Five TED Talks To Inspire Motivation

Many people seek intrinsic (internally motivated) and extrinsic (externally motivated) motivation in their lives. However, many obstacles can hinder this motivation and your ability to use it to complete goals. Hearing real stories and accounts from others who have achieved it can be beneficial if you're struggling to find motivation. 

Discovering what motivates you and cultivating motivation may allow you to feel more confident in going after your goals and making a change. One way to get inspired is by listening to or watching TED Talks, speeches, and demonstrations led by experts in various fields with first-hand motivation experience.

Five motivating TED talks

If you enjoy watching TED talks to learn more about popular topics like motivation, you might enjoy the following five inspiring TED talks. 

Why we do what we do: Tony Robbins

Why We Do What We Do is one of the most viewed TED Talks, with over 29 million views. This video can provide inspiration and persuasion to help viewers consider what motivates them. Tony discusses six human needs, including: 

• Certainty
• Significance
• Variety 
• Love and connection
• Growth 
• Contribution

In his TED Talk, he explains how understanding and caring for your most basic needs can free up space to work on personal growth. In addition, you can remember these needs when interacting with others to consider how they might feel in a given situation. 

The puzzle of motivation: Dan Pink

Dan Pink's talk at TEDGlobal in 2009 quickly went viral at the time it came out. Dan talks about how scientists discovered motivation and personal stories of those who have managed to succeed despite challenges. He talks about how traditional rewards for motivation might not be as motivating as people expect, especially in creative pursuits. To Dan, motivation is based on autonomy, mastery, and purpose. 

Dan Pink also uses research to back up his claims. In his Ted Talk, he discusses how financial incentives often motivate businesses and individuals. However, research shows that incentive-based rewards may block creativity, which can be a detriment to business. He believes intrinsic motivators may increase workplace employee motivation more than financial awards. 

The happy secret to better work: Shawn Achor

Shawn Achor's speech discusses how being happy can inspire success and productivity. He approaches the idea of working to be happy as a backward ideal and seeks to explain why happiness should come first and work should come second. This speech, written by psychologist and positive psychology pioneer Shawn Achor, interweaves humor and science to inform and educate on what makes humans move forward.

At 10:03 in the video, Shawn states, "By raising positivity in the present, your brain experiences a happiness advantage and performs significantly better than when you are negative, neutral, or stressed. Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, your energy levels rise, and every single business outcome improves." 

If you want to increase motivation at work or meet a career goal, you might succeed better when you're happy and caring for your mental health. Although happiness is a temporary emotion, there are many ways to increase moments of joy in your day and meet goals that make you feel you are successful.

A simple way to break a bad habit: Judson Brewer, MD

Damaging habits can cause a lapse in motivation. Judson Brewer discusses this phenomenon in his TED Talk about how to work through these habits and compulsive behaviors to find true motivation. One method Brewer discusses is mindfulness. He explains how an inciting event can cause emotional responses that prompt habits to form to cope with emotional pain. He suggests taking a moment for mindfulness when this process occurs to halt it in action. 

Studies may back up Brewer's claims, showcasing how mindfulness has the power to change emotional responses in the body, including stress, depression, and anxiety. If you are unmotivated to change a harmful behavior, Judson's speech may offer guidance and tips for trying mindfulness. 

Every kid needs a champion: Rita Pierson

If you work in education, Rita Pierson's TED Talk may help you find the motivation to continue supporting students and teaching. Rita explains, "Every child deserves a champion—an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be." 

Rita explains that many educators forget why they are participating in their careers, and returning to that connection can increase motivation to make a difference. For many, educating youth is a life goal, as bringing positive ideas and support to children may strengthen future adult generations. Children taught connection and empathy may also be empowered to see themselves in a new light. 

Many children struggle to succeed because they think they're "bad kids." They might experience behavioral concerns, mental illness, a difficult family life, or another challenge that makes adults not take them seriously. If they're often labeled "the problem child" or sent from adult to adult without resolution for their problems, they might start to assume that they are unredeemable. 

Rita talks about how giving children connection and seeing them as they are can allow them to feel understood. When a child is told by their mentors that they are not a "lost cause" and that adults refuse to give up on them, they may be less likely to give up on themselves. Studies show that a child's environment has a significant impact on their behavior. When a child's environment is positive, supportive, and safe, their behavior may mimic that.

Counseling options 

There are many areas of life motivation can be used. If you're struggling to find motivation in your career, with your family, or throughout your education, consider watching a TED Talk to learn about current and past research into motivation and potentially inspire yourself to make a change. If you are looking for other online resources, you can also try online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp.

Online therapy can be a convenient way to receive therapeutic guidance on topics like motivation, stress, career challenges, and parenting. Therapists working online can practice many of the same therapeutic modalities as in-person providers, allowing you to receive quality care from home or any location with an internet connection. In addition, online therapy is more cost-effective than most face-to-face sessions. 

People sometimes struggle with motivation due to mental illnesses like anxiety or depression. If you feel your mental health is holding you back from your potential, studies show that online therapy can significantly reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social anxiety disorder at a level congruent with the effectiveness of in-person therapy.