Do motivational talks really work?

Do you personally think that motivational talks are important? Or are they a kind of high-energy pep talk designed to make people feel good for one day before the buzz dissipates the next?

What do the experts say?

First of all, I’m a certified behavioural consultant, and according to motivational theory, it is believed that one cannot “motivate” another person.

A person can only motivate himself. Therefore, you cannot “change” a person, but you can influence him.

You can influence people to use a set of thinking patterns and help them create more empowering belief systems that will make them more resourceful in life. This leads them to become more successful.

It depends

People have asked me whether motivation talks really work, and my answer to them is: “It depends …”

• It depends on whether the person listening to the talk is open to change.
• It depends on whether he is currently happy with the results that he is getting.
• It depends on whether he is at the stage of his life when he is hungry to learn.

I have given many talks to multinational corporations and government agencies. In my experience, no two people are similar in their appetite for learning and growth.

One person can be fired up and talk about the philosophies that I have just shared while the person next to him just claps his hands and asks when the lunch break is.

But one thing I know is that a motivational speaker can influence a crowd to look at where they are in their lives and how much greater they can be.

A motivational talk can create a desire for change, and it will be up to the listeners to decide how they want to change their lives.

When people understand that they have the power to change and make a difference, they will not want to be the same again.

I have a lot of people coming up to me at the end of a seminar saying that it has changed the way they think and the principles taught are really useful for the workplace.

A word of caution

However, let me offer a word of caution. Motivation is like food. You need to feed yourself with a healthy portion of it every day. After all, can you survive a week just by eating a day?

Some people hold the unrealistic belief that a motivational talk will deliver a one-day solution that will totally change their lives.

I see being motivated as a process where we find out what motivates us first and then do it every day to get the results that we want.

So, coming back to the question, “Do motivational talks really change you and make you successful?”, my answer is still: “It depends”.

It depends on whether you choose to let it happen and then take massive action to achieve your goals. - Source: ST/ANN

Article by Kenneth Kwan, an international motivational speaker and trainer.