Are you lacking inspiration?
Do you lack direction, have bad habits, unhealthy relationships, and a mindset that has prevented you from achieving success?
Well, these inspirational videos can help.
They don’t contain the answers – instead, they remind you of the deeper truths that you already know.
Let’s dive straight in.
Inspirational Video #1: Do What You Can’t by Casey Neistat
Perfect for: When you need to be reminded that you have fewer limitations than you think.
Key Quote: “When you’re a creator, all you need is your phone, an internet connection, and a good idea – a story you want to share, something you need to say.”
In this inspirational video, creator Casey Neistat encourages you to pursue things that other people say you can’t.
It’s a powerful reminder to ignore the limitations others put on us.
My favorite quote: “The haters, the doubters, are all drinking champagne on the top deck of the Titanic, and we are the f***ing iceberg.”
Inspirational Video #2: Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
Perfect for: When you’re feeling like you haven’t made any progress.
Key Quote: “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”
In this inspirational video, Steve Jobs shares the pivotal moments that shaped his life and career.
He explains how seemingly meaningless moments, can have a profound impact on future events – such as when he sat in on calligraphy classes at college.
“None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me.”
Jobs ends his speech with the immortal words, “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
Inspirational Video #3: The Best Gift I Ever Survived by Stacey Kramer
Perfect for: When life deals you an obstacle, set back, or tragedy.
Key Quote: “The next time you’re faced with something unexpected, unwanted, and uncertain, consider that it just may be a gift.”
This inspirational video features a moving story from Stacey Kramer about her struggle with hemangioblastoma – also known as a brain tumor.
Kramer explores all the positive life-changing benefits that were a result of her condition.
Full version available here.
Inspirational Video #4: The Basketball Scene from The Pursuit of Happiness
Perfect for: When people try to hold you back or tell you to “be realistic.”
Key Quote: “Don’t ever let somebody tell you [that] you can’t do something. You gotta dream, you gotta protect it.”
This emotional scene from The Pursuit of Happiness is pure gold.
At some point, everybody has been told – directly or indirectly – that they shouldn’t pursue something.
This inspirational video ends with the line, “People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you [that] you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.”
Inspirational Video #5: Get Back Up by Nick Vujicic
Perfect for: Gaining perspective and remembering everything you have to be thankful for.
Key Quote: “It’s a lie to think that you’re not good enough. It’s a lie to think that you’re not worth anything.”
Nick Vujicic is an inspiration.
Despite being born without arms or legs, Vujicic embraces all that life has to offer with love, compassion, and gratitude.
The video features Nick taking part in sports and waterslides, combined with a powerful speech delivered to a hall of young students.
Inspirational Video #6: Rocky Balboa’s Speech to His Son
Perfect for: When you’re not taking responsibility for your life or situation.
Key Quote: “If you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody!”
In this inspirational video, Rocky hands out a hefty dose of tough love to his son.
The message is clear: We must stop blaming other people or things for our life situation. Instead, each and every one of us must take responsibility for our lives.
The speech ends by saying, “Until you start believing in yourself, you ain’t gonna have a life.”
Inspirational Video #7: Damian Aspinall is Reunited with Kwibi the Gorilla
Perfect for: Remembering the deep connection that we share with all living creatures on this planet.
Key Takeaway: Animals have just as many emotions and feelings as humans.
Kwibi the gorilla was raised by Damian Aspinall in England.
When he was five years old, Kwibi was released to live in the wilds of Africa. Five years later Aspinall went to visit Kwibi.
This is the dramatic and uplifting story of their reunion.
Inspirational Video #8: The Death Crawl Scene from Facing the Giants
Perfect for: Reminding you that you’re more capable than you think you are.
Key Quote: “Don’t quit ‘til you’ve got nothing left.”
The key to this inspirational video is the blindfold that the coach places over the player’s eyes. It stops the player from quitting when he’s reached what he thinks he’s capable of.
The blindfold frees him from his self-imposed limitations and allows him to reach his full potential.
The lesson: We’re far more capable than we think we are.
Inspirational Video #9: Kid Gives Speech After Learning to Ride a Bike
Perfect for: When you feel like you’re not getting anywhere and want to give up.
Key Quote: “Everybody, I know you can believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, you will know how to ride a bike. If you don’t, you just keep practicing. You will get the hang of it, I know it!”
This six-year-old has a simple, but profound message: Believe in yourself and the power of practice.
His words of wisdom have struck a chord with people online – not only did this inspirational video go viral, it’s also been made into dozens of autotune remixes.
“Thumbs up everybody – for rock and roll!”
Inspirational Video #10: The One Thing Only 1% of People Do
Perfect for: Anyone who has bad habits, procrastinates, or wants to change their life for the better.
