Every speaker I know has been asked this question. As trite as it sounds, I think it’s a very important question. As a personality speaker and thought leader, it’s critical that all of us ‘walk the talk’. That doesn’t make us perfect or impervious to lapses in motivation, but if you’re not one of the most pumped up people you’ve ever met the audience will sense it. Leading people and companies through problems requires mental toughness, and you must be your own greatest asset. Some of you may find this video a little on the tough-love side, but I think it’s hard to argue with the message. Watch and see what you think. I’ll look forward to your comments. Steve Siebold ( 2:48 )
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THIS IS IT!!! Steve…again I must say…You Live It!!! Thanks!!!
Steve,
Great message from Australia. You’re so right. Thanks for the reminder./Herby
Dear Steve,
I want to thank you. You have touched me in ways you do not know. I purchased your book, “177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class”. It has changed my life. Right now, I am searching for work, going to school, writing a book, working temp assignments (beneath my qualifications) so my life should be severely stressful. But I am grateful for my life because I am striving to be a world class thinker and doer. It is because of your book that I have not lost it. Everyday I read one chapter and share it with one of my closest friends. We sit around and discuss the topic for the day or the action item for the day. Steve, as a world class thinker, please put my name in your thoughts of faith and believe with me that I will find a job soon. I am running out of time as I have rent to pay. Today I read #56 and this was a tough one. Most of my friends deserted me during my time of not working but I have helped them throughout my long working life. But as you say, “people are fallible”. I wrote each of their names down and burned the list calling their names out forgiving and freeing them without remorse, regret and in the spirit of love. Thank you Steve!
I disagree in this sense, when people aspire to public speaking and motivational messages they may not yet be the person who can even do it. As they absorb the messages, yours and others they change. Zig Ziglar said it best, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
So when you say if people don’t have it in them they should probably stay off the stage. You become motivated by the great books, the Bible, Think and Grow Rich, Science of Getting Rich and others.
It’s like rubbing a magnet against steel. The steel becomes magnetized too. The right motivation will rub off on the listener. That listener will then become the next Zig Ziglar, Denis Waitly, or Jim Rohn — they aren’t born they develop.
That’s how I see it.
Excellent message, Steve. I’d never thought of (or been asked) that question before…now I have a solid answer – one I believe is true.
Thank you!
Hi Steve
Glad to see your still on the road…will malaysia be your next stop….your not too far away????….just finished watching your video on who motivates the motivator …while i agree with you…yes we motivate the motivators cause we have that natural high energy and on stage that attracts audiences to reach their own potential higher energy …..but I would also say that the audience has something to do with it as well……..a hungry audience needing our high motivational energy is another thing which keeps us motivated…so I think it takes two to tango…..those of us who have natural motivational energy and those audiences out there who are just yearning to be motivated by the best motivators they can find… just like you steve…thanks steve your an inspiration
Great message, Steve. The whole reason a speaker does what he or she does is because they are “called” to do it. It is a natural inclination, an inner “pull” to the stage.
You cannot coach that, cannot teach that, and are hard-pressed to learn that kind of drive or “motivation”.
The motivator gets motivated by themselves, and by their inner fire. And yes, listening to our favorites in and throughout the industry keeps the fuel tank full once in a while, but it is not the primary driving force.
Thanks for the great message.
~JT
A “motivational speaker” needs to be self motivated, I agree. However, I personally don’t get motivation from other motivators. Any time I am tired I used biochemistry to fix the problem. If a substance isn’t near by, I close my eyes and in my mind I invision my self as Arnold playing the Terminator In T2 with the pipe through his back with out energy. I then mentally invision my self getting up. Being tired to me is something that is felt. I just take the emotion out of the equation and it seems to solve the problem. The personality Book “Understand me II” by Keirsey is the best book i’ve read on the theory of personalities. Interverts have their own energy but are drain around people, Extraverts become energized being around other people and are drain being by them selves. Majority of people are extraverted in nature. So it only makes sense that the majority of people would get “motivated” being in a group with a motivated speaker. The energy is already their the leader just has to direct that energy to a goal. Just food for thought.
Motivation yes, but it still takes the act of doing, practicing, and failing. When it really comes down to ‘being’ a great keynote speaker, action is required. You have to be PUMPED about your message to share it with others. And, to stay pumped you need to know ‘why’ you’re doing it. Why do you want to share your message with others? Why do you believe it is so important? YOU are definitely your own motivator. You are your own inspiration. I got it, Steve, and thanks. A good, simple, and brief message. Liked it.
