motivational videos
Such inspirational videos are successful because they make people feel a certain way and usually, emotion inspires action. Source: Eduardo Soteras/AFP

Motivational videos are self-explanatory. They motivate. But, let’s take a deeper look at the effects of these on learning. For instance, the “Just do it” phrase from Nike is an iconic one that is directly relevant to motivation for their brand in sportswear. 

The original Nike campaign (back in 1988) helped push their sales by 1,000% over the next decade. Since then, motivational videos are on a rise and not only for brands but for everything from learning to connecting and working to changing perceptions.

Such inspirational videos are successful because they make people feel a certain way and usually, emotion inspires action. There are many different types of compilations of quotes from people who beat the odds and add context to historic speeches using imagery and music. 

There are also studies that show the benefits of combining music with the audio and visual of motivational videos. One study by Jenkins (2007) showed that areas of the brain are biologically stimulated with music and images which complete emotional processing. 

Here’s our pick of the best motivational videos that are trending to help you get off the procrastination train and get to work:

VISION – Motivational Video

“And I need to see yourself actually becoming the person you want to be.” 

Hollywood is a big part of our lives and movies are used to perceive how we see the world. Mateusz M brings such stories together using familiar scenes and speeches from people we admire to make a point. 

The theme for this video is vision, the ability to imagine the future and see our lives the way we want them to be. 

A Pep Talk from Kid President to You

“Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the road less travelled.”

This video that went viral in 2013 is the pep talk we all need for all circumstances. It contains important reminders like how Michael Jordan didn’t quit when he didn’t get picked for his high school’s basketball team, we wouldn’t have Space Jam. 

When you feel down, channel your own inner Kid President and address issues like the lack of motivation to study or complete assignments. 

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

“We can not change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

Professor Randy Pausch gave his last lecture at Carnegie Mellon University in 2007, before passing away in 2008. In a packed auditorium, he talked about lessons he learned in his life and shared his advice to students on achieving their own career and personal goals. Grab a box of tissues because this one’s a tearjerker. 

“Fall Forward” commencement speech by Denzel Washington

We all love a bit of Denzel Washington. In this commencement speech, he encourages everyone to take risks and learn from failure using situations from his own career as anecdotes. 

“Fail big. That’s right. Fail big. Today is the beginning of the rest of your life and it can be very frightening. Take chances, professionally. Don’t be afraid to fail,” he can be heard saying in this video paired with the song “Intro” by The xx. 

A+ STUDENT MENTALITY – Best Study Motivation

“Number one, you need to be disciplined.”

Alternatively, if you like your motivational videos to be a sharper type of pep talk, this one’s for you. This video will inspire you to keep learning everyday and has over four million views for the students who want to study for their exams and work hard.