I remember I was around 4 years old, and I was learning to ride my bike with my uncle and my father.

Of course, I fell off multiple times while I was learning to cycle, and I remember the time I cut my knee pretty badly.

At that point I really just wanted to quit and go home. But, my family told me: “you can’t quit now, you’re almost there. Just try it once more!”

You’ve probably heard that before too, right?

So, I got back on that bike. I didn’t want to, but you just need to power through and face your challenges head-on.

Sure enough, that was the first time that I rode that bike without any help.

After that, I was so glad I kept moving forward and that I never gave up.

Now, that probably wasn’t the motivational speech that you expected when you clicked on this article, but it’s evidence that we can do so much more than we think we’re capable of when we’re spurred on by others.

And that’s exactly why we’ve created this article – we’ve listed all of our favorite motivational speeches here, because we already know how much more you can achieve with a little bit of extra motivation .

So, let’s jump into it!

Post Contents

Will Smith – Pursuit of Happiness

Al pacino – any given sunday, steve jobs – 2005 stanford commencement speech, matthew mcconaughey – university of houston speech, sheryl sandberg – harvard business school motivational speech, sylvester stallone – balboa speech, arnold schwarzenegger – famous motivational speech, richard st.john – 8 secrets of success, eric thomas – i can, i will, i must, denzel washington – fall forward, key takeaways, want to learn more, 13 best motivational speeches for entrepreneurs.

Considered one of the best motivational speeches, this famous motivational speech from the 2006 film, Pursuit of Happyness , features Will Smith and his son playing basketball.

At the start of the clip, you’ll see Smith’s son (his actual son, Jaden Smith) playing around with a basketball, and he shouts out, “I’m going pro!”

After hearing this, Smith decides to try and level his son’s expectations, mentioning that he himself never really excelled at basketball, so his son shouldn’t expect to either.

His son is visibly disappointed by this comment, and Smith notices this.

Smith then proclaims: “don’t ever let somebody tell you that you can’t do something, not even me.”

“You got a dream, you gotta protect it. You want something, go get it. Period.”

This motivational speech is a special one. Even though both Will and Jaden Smith are acting, they’re still father and son, and you can see how this scene reflects their own family dynamic.

It’s a short motivational speech, but it’s one of the best motivational speeches of all time, in our opinion.

Al Pacino’s speech from the American Football drama, Any Given Sunday, is next up on our list.

This famous motivational speech really gets your blood flowing – perfect for watching before you tackle a difficult day .

The motivational speech revolves around the idea of inches being so important in American Football, even if we have the tendency to overlook them.

He talks about the different ways that his team can gain advantages over their opponents, even if it’s only an inch at a time.

He proclaims: “when we add up all those […] inches, that’s what makes the difference between winning and losing”.

This point is applicable throughout life, too – it’s the people who go the extra mile who tend to find success more often than not.

And sometimes, you won’t notice it at first, but like Pacino mentions, it’s the sum of all the small parts which lead you to victory.

Motivational speeches like this one pump you up when you need it most.

Steve Jobs, one of the key figures behind tech giant Apple’s success, is next up on our list of the best motivational speeches of all time.

In his 2005 Stanford commencement speech, the former Apple CEO dives deep into his own journey as an entrepreneur , and he speaks openly about the issues that he’s faced along the way and how he overcame them.

During this classic motivational speech, Jobs talks about how he was actually a college dropout and that this was one of the most important times of his life. 

He mentioned that he dropped out of college to take classes that he was truly interested in, rather than studying topics he wasn’t deeply passionate about.

One of those classes that he took up after dropping out was calligraphy. He was so compelled by the high standard of handwriting.

To many, this might seem like a strange choice, but he connects the experience that he gained from that class to the font choices that he installed on Apple computers.

If Jobs had never taken that calligraphy class, he wouldn’t have cared so much about a seemingly small detail, like fonts, but Apple was the first company to add different typefaces to their operating systems. 

He goes on to say: “You can’t connect the dots if you’re looking forward, you can only do it looking backwards. So, you need to keep moving forward and hope that the dots align somehow.”

The key message from this famous motivational speech is that we’re always learning. We’re always growing and finding out new information. It’s all about what we choose to do with that information that really defines us.

As Jobs said: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

Next up on our list of motivational speeches is Matthew McConaughey, with his commencement speech at the University of Houston.

The Oscar-winning actor delivers some very pertinent points during his speech, but the one that stuck out for me was how he spoke of joy being a “constant approach”.

McConaughey said: “Joy is always in process, it’s always under construction.”

He spoke of how he was previously judging his success on metrics that he thought were important to him, like the number of academy awards he won, or the amount of money his films grossed.

But, it was only when he decided to focus on the whole process of creating a film, and enjoying every aspect of it, that he found true success in those metrics.

It turned out that, when he took everything one step at a time, and truly enjoyed his craft, he found that things just fell into place.

“Define success for yourself.”

Find what you want to achieve, and enjoy the entire journey – not just the high points, but the lows too.

Matthew McConaughey ended up delivering one of the best motivational speeches from the past few years.

Sheryl Sandberg, the American entrepreneur, tech executive, author, and current COO of Facebook, is the next addition to our list of the best motivational speeches with her talk at the Harvard Business School in 2012.

Besides talking about her own experiences as an entrepreneur, and her work at Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg, Sandberg mentions a very pertinent idea. One that we can all do well to remember.

“Motivation comes from working on things that we care about.”

This is certainly true for entrepreneurship – those who are running businesses and working to tackle problems that engage them are more likely to find success.

And, according to Sandberg, it’s so important that we continue to work, because that’s the most important thing.

All in all, this is one of the best motivational speeches for students that we’ve seen.

Rocky Balboa , played by Sylvester Stallone, is a famed character best known for his courage, hard work, and determination.

In Rocky Balboa, the sixth film in the Rocky franchise, Stallone delivers one of the hardest-hitting motivational speeches of all time.

Stallone starts off the motivational speech by saying: “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows.”

He goes on to talk about the value of hard work and commitment and emphasizes that “it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

As an entrepreneur, this motivational speech really hits home. There will be struggles on your journey to success , but as Stallone says, it’s all about “how much you can take and keep moving forward, that’s how winning is done.”

Remember this when your back is up against the wall – winners never give up!

This is one of the most iconic motivational speeches. You’ll often find it in motivational speech mashup videos on YouTube or even on Spotify.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-American actor, entrepreneur, politician, and former My Olympia, is next up on our list of the most famous motivational speeches for entrepreneurs.

He starts his motivational speech with a simple, powerful message.

“Work your ass off.”

Schwarzenegger then discusses how having a goal was so pivotal for him on his journey to success in a variety of fields.

He also talks about how “only a quarter of people really enjoy what they’re doing in life.”

Schwarzenegger also believes that everybody should be constantly working to get closer to their main goal and properly utilize every hour of their day.

“Imagine if you worked on a business every day for an hour . Imagine how further along you would get.”

This is perhaps the most important message from this motivational speech – it’s down to us to make the most of our limited time on earth. And this message, which everybody can get behind, is why we believe this is one of the best motivational speeches of all time.

Next up on our list, we’ve got an infamous TED talk from Richard St.John – also one of the shortest motivational speeches that we’ve ever seen, but it sure is impactful.

St.John mentions at the start of the video that this talk is a condensed version of 7 years of research (including research from more than five hundred interviews with successful professionals).

One of the most interesting points that St.John mentions is that if you want to be successful at something, you need to “put your nose down in something and get damn good at it.”

But, the most motivational part of St.John’s speech for us was where he talks about passion.

He said: “if you do something you love then the money comes along later.”

This section of the motivational speech is especially relevant for entrepreneurs – if you’re building a brand , then try and be invested in it as much as possible – a commitment to the cause will really help you find success in the long run. 

When you’re trying to find success, you need to love what you do!

Eric Thomas is a fantastic speaker, and in this classic motivational speech, he empowers us to believe that we can always get through adversity, no matter what the challenge is.

Thomas repeats this line throughout the speech: “I can get through this. I will get through this. I must get through this.”

He also cleverly uses our loved ones as a source of inspiration in this motivational speech.

He asks us to focus on the 3 people we love the most and challenges us to question our own decisions regarding motivation.

“You gotta think about those people every day.”

“You have some days when you think about hitting the snooze button? […] The days you don’t feel like getting up, just think about them.”

Instead of being lazy and complacent, we need to think about our loved ones and question what they’d think if we were procrastinating 24/7 .

Honestly, it’s fine doing something for yourself, but knowing that you’ve made your loved ones proud just makes everything feel 10 times better. This is one of the main messages from this motivational speech. 

And that’s why this is one of the best motivational speeches of all time. It takes the onus away from working for yourself and instead focuses on putting in the work for people you couldn’t bear to let down.  

Elon Musk – USC Commencement Motivational Speech

Elon Musk is an icon of inspiration for countless people worldwide. Known for his out-of-the-box thinking and visionary technology, Musk shows us that anything is possible if we put our minds to it.

In the USC Commencement motivational speech, Elon immediately demonstrates his tendency to break away from the status quo. He tells us he was advised to stick to 3 items that he wanted to mention, but he’s going to share four.

Elon tells his listeners that they need to work proportionally to the accomplishments they want to achieve. “If you want to start a company, you need to work super hard.”

Elon’s speech here is compelling because it’s so authentic. He doesn’t talk about being lucky or following your gut instinct. Musk tells us that great things come from an equally astronomical amount of work.

Musk also acknowledges the power of great people, “all a company is, is a group of people that have gathered together.” Elon says that if you want a great company, you need a great team.

Musk’s third point is to “focus on signal over noise.” In other words, concentrate on developments that make the product better, “don’t just follow the trend.”

The final piece of advice from Elon’s speech? “Take risks.” Jump into new opportunities and pursue different things.

Ed Shereen – Being Weird is a Wonderful Thing

Ed Sheeran might not be the first person you think of when you visualize the world’s greatest thought leaders. Yet, he constantly moves millions of people with his music and his words.

At the 9 th Annual American Institute for Stuttering Benefit Gala, Sheeran talked about how Eminem helped him overcome his speech impediment.

Sheeran admits to being a “very, very weird child” with a birthmark on his face, large glasses, and no eardrum on one side of his head. He says that “stuttering was actually the least of my problems when I went to school,” but he found it extremely difficult.

Sheeran notes that not being able to express himself in the right way was his biggest concern with his stutter. However, when his dad bought him an Eminem CD when he was young. Listening to it helped him to learn how to speak fast and accomplish his stutter.

Ed’s insights are a great source of inspiration for entrepreneurs learning how to deal with the stress of public speaking and believing in themselves.

Now, Ed believes that “being weird is a wonderful thing”. He asks us to “embrace yourself, embrace your quirks, and embrace your weirdness.”

Jim Carrey – Maharishi University Commencement Motivational Speech

Jim Carrey’s commencement speech at the Maharishi University is filled with so much wisdom it’s difficult to decide which to focus on.

Perhaps the most important statement Jim made for entrepreneurs and business leaders was that “fear” will always be a big player in our lives. However, Jim notes, “you get to decide how much.” You can spend your life in fear, or you can follow your heart.

Jim says that countless people choose their path out of fear. They stick to what’s safe and easy because they’re afraid to ask, “what if?” However, Carrey says that the only way to live is to ask the universe for what you need.

Jim Carrey invites his listeners to “risk being seen in all of your glory.” He says that our job isn’t to figure out how we’re going to reach success, but to simply “open the door in your head” and walk through it when the time is right.

“You will fail at something. Accept it.”

In the last entry on our list of the best motivational speeches, Denzel Washington discusses failure.

But, Washington doesn’t shirk away from failure ; he embraces it.

He says that “every failed experiment is one step closer to success.”

This is certainly true when it comes to entrepreneurship . You learn so much from everything you do, whether it’s a win or a loss.

But, the most important thing isn’t necessarily winning or losing. It’s about getting out there and giving it everything you’ve got. That’s why this is one of our favorite motivational speeches about life. 

“Never be discouraged. Never hold back. And when you fall in life, remember this: fall forward.”

So, that’s our list of the best motivational speeches for entrepreneurs.

We hope you enjoyed those clips. We just want to highlight a couple of key points present across all of these motivational speeches.

• It’s important that you love what you do . Be invested. Be present. And be the best you can be.
• Failure isn’t a bad thing . If you learn from it, and continue to move forward, it can lead to great things.
• You need to want it. Entrepreneurship, along with many things in life, can be tough. You want it bad? Prove it.

Okay, that’s all from me today. Did I miss any motivational speeches off from this list? Let me know in the comments section – I read them all!

• 11 Things to Remember When Feeling Overwhelmed
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• 9 Best Free Online Courses You Can Start Today
• How To Develop Laser Focus: 6 Tips For An Unstoppable Mindset

10 Inspirational Speeches and Emails by Leaders

Table of Contents

• 10 Best Leadership Emails and Speeches by Leaders 

Have you ever felt greatly moved and inspired after listening to a speech by your role model? Or read an email by your CEO that made your day? Nothing can compare to the power of the right words at the right time, especially when they come from someone we respect and appreciate. 

If you’re here, you’re probably looking for some motivation or preparing to inspire your team on a big day. In any case, we have got you covered with examples of the best leadership speech examples (and some leadership email examples too!)

10 Best Leadership Emails and Speeches

Here is a curated list of some of the most inspiring speeches and emails from leaders across the world in different industries.

1. Email by Starbucks’ ex-CEO Howard Schultz, August 2015

Whether you like him or not, you have to admit that Schultz knows how to make a difference. In August 2015, signals of a Chinese economic slowdown sparked panic, causing more than $1 trillion worth of losses in the Asian markets. This brought the Dow down by 588 points and gave birth to the popular hashtag #GreatFallOfChina.

Howard Schultz, Starbucks’ CEO at the time, wanted to make sure that all 190,000 of the company’s employees were aware of the issue. As a result, he sent a persuasive message, asking them to pay special attention to customers. Excerpt:

“Our customers are likely to experience an increased level of anxiety and concern. Please recognize this and—as you always have—remember that our success is not an entitlement, but something we need to earn, every day. Let’s be very sensitive to the pressures our customers may be feeling, and do everything we can to individually and collectively exceed their expectations.

…The experience we deliver in our stores, the strength and equity of our brand, and the primary reason for our current and future success is because of all of YOU. I believe in you and have never been prouder to be your partner.”

It’s not only about using inspirational words. It’s not just reassuring employees that Starbucks, as a publicly-traded company, will continue to do well despite market volatility. 

It’s not even about Schultz’s admiration for his partners alone. It isn’t just one of them; it is all of them.

2. “A Tryst With Destiny” by Jawaharlal Nehru, August 1947

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is one leader whose words and actions touched the populace. Nehru gave the “Tryst with Destiny” address on the eve of Independence Day. It shed light on India’s century-long fight against the British Empire.

It addressed issues that go beyond India’s history. It is regarded as one of the finest leadership speech examples of the 20th century. This pivotal address captures the triumphant finale of India’s largely nonviolent freedom movement against the British empire.

Excerpt: 

“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance….” 

Tryst with Destiny is definitely one of the orations that not just Indians, but people across the world, will keep going back to.

3. “Learning From the West” by Narayana Murthy, 2001

One of Narayana Murthy’s most compelling speeches was given at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management. It focused on certain Western values that all Indians should imbibe, such as intellectual independence, professionalism, and accountability, among others. 

“As it is said in the Vedas: Man can live individually, but can survive only collectively. Hence, the challenge is to form a progressive community by balancing the interests of the individual and that of the society. To meet this, we need to develop a value system where people accept modest sacrifices for the common good.” 

4. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s email to employees, 2017

In 2016, Microsoft launched a Twitter bot called “Tay” to enhance artificial intelligence communication between humans. However, things went horribly wrong when hackers and others forced Tay to start making racist and vulgar comments, causing Microsoft to shut down Tay and apologize just a few hours later.

Without a doubt, the “Tay crew” was devastated by this failure. You may imagine their surprise when they received the following statements in an email from their CEO.

“Keep pushing, and know that I am with you … (The) key is to keep learning and improving.”

This is one of the top leadership email examples. Your team needs to know you’re looking out for them. We all make errors. The point is, how can you assist your employees in recovering from their mistakes?

5. Stanford commencement address by Steve Jobs, June 2005

Steve Jobs delivered a commencement address at Stanford University in 2005, and it will give you goosebumps. It’s an awe-inspiring speech, as well as a wonderful lesson in determination from one of history’s most prominent speakers. 

“You have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever,” he said. “This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” 

You must watch the full speech. It will leave you inspired and motivate you to do better. 

6. “Go Kiss the World” by Subroto Bagchi at IIM Bangalore, 2006

Bagchi, the co-founder of Mindtree, spoke to the Class of 2006 at IIM Bangalore about how to define success. His blind mother’s final words to him were, “Go kiss the world.

This speech is an inspiration to India’s youth, encouraging them to recognize and develop their inner qualities, allowing them to fulfill their truest potential.

“… success is your ability to rise above your discomfort, whatever may be your current state. You can, if you want, raise your consciousness above your immediate surroundings. Success is not about building material comforts – the transistor that he never could buy or the house that he never owned.”

7. V.K. Krishna Menon’s speech at the United Nations, January 1957

V.K. Krishna Menon defended India’s position on Kashmir in a remarkable eight-hour address. The speech given on January 23, 1957, is still the longest-ever given at the United Nations Security Council.

