Inspirational speeches are similar to motivational speeches in that both aim to build confidence. Inspirational speeches, however, have specific differences in terms of delivery and method; and under certain circumstances may prove to be more effective.

Inspirational speeches are conveyed by telling stories: In order to inspire the appropriate feelings within the audience, inspirational speeches rely on telling stories. To be effective these stories should have a specific moral or set of morals which are conveyed, while simultaneously making the audience think and empathize. Playing upon the empathy of the audience is an extremely effective method for inspiring a certain feeling or way of thinking, which is the aim of an inspirational speech.

Tone and pace may vary: Many speeches which aspire to inspire certain feelings in people tend to be loud and fast-paced, and this is especially true for motivational speeches. Inspirational speeches, however, can have an array of different tones and paces. For the purposes of an inspirational speech, it is best to aim for a moderate tone and pace, fluctuating very subtly at key climactic moments throughout the speech. The tone and pace also depends vastly on the type of inspiration intended; trying to inspire people to stay away from drugs may require a story of how someone’s life was ruined by drugs and this may require a moderately fast-paced delivery, while a more heart-felt inspirational speech may require a slower pace and tone, which allows the audience to absorb the important morals throughout the story and grants them enough time to think about and understand the key concepts. The tone and pace is incredibly important in this regard, as the incorrect usage will disrupt the process of inspirational stimulation.

Positive and negative messages: Inspirational speeches rely on a subtle combination of positive and negative messages. Although the process of inspiration requires positive messages, negative messages are also needed to instigate the correct thought progression required for inspiration. The negative messages conveyed should be delivered in such a way that the morals extracted from them are positive and valuable. This can only be done by recounting stories in which any negative actions are followed by negative consequences and disruption, while positive actions remove the disruption and bring about positive and productive circumstances.

Personal and heart-warming: It is common for inspirational speeches to be personal and heart-warming, so as to play upon the sympathies and empathy of the audience. In order for this to happen, the stories told should create believable characters which the audience will care about. This is done by building up a character background in a concise and fluent delivery so that the audience believes that they are real people with real lives, feelings, aspirations and motivations. Thus, when something horrific happens to them as a result of bad choices, the audience will feel the consequences as if it is their own and extract the important morals from it. This also makes the story believable and personal, which is exactly the right mood needed to inspire.

Good story-telling is crucial to delivering thoughtful inspirational speeches, and knowing how to play on the feelings of the audience is the best way to motivate and inspire.

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