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50 Inspiring Public Speaking Quotes to Help You Conquer Your Fear

If there’s one thing we can all agree on it’s that public speaking is often intimidating and nerve-wracking! Being able to confidently stand up in front of a room of people and eloquently deliver a speech – while also engaging and inspiring your audience – is no easy task. The great thing is, there is so much information out there to help you turn your fear into skillful public speaking. One such resource is the wealth of inspiring quotes related to the topic. To give you a boost of inspiration and remind you of the beauty of engaging public speaking, we’ve gathered 50 of the best public speaking quotes here. The wisdom and insight included in this collection will empower you to prepare ahead of time and conquer your fear so you can deliver that speech with confidence and grace. Enjoy!

Inspirational Quotes to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

Public speaking can be a terrifying experience for many people. But by using wise and inspiring quotes to motivate yourself, you can conquer the fear of public speaking and tap into your true potential. Here are some incredible quotes to help you get started: “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill This quote reminds us that public speaking takes courage no matter which end of the spectrum you’re on. Whether you need to cross the room and give a speech or bravely sit in place and listen, courage is necessary either way. “You will have your audience eating out of your hands if you don’t just tell them facts but make it interesting with stories and humor.” – Barbara Walters This quote emphasizes the importance of making your presentation more engaging with storytelling and wit – which can help you break through any fears that come along with public speaking. “When facing fear, make yourself bigger, brighter, louder. When we do this, fear shrinks back faster than light does from a black hole.”– Sabrina Ward Harrison This quote aptly warns that if fear has a hold over us, we need to take action to combat it; use techniques such as visualization, positive self-talk or deep breathing to reduce anxiety and let our true personalities shine through.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs

“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn’t really matter.” – D.L. Moody

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” – Jimmy Dean

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln These quotes provide great inspiration while overcoming the fear of public speaking. But motivation alone isn’t enough when tackling such obstacles – next, begin setting goals and finding ways to measure success in order to truly motivate yourself with powerful thoughts.

Motivate Yourself with Powerful Thoughts

Motivating yourself with powerful thoughts is a great way to address your fear of public speaking. After all, you are never too prepared when trying to conquer those butterflies in your stomach before giving a speech. It’s important to remember that the best way to feel confident and remain composed throughout your address is by mentally preparing yourself beforehand. Think about everything that you have going for you and how far you have come: your successes, education, and other meaningful experiences you’ve had in life. Let those achievements be fuel for your inspiration as well as give you confidence in your abilities; it will help motivate you during that difficult moment when you’re on stage. Believing in yourself is one of the most important skills to maintain control over your fear instead of letting it dictate how you’ll do in front of the audience. However, caring too much about what the audience may think can negatively impact the effectiveness of your speech — so while believing in yourself is important, don’t put too much stock into getting a positive reaction from the crowd. If each word or visual aid is perfectly timed and well-organized, then naturally the audience will enjoy what they hear and see more than if it was chaotic. This leads us into our next section about memorable quotes to help you find courage before giving speeches! As these inspirational sayings can serve as an anchor during moments of doubt, they can also provide insight into managing the anxiety of public speaking and becoming an effective communicator.

Memorable Quotes to Help You Find Courage

Whether you’re preparing for a big presentation or performing a perfectly rehearsed monologue, you need courage and confidence to be effective. A few inspiring quotes will help keep your speech on track and can give you the courage to face your fear of public speaking. Consider some of these classic quotes to help find the courage and strength necessary before any engagement: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela This oft-quoted phrase from Nobel Peace Prize recipient Nelson Mandela speaks to the power we have to conquer our fears and worries despite our hesitation. An effective speaker sees beyond their fear and anticipates a rewarding outcome. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt Often misattributed as an anonymous quote, this phrase was spoken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first inauguration speech. Through this line, he was trying to express the idea that fear is self-inflicted, and should not be allowed to stop us from achieving success in all our endeavors. When it comes to giving impactful presentations, let go of the fear that holds you back, replace it with positive energy so your message resonates with the audience. “Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt This inspiring quote from Eleanor Roosevelt encourages us to push past our limits and disrupt routine-life by embracing moments of uncertainties, changes and unknowns, which all contribute for a better version of ourselves in public speaking scenarios. Step out of your comfort zone and rise above your fears starting with small wins each day – even if it’s just shaking hands with a stranger at the mall – the act alone can spark enough courage for you do face more difficult speaking engagements later on.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” – Maya Angelou