“Why is it that we have never heard voices in connection with the freedom of people under the suppression and tyranny of Pakistani authorities on the other side of the cease-fire line? Why is it that we have not heard here that in ten years these people have not seen a ballot paper? With what voice can either the Security Council or anyone coming before it demand a plebiscite for the people on our side who exercise franchise, who have freedom of speech, who function under a hundred local bodies?”

8. Email by Jeff Bezos after Times criticism

The New York Times published a critical article in the summer of 2015, positioning Amazon as a cruel employer, that prioritizes company performance over employee well-being.

Amazon’s CEO, in an internal memo, asked his employees to read the Times article and to “escalate to HR” any incidents similar to those reported, even urging them to email him directly. 

“I strongly believe that anyone working in a company that really is like the one described in the NYT would be crazy to stay. I know I would leave such a company.

But hopefully, you don’t recognize the company described. Hopefully, you’re having fun working with a bunch of brilliant teammates, helping invent the future, and laughing along the way.”

Criticism is never pleasant, but it sure helps us identify blind spots and opportunities for progress.

9. Kiran Bedi’s speech on visionary leadership, 2010

The talk by India’s first female IPS officer at TEDWomen on innovative leadership was truly amazing and inspiring. In her speech, Kiran Bedi shares her journey to become who she is and what visionary leadership entails.

“I joined the Indian Police Service as a tough woman, a woman with indefatigable stamina because I used to run for my tennis titles, etc. But I joined the Indian Police Service, and then it was a new pattern of policing. For me, policing stood for power to correct, power to prevent, and power to detect. This is something like a new definition ever given in policing in India—the power to prevent.”

10. Email by PepsiCo’s Indra Nooyi after Donald Trump’s presidential victory

Last but not least is an email from Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo. She wrote to non-American citizens to cast aside their fear of joblessness after Donald Trump’s victory in the election for the 45th President of the US. 

She knew that an America under Donald Trump could cause a slew of issues for her minority-race staff. She wrote to her employees an email, an excerpt of which is mentioned below.

“We serve more countries and territories than the United Nations, and our associates encompass virtually all of the world’s nationalities, cultures, faith and traditions. That diversity is a source of strength, an engine of creativity, dynamism, and prosperity. And it reflects the simple recognition that no matter what our differences, each of us is committed to doing our part for one another and this company that fills us with pride.”

An unforgettable leadership email example, this well-written piece of communication went a long way in reassuring the employees at PepsiCo.

As humans, we need to inspire and be inspired from time to time. We hope this list of the best leadership speech examples, as well as emails, will help you get inspired. If you have come across any interesting leadership speech ideas , do let us know!

Here are some examples of excellent speeches that inspire.  – “Tryst with Destiny” by Jawaharlal Nehru  – Narayan Murthy’s speech on the role of Western values in Indian society – The Stanford commencement address by Steve Jobs  – “Go kiss the world” by Subroto Bagchi – Kiran Bedi’s speech on visionary leadership

There are many ways to start a speech. You can begin with a quote, personal anecdote, powerful statement/phrase, an interesting statistic, a “what if” scenario, and so on.

You can greet the audience with phrases, such as the following. “Hello, ladies and gentlemen.” “Good morning/good afternoon/good evening.” “Welcome, fellow colleagues.” “It is my pleasure to have you all here.” “Thank you for joining me today.” 

Speeches hold the power to motivate us, especially when they come from someone we respect and appreciate.

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10 Motivational Speeches That Will Inspire You to Take Action Today

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Whether you’re looking to increase team productivity or turn your daydreams into a reality, motivation is key. But, in the day-to-day of working life, it’s easy to lose sight of end goals and become distracted. Thankfully, the wise words of entrepreneurs, writers, and fictional characters can offer a reinvigorating perspective. The following motivational speeches may give you the push you need to reach your full potential.

1. Steve Jobs: How to Live Before You Die (2005)

“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. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

In this commencement address, the CEO and co-founder of Apple Inc. shared one of the keys to his success: love. His love for the work he did kept him excited about going to work every day and working toward new goals. Often, there is a big difference between what you want versus what other people want for you . Discovering what you’re passionate about, and working toward it with achievable goals , will lead you to success and satisfaction. This is why it is our staff’s number one pick for motivational speeches that will inspire you to take action today. 

2. Ellie (Jodie Foster) Meets An Alien In  Contact  (1997)

“You’re an interesting species, an interesting mix. You are capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares. You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone. Only you’re not. See, in all our searching, the only thing that we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable… is each other.”

While this Sci-Fi classic might seem removed from reality, it offers uplifting advice for the workplace and beyond. In this scene, Ellie finally makes contact with an alien who offers insight into the human condition and the larger universe. To apply the alien’s words to the workplace, think of the power of teamwork. Establishing a diverse and talented team can improve employee happiness and performance. For example, burnout is a common problem at companies. Sharing the workload,  and knowing you can rely on team members and managers for support, can re-motivate employees. When the going gets tough, it’s a comfort to know you’re not alone. 

3. Timo’s (Rick Gonzales) Answer In Coach Carter (2005)

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

In this scene, Timo, a member of the basketball team central to the movie, responds to the question the coach asks throughout the movie: “What is your greatest fear?” Timo’s words touch on the importance of self-efficacy. By believing in yourself, you can deepen your interest and commitment to a given task, and recover faster from setbacks . If you lead a team or company, others will soon be influenced by your can-do attitude. So, stop fearing your own power and shine.

4. Chris (Will Smith) Gives His Son Advice In the Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

“Don’t ever let someone tell you, you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.”

In a world full of naysayers, it’s easy to become discouraged. In this scene from the heart-warming film, Chris offers his son priceless advice: to pursue his dreams mercilessly, without letting other peoples’ ideas of him get in the way. While this motivational speech is noble and beautiful, you might find it challenging to apply to your own life. Here’s where building a strategic plan — with short- and long-term goals— can make pursuing your dreams concrete. With a clear and concise vision for the future, you can put these words into action.

5. Rosalinde Torres: What it Takes to be a Great Leader

“So what makes a great leader in the 21st century? I’ve met many, and they stand out. They are women and men who are preparing themselves not for the comfortable predictability of yesterday but also for the realities of today and all of those unknown possibilities of tomorrow.”

Rosalinde Torres asserts that exceptional leaders are attuned to the world around them. They pay attention to the latest trends in their field and aren’t afraid to abandon tried and true practices for ones that are the future. Basically, she’s advising the opposite of that popular saying, “Keep your head down.” Because, if you do that, you’ll end up reacting to the future instead of making it. Further, you won’t benefit from a broadened perspective that includes different cultures, industries, and readings. Ask yourself, “When is the last time I looked around me and toward the future?” This is the start of great leadership.

6. John Keating’s (Robin Williams) Motivational Speech About Seizing the Day From Dead Poets Society (1989)

​​” Because you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? – – Carpe – – hear it? – – Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.”

John Keating motivates his students with a simple sentiment— seize the day. It might seem like a cliché, but it’s a useful sentiment for those stuck in careers they don’t like or struggling to achieve their next milestone. Most working people will spend around 8 hours a day at the office; that’s a lot of time to spend on something you dislike. So, if you’re feeling uninspired or sick of your career, take Mr. Keating’s advice and don’t waste any more time. What are your strengths and weaknesses and how can your harness them into a fulfilling career?

7. Jim Carrey: Commencement Motivational Speech at Maharishi University of Management (2014)

“When I was about 28, after a decade as a professional comedian, I realized one night in LA that the purpose of my life had always been to free people from concern, just like my dad. And when I realized this, I dubbed my new devotion the Church of Freedom From Concern, the Church of FFC. And I dedicated myself to that ministry. What’s yours? How will you serve the world? What did they need that your talent can provide? That’s all you have to figure out.”

The comedian’s advice for a successful and rewarding life is simple: find how you want to serve the world, and pursue it. While it may take years of exploring to find your talent, sometimes it can be as simple as stepping back and reflecting on those moments when you felt yourself excelling and having an impact on others. Finding your calling might seem overwhelming, but asking yourself what the world needs that you can provide will surely set things in motion. 

8. Rocky’s (Sylvester Stallone) Motivational Speech to His Son In Rocky Balboa  (2006)

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”

Rocky’s motivational speech is all about not letting failure define you. This is good advice, no matter your industry. In 2019, 90% of startups failed . But, many successful business people, including Bill Gates and Walt Disney, failed before they succeeded. So, even if the odds are against your, it doesn’t helo to fixate on the negative. In fact, a positive attitude can improve mental and physical health , which will improve your performance in the workplace.

9. Dan Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation (2009)

“There is a mismatch between what science knows and what business does. Here is what science knows. One: Those 20th century rewards, those motivators we think are a natural part of business, do work, but only in a surprisingly narrow band of circumstances. Two: Those if-then rewards often destroy creativity. Three: The secret to high performance isn’t rewards and punishments, but that unseen intrinsic drive– the drive to do things for their own sake. The drive to do things cause they matter.”

There is an outdated belief that rewards and punishments are vital to improving employee performance. Pink argues that intrinsic drive— doing things because of internal satisfaction as opposed to external factors—is the real secret to high performance. So, whether you’re a manager or a new employee, consider why your work matters. Aside from your salary, what gets you to work every day? If these questions are hard to answer, you might need to incorporate or seek out a more creative approach. Pink gives the example of companies giving employees flexible schedules, where they can use their time as they want to accomplish set tasks. The schedule allows for more creativity and independence, and thus improves employee performance.

10. Coach Tony D’Amato’s (Al Pacino) Motivational Speech In Any Given Sunday (1999)

“I’ll tell you this, in any fight it’s the guy whose willing to die whose gonna win that inch. And I know, if I’m gonna have any life anymore it’s because I’m still willing to fight and die for that inch, because that’s what living is, the six inches in front of your face. Now I can’t make you do it. You’ve got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think you going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. Your gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team because he knows when it comes down to it your gonna do the same for him.”

This emotional scene drives home an important point: There is no “i” in team. Both entrepreneurs and executives who work their way up the corporate ladder know that they won’t achieve success all on their own. Attracting and retaining exceptional team members is the foundation of any lasting business. So, think about the skills you’re looking for in an employee and implement a process that’ll allow you to root out those people who will go the extra inch for you. If you’re not in a leadership position, think about the skills that will make you an invaluable hire. 

The Bottom Line on Motivational Speeches

No matter what industry you’re in, you can harness the wisdom of real and fictional characters to achieve your wildest dreams. So, get out there, explore your interests, make connections, and create a fulfilling career.

Related Readings on Motivation

• Four Basic Motivations of Employees
• Extrinsic Motivation in the Office
• The Value of Intrinsic Motivation on Employees
• 25 Powerful Leadership Quotes That Will Motivate You

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Motivational Speech from CEO to Employees

Inspiring people and keeping them motivated is one of the most important attributes of a leader. It’s not always easy to motivate your employees. But as a leader, it’s your job to do so—and you should never give up on that mission. Here are some tips for giving the best motivational speech as a CEO to employees for inspiring people.

3 Tips to write the best Motivational Speech from CEO to Employees

If you’re here, you’re probably looking for motivation or preparing to inspire your team on a big day. Let’s look at some of the influential and persuasive tools used by these CEOs.

1. Inspire your team members by acknowledging and celebrating wins, big and small.

• It helps to establish a culture where everyone who works for your company feels like they are part of something bigger than themselves.
• If a project succeeds, it’s important to recognize that success and give credit where credit is due. Celebrate small wins along with big ones.
• Be sure to recognize any employee who goes above and beyond their job description or makes an effort to help others out of the kindness of their heart.

2. Building a culture of recognition is an effective means of motivating employees to regularly exceed their goals.

• Recognition is a powerful motivator. It’s not just about patting someone on the back, but rather it involves letting people know that their efforts are valued.
• In order for recognition to be effective, it should be done in a public way, in a timely fashion, and be meaningful. Use your speech to recognize the efforts of your employees.

3. Inject wit, humor, and empathy into your words to build trust, create bonds, repair relationships, and create joy in the workplace.

• As you know, humor is a great way to connect with people . It builds trust, creates bonds, repairs relationships, and creates joy in the workplace.
• It can also motivate your employees and make them feel good about themselves. And if you want to make someone feel special or important—or even just lighten the mood at a tense moment—a joke is often just what’s needed!
• Telling personal stories also works wonders.

Best CEO speeches to employees

Great CEOs rely on various communication tools to inspire their teams and influence others to take action. Here are some of the CEOs who have successfully found the courage to show their true selves through inspirational speeches added to their presentations.

1. Howard Schultz:

If you go and ask any presentation expert about who, according to them, is one of the best storytelling executives in the business currently, they’ll probably say former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

• Schultz often returned to his story about how he rose from rags to riches, from being a child of often unemployed parents in Brooklyn public housing to becoming the CEO of the world’s most successful coffeehouse chain. He’d use the story as a starting point to describe the history and mission of Starbucks and to explain many decisions he made regarding the company.
• He mentioned in his speeches how he took inspiration from his father , who was injured and unable to work, which gave him the urge to launch a company that took care of its workers and provided them with benefits, like insurance and adequate time-off.
• By framing his business goals in a personal story about his values , Schultz made his corporate mission understandable and described his strategic decisions in a way that made sense to anyone.
• Check his complete speech here .

I love Starbucks. Many of you do, too. We all have a stake in our future. It is something we all share. And this serves as an invitation to come build it. Howard Schultz:

2. Sheryl Sandberg:

Not everyone is comfortable sharing their stories from their struggling period, just like Sheryl Sandberg once felt reluctant to share her tale of tragedy in her public speeches.

• Today, the Facebook COO masterfully reveals deeply personal stories in her talks, and these make her messages powerful and brings hope.
• One of Sandberg’s most effective uses of personal storytelling happened during her 2016 UC Berkeley commencement speech after tragically and suddenly losing her husband Dave Goldberg in 2015. Sandberg chose not to mourn but to harness that painful tragedy to deliver a talk that was profoundly affecting and inspiring. She described her experience of losing her husband, then explained how she was able to rise from her unbearable grief into a stronger, more resilient person.

When life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface, and breathe again…you can choose joy and meaning.” Sheryl Sandberg:

Sandberg’s exhortation was powerful and uplifting despite its origin in a tragedy. She figured out how to unlock the power of a personal setback story for a presentation message that fosters endurance and drives the forward movement.

3. Rowan Trollope:

Five9 CEO Rowan Trollope never fails to use firsthand anecdotes in his speeches. These stories make him feel relatable rather than like an untouchable executive who seems significantly snobbish and highly professional, not having a moment to listen to his employees’ needs and impulses.

• As a leading SVP at Cisco, he delivered the 2016 Cisco Keynote at Enterprise Connect. He opened the speech with the story of his first experience with weightlessness at the “Zero-G Experience” when his instructor warned him he would laugh when he was finally weightless (all people do), he resolved to remain stoic. However, once he got up into the air and floated, he burst out laughing uncontrollably—reminding him that he was human, just like everyone who’d been weightless before him (even professional astronauts).
• Trollope’s story not only showed his humanity but also endeared him to the audience , giving him an understandable jumping-off point to explain to listeners what he wanted to do with Cisco products. He wanted to create products and devices that delighted users, whether they were professionals in the industry or just picking up the technology for the first time.

Like his weightlessness story, most of Trollope’s tales are entertaining and full of humility. They work to demonstrate his “humanness”—taking him down off any “executive pedestal” and making him approachable and accessible. This results in a message that feels relevant and understandable to everyone listening. Read Trollope’s complete speech and be inspired.

“Organizations are spending $275B a year as an industry to deliver an experience that a lot of times, most people don’t like. That feels like an opportunity to me.”  Rowan Trollope

Motivation is something that everyone needs, and it’s up to you as a leader to inspire your employees. If you want people to surround themselves with positive energy every day, then you have to do the same for them. It’s easy for leaders to get caught up in their own personal issues and forget about the people who rely on them for support. Remember: it’s all about building relationships with others because without them, what would we have?

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15 Inspirational Speeches to Share with Your Team

These days, you might be feeling on the edge of burnout. Finding the time and mental energy to get everything done is simply overwhelming.

Whether you’re managing fine or barely holding on, this is a great time to reflect on your well-being and build habits that bring you long-term success.

If you’re ready to take it to the next level and make 2021 your year, start by inspiring yourself and your team with a mind-expanding talk. We’ve put together 15 inspirational speeches ranging from educational to motivational that are sure to get you ready to grow yourself in 2021.

1. Are you an ideal team player?-  Patrick Lencioni

Best-selling author and team dysfunction expert Patrick Lencioni breaks down the questions every member of your team can ask themselves to improve their teamwork.

2. Developing a Growth Mindset-  Carol Dweck

Developing a growth mindset is critical for successful advancement in life. Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck explains why growth mindsets are so powerful and how to develop one in this Ted Talk classic.

3. The Art of Stress-Free Productivity – David Allen

Productivity guru David Allen explains his simple method for ensuring you get things done. This is a must-watch for any team struggling with procrastination and prioritization.

4. The power of vulnerability-  Dr. Brené Brown

Pioneering vulnerability researcher Brené Brown shares her findings on the impact embracing emotional transparency can have on teams and relationships. This is a must-watch for any team looking to improve their communication and teamwork.

5. The 3 Most Important Things for Every Entrepreneur-  Verne Harnish

Verne Harnish, EO Founder and best-selling author of Scaling Up , is a popular speaker at business conferences around the world, as well as the host of his own . His message resonates with entrepreneurs and business leaders with entrepreneurial mindsets.