Steve- Loved the message. Who Motivates the Motivator is like who heals the physician. It is one of those things that people very seldom think about until the person who was motivating them is not there any longer or is in need of motivation themselves. Definitely something to make you think.
Ray L. Owensby
Obahoo.com
Author of upcoming book- Your Last Hurdle
Steve,
to be a public speaker and to be successful you must have an inner motivation, your ultimate goal, that drives you in the right direction. If you don’t have that inner fire, you’ll never stay in the world class. But yes, this must be daily created by yourself. When you feel down, just think about the last time you felt on top and really relive that moment,and you will see the world with positive eyes again.
Mike Jacobi
I get asked a version of this question every day… Briefly here’s why, we have 4 children, 2 with physical, occupational, emotional and learning disabilities requiring weekly doctors visits, my business failed over a year ago, we will lose our home to foreclosure in a few weeks and my wife is battling stage four metastatic breast cancer that has now spread to her spine…
So, when I’m asked a version of “What keeps you motivated?”
People really want to know…
My family and I live, love and laugh as much as possible. We are honest about our challenges with the hope that how we live with these issues can help others living with theirs. However, to us, our finances, diseases and disabilities are not who we are, they do not define us.
Yet, we realize to most people our challenges are the first thing they see or know about us. It’s part of our “involuntary uniform”. We have the choice to stand in uncomfortable silence and receive awkward unflinching stares or to use our issues to help others. Our challenges can start conversations, these conversations often open eyes of those who were staring at us and frequently include a version of, “So, what keep you motivated?”
This. Living. Sharing.
Par for the course Steve,
Great questions, great posts that followed too!
I think one key is that we all are a little bit motivated differently. What motivates me for example is morning reading, writing, affirmations, prayer and some times a good work out, might not have the same affect on others. We all have to constantly find & fine tune what works for us uniquely. It is great to try new things, go back to what works. We all have habits, if are habits are motivating us, great, if not, look at ways to start to change them and become re-motivated. Try what others are doing and see if that works for you too! I think it is a constance process of becoming & developing and moving one self in a forward direction.
Author of an upcoming book as well: How Good Do You Want it!? (Various aspects of your Life) Developing Positive Mindstes for Every Day in Every Way!
Edward Michael Raymond
That is a pretty easy question. Can we really do it all ourselves though? Is there a chance that we as motivational speakers cannot turn to others to be motivated. Well if we think we motivate ourselves we have a short career in the future.
God made the ultimate decision for us a long time ago and said it was not good for man to be alone, though he gave the man talent to name all animals he still wasn’t comfortable and thought to give the man help and made the best thing that ever touched this earth since, women… ( a little loud and naggin, but beautiful haha just kidding) anyways it doesn’t end there He also gave us the number one motivational speaker that ever walked this earth (sorry Bill) but Jesus Christ, and one of the first things He did was called disciples.
OK so what am I saying then? YES! we do need to be motivated by other sources the day that we cannot be motivated by our peers, books and movies our imaginations will be limited, oh yeah and ofcourse one more person who was motivated was, yeah Steve Siebold by Bill Gove and I’m so glad that happened because I am continuously motivated by all above including all your posts. God Bless from your next World Renowned Motivational Speaker…
Mike Freeman
Steve- Loved the message. Who Motivates the Motivator is like who heals the physician. It is one of those things that people very seldom think about until the person who was motivating them is not there any longer or is in need of motivation themselves. Definitely something to make you think. Ray L. Owensby Obahoo.com Author of upcoming book- Your Last Hurdle
Steve
Thanks for sharing that video, what motivates the motivator? I sometimes find myself what motivates me every day and what you say is true that looking towards other motivators is what motivates me.
But, what caught my eye is your story in 8th grade and your opportunity to give the class speech but someone else had to do it for you reminded me as to when I was young with my issue of stuttering and also when in 6th grade I was videotaped for a thanksgiving holiday gathering that when I was to give a speech about the first thanksgiving I was so nervous that on tape my mouth was moving but the words seem to be tape delayed. That made me the laughing stock of the class that year. But, since then I think that is why I have overcome my fear of speaking and look forward to the future in my new career