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – E.E. Cummings

“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Take a moment to reflect on these powerful quotes when preparing for any public speaking gig, then use them as an anchor to remind yourself of why you are here when thoughts of failure arise in your mind. With enough enthusiasm and passion, inspire yourself with positive phrases in order to give an impactful performance! In the next section, learn how positive words can go a long way in boosting your morale while preparing or during your presentation.

Inspire Yourself with Positive Phrases

When facing an audience and task of delivering an important speech, it can be helpful to inspire yourself with positive phrases. Reminding ourselves that we are competent, capable, and strong can help us get over any fear or anxiety we may be feeling. Positive affirmations may also increase our confidence so we can focus on delivering our best speech. Additionally, practicing positive mantras like “I can do this” or “I am worthy of this opportunity” can help put us in the mindset for success. Positive self talk is known to be a powerful tool for reducing stress and improving motivation. However, it’s important to remember that positive thinking cannot be forced. It only works if someone truly believes what they are saying and are actively redirecting their thoughts in a more encouraging direction. So while repeating affirmative phrases can have a meaningful impact on one’s mental state, doing so without believing them can have little to no effect after the initial reaction. With the right attitude and some self-encouragement words, we can overcome all of our public speaking fears and take control of our emotions before getting up in front of an audience. Now let’s look at some inspiring quotes that can help us become successful at public speaking.

Quotes to Inspire Successful Public Speaking

No matter the size of the crowd, public speaking can be intimidating. Famous figures throughout history have been helping to empower those who take on this challenge. Quotes to inspire successful public speaking can go a long way in conquering the fear of standing up in front of an audience. Albert Einstein is often credited with saying, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” This quote instills confidence by highlighting that difficulty comes with opportunities for greatness. If you are anxious about speaking to a large group, look at it as an opportunity to show your strengths and create something special or memorable. Other inspiring quotes come from well-known figures such as Aristotle who said: “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit”. The best speakers don’t simply rely on their first speech. They treat it like any activity that requires practice and repetition in order to perfect it. Improving upon each successive performance is key to success when it comes to public speaking. For those seeking inspiration beyond famous philosophers, people like Steve Jobs offer motivation through his words: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life… Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” Although Steve Job’s career path was far from normal, his work ethic and sense of purpose are inspirational for anyone lacking confidence in their own unique delivery style.

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – Lilly Walters

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller . The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” – Steve Jobs

“To be a good public speaker, you must first be a good listener.” – Calvin Coolidge

“The most precious things in speech are the pauses.” – Sir Ralph Richardson

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” – Dale Carnegie

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” – Dianna Booher

“The success of a presentation is 10% what you say, and 90% how you say it.” – Frank Tyger

“It’s not the size of the audience, it’s the effect you have on them.” – Robert Michalski

“Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.” – Brian Tracy

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” – William Carlos Williams By utilizing these inspiring quotes as fuel for our fire, we can ignite the spark within us and become successful public speakers . However, mastering this skill often involves an extra layer of confidence that has its own set of challenges. In the next section, we will explore innovative ways to develop confidence for your audience.