6. These Are Not Unprecedented Times – Simon Sinek

Delivered over Zoom at the start of the pandemic, popular speaker Simon Sinek gives an optimistic message for anyone stuck in the dark tunnel of coronavirus quarantines and lockdowns. The Start with Why  Author’s message also resonates with those emerging from the tunnel and motivating themselves for what’s ahead.

7. The Science of Habits – Marco Badwel

Harvard researcher Marco Badwel shares the secrets of forming successful habits as explained by science. If you or you’re team is trying to adopt a new habit, this talk is for you.

8. The 5 hindrances to self-mastery – Master Shi Heng Yi

Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi shares lessons for a fulfilling life and from his time as a traditionally educated monk living in the west. “The universal law of being successful and happy at the same time means finding the balance”, says master Yi.

9. What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness-  Robert Waldinger

Looking to motivate your team to find fulfillment in their work-life harmony? Look no further than this classic ted talk on the research of what’s important to life-long happiness.

10. The habits of happiness-  Matthieu Ricard

Former molecular biologist and Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard explains how to develop habits of well-being to generate a true sense of serenity and fulfillment. This is a great watch for anyone working to find balance and peace in their lives.

11. Oprah Winfrey- Spelman College Commencement Address 2012

Among the greatest commencement addresses ever, Oprah Winfrey’s 2012 speech lays out a motivational path to success anyone can connect with.

12. 2005 Stanford Commencement Address-  Steve Jobs

This classic speech by the famous Apple CEO makes a lasting impact on all that listen to it. Steve Jobs pushes the listener to aim high with their goals and take advantage of every setback.

13. Darkest Hour (2017) – We Shall Fight on the Beaches Scene

Nothing stirs the soul like Sir Winston Churchill’s timeless words that roused a nation to arms against a great evil. During tough times, a little cinematic and historic motivation may rouse your team.

14. A Pep Talk from Kid President to You

If you’re looking for a feel-good pick-me-up, look no further than this viral classic from Kid President.

15. Van Down By The River – Saturday Night Live

When you’re sick and tired of motivational speeches, watch the greatest parody of motivational speakers ever made. Chris Farley gives a legendary performance in this video that is just to delight and inspire change.

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10 Famous Motivational Speeches You Need to Hear

• Carolyn Manion Kinnie
• April 1, 2024

Table of Contents

At The Speaker Lab, we’re dedicated to helping you launch and scale your speaking business. Since we’re dedicated to helping speaking professionals succeed, it stands to reason that we have a few favorite examples of our own! Today, we want to share some of the motivational speeches that our team thinks are most worth the listen. While you can find hundreds of inspirational talks on the internet, we think there’s something really special about these ten talks. Whether you want to be a speaker yourself or just need a mood boost, each of these examples is sure to leave you ample fuel for motivation and reflection! 

Topics of the speeches we cover today range from psychology and relationships, to goal-setting and growth, to effective leadership, to personal stories that carry weighty lessons. For each speech, we’ll include some insights into what really sets these talks apart. We also highly recommend setting some time aside to give each on its own and form your own opinions! Let’s dive into some of these amazing motivational speeches so you can see (or hear!) for yourself why we love them so much. 

1. Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability

We’re going to start with almost a too-obvious choice. You will see Brené Brown’s name pop up on just about any  list of important motivational speeches. And with good reason! This 2011 TED talk isn’t just one of the most-watched TED talks of all time. It’s an incredible investigation into the roles that connection, shame and vulnerability play in human relationships. It’s also an eye-opening exploration into why we all tend to shrink from vulnerability and what could happen if we flipped the script. And from a purely public speaking standpoint, it’s a great display of Brown’s wit and charisma. If you struggle with vulnerability in your own life or are trying to understand why a loved one keeps shutting you out, Brown’s short but impactful talk might have some answers for you. 

We covered this motivational speech in our recent article about pathos because Brown is a master of emotional connection. She backs up her argument with ample academic research, but connects her message to real, relatable experiences throughout. As she narrates her own experiences in a therapist’s office, she invites the audience to walk through those experiences with her. Making psychological research accessible to the masses is no easy feat, but Brown manages to do it with storytelling and humor. Her greatest lesson, perhaps, comes in how vulnerability can teach how to treat ourselves kindly.

“Our job is to look and say, “You know what? You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”

2. Simon Sinek: “How great leaders inspire action”

Simon Sinek is a world-renowned author and speaker with an incredible knack for delivering profound and easily intelligible advice on leadership, business, and success. He has written several books and delivered many motivational speeches. His TED talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” which grew out of his first book, is perhaps the most well-known. Similarly to Brown’s speech, we think no list of the best motivational speeches would be complete without it. In short, it’s an analysis of how people like Steve Jobs and Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright Brothers managed to accomplish amazing, unheard of things. Sinek theorizes that there is a unique way that great leaders communicate, and that’s how they get things done. 

If you’re a leader but don’t understand why your marketing and sales fall flat, or if you long to start a company but don’t know how to tap into what makes people excited about a business, Sinek has wisdom to share for you. His speech is for you if you’ll ever be in a leadership position or struggle to pinpoint your professional mission. And if you’re curious about why people trust certain political leaders and not others, you’ll want to listen to this speech. Sinek is a master of words and he distills a lot of fascinating information into simple stories and lessons about innovation and leadership. Give this one a listen to get fired up about what you believe and how you can make an impact with those beliefs. 

“ People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.

3. Steve Jobs: Stanford Commencement speech  

Commencement addresses can be hit or miss. Sometimes they fill graduating seniors with energy and inspiration for the life ahead, other times they get a few laughs and more than a few yawns. Even celebrities and business leaders aren’t always up to the task of sending young adults off into the world. But in 2005 at Stanford University, Steve Jobs not only rose to the task, but outstripped expectations by delivering an iconic motivational speech that today is the most-watched commencement speech on YouTube. 

If you’ve been around The Speaker Lab for a while, you know we’re big fans of storytelling . Steve Jobs illustrates our favorite speaking strategy by structuring his remarks as three stories. The first: his experience as a college dropout and how it paved the path to his future. The second: his expulsion from Apple that allowed him to found Pixar and meet his wife, among other endeavors. And finally: his first brush with cancer and the second chance at life he was provided. While the last story rings differently in light of Jobs’s death in 2011, the wisdom he draws from the twists and turns of his life is applicable to far more than college seniors. 

The lessons of Jobs’s commencement address are myriad, and it’s a speech you’ll keep coming back to at different points in your life. Fortunately he summed them up himself:

“ Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” 

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4. Randy Pausch: “The Last Lecture: Really Achieving your Childhood Dreams”

Randy Pausch was a pioneer in software and virtual reality development and a longtime professor at Carnegie Mellon University. In his 40s, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given just a few months to live. He delivered a final lecture as part of a series where academics were asked to give a talk on a topic that was deeply important to them–and he spoke about his childhood dreams.

Pausch showed his cancer scans at the start of his presentation, letting his audience sit with the reality of his terminal diagnosis. But his regular jokes (including onstage pushups) lightened the mood and allowed his audience to embark on a journey following his personal and professional ambitions. His lecture became a viral motivational speech and even landed him an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show a few weeks later.

Everybody has childhood dreams. Some people don’t accomplish them, but few forget them. Pausch’s lecture testifies to how having those big dreams can bear great fruit in your personal and professional life. He also provides great examples from his own journey of how going the extra mile–even if it seems crazy–can help you achieve those dreams. This is a long speech, but we encourage you to listen (or read ) in full because it’s so full of inspiration. But in the meantime, here are a few of our favorite lines: 

“Never lose the childlike wonder. It’s just too important. It’s what drives us.” 

“Remember, brick walls let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us from the people who don’t really want to achieve their childhood dreams. Don’t bail. The best of the gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap.”

5. Kelly McGonigal: “ How to make stress your friend “

Stress is something we all deal with, sometimes to an overwhelming degree. Many people try every possible hack to eliminate stress for their lives or live in fear of it. But what if we treated stress as something helpful–or even as a friend? What if we trusted ourselves to cope appropriately with stress rather than letting it ruin our lives? That’s what health psychologist Kelly McGonigal explores in this viral TED talk. 

Challenging the common parlance of stress as the bogeyman is no small task. McGonigal backs up her research with several studies to show that while stress can have deleterious effects on health, it doesn’t have to. She also undertakes some of our favorite tactics here at The Speaker Lab by interacting with her audience to further engage them. While a pop quiz from the stage probably wasn’t on their bingo cards, her in person audience members got a real-time taste of the “social stress test.” (To fully appreciate McGonigal’s point, we recommend pretending you’re in the auditorium with her and attempting to perform what she commands.) Then, she walks her audience through the stress reaction they just experienced and explains how, equipped with new strategies for leveraging stress, they could use that same reaction to approach the situation constructively.  

McGonigal’s research, which has also been published in book form, is not without controversy in the psychology space. But in an ever increasingly stressed out society, her talk could be the motivational speech you need to tackle your stressors head-on. The best part? Turning to the communities around you during stressful events can help you rather than drain you! As McGonigal says:

“People who spent time caring for others showed absolutely no stress-related increase in dying. Zero. Caring created resilience.”

6. Carol Dweck: “The power of believing that you can improve ” 

You’ve probably heard the term “growth mindset” thrown around in the professional and educational space. But do you know who coined it? Carol Dweck is a Stanford psychologist who researches the impact of mindset on how we approach failure and success. She has studied how believing in one’s ability to learn and improve can radically affect our reaction to challenges. Her research claims that by focusing on effort and strategy, we can help students expand their minds and overcome barriers by having a “growth mindset” rather than a “fixed mindset.” 

While her research focuses on students, her TED talk discusses principles with universal application, such as the profound impact of believing we can change for the better. She also explores ideas for constructive communication with the next generation to set them up for success. Do you feel limited by externally applied standards? Have you been put in a box your whole life that you struggle to break out of? Do you throw in the towel easily because you feel that you just can’t win? Dweck’s motivational speech might give you more confidence in your abilities. Our favorite line?

“…praising the process that kids engage in, their effort, their strategies, their focus, their perseverance, their improvement. This process praise creates kids who are hardy and resilient.”

7. Malala Yousafzai: “16th birthday speech at the United Nations”  

Malala Yousafzai is the world’s youngest Nobel laureate and one of the best known human rights advocates of her generation. Her speech before the U.N. in 2014 is a passionate appeal for setting worldwide injustices right. From her harrowing story of being shot in the head, to her advancement of nonviolence, this motivational speech is a moving reminder of how much work each and every one of us can do to lift the burden of the oppressed. 

Though her audience at the time of the speech was a group of world leaders, we can all learn a lot from Malala that applies to our own lives. In addition to her stirring personal story, she lays out a variety of action items that we can all undertake in our communities to lay a foundation for justice. Furthermore, she emphasizes how education and tolerance rather than violence and politics can help win the fight against terrorism. If you ever feel at a loss for what you can do to change the word, Malala is the motivator you need. This speech is also a great model for using your personal story and character or ethos to persuade your audience, which we cover here .

“Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced.”

“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.”

8. Joel Osteen: “The power of I am”

Oprah described this sermon by pastor Joel Osteen as life-changing, and you might find it so too! Osteen is a clergyman, but many of his sermons are functionally motivational speeches that can inspire your life regardless of whether you’re religious or not. “The Power of I Am” is about how excessive negativity can control our lives. Osteen argues that when we say “I am ______,” we’re inviting whatever that is into our lives. If we repeatedly say “I am” statements followed by something negative or something we hate about ourselves, we are just digging ourselves deeper into that hole. 

Osteen’s words are badly needed in a world where the internet encourages negative comparison and loneliness is epidemic. He uses examples from Scripture and from his own life to show how talking yourself down becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. This is something we all experience at some point! You mess up, say “I’m an idiot,” and for the rest of the day your idiocy, clumsiness, or incompetence suddenly seems like the most noticeable thing about you. Or maybe an authority figure once identified you with your failures and you internalized it for years and years. Osteen’s sermon is an amazing call to do better. We can carry ourselves with confidence, not pride, and disconnect our flaws from our sense of self. 

“My encouragement is never say negative things about yourself. Most of us would never go up to another person, at least to their face and criticize them yet we have no problems criticizing ourselves. “I am so slow. I am so unattractive. I am so undisciplined”. That is cursing your future. Do yourself a favor and zip that up. We have enough in life against us already. Don’t be against yourself.”

9. Nicole Walters: “Why Excuses Are the #1 Thing Keeping You From Your Goals”  

Nicole Walters is an incredible entrepreneur and businesswoman who quit her successful corporate career to start her own company when she realized her blog was generating her significant passive income. This keynote from a conference for online creators outlines how she managed to do it all…with blood, sweat, tears, and no excuses! 

While Nicole dishes out amazing strategies for building your business and avoiding excuses, this is also an incredible example of how to give a great motivational speech. Our founder Grant Baldwin even did an analysis of her professional speaking performance here . Nicole uses humor, storytelling, and credible examples from her career to show how to avoid excuses and maintain sustainable innovation as you build your personal brand. If you want to start a business or expand your content creation but struggle with ambition and motivation, Nicole is your girl.

Get ready for some hard truths and a lot of humility, because it’s not easy! You can hear even more of her tips on our podcast here . She also came on our podcast for a conversation about race in the speaking industry , sharing her experience as a black woman who speaks professionally. This is a must listen if you’re interested in DEI and how the speaking industry can improve its diversity and inclusivity. 

Nicole is an abundant source of amazing one-liners and truth bombs. Here are two of our favorites to finish off: 

“Excuses are tools of incompetence. Those who specialize in them, are seldom good at anything else.”

“You’re not Kim Kardashian.” 

“Automate systems, not relationships.” 

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10. William Faulkner: Banquet Speech  

For our final must-listen motivational speech, we’re heading back in time. William Faulkner delivered this speech when he received the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature. The threat of nuclear war hung heavy at the time Faulkner received the award. Faulkner himself eschewed the acclaim and reward that his talent deserved. His speech is a testament to the immortality of art and literature. His words elegantly express how art and literature can help humanity survive beyond dark times. 

Especially in an age of AI, media cycles, and overwhelming access to information, a reminder of the power and importance of art is badly needed. Faulkner’s speech is short, but it’s extremely moving. Every sentence drips with the weight of writers and artists who went before him, carrying humanity through crises and catastrophes and helping rebuild and process their wake. Faulkner himself says it best: 

“I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poet’s, the writer’s, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet’s voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.”

Mastering how to deliver a great motivational speech is no easy task. We think these paragons of motivational speaking deserve special attention for their mastery and inspiration! And having a solid list of inspirational content to fall back on when you’re feeling down, bewildered, or uninspired is always a good idea.  If you want to become a motivational speaker yourself , taking inspiration from these great talks will help you find your own voice in the speaking industry. ( We can help too! ) 

• Last Updated: April 4, 2024

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Also, be sure to grab our free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations .  It will help you master the presentation process, from: initial idea, through to writing, design, and delivering with impact.

Read on to learn how to make a memorable speech that inspires others.

1. How to Plan a Motivational Business Speech

You can't just jump right into writing your speech. A great motivational speech takes planning. Here are the planning steps you need to understand:

Step 1. Know Your Audience

If you really want your speech to motivate your listeners, you need to understand who your listeners are. People respond differently to messages based on their interests and background.

Also, understanding your audience is how you find out what they're interested in so that you can appeal to those interests. It's that appeal directly to your listener's interests that will motivate them.

If you're a student, you likely have a head start in this area. It's likely that your listeners will be other students in your class. You may even know some of them personally. But you still have some work to do in this area. Learn what you can about the makeup of your class. Here are some questions to research:

• Are most students full-time or part-time?
• What's the age range of the students in the class?
• Have they been at the school long?
• What are most of the students in the class majoring in?
• What are their interests?

If you're giving a business speech, you may not know your audience members personally. But you can still do some research to find out a little bit about them.

Depending on whether your business markets to consumers or to other businesses, it's likely your audience will be made up of either consumers (the public) or representatives of businesses. Either way, here are some questions to research:

• I f aud ience members represent businesses, what's their job function?
• If your listeners represent companies, what's the s ize and i ndustry of those companies?
• What are their concerns?
• What's the age range of the audience members?
• Are the audience members current clients, prospective clients, or a mix?

If you'll be giving your business speech at a public venue such as a conference, ask the conference organizers to provide you with demogr ap hic information about the conference attendees. If you'll be giving your speech at a private location, say a client's office, learn what you can about the company before you go.

Regardless of whether your audience is students, consumers, or businesses--be sure to take into consideration any cultural differences.

Step 2. Know Your Subject

You may think that you know your topic already, but a general knowledge of your subject matter isn't good enough if you want to write a memorable speech. Look for the aspects of the subject that affect your audience directly. When you can, give specific details rather than generalizations.

For example, say " 75% of our clients save money in the first year " instead of " most of our clients save money. " 

Don't forget to anticipate questions or concerns your listeners might have. Research and find the answers. Plan to address the most common concerns during your speech, but remember the other questions in case you're asked about them afterward.

It also helps to have charts and graphs to illustrate and support your information. (More on this later...)

Step 3. Have a Vision

Know what you want your audience to do after hearing your motivational speech and plan your speech accordingly. Your entire speech should be focused on moving your audience in the direction you want them to take.

Explain why the subject of your speech is important to your audience. Describe how the next steps they take can make a difference. But be sincere. Remember, your audience won't care about your topic (or take action) unless you care. And they'll be able to tell if you care. You can't motivate an audience to care about a topic you don't care about.

