According to a Gallup Survey, only 15% of us feel engaged with work. Wouldn’t it be great if you could find your motivation when you need it? Sometimes it’s difficult to get things started; other times, it’s difficult to sustain your drive over time. But what if there were a way to get started and keep going?

To find the answers to your motivational questions, BigSpeak Speakers Bureau consulted with the top motivational keynote speakers to get their advice. Here are ten motivational tips to help you get started and stay inspired in the face of obstacles and setbacks. 

Get Started

1. Ask Yourself This Question: What would you do if money was no object?

Motivational keynote speaker and Explorer of the National Geographic Society Albert Yu-Min Lin found his motivation when he asked himself this one question. He went from being an unhappy graduate student who didn’t know what to do to living his dream as a National Geographic explorer, looking for the tomb of Ghengis Khan.

2. Find a Mission Greater Than Yourself

Sometimes getting started is about connecting to something big. Motivational speaker and National Geographic Channel host Chris Bashinelli suggests to get started you want to connect to a passion that can’t be done alone or in a short period of time. Find a cause you believe in or set a huge goal that involves many small steps to accomplish.

3. Develop a Motivation Ritual

Sometimes you need a good ritual to get you going. Bestselling author of Atomic Habits James Clear finds people can get inspired if they have a motivation ritual, like playing energizing music before working out or having a cup of coffee before beginning some difficult task.

Overcome Obstacles

4. Have a Plan And Be Flexible

It’s always good to break big tasks down into small steps to stay motivated. Top motivational keynote speaker and former Adventure Racing World Champion Robyn Benincasa said one of the keys to staying motivated is to have a plan—and always be flexible. If you’re willing to adapt to obstacles, you can stay motivated.

5. When Under Pressure, Recall Yourself at Your Best

Sometimes you lose motivation when you’re under stress. Motivational speaker and bestselling author of Performing Under Pressure JP Pawliw-Fry suggests you can stay motivated in tough situations by recalling yourself at your best. This is similar to muscle memory. If you can remember a time when you faced a tough situation and overcame it, you will stay motivated under similar pressure.

Bounce Back From Setbacks

6. Rejection Is Just a Numbers Game

Don’t give up at the first setback, or the umpteenth. Rejection is just a numbers game, according to motivational speaker and resilience expert Jia Jiang. If you use rejection as a learning opportunity, you’ll be more motivated and get better on your next attempt. Learn enough and you will eventually succeed.

7. Practice Acts of Gratitude

When you have a setback, it’s often difficult to stay positive. Motivational speaker and bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage Shawn Achor suggests when things go bad you reframe the situation by focusing on things that went well. Spend two minutes each day thinking about three things that went well. Write these three acts of gratitude down in detail. Seeing all the things that went well will keep you positive and maintain your motivation.

Find Inspiration From Others

8. Surround Yourself With a Great Team

Few people can accomplish something alone. We all need feedback, mentors, and advice. Motivational speaker and endurance world record holder James Lawrence says the key to staying motivated is to surround yourself with a great team. When James Lawrence completed his challenges of doing 50 Ironman events in 50 days and in 50 states (which he later doubled in 2021 with 100 Ironman events), he said it was the support of his family and friends that enabled him to keep going.

9. Cultivate Relationships With Everyone

Inspiration can be found anywhere and in anyone. Motivational keynote speaker Molly Bloom (subject of the movie Molly’s Game) says her key to staying motivated is cultivating relationships with everyone, so you always have someone to assist you when you need help or feedback. You never know who will be the person to inspire you to get going.

10. Focus On Your Close Relationships

Often, it’s our closest friends who give the support we need to stay motivated. Happiness researcher and Harvard Professor Robert Waldinger suggests the key to motivation and success in life is having close relationships. People who have close relationships are happier, more successful, and more motivated. This relationship could be a friend, mentor, spouse, or relative.

Whether you’re looking to do a conference, keynote, or online meeting, these top motivational keynote speakers have the expertise to deliver an exciting and motivational experience.

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