9 Speeches That Will Inspire You to Succeed

“Real success requires step after step after step after step. It requires choice after choice; it demands education and passion and commitment and persistence and hunger and patience.” – Jesmyn Ward

The road to success – while worth every step – is sometimes long. There are moments along the way when you may need inspiration and guidance. In addition to having a support system and great resources, hearing about the journeys and lessons from others who’ve traveled this road can be a great source of motivation and perspective. 

In these videos, top business leaders, entrepreneurs, academics and award-winning artists give inspirational speeches about pursuing your goals, finding your purpose and what it means to be successful.

Finding purpose can help you find success
The late Chadwick Boseman, respected actor best known for his role in the movie Black Panther, remembers his chance encounter with boxing great Muhammad Ali. Ali inspired Boseman to find purpose and passion in life. Boseman was so moved by this advice, he made it a point to pass along this critical wisdom. Listen to how Boseman tells students that struggles can be real, but also motivating. Use them to find your purpose.

Your identity can be your superpower
America Ferrera is best known for her role in the Barbie movie, but here this emmy-award winning actress talks about issues that go beyond the set. Ferrera speaks about her identity and how she believes it has affected her career. She encourages her audience to challenge stereotypes and says embracing your true identity can be a powerful way to achieve success.

What I learned from 100 days of rejection
Entrepreneur and author Jia Jiang was terrified of rejection until he decided to take the bold approach of embracing it. He overcame his fear by challenging himself to seek out rejection every day for 100 days. He was rejected over and over again, but in the process, he learned a lot about himself, about the nature of being turned down and how to turn rejection into opportunity.

Embrace fear and trust your instincts
Josh Groban, a multi-platinum selling recording artist and songwriter, spoke at a High Point University commencement. He shared with students that he was filled with fear early in his career and afraid of making wrong decisions and failing. But he reminded students that feeling fear was natural. Most fear is healthy and can be motivating. Groban’s message was that it’s better to fail at doing something worthwhile and challenging than to succeed doing something safe and uninspiring.

Real success requires persistence, hunger and patience
Speaking at Tulane University, two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward laid waste to the idea that becoming an award-winning writer is a simple task. In the process, she described the hard work and education it takes to succeed – and why that work and education is so important. “Real success,” Ward explains, “requires step after step after step after step. It requires choice after choice; it demands education and passion and commitment and persistence and hunger and patience.”

Grit: the power of passion and perseverance
Psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth learned a lot from teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school: namely, that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating successful students from the ones who struggled. In this video, she discusses the value of what she calls grit, and why it can make a huge difference.

How to get back to work after a career break
Career reentry expert Carol Fishman Cohen talks about her own return to work and how she helps others make the transition after a break. This video is packed with strategic advice and techniques for overcoming objections from potential employers.

Why you will fail to have a great career
Economics professor Larry Smith talks bluntly – and with great humor – about the kinds of excuses people use to explain why they don’t pursue their passion. He also dissects those excuses and convincingly makes the case that anyone can create and enjoy a great, satisfying career.

How to find work you love
Scott Dinsmore was the founder of Live Your Legend, a career and connection platform. It’s a company that grew out of his experience of quitting a job he hated and then spending four years trying to find work that was joyful and meaningful to him. His hard lessons are on display here, along with tips for figuring out what’s truly important to you and how to turn your passion into a career. 

Success is usually not achieved overnight. It can be a long journey that requires persistence and motivation. Hearing the stories of those who’ve succeeded before you can be an inspiring way to keep your nose to the grindstone and stay focused on achieving your goals.

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