Towards the end of your speech, ask your listeners to take the next step. Again, be specific. If you want your audience to perform a particular task, tell them what that action is and explain how to do it. If you want them to make a purchase, provide the information (such as a URL, phone number, or location) that allows them to do make that purchase.

2. How to Write an Inspirational Speech

Now that you've done some planning, you're ready to start writing your motivational speech. Here's how to write it:

Step 1. Use an Outline

An outline helps you stay organized as you write your motivational speech. Your outline should have a beginning, middle, and end.

Start by writing the introduction and conclusion to your speech. Many speechwriters find this easiest to do during the outline step. The introduction is especially important because you need to capture and hold the audience's attention in it. 

Here's a good tutorial on how to create a powerful introduction and strong conclusion for your speech: 

Once you've written the introduction and conclusion of your motivational speech, you're ready to add the main points (or middle) to your outline.

Step 2. Stay Focused

In the main points of your speech, explain why the topic is important to your audience. Here are some common ways to show that your subject matter is important:

• Appeal to the audience's emotions or sense of justice.
• Show how different things can be.
• Explain how one (or more) of the listeners' problems can be solved.

As you add the main points to your outline, limit the number of points you plan to cover to three points (or four, at most). Too many points will cause your presentation to drag out and may even confuse your listener.

As you're narrowing points down, try ranking the points in importance from most important to least important. Keep your vision in mind during this ranking. Rank those points that relate to your vision or purpose for the speech higher. The other points should be ranked lower.

If you've got more than four main points on your outline draft, remove the lowest ranked points and focus on the higher, more relevant points.

Step 3. Be Conversational

When your outline is complete, you're ready to write your speech.

As you write your speech, adopt a conversational tone. Address your listeners directly. Show how each point relates to your audience members.

To be perceived as friendlier, avoid formal language and use short sentences. The goal is to write your speech so that it flows naturally and is easily understood.

Ideally, your speech should sound like you're talking to a friend. Avoid obscure phrases, legalese, and other speech patterns that are difficult to follow. If you'll be giving the speech in a language that's not native for you, you may need to enlist a native speaker to help you with this.

Step 4. Tell an Inspirational Story

Some of the most inspiring speeches include inspirational stories. Stories can illustrate your vision for your audience in a concrete way.

But be real. Audiences can spot a phony story. Positive case studies and inspirational examples can be quite motivational. So, it's a good idea to include these if you've got them.

If you can get quotes that support your speech's points, use them too. Audiences love to hear the experiences of real people. Even better, record and play short videos (a minute or two) where customers or others share their experiences.

3. How to Make a Speech Memorable With Templates & Images

Now that you've written a memorable speech, it's time to pull the entire presentation together. You'll do this by bringing your motivational speech into a presentation tool and incorporating graphics and other media. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Choose a Presentation Tool

The presentation tool you use to give your presentation is important. Some tools are easier to use than others. And not all presentation tools are available in all venues. Make sure that the venue where you'll give your motivational speech supports the presentation tool you intend to use. If you're not sure, ask.

If you're required to use a particular presentation tool--for example, if you're a student--then the decision of what tool to use is easy. But if you can use any presentation tool you like, you may be wondering which one to choose. There are many choices available. This article compares three of the most popular presentation tools:

Once you've selected a presentation tool, make sure that you can use it. Our PowerPoint learning guide and our Google Slides learning guide can help you get up to speed quickly.

Step 2. Use Templates

Once you've chosen your presentation tool, it's time to start thinking about how your presentation will look. You want it to be eye-catching, but professional. A sloppy, unprofessional design distracts from your message. Avoid the following:

• using too many different fonts
• p utting too much on a single slide
• c lashing color schemes

Of course, you could design your own presentation template for your motivational speech. But that could take hours--especially if you're not a professional designer.

A better plan is to use pre-designed professional template such as those available through Envato Elements or GraphicRiver . With a pre-designed template, you'll get the use of template designed by a professional designer that can be customized for your specific needs. To get an idea of what types of templates are available, look at this article:

Step 3. Choose the Right Images

A good presentation should also include photos, charts, and graphs to support the points being made. Powerful images can evoke emotion and capture your listeners' imaginations. They can play a large role in an effective motivational speech.

However, the images you use in your presentation must be professional to be effective. Sloppy graphs or poorly focused images make a bad impression and take away from your effectiveness. Make sure that any images you add to your presentation are of high quality.

If you're wondering where to find good quality images, look no further. You'll find a wide variety of photos and other types of images on Envato Elements .

4. How to Prepare to Give Your Motivational Speech

Once you've finished putting your speech into your presentation tool, you may think you're ready to give it. You're not. Follow these steps to make final preparations to give your motivational speech:

Step 1. Review and Revise

Whether you're a student or representing a business, mistakes in your inspirational speech make you look bad. Review your presentation carefully to ensure that there are no errors in it. Here are some common mistakes speakers make:

• d e s ign mista kes like cutting a graphic off the edge of a p age or wo rds that flow off the edge of a slide
• factual errors, such as misattributing a quote or typos that make statistics incorrect
• spelling and grammar errors and other typos

After a careful review, fix any mistakes that you find before giving your inspirational speech.

Step 2. Practice

Once you're sure that your presentation slides are error free, it's time for you to practice giving your speech. The more you practice, the more comfortable with it you'll be.

Practice is also important, because it can help you judge how long your presentation will be. Practice can also help you get the pacing right. After you've practiced your speech several times, you may decide to make a few minor adjustments to your inspirational speech so that it's easier for you to give.

Learn how to avoid some common presentation mistakes and discover other presentation tips in these tutorials:

Learn More About Making Great Presentations 

Download  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations  eBook now for FREE with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. Get your ideas formed into a powerful presentation that will move your audience!

You've just learned how to prepare a motivational speech. Your speeches should now be more memorable and more effective at reaching your listeners. Now that you've learned how to inspire your listeners, you're ready to give your motivational speech. Good luck!

Editorial Note: This content was originally published in 2018. We're sharing it again because our editors have determined that this information is still accurate and relevant.

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10 Of The Greatest Leadership Speeches Of All Time

The world may be dominated by social media these days, but we should never underestimate the power of a great speech..

In fact, despite the prevalence of Facebook and Twitter, videos of some of the  greatest leadership speeches are still immensely popular. Here are 10 examples of fantastic, motivational speeches that will show you why.

1.    Martin Luther King: I have a dream

Any article featuring inspirational speeches must include this ground-breaking speech. 

On 28th August 1963, Martin Luther King addressed a crowd of over 250,000 . In it, he calls for an end to racism and equality for all. In 1999, this speech was ranked the top American speech of the 20th century in a 1999 poll of scholars of public address.

2.    Steve Jobs: How to live before you die

In 2005, Steve Jobs gave a Commencement Address to Stanford University that will leave you with goosebumps. It’s a brilliant speech, and also a great lesson from one of the most influential presenters in history.

3.    President Obama: Seeking a new beginning

In June 2009, President Obama gave a rousing speech at Cairo University . This speech shows Obama at his best, building a fantastic rapport with his audience.

4.    Randy Pausch: The last lecture

Carnegie Mellon Professor, Randy Pausch, gave his last lecture to a crowded auditorium. 

This presentation is about achieving your childhood dreams and it’s a great one to study for tips on building a connection with your audience and really getting them on your side.

5.    Rosalinde Torres: What it takes to be a great leader

In this incredibly inspirational speech, Torres describes 25 years of observing great leaders at work and then shares ways to learn how to lead .  

6.    Bill Clinton: 2008 Speech to the Democratic National Convention

If you’re looking for an example of fantastic communication skills, look no further than this former US President . This speech shows how great content, teamed with exceptional delivery, can really bring the house down.

7.    J.K. Rowling: Harvard Commencement

Commencement addresses are always very inspirational speeches and this is no exception. Rowling immediately gets her audience on side, inspiring and delighting as she goes.

8.    John Wooden: The difference between winning and succeeding

As the coach of UCLA basketball team, John Wooden led his team to record wins that remain unbeaten. In this speech, he redefines success with incredible simplicity.

9.    Richard St. John: 8 secrets of success

In this amazing TED Talk, Richard St. John delivers an incredibly motivational speech asking why people are successful. Is it because they’re clever, or lucky ?

10.    Nelson Mandela: Inauguration speech

When you’re thinking about leadership speeches, Nelson Mandela’s inauguration speech in 1994 must be on the list. Mandela was the first democratically elected president of South Africa. He led his country through the end of apartheid and into a united history they had never seen before. 

These 10 examples of leadership speeches show you just how powerful the spoken word can be. These speakers are all experts in their field and captivate their audiences to give incredible, motivational speeches, which lift and inspire . 

Want more inspiration? Get motivated by other brilliant famous team leaders here . 

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Use These Employee Appreciation Speech Examples In 2024 To Show Your Team You Care

The simple act of saying “thank you” does wonders.

Yet sometimes, those two words alone don’t seem to suffice. Sometimes your team made such a difference, and your gratitude is so profound, that a pat on the back just isn’t enough.

Because appreciation is more than saying thank you . It’s about demonstrating that your team is truly seen and heard by thanking them for specific actions. It’s about showing that you understand and empathize with the struggles your team faces every day. And it’s about purpose too. True appreciation connects your team’s efforts back to a grand vision and mission.

According to Investopedia ,

“Appreciation is an increase in the value of an asset over time.”

So it’s time to diversify your portfolio of reliable tips and go-to words of wisdom for expressing your undying appreciation. After all, you diversify your portfolio of investments, and really, workplace appreciation is an investment.

Let’s set aside the standard definition of appreciation for a second and take a look at the financial definition.

In the workplace, appreciation increases the value of your most important assets—your employees—over time.

Here are some ways appreciation enhances employee relations:

• Appreciation makes employees stick around. In fact, statistics suggest that a lack of appreciation is the main driver of employee turnover , which costs companies an average of about $15,000 per worker .
• Appreciation reinforces employees’ understanding of their roles and expectations, which drives engagement and performance.
• Appreciation builds a strong company culture that is magnetic to both current and prospective employees.
• Appreciation might generate positive long-term mental effects for both the giver and the receiver.
• Appreciation motivates employees. One experiment showed that a few simple words of appreciation compelled employees to make more fundraising calls.

We searched through books, movies, songs, and even TED Talks to bring you 141 amazing motivational quotes for employees you’ll be proud to put in a Powerpoint, an intra-office meme or a foam board printing cutout! Find plenty of fantastic workplace quotes to motivate any team.

Some of the most successful entrepreneurs in American business built companies, and lasting legacies, by developing employees through the simple act of appreciation.

Charles Schwab, founder of the Charles Schwab Corporation, once said:

“I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among my people the greatest asset I possess, and the way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement. There is nothing else that so kills the ambitions of a person as criticism from superiors. I never criticize anyone. I believe in giving a person incentive to work. So I am anxious to praise but loath to find fault. If I like anything, I am hearty in my appreciation and lavish in my praise.”

Boost your ability to arouse enthusiasm by learning how to deliver employee appreciation speeches that make an impact. Once you master the habits and rules below, sincere appreciation will flow from you like sweet poetry. Your employees are going to love it!

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

The Employee Appreciation Speech Checklist

Planning employee appreciation speeches can be fast and easy when you follow a go-to “recipe” that works every time. From a simple thank you to a heart felt work anniversary speech, it all has a template.

Maritz®studies human behavior and highlights relevant findings that could impact the workplace. They developed the Maritz Recognition Model to help everyone deliver the best appreciation possible. The model asserts that effective reward and recognition speech examples touch on three critical elements: the behavior, the effect, and the thank you.

Here’s a summary of the model, distilled into a checklist for your employee appreciation speeches:

• Talk about the behavior(s). While most employee appreciation speeches revolve around the vague acknowledgment of “hard word and dedication,” it’s best to call out specific actions and accomplishments so employees will know what they did well, feel proud, and get inspired to repeat the action. Relay an anecdote about one specific behavior to hook your audience and then expand the speech to cover everyone. You can even include appreciation stories from other managers or employees in your speech.
•  Talk about the effect(s) of the behavior(s). What positive effect did the employee behaviors have on your company’s mission? If you don’t have any statistics to share, simply discuss how you expect the behaviors to advance your mission.
•  Deliver the “thank you” with heartfelt emotion. Infusing speeches with emotion will help employees feel your appreciation in addition to hearing it. To pinpoint the emotional core of your speech, set the “speech” part aside and casually consider why you’re grateful for your employees. Write down everything that comes to mind. Which aspects made you tear up? Which gave you goosebumps? Follow those points to find the particular emotional way you want to deliver your “thank you” to the team .

Tips and tricks:

• Keep a gratitude journal (online or offline) . Record moments of workplace gratitude and employee acts you appreciate. This practice will make you feel good, and it also provides plenty of fodder for appreciation speeches or employee appreciation day .
• Make mini-speeches a habit. Try to deliver words of recognition to employees every single day. As you perfect small-scale appreciation speeches, the longer ones will also feel more natural.
• When speaking, pause frequently to let your words sink in.
• Making eye contact
• Controlling jittery gestures
• Acting out verbs
• Matching facial expression to words
• Moving around the stage
• Varied pace. Don’t drone on at the same pace. Speak quickly and then switch to speaking slowly.
• Varied volume. Raise your voice on key points and closings.

Employee Appreciation Speech Scripts

Build on these customizable scripts to deliver employee appreciation speeches and casual meeting shout-outs every chance you get. Each script follows the 3-step approach we discussed above. Once you get the hang of appreciation speech basics, you’ll be able to pull inspirational monologues from your hat at a moment’s notice.

Swipe the examples below, but remember to infuse each speech with your own unique perspectives, personality, and heartfelt emotions.

All-Purpose Appreciation Speech  

Greet your audience..

I feel so lucky to work with you all. In fact, [insert playful aside: e.g. My wife doesn’t understand how I don’t hate Mondays. It drives her nuts!]

Thanks to you, I feel lucky to come to work every day.

Talk about behaviors you appreciate.

Everyone here is [insert applicable team soft skills: e.g. positive, inspiring, creative, and intelligent ]. I’m constantly amazed by the incredible work you do.

Let’s just look at the past few months, for example. [Insert bullet points of specific accomplishments from every department].

• Finance launched an amazing new online payroll system.
• Business Development doubled their sales last quarter.
• Human Resources trained us all in emotional intelligence.

Talk about the effects of the behaviors.

These accomplishment aren’t just nice bullet points for my next presentation. Each department’s efforts has deep and lasting impacts on our business. [Explain the effects of each highlighted accomplishment].

• The new payroll system is going to save us at least $20,000 on staff hours and paper.
• Revenue from those doubled sales will go into our core investments, including a new training program .
• And I can already see the effects of that emotional intelligence training each time I’m in a meeting and a potential argument is resolved before it starts.

Say thank you.

I can’t thank you enough for everything you do for this company and for me. Knowing I have your support and dedication makes me a better, happier person both at work and at home.

Formal Appreciation Speech

Greet your audience by explaining why you were excited to come to work today..

I was not thrilled when my alarm went off this morning, but I must admit, I’m luckier than most people. As I got out of bed and thought about doing [insert daily workplace activities that inspire you], I felt excitement instead of dread. It’s an incredible feeling, looking forward to work every day, and for that, I have each and every one of you to thank.

Just last week, [insert specific anecdote: e.g. I remembered, ironically, that I forgot to create a real-time engagement plan for TECHLO’s giant conference next month. As you all know, they’re one of our biggest clients, so needless to say, I was panicking. Then I sit down for my one-on-one with MEGAN, worried that I didn’t even have time for our meeting, and what does she say? She wants to remind me that we committed to submit a promotional plan by the end of the week. She had some ideas for the TECHLO conference, so she went ahead and created a draft.]

[Insert the outcome of the anecdote: e.g. Her initiative dazzled me, and it saved my life! We met our deadline and also blew TECHLO away. In fact, they asked us to plan a similar initiative for their upcoming mid-year conference.]

[Insert a short thank-you paragraph tying everything together: e.g. And you know what, it was hard for me to pick just one example to discuss tonight. You all do so many things that blow me away every day. Thank you for everything. Thank you for making each day of work something we can all be proud of.]

Tip! Encourage your entire team to join in on the appreciation with CareCards ! This digital appreciation board allows you to recognize your colleague with a dedicated space full of personalized well wishes, thank-yous, and anything else you want to shout them out with! To explore Caroo’s CareCard program, take this 60-second tour !

Visionary Appreciation Speech

Greet your audience by explaining why you do what you do..

Here at [company name] we [insert core competency: e.g. build nonprofit websites], but we really [insert the big-picture outcome of your work: e.g. change the world by helping amazing nonprofits live up to their inspiring visions.]

I want to emphasize the “we” here. This company would be nothing without your work.

Talk about behaviors and explain how each works toward your mission.

Have you guys ever thought about that? How what you do [recap the big-picture outcome at your work: e.g. changes the world by helping amazing nonprofits live up to their inspiring visions]?

[Insert specific examples of recent work and highlight the associated outcomes: e.g. Let’s explore in terms of the websites we launched recently. I know every single person here played a role in developing each of these websites, and you should all be proud.]

• The launch of foodangel.org means that at least 500 homeless people in the greater metro area will eat dinner tonight.
• The launch of happyup.org means thousands of depressed teenagers will get mental health counseling.

Now if that’s not [recap the big-picture outcome], then I don’t know what is.

Thank you for joining me on the mission to [big-picture outcome]. With any other team, all we’re trying to do might just not be possible, but you all make me realize we can do anything together.

Casual Appreciation Speech

Greet your audience by discussing what upcoming work-related items you are most excited about..

I’ve been thinking nonstop about [insert upcoming initiative: e.g. our upcoming gallery opening]. This [initiative] is the direct result of your amazing work. To me, this [initiative] represents [insert what the initiative means to you: e.g. our true debut into the budding arts culture of our city.]

You’ve all been pulling out all the stops, [insert specific example: e.g. staying late, making 1,000 phone calls a day, and ironing out all the details.]

Because of your hard work, I’m absolutely confident the [initiative] will [insert key performance indicator: e.g. sell out on opening night.]  

Thank you, not just for making this [initiative] happen, but also for making the journey such a positive and rewarding experience.

Funny Appreciation Speech

Greet your audience by telling an inside joke..

I want to thank you all for the good times, especially [insert inside joke: e.g. that time we put a glitter bomb in Jeff’s office.]

Talk about behaviors you appreciate and highlight comical outcomes.

But seriously, you guys keep me sane. For example [insert comical examples: e.g.]:

• The Operations team handled the merger so beautifully, I only had to pull out half my hair.
• The Marketing team landed a new client, and now we can pay you all for another year.
• And thanks to the Web team’s redesign of our website, I actually know what we do here.

Talk about the real effects of the behaviors.

But for real for real, all your work this year has put us on a new level. [Insert outcomes: e.g. We have an amazing roster of clients, a growing staff, and an incredible strategic plan that makes me feel unqualified to work here.] You guys made all this happen.

So thank you. This is when I would usually tell a joke to deflect my emotions, but for once in my life, I actually don’t want to hide. I want you all to know how much I appreciate all you do.

That was hard; I’m going to sit down now.

Appreciation Speech for Employee of the Month

Greet your audience by giving a shout-out to the employee of the month..

Shout out to [insert employee’s name] for being such a reliable member of our team. Your work ethics and outstanding performance are an inspiration to all of us! Keep up the amazing work!

Talk about behaviors you appreciate in them and highlight their best traits.

It’s not only essential to work diligently, but it is likewise crucial to be kind while you’re at it–and you’ve done both wonderfully!

Talk about the effects of their behaviors on the success of the company.

You bring optimism, happiness, and an all-around positive attitude to this team.

Thank you bring you!

Appreciation Speech for Good Work

Greet your audience with a round of applause to thank them for their hard work..

You always put in 100% and we see it. Proud of you, team!

Talk about behaviors you appreciate in your team members.

You work diligently, you foster a positive team environment, and you achieve or exceed your goals. 

Talk about the effects of your team’s behaviors on the company.

Your dedication to the team is commendable, as is your readiness to do whatever needs to be done for the company – even if it’s not technically part of your job description. Thank you.

No matter the situation, you always rise to the occasion! Thank you for your unwavering dedication; it doesn’t go unnoticed.

People Also Ask These Questions:

Q: how can i show that i appreciate my employees .

• A: An appreciation speech is a great first step to showing your employees that you care. The SnackNation team also recommends pairing your words of appreciation with a thoughtful act or activity for employees to enjoy. We’ve researched, interviewed, and tested all the best peer-to-peer recognition platforms, office-wide games, celebration events, and personalized rewards to bring you the   top 39 recognition and appreciation ideas to start building a culture of acknowledgment in your office.

Q: What should I do after giving an appreciation speech? 

• A: In order to drive home the point of your employee appreciation speech, it can be effective to reward your employees for their excellent work. Rewards are a powerful tool used for employee engagement and appreciation. Recognizing your employees effectively is crucial for retaining top talent and keeping employees happy. To make your search easier, we sought out the top 121 creative ways that companies can reward their employees that you can easily implement at your office.

Q: Why should I give an employee appreciation speech? 

• A: Appreciation and employee motivation are intimately linked together. A simple gesture of an employee appreciation gift can have a positive effect on your company culture. When an employee is motivated to work they are more productive. For more ideas to motivate your team, we’ve interviewed leading employee recognition and engagement experts to curate a list of the 22 best tips here ! 

We hope adapting these tips and scripts will help you articulate the appreciation we know you already feel!

Free Download:   Download this entire list as a PDF . Easily save it on your computer for quick reference or print it for future team gatherings.

Employee Recognition & Appreciation Resources:

39 impactful employee appreciation & recognition ideas [updated], 12 effective tools & strategies to improve teamwork in the workplace, your employee referral program guide: the benefits, how-tos, incentives & tools, 21 unforgettable work anniversary ideas [updated], 15 ideas to revolutionize your employee of the month program, 16 awesome employee perks your team will love, 71 employee recognition quotes every manager should know, how to retain employees: 18 practical takeaways from 7 case studies, boost your employee recognition skills and words (templates included).

Interested in a content partnership? Let’s chat!

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10 comments.

great piece of work love it, great help, thanks.

great tips !!!!

Helpful piece. LAVISH MAYOR

Enjoy reading this. Nice work

Thank you. Very helpful tips.

This is the most helpful and practical article I have found for writing a Colleague Appreciation speech. The Funny Appreciation Speech section was written for me 🙂 Ashley Bell, you’re a rock star!

Very nice speech Well explanation of words And very helpful for work

Hi, Your notes are awesome. Thank you for the share.

Your article is very helpful. Thankyou :).

Your stuff is really awesome. Thankyou for sharing such nice information

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10 uplifting speeches from history that will inspire you in times of crisis

• Throughout history, leaders have made speeches that inspired millions and changed the course of history. Those speeches still inspire us today. 
• Famous speeches like Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address still resonate today. 
• Lesser-known speeches like Hillary Clinton's "Human Rights Are Women's Rights" and Nora Ephron's commencement address are considered inspirational. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories .

While history is no stranger to crises, there are always leaders who come forward to help usher in more hopeful times by crafting and delivering impactful speeches. 

Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and Maya Angelou have all delivered speeches that inspired millions — and some even changed the course of history. 

Take a look back at some of the most famous speeches from history that still move us today. 

Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in 1863 reminds people to honor those we have lost.

President Abraham Lincoln gave a relatively short speech at the deadliest battle site during the Civil War on November 19, 1863. Although it wasn't meant to be monumental, some call it the best speech in history. In it, Lincoln tells his people that they must remember each and every person who fought and died on the battlefield, especially because every human is created equal. 

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here," Lincoln says in the address. "It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

In 1938, Lou Gehrig gave his "Luckiest Man" that celebrated the beauty of life.

On July 4, 1938, Lou Gehrig delivered a speech at Yankee Stadium after it was revealed that the baseball player had ALS. Although he was delivering devastating news to his fans in the speech, he instead focused on everything life has to offer. 

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth," he said in the speech. "I have been in ballparks for 17  years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans … So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

Winston Churchill delivered the "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" speech in 1940, showing the strength of the human spirit.

On June 4, 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill addressed Parliament during a particularly difficult time in World War II. Smithsonian Magazine called it "one of the most rousing and iconic addresses" of the era. In the speech, the prime minister told his people that they would fight together and use all their strength to defeat their enemies. 

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender," Churchill says in the famous speech . 

In 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave his "Quit India" speech, which encouraged peaceful protests.

The day before the Quit India movement started, Mahatma Gandhi delivered an inspiring speech, on August 8, 1942 . In the speech, he told his people to resist the British government but to do so in a peaceful, organized manner. He focused on the benefits of a nonviolent uprising, which became the cornerstone of his beliefs. 

The most famous line from the speech is: "I believe that in the history of the world, there has not been a more genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours."

John F. Kennedy delivered "The Decision to Go to The Moon" speech in 1961, proving humans know no bounds.

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced to Congress and the world that the US was committed to sending an American to the moon. In the inspiring speech , the president explains the ambitious goal as one of necessity. 

"Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it. He said, 'Because it is there,'" Kennedy said in his speech. "Well, space is there, and we're going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked."

Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream Speech" in 1963 reminds people there is always something better on the horizon.

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr., delivered what is arguably the most famous and most inspiring speech in American history. Before the historic March on Washington, King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and addressed the 250,000 attendees, calling for the end of discrimination and racism by dreaming about a brighter future. 

"I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice," he said in the speech. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today."

In 1993, Maya Angelou read her poem "On the Pulse of the Morning" at Bill Clinton's inauguration in an attempt to bring the global community together.

On the morning of President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993, poet Maya Angelou delivered a moving speech when she read out her poem "On the Pulse of the Morning." It was the first time a poem had been recited at the ceremony since 1961 . In it, Angelou touched upon topics of equality and inclusion, and she attempted to inspire the world to unite under these principles.

Part of the poem reads:

"The river sings and sings on. There is a true yearning to respond to The singing river and the wise rock. So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew, The African and Native American, the Sioux, The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek, The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheikh, The Gay, the Straight, the Preacher, The privileged, the homeless, the teacher. They hear. They all hear The speaking of the tree."

Hillary Clinton delivered the "Human Rights Are Women's Rights" speech in 1995, saying those who are suppressed also have a voice.

As the first lady, Hillary Clinton attended the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. She was pressured to water down her message, but instead, she delivered a moving speech that still resonates today. In it, she said women who are held back by sexist governments should be set free and heard. 

"If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights once and for all," Clinton said in the speech. "Let us not forget that among those rights are the right to speak freely — and the right to be heard."

Nora Ephron encouraged people to break the rules in her commencement address to Wellesley College in 1996.

While Nora Ephron is known for penning some of the most famous films in the '80s and '90s, she also made a legendary speech at the 1996 Wellesley College graduation ceremony . In it, she inspired women to break free of the mold placed on them. 

"Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there," Ephron said in the speech. "And I also hope you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women."

She also said, "Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim."

In 1977, Harvey Milk gave his "Give Them Hope" speech, urging people to celebrate their differences and to hold on to messages of hope.

When he was running for local office in California, Harvey Milk delivered his "Give Them Hope" remarks as a stump speech . It was meant to rally supporters behind him, but it quickly became a speech of hope and celebration for the LGBT community. 

"And the young gay people in Altoona, Pennsylvanias, and the Richmond, Minnesotas, who are coming out and hear Anita Bryant on television and her story. The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give them hope," Milk said in his speech . "Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope that all will be all right. Without hope, not only are the gays, but the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the 'us-es.' The 'us-es' will give up."

• 8 inspirational speeches from Martin Luther King Jr. that aren't 'I Have a Dream'
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CEOs: Read this Before You Open Your Mouth

• Peggy Klaus

Are you a CEO preparing to give a town hall state-of-the-union talk to your employees? Whether you’re a new CEO or one who’s been sitting in the chair for some time, keep reading. An awful lot of planning, time and resources go into these town halls. They’re frequently big productions beamed via satellite to offices […]

Are you a CEO preparing to give a town hall state-of-the-union talk to your employees? Whether you’re a new CEO or one who’s been sitting in the chair for some time, keep reading.

• PK Peggy Klaus consults with executives and organizations on leadership and communication.

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32 Most Inspiring Speeches In Film History

There's nothing better to fire you up than an inspiring speech.

A lot of great speeches come from sports movies, but that's not the only genre that can make us want to run through walls. Some speeches are so good it has us rooting for the bad guys. Most are by the good guys though, and we'll follow those good guys anywhere. Here is our list of the most inspiring speeches in film history. 

Independence Day - President Witmore

President Thomas J. Whitmore's ( Bill Pullman ) speech in Independence Day has become one of the most iconic film moments of the last 50 years. While the movie can be polarizing, some people can't get enough of it, others hope to never see it again. Still, it's hard to find anyone who truly hates the speech and that moment in the film. If you ever find yourself fighting against annihilation by a bunch of E.T.s, this is the speech for you. 

The Hunt For Red October - Captain Ramius

If you thought you could never get fired up about the Soviet Union picking a fight on the United States during the Cold War, check it out. When Captain Marko Ramius ( Sean Connery ) tells his crew that the salad days of the Cold War are not behind them, and the United States will "tremble again - at the sound of our silence," it makes you want to stand up and fight for communism. At least for a brief moment. 

Any Given Sunday (Coach D'Amato)

It's used at almost every professional football game in America, almost every Sunday, because in Any Given Sunday , Coach D'Amato implores his team and the rest of us to claw for every inch we can. It might not be Pacino's most award-winning role, but that scene... that scene is some of his finest and most enduring work. 

Gladiator (Maximus)

"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius." If those words don't immediately fire you up, it's time to check for a pulse. Audiences spend most of Gladiator waiting for Maximus ( Russell Crowe ) to finally get his revenge on that conniving Commodus ( Joaquin Phoenix ) and finally we get it. Maximus will have his vengeance, in this life or the next.

Friday Night Lights (Coach Gaines)

In Friday Night Lights , Coach Gaines ( Billy Bob Thornton ) tells us how to be perfect. It has nothing to do with the final score, or winning. It's about how we treat each other and ourselves. It's about telling the truth and not letting anyone down. Live in the moment, "with joy in your heart." That's what makes us perfect. The swelling music by Explosions in the Sky only adds to the drama of the moment. 

While he doesn't say "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose," (that comes from the TV show), he does mention his clear eyes and his full heart and afterward, none of us lose. 

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Henry V (Henry V)

It's not just one of the most inspiring speeches in film history, it's one of the most famous speeches in human history. When William Shakespeare wrote the words to the famous St. Crispin's Day Speech in Henry V , he could not have known that it would be used for centuries afterward to inspire men. For we few, we lucky few, we can watch the speech brilliantly delivered by Kenneth Branagh in one of his finest roles , in his film version from 1989. 

Animal House (Bluto)

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Of course it wasn't! Bluto (John Belushi) does a lot to inspire the brothers of the Delta house in Animal House but nothing more so than his speech after "Wormer dropped the big one" and suspended the fraternity. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, the men of Delta are inspired to have the best time of their lives, and Wormer? He's a dead man! Marmalard? Dead! Niedermeyer...

Gone With The Wind (Scarlett O'Hara)

Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) is not the most sympathetic movie character of all time. In fact, she ranks close to the bottom in that category, but you can't deny the power of her speech just before the end of the first part of the movie. Her family's plantation, Tara, is in shambles, her mother is dead, and her father has lost his mind. When all hope is lost, she promises herself she will fix it, and she will "never be hungry again."

Barbie (Gloria)

It's truly a show-stopping moment in Barbie when Gloria ( America Ferrera ) lays out what it's like to be a woman in today's world. The entire essence of the movie's message is summed up in that brilliant speech. It makes everyone want to jump up on their feet and applaud. It's a moment that will forever live in cinema history. 

Good Will Hunting (Sean Maguire)

It's not just the words that matter. It takes a special actor to deliver a speech like Sean Maguire's in Good Will Hunting . Thankfully there was the great Robin Williams. In a speech that is meant to devastate and inspire Will (Matt Damon), Williams tells him everything he is doing wrong but manages to show him how he can fix it, and open up an entirely new world for himself. It's cutting and loving. And brilliant. "Your move, chief."

Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King (Aragorn)

Like so many other battle scenes in movies, Aragorn's (Viggo Mortensen) speech at the Black Gates in Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King has us willing to fight to the death with our fellow soldiers. There is nothing like a leader riding back and forth on horse inspiring his troops. 

Braveheart (William Wallace)

Always remember, that no matter how badly you are treated by a tyrannical English king, he can never take your freedom! William Wallace (Mel Gibson) brilliantly reminds us of that in Braveheart . While it's easy to mock the poor history telling in the movie (and we argue if it was really one of the best movies of 1995 ), you can never say that the speech Wallace gives before the biggest battle in the movie won't have you ready to take on the entire British Empire. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Elizabeth)

Speeches made by leaders to inspire men in battle aren't unique in movies. What makes the speech unique in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is that the speech is made by a woman. Elizabeth's (Keira Knightly) speech isn't a lot different than a lot of its ilk, but it's more inspiring to hear it from a woman because we've never heard that before. So hoist the colors! 

Stripes (John Winger)

John Winger (Bill Murray) is the biggest misfit in a platoon filled with them in Stripes . He's the least likely to inspire the rest with a razzle-dazzle speech firing them up, yet that's exactly what he does before their graduation from boot camp. Bill Murray has some of the best lines in movie history, and this speech is near the top of them. 

Miracle (Herb Brooks)

"Great moments are born from great opportunity." That is something we can all stand to remember. In Miracle , Herb Brooks inspires his rag-tag team of college kids to defeat maybe the greatest hockey team ever assembled in the Soviet National Team at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The movie is based on a true story and while it's impossible to know exactly with the real Brooks said, if it was anywhere close to what Russell delivers, it's no surprise we all believe in miracles today. 

Rocky IV (Rocky Balboa)

The Cold War inspired a lot of movies, even sports movies like Rocky IV . Early in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) wasn't a man of many words, but at the end of Rocky IV , he finds some of the most inspiring words of the whole series, imploring all of us to get along, despite our differences. 

Swingers (Trent)

What's a good friend if not someone to pep you up when you're feeling low? That's exactly who Trent (Vince Vaughn) is to Mike (Jon Favreau) in Swingers . Not only does he take him to Vegas for a night of fun, on the way home, after the trip doesn't pep Mike up as much as it should, Trent explains exactly why Mike is so money, and he doesn't even know it. 

Network (Howard Beale)

It's scary just how much a movie like Network , released almost 50 years ago is still so relevant. We don't need Howard Beale (Peter Finch) to tell us just how bad things are, we just need to him to inspire us to go to the window, open the window and yell to the world that we're not going to take it anymore! 

