Motivating Quotes

It's very important to understand what motivating quotes can do for you, and what they can't. Here you'll learn the difference, which just might explain why you're not taking action. You'll also get a whole list of motivational quotes to use in your public speaking.

According to the dictionary 'motivate' means to provide with a motive. So all motivating quotations can do is give you a reason to act. They can't make you act. They certainly can't take the action for you.

It's like the old puzzle. 5 birds sit on a log. 3 decide to fly away. How many are left on the log?

Did you say 2? You're wrong.

Did you say none? You're on drugs.

Did you say 5? Well done!

Deciding to do something isn't enough is it? It's important, but it doesn't mow the lawn or get the business plan written.

So, if you've ever wondered why you go to a seminar and hear all these brilliant motivational ideas ... and then immediately go home and do precisely nothing ... welcome to the human race!

Like me, you have, at times, forgotten to take the small but critical step which makes all the difference. What step is that?

Motivational quotations can be very useful to you as a speaker. Normally your purpose when you speak is to get people to do something, so they can help. You can open with one, close with one, use one to make an important point.

They can build your credibility (ethos) which makes you more persuasive. They normally also arouse emotion (pathos) which is a good thing because people aren't entirely logical about what they choose to do.

Here are some of my favorite motivating quotes.

Why don't you pick one and do this exercise based around motivational quotes.

A Selection Of Motivating Quotes For Public Speaking

"There are few better remedies for anxiety than thought." Alain de Botton

"Before you eat or drink anything, consider carefully who you eat or drink with, rather than what you eat or drink: for feeding without a friend is the life of a lion or a wolf." Epicurus, 340-271 BCE

"The more clearly you understand yourself and your emotions, the more you become a lover of what is." Baruch Spinoza, 1632-1677

"All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking."Friedrich Nietzsche

Celia:"Now go we in contentTo liberty, and not to banishment."As You Like It (I, iii, 139-14)

“I think what weakens people most is fear of wasting their strength.”

Etty Hillesum

"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."Viktor E. Frankl

"Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time."Viktor E. Frankl

"Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well."Mohandas Gandhi

"To Start Press Any Key'. Where's the ANY key? "Homer Simpson