Develop Confidence for Your Audience

Having confidence when you step in front of the room is essential to success in public speaking. Developing your confidence requires focusing on how your audience perceives you, building strong habits that lead to success, and believing in yourself. Knowing how your audience will receive you is key to feeling confident about standing in front of them. It can help to practice hard beforehand by rehearsing both with friends or colleagues, as well as practicing in public speaking clubs , or even alone in front of a mirror. You’ll want to focus on not just what you’re saying but also the way that you say it, by speaking with conviction , good pacing, and careful word choice. Know your strengths and weaknesses , and once you do make a point of emphasizing those strengths while downplaying the weaknesses. Preparing for success also means creating good habits that will help you stay on track while giving your talk. Having a healthy mental state is important, so leading up to the talk keep healthy eating habits and exercise regularly to stay strong and focused during your presentation. It also helps to come into each talk having already learned something new about the topic , which can help give some extra pep in taking the stage when needed. Building these habits helps reduce stress levels ahead of time and can give an individual that much more assurance in their abilities and that the task at hand can be done. Above all else, believe in yourself and remember why you decided to give this speech or presentation in the first place – because you have something important to share with your audience. Remind yourself of all of the hard work you put into preparing for this moment and all of the positive feedback that others gave you along the way; it’s often enough to bring back strong confidence for your performance. Equipping yourself with these tools ahead of time will be paramount in helping develop and maintain confidence during your talk. As mentioned before, exerting this level of confidence is essential for a successful presentation; now let’s explore quotes to help further prepare individuals so they are able give a captivating performance — let’s start with looking at what these inspiring quotes can tell us about preparing for our talk.

Quotes to Help You Prepare for Your Talk

Doing the preparation is half of the battle when it comes to public speaking. Having a plan and an idea of what you are going to say gives your speech structure , one that your audience will appreciate. Preparation should also be extended to anticipating questions and creating responses for them accordingly. This can help ensure that you look prepared and authoritative. To emphasize the importance of preparation, here are some inspiring quotes on it: “Chance favors the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur This quote by science pioneer Louis Pasteur underlines the importance of being prepared mentally before delivering a talk or presentation. Being informed, informed and informed beforehand can give you a huge psychological edge, assuring you of a successful performance. “The first step in preparing an effective speech is research.” – Dale Carnegie Dale Carnegie’s famous quote reminds us that even if we feel we know enough about our topic, it does not hurt to do additional research so we can fully equip ourselves with knowledge about it before engaging our audience . Research can also act as inspiration for new ideas and insights. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin This proverb from Benjamin Franklin further stresses the need for proper planning before any presentation or talk. Having a well conceived framework and understanding exactly how our points will be delivered can be key when standing in front of a large group of people.

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” – Lewis Carroll

“Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” – Stephen Keague

“Know your material, know your audience, and know your purpose.” – George H. W. Bush

“Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation, there is sure to be failure.” – Confucius

“The time to prepare for a speech is twenty years.” – Mark Twain

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts

“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” – John Wooden

These quotes serve as reminders of just how important preparation is before any presentation or speech. This is also supported by many experts who acknowledge the value of practising and rehearsing before taking the stage or stand. With this said, let us now proceed to discuss impactful quotes which inspire growth in public speaking prowess.

Impactful Quotes that can Positively Affect Your Development

When it comes to public speaking, inspiring quotes can help to provide a mental pick-me-up and motivate our innermost selves. In addition to the initial adrenaline boost, many powerful quotes can have positive long-term effects on our development. They give us something tangible to hold onto and reflect back upon during moments of anxiety or when we’re defeated by external forces like stage fright or a challenging audience. For instance, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s famous quote “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm” speaks to the importance of resilience and drives home the idea that success isn’t necessarily predetermined; it takes hard work, dedication, and an unflappable spirit through darkness and defeat.

