Motivational speaker

Tony Robbins one of the worlds leading speakers appears on the cover of his book Inner Strength.

Motivational speakers consist of professional speakers, facilitators and trainers who speak to audiences, usually for a fee. The keynote speech takes place at the beginning of an event, or during lunch or at the close of an event. The length of these speeches generally last 45 minutes to two hours in duration. In comparison, a workshop or seminar generally lasts three to 7 hours (or in some cases several days).

Motivational speakers come from many divergent backgrounds. While the motivational speaking profession requires no formal training or certification, those who speak professionally and succeed in the profession possess the proven ability to lift up, educate and motivate their audiences. Some of the celebrity speakers, sports figures, politicians, olympians and best-selling authors earn $10,000 - $200,000 per speech.

Fees paid to motivational speakers vary based on the speaker's expertise, star power, experience, niche and level of customization. In addition to educational value, consider factors like humor, storytelling, originality, and the refrain from canned speeches. The best speakers can engage the audience and share best practices, experiences and life lessons without boring the audience.

Experts debate the long-term value of motivation. It is fairly agreed, however, that a motivational speaker can have an immediate impact on a person's morale or sense of self-worth. The most effective motivational speakers remind people of their own potential and inspire them to improve their personal and professional well-being.

Another concern raised is the religious tone (often biased to one faith) many motivational speakers adapt. A motivational speaker should be professional enough to understand the difference between inspiration and evangelizing -- especially when one considers the diversity of religious beliefs across the globe.

Unless, the speech is being given within a religious context, these sermon-type keynotes can be the least effective presentations and one-dimensional. Evangelizing is also prohibited in the workplace as it infringes on civil liberties. Also, It's incorrect to assume that the audience uniformly shares a singular religious mindset. Any presentation biased towards one set of religious or cultural values runs the risk of problems with maintaining non-hostile environments.

Notable figures

• Anthony Robbins
• Dan Millman
• Deepak Chopra
• Yossi Ghinsberg
• Matt Foley (fictional character)
• Nick Vujicic
• Rubin "Hurricane" Carter
• Zig Ziglar

External links

• The Motivation Game
• Pinsker, Sanford, "Was Ralph Waldo Emerson Our First Motivational Speaker?", Virginia Quarterly Review, Summer 2001