The Goonies (Mikey)

"The Goonies never say die!" When all seems lost in the Goonies quest to rescue their neighborhood from developers, Mikey (Sean Astin) reminds them all exactly how far they've come in the quest for One-Eyed Willie's gold. We don't get a lot of inspirational speeches from kids, but when we do, we love them. 

Clueless (Cher)

When Cher (Alicia Silverstone) compares her garden party to a refugee crisis, your inclination is to think she's an airhead. But like so many before and after her, there is kind of a subtle brilliance to her thought process. She takes what she knows and uses that to find the emotion we should all feel for her side of the argument. 

Milk (Harvey Milk)

Milk , based on the true story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), is inspiring in and of itself, but Milk's speech on the steps of San Fransisco City Hall at the Gay Pride Rally is a masterpiece. 

Troy (Achilles)

In another classic example of a military leader inspiring his troops, Achilles' (Brad Pitt) speech reminding his men that they are lions, is enough to get anyone to storm the beaches of Troy. There's a reason the story has been told for thousands of years. 

Norma Rae (Norma Rae)

The best thing about Norma Rae's (Sally Field, in one of her best roles ) speech in Norma Rae is that the most important word isn't spoken at all. She simply holds up a sign that says "Union" in the middle of her sweatshop. That's all she needs to "say" to get everyone in the textile mill to agree. It's brilliant. 

We Are Marshall (Jack Lengyel)

We Are Marshall tells the tragic and heroic story of the 1971 Marshall University football team. At the end of the 1970 season, a plane carrying most of the team and its coaches crashed in North Carolina. Before the start of the next season, the new coach, Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) makes a speech at a memorial for some of the lost players and what he says about never forgetting the past but looking to the future will bring a tear to anyone's eyes.

Legally Blonde (Elle Woods)

More than 20 years after the first Legally Blonde movie was released Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) continues to inspire us. With an address like the one she makes at the end of the movie, as she's graduating, it's easy to see why. "You must always have faith in people. And most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself."

Avengers: Endgame (Captain America)

In a room full of superheroes, leave it to Captain America to make the hype speech. In Avengers: Endgame , that's exactly when Cap (Chris Evans) psyches the cadre up for their mission to reverse the Snap. "Whatever it takes."

Hoosiers (Norman Dale)

When tiny Hickman High School makes it to the Indiana State Basketball Finals, they are facing a huge school, in a huge arena. Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) takes only a minute or so to lay out what will make them successful, and a minute is all he needs. It's why Hoosiers one of the best sports movies ever made. 

Rudy (Rudy)

The speech in Rudy is a little different. Rudy really has no audience, save for one person, but that doesn't stop him from delivering a first-rate speech that any Notre Dame alum gets goosebumps when they hear it, including the parts he lifted from the great Knute Rockne.

Juno (Mac MacGuff)

When Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) is wondering what her future holds, her father Mac MacGuff (J.K. Simmons) explains simply and succinctly, "The best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are." We couldn't have said it better ourselves. 

Stand And Deliver (Jaime Escalante) 

Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) is a no-nonsense math teacher who is determined to get the most from his students. He decides he needs to raise the level of expectations inside and outside of the classroom and he starts by breaking down when he is going to be so hard on his students, to get the most out of them. All they need is ganas – motivation. 

Rocky Balboa (Rocky)

Leave it to Rocky to make a speech in 2006's Rocky Balboa meant to inspire his son to inspire all of us together. It's pure Rocky, leave it all out, don't accept things you don't like, and never make excuses, no matter how hard it is. And it seems like this was advice he took to heart when it became a struggle to make the film . 

300 (Dilios)

Dilios (David Wenham) fires up the Spartans like no other person could. It's truly one of the great hype speeches in film history. It's exactly what you would expect from a civilization of warriors. Whether it really happened or not is irrelevant. The message is the same, "Remember us."

From sports to war, love to education, and beyond, a great speech raises goosebumps like nothing else in film can. These examples are some of the best speeches we've used to inspire us. 

Hugh Scott is the Syndication Editor for CinemaBlend. Before CinemaBlend, he was the managing editor for Suggest.com and Gossipcop.com, covering celebrity news and debunking false gossip. He has been in the publishing industry for almost two decades, covering pop culture – movies and TV shows, especially – with a keen interest and love for Gen X culture, the older influences on it, and what it has since inspired. He graduated from Boston University with a degree in Political Science but cured himself of the desire to be a politician almost immediately after graduation.

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Remarks by President   Biden in State of the Union   Address

U.S. Capitol Washington, D.C. (March 7, 2024)

9:26 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT:  (The President presents his prepared remarks to Speaker Johnson.)  Your bedtime reading.  Tony!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Looking for Jill.  (Applause.) Good evening.  (Applause.)  Good evening.  If I were smart, I’d go home now.  (Laughter and applause.) Mr. Speaker, Madam Vice President, members of Congress, my fellow Americans. In January 1941, Franklin Roosevelt came to this chamber to speak to the nation.  And he said, “I address you at a moment unprecedented in the history of the Union”.  Hitler was on the march.  War was raging in Europe. President Roosevelt’s purpose was to wake up Congress and alert the American people that this was no ordinary time.  Freedom and democracy were under assault in the world. Tonight, I come to the same chamber to address the nation.  Now it’s we who face an unprecedented moment in the history of the Union.  And, yes, my purpose tonight is to wake up the Congress and alert the American people that this is no ordinary moment either.  Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they are today. What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack at — both at home and overseas at the very same time.  Overseas, Putin of Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond. If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you: He will not.  (Applause.)  But Ukraine — Ukraine can stop Putin.  (Applause.)  Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons that it needs to defend itself.  (Applause.)  That is all — that is all Ukraine is asking.  They’re not asking for American soldiers.  In fact, there are no American soldiers at war in Ukraine, and I’m determined to keep it that way.  (Applause.)  But now assistance to Ukraine is being blocked by those who want to walk away from our world leadership. It wasn’t long ago when a Republican president named Ronald Reagan thundered, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”  (Applause.)  Now — now my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, “Do whatever the hell you want.”  AUDIENCE:  Booo — THE PRESIDENT:  That’s a quote. A former president actually said that — bowing down to a Russian leader.  I think it’s outrageous, it’s dangerous, and it’s unacceptable.  (Applause.)  America is a founding member of NATO, the military alliance of democratic nations created after World War Two prevent — to prevent war and keep the peace. And today, we’ve made NATO stronger than ever.  We welcomed Finland to the Alliance last year.  (Applause.)  And just this morning, Sweden officially joined, and their minister is here tonight.  Stand up.  (Applause.)  Welcome.  Welcome, welcome, welcome.  (Applause.)  And they know how to fight. Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to NATO, the strongest military alliance the world has ever seen. I say this to Congress: We have to stand up to Putin.  (Applause.)  Send me a bipartisan national security bill.  History is literally watching.  History is watching. If the United States walks away, it will put Ukraine at risk.  Europe is at risk.  The free world will be at risk, emboldening others to do what they wish to do us harm. My message to President Putin, who I’ve known for a long time, is simple: We will not walk away.  (Applause.)  We will not bow down.  (Applause.)  I will not bow down.  (Applause.)  In a literal sense, history is watching.  History is watching — just like history watched three years ago on January 6th — (applause) — when insurrectionists stormed this very Capitol and placed a dagger to the throat of American democracy. Many of you were here on that darkest of days.  We all saw with our own eyes the insurrectionists were not patriots.  They had come to stop the peaceful transfer of power, to overturn the will of the people. January 6th lies about the 2020 election and the plots to steal the election posed a great — gravest threat to U.S. democracy since the Civil War.  But they failed.  (Applause.)  America stood — (applause) — America stood strong and democracy prevailed.  We must be honest: The threat to democracy must be defended [defeated]. My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about January 6th.  I will not do that. This is a moment to speak the truth and to bury the lies.  Here’s the simple truth: You can’t love your country only when you win.  (Applause.) As I’ve done ever since being elected to office, I ask all of you, without regard to party, to join together and defend democracy.  Remember your oath of office to defend against all threats foreign and domestic.  (Applause.)  Respect — respect free and fair elections, restore trust in our institutions, and make clear political violence has absolutely no place — no place in America.  Zero place.  (Applause.) Again, it’s not — it’s not hyperbole to suggest history is watching.  They’re watching.  Your children and grandchildren will read about this day and what we do.  History is watching another assault on freedom.  Joining us tolight [tonight] is Latorya Beasley, a social worker from Birmingham, Alabama.  Fourteen months ago — fourteen months ago, she and her husband welcomed a baby girl thanks to the miracle of IVF.  (Applause.)  She scheduled treatments to have that second child, but the Alabama Supreme Court shut down IVF treatments across the state, unleashed by a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.  She was told her dream would have to wait. What her family had gone through should never have happened.  Unless Congress acts, it could happen again.  So, tonight, let’s stand up for families like hers.  To my friends across the aisle — (applause) — don’t keep this waiting any longer.  Guarantee the right to IVF.  (Applause.)  Guarantee it nationwide. Like most Americans, I believe Roe v. Wade got it right. I thank Vice President Harris for being an incredible leader defending reproductive freedom and so much more.  (Applause.)  Thank you. My predecessor came to office determined to see Roe v. Wade overturned.  He’s the reason it was overturned, and he brags about it.  Look at the chaos that has resulted. Joining us tonight is Kate Cox, a wife and mother from Dallas.  She’d become pregnant again and had a fetus with a fatal condition.  Her doctor told Kate that her own life and her ability to have future in the fil- — children in the future were at risk if she didn’t act.  Because Texas law banned her ability to act, Kate and her husband had to leave the state to get what she needed. What her family had gone through should have never happened as well.  But it’s happening to too many others. There are state laws banning the freedom to choose, criminalizing doctors, forcing survivors of rape and incest to leave their states to get the treatment they need. Many of you in this chamber and my predecessor are promising to pass a national ban on reproductive freedom. AUDIENCE:  Booo — THE PRESIDENT:  My God, what freedom else would you take away? Look, its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court majority wrote the following — and with all due respect, Justices — “Women are not without electoral — electoral power” — excuse me — “electoral or political power.” You’re about to realize just how much you were right about that.  (Applause.) Clearly — (applause) — clearly, those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women. But they found out.  When reproductive freedom was on the ballot, we won in 2022 and 2023.  And we’ll win again in 2024.  (Applause.) If you — if you, the American people, send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.  (Applause.) Folks, America cannot go back. I am here to- — tonight to show what I believe is the way forward, because I know how far we’ve come.  Four years ago next week, before I came to office, the country was hit by the worst pandemic and the worst economic crisis in a century.  Remember the fear, record losses?  Remember the spikes in crime and the murder rate?  A raging virus that took more than 1 million American lives of loved ones, millions left behind.  A mental health crisis of isolation and loneliness.  A president, my predecessor, failed in the most basic presidential duty that he owes to American people: the duty to care.  AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Lies! THE PRESIDENT:  I think that’s unforgivable. I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in the nation’s history.  We have. It doesn’t make new, but in a — news — in a thousand cities and towns, the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told.  (Applause.)  So, let’s tell the story here — tell it here and now. America’s comeback is building a future of American possibilities; building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down; investing in all of America, in all Americans to make every- — sure everyone has a fair shot and we leave no one — no one behind. The pandemic no longer controls our lives.  The vaccine that saved us from COVID is — are now being used to beat cancer. Turning setback into comeback.  That’s what America does.  That’s what America does.  (Applause.) Folks, I inherited an economy that was on the brink.  Now, our economy is literally the envy of the world.  Fifteen million new jobs in just three years.  A record.  A record.  (Applause.) Unemployment at 50-year lows.  (Applause.) A record 16 million Americans are starting small businesses, and each one is a literal act of hope, with historic job growth and small-business growth for Black and Hispanics and Asian Americans.  Eight hundred thousand new manufacturing jobs in America and counting.  (Applause.) Where is it written we can’t be the manufacturing capital of the world?  We are and we will.  (Applause.) More people have health insurance today — more people have health insurance today than ever before.  The racial wealth gap is the smallest it’s been in 20 years.  Wages keep going up.  Inflation keeps coming down.  Inflation has dropped from 9 percent to 3 percent — the lowest in the world and tending [trending] lower.  (Applause.) The landing is and will be soft.  And now, instead of aporting — importing foreign products and exporting American jobs, we’re exporting American products and creating American jobs — (applause) — right here in America, where they belong.  And it takes time, but the American people are beginning to feel it.  Consumer studies show consumer confidence is soaring.   “Buy America” has been the law of the land since the 1930s.  Past administrations, including my predecessor — including some Democrats, as well, in the past — failed to buy American.  Not anymore.  On my watch, federal projects that you fund — like helping build American roads, bridges, and highways — will be made with American products and built by American workers — (applause) — creating good-paying American jobs.  (Applause.)  And thanks to our CHIPS and Science Act — (applause) — the United States is investing more in research and development than ever before.  During the pandemic, a shortage of semiconductors, chips that drove up the price of everything from cell phones to automobiles — and, by the way, we invented those chips right here in America. Well, instead of having to import them, instead of — private companies are now investing billions of dollars to build new chip factories here in America — (applause) — creating tens of thousands of jobs, many of those jobs paying $100,000 a year and don’t require a college degree.  (Applause.) In fact, my policies have attracted $650 billion in private-sector investment in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, creating tens of thousands of jobs here in America.  (Applause.) And thanks — and thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 46,000 new projects have been announced all across your communities.  And, by the way, I noticed some of you who’ve strongly voted against it are there cheering on that money coming in.  (Laughter and applause.)  And I like it.  I’m with you.  I’m with you. And if any of you don’t want that money in your district, just let me know.  (Laughter.) Modernizing our roads and bridges, ports and airports, public transit systems.  Removing poi- — poisonous lead pipes so every child can drink clean water without risk of brain damage.  (Applause.)  Providing affordable — affordable high-speed Internet for every American, no matter where you live — urban, suburban, or rural communities in red states and blue states.  Record investments in Tribal communities.  Because of my investment in family farms — (applause) — because I invested in family farms — led by my Secretary of Agriculture, who knows more about this anybody I know — we’re better able to stay in the family for the — those farms so their — and their children and grandchildren won’t have to leave — leave home to make a living.  It’s transformative.  The great comeback story is Belvidere, Illinois.  Home to an auto plant for nearly 60 years.  Before I came to office, the plant was on its way to shutting down.  Thousands of workers feared for their livelihoods.  Hope was fading.  Then, I was elected to office, and we raised Belvidere repeatedly with auto companies, knowing unions would make all the difference.  The UAW worked like hell to keep the plant open and get these jobs back.  And together, we succeeded.  Instead of auto factories shutting down, auto factories are reopening and a new state-of-the-art battery factory is being built to power those cars there at the same.  (Applause.)    To the folks — to the folks of Belvidere, I’d say: Instead of your town being left behind, your community is moving forward again.  Because instead of watching auto ja- — jobs of the future go overseas, 4,000 union jobs with higher wages are building a future in Belvidere right here in America.  (Applause.) Here tonight is UAW President Shawn Fain, a great friend and a great labor leader.  Shawn, where are you?  (Applause.)  Stand up.  And — and Dawn — and Dawn Simms, a third-generation worker — UAW worker at Belvidere.  Shawn, I was proud to be the first President to stand in the picket line.  And today, Dawn has a good job in her hometown, providing stability for her family and pride and dignity as well.  Showing once again Wall Street didn’t build America.  They’re not bad guys.  They didn’t build it, though.  The middle class built the country, and unions built the middle class.  (Applause.) I say to the American people: When America gets knocked down, we get back up.  (Applause.)  We keep going.  That’s America.  (Applause.)  That’s you, the American people.  It’s because of you America is coming back.  It’s because of you our future is brighter.  It’s because of you that tonight we can proudly say the state of our Union is strong and getting stronger.  (Applause.) AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years! THE PRESIDENT:  Tonight — tonight, I want to talk about the future of possibilities that we can build together — a future where the days of trickle-down economics are over and the wealthy and the biggest corporations no longer get the — all the tax breaks.  And, by the way, I understand corporations.  I come from a state that has more corporations invested than every one of your states in the state — the United States combined.  And I represented it for 36 years.  I’m not anti-corporation. But I grew up in a home where trickle-down economics didn’t put much on my dad’s kitchen table.  That’s why I’m determined to turn things around so the middle class does well. When they do well, the poor have a way up and the wealthy still do very well.  We all do well.  And there’s more to do to make sure you’re feeling the benefits of all we’re doing.  Americans pay more for prescription drugs than anywhere in the world.  It’s wrong, and I’m ending it.  (Applause.) With a law that I proposed and signed — and not one of your Republican buddies work- — voted for it — we finally beat Big Pharma.  Instead of paying $400 a month or thereabouts for insulin with diabetes — and it only costs 10 bucks to make — they only get paid $35 a month now and still make a healthy profit.  (Applause.) And I want to — and what to do next, I want to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for every American who needs it — everyone.  (Applause.)  For years, people have talked about it.  But finally, we got it done and gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices on prescription drugs, just like the VA is able to do for veterans.  (Applause.) That’s not just saving seniors money.  It’s saving taxpayers money.  We cut the federal deficit by $160 billion — (applause) — because Medicare will no longer have to pay those exorbitant prices to Big Pharma.  This year, Medicare is negotiating lower prices for some of the costliest drugs on the market that treat everything from heart disease to arthritis.  It’s now time to go further and give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices for 500 different drugs over the next decade.  (Applause.)  They’re making a lot of money, guys.  And they’ll still be extremely profitable.  It will not only save lives; it will save taxpayers another $200 billion.  (Applause.) Starting next year, the same law caps total prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare at $200 — at $2,000 a year, even for expensive cancer drugs that cost $10-, $12-, $15,000.  Now I want to cap prescription drug costs at $2,000 a year for everyone.  (Applause.) Folks, I’m going to get in trouble for saying that, but any of you want to get in Air Force One with me and fly to Toronto, Berlin, Moscow — I mean, excuse me.  (Laughter.)  Well, even Moscow, probably.  (Laughter.)  And bring your prescription with you, and I promise you, I’ll get it for you for 40 percent the cost you’re paying now.  Same company, same drug, same place. Folks, the Affordable Care Act — the old “Obamacare” — (applause) — is still a very big deal.  (Laughter and applause.)  Over 100 million of you can no longer be denied health insurance because of a preexisting condition.  But my predecessor and many in this chamber want to take the — that prescription drug away by repealing Affordable Care Act. AUDIENCE:  Booo —   THE PRESIDENT:  I’m not going to let that happen.  (Applause.)  We stopped you 50 times before, and we’ll stop you again.  (Applause.)  In fact, I’m not only protecting it, I’m expanding it.  The — we enacted tax credits of $800 per person per year [to] reduce healthcare costs for millions of working families. That tax credit expires next year.  I want to make that savings permanent.  (Applause.) To state the obvious: Women are more than half of our population, but research on women’s health has always been underfunded.  That’s why we’re launching the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, led by Jill — (applause) — doing an incredible job as First Lady — (applause) — to pa- — to pass my plan for $12 billion to transform women’s health research and benefit millions of lives all across America. I know the cost of housing is so important to you.  Inflation keeps coming down.  Mortgage rates will come down as well, and the Fed acknowledges that.  But I’m not waiting.  I want to provide an annual tax credit that will give Americans $400 a month for the next two years as mortgage rates come down to put toward their mortgages when they buy their first home or trade up for a little more space.  (Applause.)  That’s for two years.   And my administration is also eliminating title insurance [fees] on federally backed mortgages.  (Applause.)  When you refinance your home, you can save $1,000 or more as a consequence.  (Applause.)   For millions of renters, we’re cracking down on big landlords who use antitrust law — using antitrust — who break antitrust laws — (applause) — by price-fixing and driving up rents.  (Applause.)  We’ve cut red tape so builders can get federal ly financing, which is already helping build a record 1.7 million new house u- — housing units nationwide. Now pass — now pass [my plan] and build and renovate 2 million affordable homes and bring those rents down.  (Applause.) To remain the strongest economy in the world, we need to have the best education system in the world.  (Applause.)  And I, like I suspect all of you, want to give a child — every child a good start by providing access to preschool for three- and four-years-old.  (Applause.)  You know, I think I pointed out last year — (applause) — I think I pointed out last year that children coming from broken homes where there’s no books, they’re not read to, they’re not spoken to very often start school — kindergarten or first grade hearing — having heard a million fewer words spoken.  Well, studies show that children who go to preschool are nearly 50 percent more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a two- and four-year degree no matter what their background is.  (Applause.) I met a year and a half ago with the leaders of the Business Roundtable.  They were mad that I was ever — angry — I — well, they were discussing — (laughter) — why I wanted to spend money on education.  I pointed out to them: As Vice President, I met with over 8- — I think it was 182 of those folks — don’t hold me to the exact number — and I asked them what they need most — the CEOs.  And you’ve had the same experience on both sides of the aisle.  They say, “A better-educated workforce,” right?  So, I looked at them.  And I say, “I come from Delaware.  DuPont used to be the eighth-largest corporation in the world.  And every new enter- — enterprise they bought, they educated the workforce to that enterprise.  But none of you do that anymore.  Why are you angry with me providing you the opportunity for the best-educated workforce in the world?”  And they all looked at me and said, “I think you’re right.”  (Applause.) I want to expand high-quality tutoring and summer learning to see that every child learns to read by third grade.  (Applause.)  I’m also connecting local businesses and high schools so students get hands-on experience and a path to a good-paying job whether or not they go to college.  (Applause.) And I want to make sure that college is more affordable.  Let’s continue increasing the Pell Grants to working- and middle-class families and increase record investments in HBCUs and minority-serving institutions, including Hispanic institutions.  (Applause.) When I was told I couldn’t universally just change the way in which we did — dealt with student loans, I fixed two student loan programs that already existed to reduce the burden of student debt for nearly 4 million Americans, including nurses, firefighters — (applause) — and others in public service. Like Keenan Jones, a public educator in Minnesota, who’s here with us tonight.  Keenan, where are you?  (Applause.)  Keenan, thank you. He’s educated hundreds of students so they can go to college.  Now he’s able to help, after debt forgiveness, get his own daughter to college.  (Applause.) And, folks, look, such relief is good for the economy because folks are now able to buy a home, start a business, start a family.   And while we’re at it, I want to give public school teachers a raise.  (Applause.) And, by the way, the first couple of years, we cut the deficit. Now let me speak to the question of fundamental fairness for all Americans.  I’ve been delivering real results in fiscally responsible ways.  We’ve already cut the federal deficit — we’ve already cut the federal deficit by over $1 trillion.  (Applause.)  I signed a bipartisan deal to cut another trillion dollars in the next decade.  (Applause.)  It’s my goal to cut the federal deficit another $3 trillion by making big corporations and the very wealthy finally beginning to pay their fair share.  (Applause.) Look, I’m a capitalist.  If you want to make or can make a million or millions of bucks, that’s great.  Just pay your fair share in taxes.  (Applause.)  A fair tax code is how we invest in things that make this country great: healthcare, education, defense, and so much more.  But here’s the deal.  The last administration enacted a $2 trillion tax cut overwhelmingly benefit the top 1 percent — the very wealthy — AUDIENCE:  Booo — THE PRESIDENT:  — and the biggest corporations — and exploded the federal deficit.  (Applause.)  They added more to the national debt than any presidential term in American history.  Check the numbers. Folks at home, does anybody really think the tax code is fair?  AUDIENCE:  No! THE PRESIDENT:  Do you really think the wealthy and big corporations need another $2 trillion tax break?  AUDIENCE:  No! THE PRESIDENT:  I sure don’t.  I’m going to keep fighting like hell to make it fair.  Under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 a year will pay an additional penny in federal taxes — (applause) — nobody — not one penny.  And they haven’t yet. In fact, the Child Tax Credit I passed during the pandemic cut taxes for millions of working families and cut child poverty in half.  (Applause.) Restore that Child Tax Credit.  No child should go hungry in this country.  (Applause.) The way to make the tax code fair is to make big corporations and the very wealthy begin to pay their share.  Remember in 2020, 55 of the biggest companies in America made $40 billion and paid zero in federal income tax.  Zero.  AUDIENCE:  Booo — THE PRESIDENT:  Not anymore. Thanks to the law I wrote and we signed, big companies now have to pay a minimum of 15 percent.  But that’s still less than working people pay in federal taxes. It’s time to raise the corporate minimum tax to at least 21 percent — (applause) — so every big corporation finally begins to pay their fair share. I also want to end tax breaks for Big Pharma, Big Oil, private jets, massive executive pay when it was only supposed to be a million bal- — a million dollars that could be deducted.  They can pay them $20 million if they want, but deduct a million. End it now.  You know, there are 1,000 billionaires in America.  You know what the average federal tax is for those billionaires? AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Zero! THE PRESIDENT:  No.  (Laughter.)  They’re making great sacrifices — 8.2 percent.  AUDIENCE:  Booo — THE PRESIDENT:  That’s far less than the vast majority of Americans pay. No billionaire should pay a lower federal tax rate than a teacher, a sanitation worker, or a nurse.  (Applause.) I proposed a minimum tax for billionaires of 25 percent — just 25 percent.  You know what that would raise?  That would raise $500 billion over the next 10 years.  (Applause.) And imagine what that could do for America.  Imagine a future with affordable childcare, millions of families can get what they need to go to work to help grow the economy.  (Applause.) Imagine a future with paid leave, because no one should have to choose between working and taking care of their sick family member.  (Applause.) Imagine — imagine a future with home care and eldercare, and people living with disabilities so they can stay in their homes and family caregivers can finally get the pay they deserve. Tonight, let’s all agree once again to stand up for seniors.  (Applause.) Many of my friends on the other side of the aisle want to put Social Security on the chopping block. If anyone here tries to cut Social Security or Medicare or raise the retirement age, I will stop you.  (Applause.) The working people — the working people who built this country pay more into Social Security than millionaires and billionaires do.  It’s not fair. We have two ways to go.  Republicans can cut Social Security and give more tax breaks to the wealthy.  I will — AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT:  That’s the proposal.  Oh, no?  You guys don’t want another $2 trillion tax cut? AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Liar! THE PRESIDENT:  I kind of thought that’s what your plan was.  (Laughter.)  Well, that’s good to hear.  You’re not going to cut another $2 trillion for the super-wealthy?  That’s good to hear. I’ll protect and strengthen Social Security and make the wealthy pay their fair share.  (Applause.) Look, too many corporations raise prices to pad their profits, charging more and more for less and less. That’s why we’re cracking down on corporations that engage in price gouging and deceptive pricing, from food to healthcare to housing. In fact, the snack companies think you won’t notice if they change the size of the bag and put a hell of a lot fewer — (laughter) — same — same size bag — put fewer chips in it.  No, I’m not joking.  It’s called “shrink-flation.” Pass Bobby Casey’s bill and stop this.  (Applause.)  I really mean it. You probably all saw that commercial on Snickers bars.  (Laughter.)  And you get — you get charged the same amount, and you got about, I don’t know, 10 percent fewer Snickers in it.  (Laughter.) Look, I’m also getting rid of junk fees — those hidden fees — (applause) — at the end of your bill that are there without your knowledge.  My administration announced we’re cutting credit card late fees from $32 to $8.  (Applause.) Banks and credit card companies are allowed to charge what it costs them to in- — to instigate the collection.  And that’s more — a hell of a lot like $8 than 30-some dollars.  But they don’t like it.  The credit card companies don’t like it, but I’m saving American families $20 billion a year with all of the junk fees I’m eliminating.  (Applause.) Folks at home, that’s why the banks are so mad.  It’s $20 billion in profit. I’m not stopping there. My administration has proposed rules to make cable, travel, utilities, and online ticket sellers tell you the total price up front so there are no surprises.  (Applause.) It matters.  It matters. And so does this.  In November, my team began serious negotiations with a bipartisan group of senators.  The result was a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of border security reforms we’ve ever seen. AUDIENCE:  Booo — THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, you don’t think so? AUDIENCE:  Booo — THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, you don’t like that bill — huh? — that conservatives got together and said was a good bill?  I’ll be darned.  That’s amazing. That bipartisan bill would hire 1,500 more security agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges to help tackle the backload of 2 million cases, 4,300 more asylum officers, and new policies so they can resolve cases in six months instead of six years now.  (Applause.)  What are you against? One hundred more high-tech drug detection machines to significantly increase the ability to screen and stop vehicles smuggling fentanyl into America that’s killing thousands of children.  (Applause.) This bill would save lives and bring order to the border.  (Applause.) It would also give me and any new president new emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border when the number of migrants at the border is overwhelming.  The Border Patrol union has endorsed this bill. (Cross-talk.) The federal Chamber of Commerce has — yeah, yeah.  You’re saying “no.”  Look at the facts.  (Laughter and applause.)  I know — I know you know how to read.  I believe that given the opportunity — for — a majority in the House and Senate would endorse the bill as well — a majority right now.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes! THE PRESIDENT:  But unfortunately, politics have derailed this bill so far. I’m told my predecessor called members of Congress in the Senate to demand they block the bill.  He feels political win — he viewed it as a — it would be a political win for me and a political loser for him.  It’s not about him.  It’s not about me.  I’d be a winner — not really.  I — REPRESENTATIVE GREENE:  What about Laken Riley? (Cross-talk.) AUDIENCE:  Booo — REPRESENTATIVE GREENE:  Say her name! THE PRESIDENT:  (The President holds up a pin reading “Say Her Name, Laken Riley.”)  Lanken — Lanken [Laken] Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed. REPRESENTATIVE GREENE:  By an illegal! THE PRESIDENT:  By an illegal.  That’s right.  But how many of thousands of people are being killed by legals? (Cross-talk.) To her parents, I say: My heart goes out to you.  Having lost children myself, I understand. But, look, if we change the dynamic at the border — people pay people — people pay these smugglers 8,000 bucks to get across the border because they know if they get by — if they get by and let into the country, it’s six to eight years before they have a hearing.  And it’s worth the — taking the chance of the $8,000. (Cross-talk.) But — but if it’s only six mon- — six weeks, the idea is it’s highly unlikely that people will pay that money and come all that way knowing that they’ll be — able to be kicked out quickly.  (Applause.) Folks, I would respectfully su- — suggest to my friend in — my Republican friends owe it to the American people.  Get this bill done.  We need to act now.  (Applause.) AUDIENCE:  Get it done!  Get it done!  Get it done! THE PRESIDENT:  And if my predecessor is watching: Instead of paying [playing] politics and pressuring members of Congress to block the bill, join me in telling the Congress to pass it. We can do it together. But that’s what he apparently — here’s what he will not do. I will not demonize immigrants, saying they are “poison in the blood of our country.”  (Applause.) I will not separate families.  (Applause.) I will not ban people because of their faith. Unlike my predecessor, on my first day in office, I introduced a comprehensive bill to fix our immigration system.  Take a look at it.  It has all these and more: secure the border, provide a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, and so much more.  (Applause.) But unlike my predecessor, I know who we are as Americans.  We’re the only nation in the world with a heart and soul that draws from old and new.  Home to Native Americans whose ancestors have been here for thousands of years.  Home to people of every pla- — from every place on Earth.  They came freely.  Some came in chains.  Some came when famine struck, like my ancestral family in Ireland.  Some to flee persecution, to chase dreams that are impossible anywhere but here in America. That’s America.  (Applause.)  And we all come from somewhere, but we’re all Americans. Look, folks, we have a simple choice: We can fight about fixing the border or we can fix it.  (Applause.)  I’m ready to fix it.  Send me the border bill now. AUDIENCE:  Fix it!  Fix it!  Fix it! THE PRESIDENT:  A transformational his- — moment in history happened 58 — 59 years ago today in Selma, Alabama.  Hundreds of foot soldiers for justice marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, named after the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, to claim their fundamental right to vote. They were beaten.  They were bloodied and left for dead.  Our late friend and former colleague John Lewis was on that march.  We miss him.  (Applause.)  But joining us tonight are other marchers, both in the gallery and on the floor, including Bettie Mae Fikes, known as the “Voice of Selma.”  The daughter of gospel singers and preachers, she sang songs of prayer and protest on that Bloody Sunday to help shake the nation’s conscience.  Five months later, the Voting Rights Act passed and was signed into law.  (Applause.) Thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.) But 59 years later, there are forces taking us back in time: voter suppression, election subversion, unlimited dark money, extreme gerrymandering. John Lewis was a great friend to many of us here.  But if you truly want to honor him and all the heroes who marched with him, then it’s time to do more than talk.  (Applause.) Pass the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Right[s] Act.  (Applause.)  And stop — stop denying another core value of America: our diversity across American life.  Banning books is wrong.  Instead of erasing history, let’s make history.  (Applause.)  I want to protect fundamental rights.  Pass the Equality Act.  (Applause.)  And my message to transgender Americans: I have your back.  (Applause.) Pass the PRO Act for workers’ rights.  (Applause.)  Raise the federal minimum wage, because every worker has the right to a decent living more than eig- — seven bucks an hour.  (Applause.) We’re also making history by confronting the climate crisis, not denying it.  I don’t think any of you think there’s no longer a climate crisis.  At least, I hope you don’t.  (Laughter.) I’m taking the most significant action ever on climate in the history of the world.  (Applause.)  I’m cutting our carbon emissions in half by 2030; creating tens of thousands of clean energy jobs, like the IBEW workers building and installing 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations — (applause); conserving 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030; and taking action on environmental justice — fence-line communities smothered by the legacy of pollution. And patterned after the Peace Corps and AmericaCorps [AmeriCorps], I launched the Climate Corps — (applause) — to put 20,000 young people to work in the forefront of our clean energy future.  I’ll triple that number in a decade.  (Applause.) To state the obvious, all Americans deserve the freedom to be safe.  And America is safer today than when I took office. The year before I took office, murder rates went up 30 percent. MR. NIKOUI:  Remember Abbey Gate! THE PRESIDENT:  Thirty percent, they went up —  MR. NIKOUI:  United States Marines!  Kareem Mae’Lee Nikoui! THE PRESIDENT:  — the biggest increase in history. MR. NIKOUI:  (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT:  It was then, through no — through my American Rescue Plan — which every American [Republican] voted against, I might add — we made the largest investment in public safety ever. Last year, the murder rate saw the sharpest decrease in history.  Violent crime fell to one of its lowest levels in more than 50 years.  But we have more to do.  We have to help cities invest in more community police officers, more mental health workers, more community violence intervention. (Applause.) Give communities the tools to crack down on gun crime, retail crime, and carjacking.  Keep building trust, as I’ve been doing, by taking executive action on police reform and calling for it to be the law of the land. Directing my Cabinet to review the federal classification of marijuana and expunging thousands of convictions for the mere possession, because no one should be jailed for simply using or have it on their record.  (Applause.) Take on crimes of domestic violence.  I’m ramping up the federal enforcement of the Violence Against Women Act that I proudly wrote when I was a senator so we can finally — finally end the scourge against women in America.  (Applause.)  There are other kinds of violence I want to stop. With us tonight is Jasmine, whose nine-year-old sister Jackie was murdered with 21 classmates and teachers in her elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.  Very soon after that happened, Jill and I went to Uvalde for a couple days.  We spent hours and hours with each of the families.  We heard their message so everyone in this room, in this chamber could hear the same message. The constant refrain — and I was there for hours, meeting with every family.  They said, “Do something.”  “Do something.” Well, I did do something by establishing the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the White House, that the Vice President is leading the charge.  Thank you for doing it.  (Applause.) Meanwhile — (applause) — meanwhile, my predecessor told the NRA he’s proud he did nothing on guns when he was President. AUDIENCE:  Booo — THE PRESIDENT:  After another shooting in Iowa recently, he said — when asked what to do about it, he said, just “get over it.”  That was his quote.  Just “get over it.” I say stop it.  Stop it, stop it, stop it.  (Applause.) I’m proud we beat the NRA when I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years because of this Congress.  We now must beat the NRA again. I’m demanding a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.  (Applause.)  Pass universal background checks.  (Applause.)  None of this — none of this — I taught the Second Amendment for 12 years.  None of this violates the Second Amendment or vilifies responsible gun owners. (Cross-talk.) You know, as we manage challenges at home, we’re also managing crises abroad, including in the Middle East. I know the last five months have been gut-wrenching for so many people — for the Israeli people, for the Palestinian people, and so many here in America.  This crisis began on October 7th with a massacre by a terrorist group called Hamas, as you all know.  One thousand two hundred innocent people — women and girls, men and boys — slaughtered after enduring sexual violence.  The deadliest day of the — for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.  And 250 hostages taken. Here in this chamber tonight are families whose loved ones are still being held by Hamas.  I pledge to all the families that we will not rest until we bring every one of your loved ones home. We also — (applause) — we will also work around the clock to bring home Evan and Paul — Americans being unjustly detained by the Russians — and others around the world. Israel has a right to go after Hamas.  Hamas ended this conflict by releasing the hostages, laying down arms — could end it by — by releasing the hostages, laying down arms, and s- — surrendering those responsible for October 7th. But Israel has a h- — excuse me.  Israel has a added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population like cowards — under hospitals, daycare centers, and all the like.  Israel also has a fundamental responsibility, though, to protect innocent civilians in Gaza.  (Applause.) This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined.  More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed — AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Says who? THE PRESIDENT:  — most of whom are not Hamas.  Thousands and thousands of innocents — women and children.  Girls and boys also orphaned.  Nearly 2 million more Palestinians under bombardment or displacement.  Homes destroyed, neighborhoods in rubble, cities in ruin.  Families without food, water, medicine.  It’s heartbreaking.   I’ve been working non-stop to establish an immediate ceasefire that would last for six weeks to get all the prisoners released — all the hostages released and to get the hostages home and to ease the intolerable an- — humanitarian crisis and build toward an enduring — a more — something more enduring. The United States has been leading international efforts to get more humanitarian assistance into Gaza.  Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters.  No U.S. boots will be on the ground.  A temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.  (Applause.)   And Israel must also do its part.  Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the crossfire.  (Applause.)  And they’re announcing they’re going to — they’re going to ca- — have a crossing in Northern Gaza. To the leadership of Israel, I say this: Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip.  Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority.  As we look to the future, the only real solution to the situation is a two-state solution over time.  (Applause.) And I say this as a lifelong supporter of Israel, my entire career.  No one has a stronger record with Israel than I do.  I challenge any of you here.  I’m the only American president to visit Israel in wartime.  But there is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and democracy.  There is no other path that guarantees Pa- — that Palestinians can live in peace with po- — with peace and dignity.  And there is no other path that guarantees peace between Israel and all of its neighbors — including Saudi Arabia, with whom I’m talking.     Creating stability in the Middle East also means containing the threat posed by Iran.  That’s why I built a coalition of more than a dozen countries to defend international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.  I’ve ordered strikes to degrade the Houthi capability and defend U.S. forces in the region.  As Commander-in-Chief, I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and our military personnel.  (Applause.) For years, I’ve heard many of my Republican and Democratic friends say that China is on the rise and America is falling behind.  They’ve got it backwards.  I’ve been saying it for over four years, even when I wasn’t president.  America is rising.  We have the best economy in the world.  And since I’ve come to office, our GTB [GDP] is up, our trade deficit with China is down to the lowest point in over a decade.  (Applause.)   And we’re standing up against China’s unfair economic practices.  We’re standing up for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.  I’ve revitalized our partnership and alliance in the Pacific: India, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Pacific Islands.  I’ve made sure that the most advanced American technologies can’t be used in China — not allowing to trade them there.   Frankly, for all his tough talk on China, it never occurred to my predecessor to do any of that.  (Applause.)   I want competition with China, not conflict.  And we’re in a stronger position to win the conflict [competition] of the 21st century against China than anyone else for that matter — than at any time as well. Here at home, I’ve signed over 400 bipartisan bills.  But there’s more to pass my Unity Agenda. Strengthen penalties on fentanyl trafficking.  You don’t want to do that, huh?  Pass bipartisan privacy legislation to protect our children online.  (Applause.) Harness — harness the promise of AI to protect us from peril.  Ban AI voice impersonations and more.  And keep our truly sacred obligation to train and equip those we send into harm’s way and care for them and their families when they come home and when they don’t.  (Applause.)  That’s why, with the strong support and help of Denis and the VA, I signed the PACT Act — (applause) — one of the most significant laws ever, helping millions of veterans exposed to toxins who now are battling more than 100 different cancers.   Many of them don’t come home, but we owe them and their families support.   And we owe it to ourselves to keep supporting our new health research agency called ARPA-H — (applause) — and remind us — to remind us that we can do big things, like end cancer as we know it.  And we will.  (Applause.)   Let me close with this.  (Applause.) THE PRESIDENT:  Yay!  (Applause and laughter.) I know you don’t want to hear anymore, Lindsey, but I got to say a few more things.  (Laughter.)   I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around a while.  (Laughter and applause.)  When you get to be my age, certain things become clearer than ever.  I know the American story.  Again and again, I’ve seen the contest between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation, between those who want to pull America back to the past and those who want to move America into the future.  My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy, a future based on core values that have defined America — honesty, decency, dignity, and equality — (applause); to respect everyone; to give everyone a fair shot; to give hate no safe harbor.  (Applause.) Now, other people my age see it differently.  (Laughter.)  The American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That’s not me.  I was born amid World War Two, when America stood for the freedom of the world.  I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, among working-class people who built this country.   I watched in horror as two of my heroes — like many of you did — Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy, were assassinated.  And their legacies inspired me to pur- — pursue a car- — a career in service.  I left a law firm and became a public defender because my city of Wilmington was the only city in America occupied by the National Guard after Dr. King was assassinated because of the riots.  And I became a county councilman almost by accident. I got elected to the United States Senate when I had no intention of running, at age 29.  Then vice president to our first Black president.  Now a president to the first woman vice president.  (Applause.) In my career, I’ve been told I was too young.  (Laughter.)  By the way, they didn’t let me on the Senate elevators for votes sometimes.  They — not a joke.  (Laughter.) And I’ve been told I am too old.  (Laughter.)  Whether young or old, I’ve always been known — I’ve always known what endures.  I’ve known our North Star.  The very idea of America is that we’re all created equal, deserves to be treated equally throughout our lives.  We’ve never fully lived up to that idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either.  And I won’t walk away from it now.  (Applause.)  I’m optimistic.  I really am.  I’m optimistic, Nancy.  (Applause.)  AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years! THE PRESIDENT:  My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are; it’s how old are our ideas.  (Applause.)   Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are the oldest of ideas.  But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas that only take us back.  To lead America, the land of possibilities, you need a vision for the future and what can and should be done.  (Applause.)   Tonight, you’ve heard mine.  I see a future where [we’re] defending democracy, you don’t diminish it. I see a future where we restore the right to choose and protect our freedoms, not take them away.  (Applause.) I see a future where the middle class has — finally has a fair shot and the wealthy have to pay their fair share in taxes.  (Applause.)   I see a future where we save the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence.  (Applause.)   Above all, I see a future for all Americans.  I see a country for all Americans.  And I will always be President for all Americans because I believe in America.  I believe in you, the American people.  (Applause.)  You’re the reason we’ve never been more optimistic about our future than I am now.  So, let’s build the future together.  Let’s remember who we are.  We are the United States of America.  (Applause.)  And there is nothing — nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.  (Applause.)  God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)

10:33 P.M. EST

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Kamala Harris Addresses Economy In Speech—Here’s What To Know About Her Policy Agenda

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Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled more details about her economic agenda in a speech Friday in North Carolina, proposing an “opportunity economy” as the Democratic nominee focused on lowering the price of groceries and prescription drugs and addressing the housing crisis with an eye on bolstering the middle class.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, N.C., on Aug. 16.

Grocery Prices: The candidate would work in her first 100 days to help Congress pass a national ban on “price gouging” for food and groceries, as well as give the Federal Trade Commission and prosecutors authority to go after companies they determine price gouge, support small businesses in the industry, take a closer look at mergers between big grocery companies and “aggressively” investigate price-fixing in meat supply chains specifically.

Housing Costs: Harris wants to provide $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time home buyers and is calling for the creation of three million new housing units within the next four years, proposing a tax credit for developers who build starter homes and investing $40 million in an innovation fund to tackle the housing crisis.

Rental Costs: Harris would also expand a tax credit for housing developers who build affordable housing rental units, and is calling on Congress to pass legislation that would stop predatory investors who buy up rental homes and collude with each other to raise rental prices.

Child Tax Credit: Harris proposed giving families a $6,000 tax credit for newborns in their first year of life, and restore a pandemic-era tax credit of $3,600 per child for middle and lower-class families.

Taxes: Harris also wants to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for workers in lower-income jobs, which would cut taxes by up to $1,250, and has previously said she would continue President Joe Biden’s promise not to raise taxes on American households earning $400,000 or less annually, and does support raising taxes for high earners and corporations, according to The New York Times.

No Tax On Tips: Harris has separately endorsed a plan to get rid of taxes on tips for hospitality and service workers, echoing a proposal by former President Donald Trump—which has been criticized by some experts—though a campaign official told CNN tips would still be subject to payroll taxes, and would include an income limit and guardrails to prevent people like hedge fund managers from taking advantage of the policy.

Prescription Drug Prices: Harris proposed a $35 cap on insulin and capping out-of-pocket expenses on prescription drugs at $2,000 per year on Friday, also saying she would speed up Medicare negotiations on the price of prescription drugs—after the Biden administration announced a deal lowering costs on 10 medications—and crack down on anti-competitive practices in the pharmaceutical industry that cause higher prices.

Healthcare: The Harris campaign also announced her intention to work with states to cancel Americans’ medical debt, and she proposed expanding subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans that would save health insurance customers an average of $700 on their health insurance premiums.

Paid Leave: Harris has not released a specific paid leave proposal, but she has previously co-sponsored 12-week paid leave legislation, Politico notes, with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., telling the outlet, “I absolutely believe that when they are in office, we will get a paid leave bill done finally.”

Minimum Wage: Harris called for raising the minimum wage in a Las Vegas speech earlier in August, but her campaign has not specified how high she believes it should be raised.

Fed Independence: Harris has vowed to maintain the Federal Reserve’s independence after Trump said he believed “the president should have at least [a] say” on the Federal Reserve’s decisions, with Harris telling reporters, “The Fed is an independent entity and as president I would never interfere in the decisions that the Fed makes.”

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Crucial Quote

Harris said Friday she’d be “laser focused on creating opportunities for the middle class” if elected president, calling for “an economy where everyone can compete and have a real chance to succeed.” “Now is the time to chart a new way forward, to build an America where everyone’s work is rewarded and talents are valued, where we work with labor and business to strengthen the American economy, and where everyone has the opportunity not only to get by, but to get ahead,” the vice president said.

What To Watch For

Harris said in her North Carolina speech that she intends to unveil more economic proposals in the weeks ahead. The vice president has still not issued a full policy platform or unveiled proposals for policy issues beyond the economy, and those are also expected in the near future.

How Do Harris’ Policies Compare With Biden’s?

Harris’ economic policy agenda is largely in line with Biden’s economic platform, with some tweaks to emphasize causes that are more important to her, like the child tax credit. “Same values, different vision,” a Harris aide told The Guardian. “She’s not moving far away from him on substance, she will highlight the ones that matter most to her.” The initial plans from Harris’ campaign also suggest the vice president plans to be more aggressive in her policy approaches than Biden, however, as polls have suggested voters hold dim views of how the president has handled the economy. While Biden has also opposed price gouging, Harris’ proposal to enable the FTC and U.S. attorneys to go after companies that hike up prices goes beyond what the president has proposed, Politico notes , and her proposed $40 million investment in the housing crisis is double the amount the Biden administration spent.

Harris’ economic agenda released Friday didn’t go fully in depth about her proposals, which The New York Times reports is by design. The Times reported prior to Harris’ speech that the Harris campaign has adopted a “strategic vagueness” for her economic proposals, believing that being more of a “blank slate” will help ward off attacks and attract more support from business groups.

How Do Harris’ Policies Compare With Trump’s?

Trump’s economic agenda is largely focused on raising tariffs on imported goods, which Harris has said she opposes. The ex-president has also called for cutting taxes and regulations in hopes of lowering inflation, including lowering the corporate tax rate, and has encouraged increasing oil production in order to lower energy prices. In addition to his “no tax on tips” proposal that Harris has also endorsed, Trump has called for ending taxes on Social Security benefits, which Harris has not yet responded to. Experts believe the ex-president’s proposal could speed up Social Security and Medicare becoming insolvent, with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget projecting exempting taxes on benefits would result in Social Security and Medicare receiving $1.6 trillion less in revenue between 2026 and 2035. The Trump campaign opposed reports of Harris’ economic proposals Wednesday, with spokesperson Steven Cheung saying in a statement, “Kamala Harris can’t hide from her disastrous record of skyrocketing inflation … Americans are struggling under the Biden-Harris economy, and now she wants to gaslight them into believing her bald-faced lies.”

42%. That’s the share of voters who trust Harris more to handle the economy, according to a Financial Times/University of Michigan poll released Sunday, versus 41% who trust Trump more. That’s down from Trump holding a six-point lead over Biden in July, though the poll also showed 42% believe a Trump presidency would leave them better off financially, while only 33% said the same for Harris.

Key Background

Harris became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in July after Biden stepped down suddenly from the presidential race, following weeks of pressure over mounting concerns about his mental fitness. While the vice president has quickly garnered Democrats’ support and risen in the polls, Harris has released few concrete policy proposals in the first few weeks of her campaign—drawing some criticism as a result—with her speech Friday expected to be the most substantive remarks she’s given on policy so far. Her focus on the economy comes as polling has repeatedly shown it’s the most important issue to voters in this election cycle, with the vice president hoping to attract support amid low approval ratings for Biden’s handling of the economy. Harris’ speech also comes days after news that inflation fell in July to its lowest point in more than three years, with federal data released Wednesday showing inflation at 2.9% in July, the first time it’s been below 3% since March 2021.

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Breaking news, avon files for bankruptcy in face of 200 lawsuits linking its talc products to cancer.

Avon Products Inc, the once-mighty direct sales company thanks to its army of door-to-door saleswomen, is filing for bankruptcy amid a mountain of lawsuits alleging talcum powder in its products causes cancer.

Avon Products, the US-based “non-operational” holding company that markets the brands product overseas, is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection “to address its debt and legacy talc liabilities,” the company said in a press release.

The beauty brand uses talc, a mineral that has been linked to cancer, in face powders and eye shadows.

In recent years, some 200 lawsuits have been filed against Avon Products that accuse the company of selling talc products that were contaminated with asbestos — another carcinogen.

John Dubel, chair of Avon Products, said the bankruptcy filing “will maximize the value of our assets and enable us to address our obligations in an orderly manner.”

“We remain focused on advancing our business strategy internationally, including modernizing our direct selling model and reigniting the brand to accelerate growth,” added Avon CEO Kristof Neirynck, who took over earlier this year.

In December 2022, a Los Angeles jury ordered Avon to pay more than $50 million to an Arizona woman who said she was diagnosed with cancer after she used cosmetic products that contained talc which was tainted with asbestos.

Last month, a Chicago-area man who worked as a janitor at an Avon manufacturing plant in Illinois was awarded $24.4 million by a jury after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Those verdicts followed pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson agreeing to a $6.5 billion settlement earlier this year following claims that its talc-based baby powder was responsible for ovarian cancer diagnoses.

The $350 billion New Jersey-based company also considered a bankruptcy filing in order to deal with the tens of thousands of lawsuits that have been filed by those who say they developed illnesses by using its products.

J&J and Avon Products have both denied claims that their talc products cause cancer.

The brand has said that it “only uses cosmetic grade talc which has been tested to confirm that it does not contain asbestos.”

In 2016, Avon Products divested its US, Canada and Puerto Rico-based business. Avon beauty products are sold in North America under the Avon Company umbrella.

Avon Company acts as an independent entity and is not affiliated with Avon Products.

“We understand there is confusion about our business structure and want to reassure our Representatives and customers that The Avon Company is operating as usual,” said Sun Moon, CEO of The Avon Company.

“The Avon Company has charted its own course under our parent company LG H&H and we remain committed to providing outstanding products and services while pursuing growth and innovation in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.”

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