Similarly, Rick Hansen’s quote “There is nothing you can’t do, if you set your mind to it. Anything is possible.” directs our thoughts towards strength and being recognized as capable of achieving anything with mindful effort. On the other hand, some believe that impactful quotes are useful but emphasize more natural talent and less hard work. This mindset implies that if we just think positively and keep in motivating words top of mind, then any challenge we encounter will be much easier to conquer. While it’s true that positive thinking and self-belief are essential for motivation, this approach leaves out much of the reality – which is that personal growth is a process that requires dedication, bravery, and an acceptance of one’s weaknesses as valuable lessons for future improvement. It’s important to remember that impactful quotes should be used in conjunction with studying techniques for calming nerves , boosting confidence, and improving performance – not taken as a substitute for honing public speaking talents over time. Quotes inspire us to look more deeply into ourselves in order to better understand how we can utilize our experiences in order to become better communicators. With this in mind, let us now conclude this article by reviewing its main points and offering final thoughts on its main topic: public speaking quotes as tools for conquering fear. Conclusion & Final Thoughts: Now that we have explored how impactful public speaking quotes can be positive building blocks for personal growth and development, let’s turn our focus towards drawing our conclusion and discussing any final thoughts on the use of public speaking quotes.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Public speaking can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Despite the fear that many experience before speaking in front of an audience, stepping up with confidence and delivering a meaningful message can have lasting positive effects. As these 50 inspiring quotes demonstrate, public speaking is not something to be afraid of but instead something to relish as an opportunity to reach out and make a positive impact on those around you. When it comes down to it, conquering your fear of public speaking does take time and practice. It may help to write about your experiences and build on the skills that you already possess. If you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, remember that no one expects perfection – try to take it slow and focus on providing value to the audience. With dedication and patience, you’ll be able to control your fear and become an inspiring public speaker. One thing is certain – although public speaking may feel intimidating at first, it can bring many rewards once you gain the confidence to do it well. Whether you’re an experienced presenter or new to the field, remember these 50 inspiring quotes as reminders that anyone can become a great public speaker with the right attitude and dedication.

Commonly Asked Questions

How can i use quotes to motivate myself when preparing for a public speaking engagement.

Quotes can be a great way to motivate yourself when preparing for a public speaking engagement. Not only do they provide you with words of encouragement and inspiration, but they can also act as mental reminders that you have the ability to succeed. Quotes can help to spark your creativity, fuel your energy, and give you a renewed sense of confidence. Additionally, quotes can be used as an effective tool to overcome any fears or doubts so that you can deliver an amazing speech. Reading relevant quotes that speak to the power of words and communication can help prepare you mentally for your public speaking engagement. They are like mantras that offer motivation and reassurance throughout the preparation process. Last but not least, quotes can spark ideas when brainstorming topics or content to share in your speech.

• Tips & news

101 Quotes to inspire speakers

Average: 4.5 ( 2 votes)

Inspiration sometimes runs dry, and for presenters feeling uninspired can lead to a poor performance.

Where do you go when you need a bit of extra lift?  Sometimes the well thought out words of history’s very best orators can be just the ticket. 

From drafting speeches, to calming your nerves right before you step into the spotlight , we’ve collected the top inspiring 101 quotes from thought leaders around the world.

Check nuggets of wisdom from Dale Carnegie , Mark Twain, Tony Robbins and Winston Churchill (we’ve even thrown in some William Butler Yeats and Seth Godin for good measure.) 

Continue reading more quotes below or  download the eBook from SlideShare . 

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams ( Tweet this )

“There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.” - Jean de la Bruyere ( Tweet this )

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford ( Tweet this )

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward ( Tweet this )

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou ( Tweet this )

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” –  Margaret Mead ( Tweet this )

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” – John Ford  ( Tweet this )

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” – D. H. Lawrence  ( Tweet this )

“Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.” – Dionysius Of Halicarnassus  ( Tweet this )

“What we say is important… for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” – Jim Beggs   ( Tweet this )

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” – Dianna Booher  ( Tweet this )

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain ( Tweet this )

“A good orator is pointed and impassioned.” – Marcus T. Cicero  ( Tweet this )

“Oratory is the power to talk people out of their sober and natural opinions.” – Joseph Chatfield  ( Tweet this)

“He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.” – Joseph Conrad ( Tweet this )

“There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.” – Alexander Gregg ( Tweet this )

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – Lilly Walters  ( Tweet this )

“Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about.” – Michael H. Mescon  ( Tweet this )

“There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.” – Mark Twain  ( Tweet this )

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” – Alexander Graham Bell  ( Tweet this )

“90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform.” – Somers White ( