There’s a reason why Olympic athletes, politicians, and successful entrepreneurs are the best-known motivational speakers. They didn’t set out to be motivational speakers from the get-go; they settled into that career path after they learned real-world strategies to overcome diversity in their field.
The best motivational speakers are the ones who have firsthand experience overcoming challenges and adversity. They can not only tell the story of how they got to where they are, but they can show that the path to get there isn’t always smooth.
Here’s what makes the best motivational speakers.
- They have firsthand experience
Imagine that there are two people telling you how to change a tire. The first person read about how to do it in a book. The second person is a mechanic and has done it themselves. Who do you think you’d listen to?
This isn’t a difficult answer. Having firsthand experience on a matter gives you more credibility because it shows that you know how hard experiencing that situation is. You’ve walked through every bit of the pain and suffering that comes with overcoming adversity, and you’re here to tell people that it can be done from your lived experience with the real-world strategies and tools you’ve discovered.
- They have experience overcoming adversity
Overcoming adversity means that someone faced something challenging in their life and worked through it. Often, listening to these stories empowers people to do the same in their lives. It’s motivating to hear how – despite the size of a problem or the number of obstacles facing them – an individual can continue tackling the hand that life dealt them. After all, if they did it, you can do it too!
- They have expert knowledge in addition to an inspiring story
Depending on how many motivational speakers you’ve listened to over the years, you know they’re not all created equal. Some are professional speakers who are paid to speak in front of an audience. Others are industry speakers who may or may not get paid to speak in front of an audience of their peers. And then there are subject matter experts who are valued because of the resources and information they can share in the field.
Finally, you get into inspirational speakers who are able to speak emotionally about a topic. They share their story – often about overcoming adversity – in a moving and inspiring way.
And if you’re a motivational speaker? You can do all of the above. You’re likely paid to speak in front of an audience in a knowledgeable and emotional way about your firsthand experience overcoming adversity. Without your firsthand knowledge, you’re simply not as convincing on the topic and don’t have as much to offer your audience.
Hiring Derek Clark as a Motivational Speaker
Derek Clark is an inspiring motivational speaker with firsthand experience overcoming adversity. During his professional keynote presentations, he shares his expertise on childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences. His goal is to deliver a message of hope, motivation, and determination to help others push through adversity they may be facing in their lives. Contact Derek here for his availability.
