Motivational Videos That Will Inspire You

When you’re feeling a lack of passion for the task at hand, motivational videos offer inspiration. You can’t always count on other people to encourage you to do your best or to keep trucking along when a project has lost its sparkle. However, motivational videos are at your disposal any time — day or night.

One study found that sayings with a rhyming quality tend to have a ring of truth to them. So, the actual wording of these sayings or videos makes a difference. Here are 10 motivational videos you should watch to get inspired.

1. This Clip From Hidden Figures

Motivational videos should first inspire you to be better than you already are. Characters from movies face situations we might find ourselves in. This clip from the film “Hidden Figures” inspires you to rise to the challenge and be the first person to accomplish something new and amazing. If you’ve lost your mojo, this is an excellent clip to watch.

2. J.K. Rowling on Perseverance

J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, shares the struggles she faced and how she felt like a failure in this motivational video. She offers some hope for those who keep trying and keep pushing forward even in the face of defeat. The message is one of hope and highlights the benefits of failure.

3. Robert Waldinger on Happiness

Happiness isn’t about always getting what you want, but it’s often a perspective and a matter of refocusing your time and energy. This video digs into the statistics behind life goals and happiness.

Robert Waldinger shares his thoughts on what you need to have a good life. He even goes into the concept of memory, studying people who are happy and healthy, and then he shares details about a Harvard study about adult development — a 75-year-long study of 724 men.

4. Chris Hogan on $600 Jeans

Chris Hogan shares his thoughts on a client who spent $600 on a pair of jeans, to whom he jokingly posed the question, “What do they do?”

Hogan focuses on the essential aspects of life and how to avoid getting into debt. There is true freedom in financial security.

5. President Whitmore’s Speech in Independence Day

Some of the most inspiring speeches come from movies. In “Independence Day,” President Whitmore is facing a situation where aliens have attacked the world, and he is sending fighter pilots off to try to overcome a more advanced civilization. If you’re feeling trapped or are facing a battle at work, this clip will help you refocus and stand up for your rights.

6. Tim Ferriss on Avoiding Self-Destruction and Suicide

Tim Ferriss talks about his decision to commit suicide, including the chilling details of how he planned out his death and came close to shooting himself. Then, he shares the raw information about how he overcame his bipolar depression and devised a recipe for avoiding self-destruction by defining his fears rather than his goals.

7. Reggie Rivers on Improving Your Behavior

Like Ferriss, Reggie Rivers suggests it’s better to focus on something other than your actual goals. Long-term goals can seem overwhelming, and focusing on them makes some people lose their motivation. However, focusing on what you can do today to work toward that goal is a much more doable task. Hone in on the behavior you can adopt to work toward a goal, rather than the goal itself.

8. This Six-Year-Old’s Advice on Learning to Ride a Bike

This video focuses on a six-year-old learning to ride his bike. His dad asks him for some words of wisdom for others learning to ride a bike, and what he says is inspiring to people of all ages — even if you already know how to ride. The video is short, but it’s so cute and uplifting that you’ll want to watch it again and again.

9. Denzel Washington’s Commencement Speech

Denzel Washington gave a commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011, where he prepares graduates for the real world. His speech focuses on the fact that failure will happen, but that it is crucial both to history and to individuals — it is through failure that we learn to succeed.

10. Mel Robbins on Overcoming a Lack of Motivation

Do you ever feel unmotivated? Perhaps you’d like to crawl back into bed instead of going out and meeting with a new client. Mel Robbins shares that you can have great ideas, but you have to overcome your fear to accomplish those things. To change, you have to learn to rise above those fears and do difficult things.

When you’re feeling blocked or need some inspiration, these 10 videos can provide a fresh perspective and words of encouragement. After you view a video, take note of other suggested videos, as well. This allows you to always have a motivational video in your back pocket to help you move forward and be the best you can be.