Key Quote: “You cannot win the war against the world if you cannot win the war against your own mind.”
In this inspiration video, learning coach Jim Kwik shares his wisdom.
The upshot: “The road to sustained happiness is through disciplining your behavior.”
Inspirational Video #11: Jim Carrey’s 2014 Commencement Address
Perfect for: Learning to live a life of abundance.
Key Quote: “You will only ever have two choices. Love or fear. Choose love and don’t ever let fear turn you against your playful heart.”
In this inspirational video, Jim Carrey shares the lessons he’s learned throughout life.
It’s packed with words of wisdom, such as, “You can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”
Inspirational Video #12: Olympian Derek Redmond Finishes the Race
Perfect for: Understanding that the journey matters more than the destination.
Key Takeaway: Finish what you start.
At the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, Derek Redmond was favored to win the 400-meter sprint, but tragedy struck 150 meters into the race.
Instead of quitting, Derek continued.
Inspirational Video #13: Neil Gaiman’s 2012 Commencement Speech at the University of the Arts
Perfect for: Anyone who wants a career as an artist, creator, or entrepreneur.
Key Quote: “And when things get tough, this is what you should do: Make good art.”
This inspirational video of Neil Gaiman’s commencement speech is packed with wisdom for budding artists and creatives.
Gaiman also explains how people manage to maintain freelancing work: “Their work is good, they’re easy to get along with, and they deliver the work on time – and you don’t even need all three. Two out of three is fine!”
Inspirational Video #14: Success is a Continuous Journey by Richard St. John
Perfect for: When you need a reminder to not become complacent.
Key Quote: “Success isn’t a one-way street… it’s a continuous journey.”
Once you’ve achieved something, it’s easy to sit back, relax, and stop doing the very things that got you there.
This inspirational video is a reminder that success isn’t a destination, but a process.
Inspirational Video #15: Everyday
Perfect for: Anyone unhappy or unsatisfied with their day-to-day life.
Key Quote: “Life is 10% what happens to you, it’s 90% what you do about it.”
This inspirational video is 15 minutes of quotes, clips, and music that will help you to awaken your higher self.
It addresses the fact that how we approach every day shapes our circumstances and the effect we have on the world.
“What you do every day is far more important than what you do once every decade.”
Inspirational Video #16: Finding Your Meaning of Life
Perfect for: Anyone searching for more meaning and purpose in their life.
Key Quote: “If you don’t know why you’re here, I encourage you to find out what your purpose is here – what is the meaning of your life. Because once you find that, it puts you in your power place.”
This inspirational video features words by motivational speaker and author Les Brown. It’s a call to find true purpose and meaning in your life – before it’s too late.
Because as Brown says, “Most people, they go to their graves with their greatness still in them.”
Inspirational Video #17: Christian the Lion Reunion
Perfect for: Seeing the bond that humans and animals share.
Key Takeaway: Animals are just like us.
In 1969, John Rendall and Ace Berg saw a lion cub, “cramped and lonely, in a small cage.”
They adopted him and raised the cub in their small apartment. Once Christian grew too big, they released him to live wild in Africa.
A year later, they went to visit.
You might want to grab the tissues.
Inspirational Video #18: The Social Revolution
Perfect for: Remembering to seize every moment and create the life of your dreams.
Key Quote: “Your memories are your life.”
This stirring speech given by Memorize founder Antoine Cartier-Wells reminds us of the power of the human mind and spirit.
Combining dramatic music with video footage from filmmaker Devin Graham, the video was actually made to promote the game Remember Me.
This inspirational video is a call to realize our full potential.
Inspirational Video #19: The Teacher Who Changed My Life by Dan Lock
Perfect for: Reminding us that every interaction we have with another person can have far-reaching consequences – good or bad.
Key Quote: “Understand the impact that you can have on somebody [with] one gesture, one encouragement, [or] one story.”
In this inspirational video, entrepreneur and author Dan Lock shares a story about how one teacher believing in him, made him believe in himself.
It’s a stark reminder of how we all have the power to help one another in immeasurable ways, through the smallest actions.
Summary
Remember, the power of these inspirational videos lies not in the videos themselves, but in their ability to remind you of what you already know.
Here’s a quick summary of some of the key takeaways:
- Take responsibility for your life situation.
- Most limitations in life are self-imposed.
- You are more capable than you think you are.
- You must believe in yourself.
- Follow your heart and intuition.
- Sustained happiness is a result of discipline.
- Success isn’t a destination, but a continuous journey.
- All living things are connected.
- Choose the people that you surround yourself with wisely.
- Ignore the haters.
- Do what you can’t.
- Our entire lives are made up of this single present moment.
- If you have a dream, protect it.
- Don’t wait to make a change, start now.
- “Thumbs up for rock n’ roll!”
Have we missed any great inspirational videos?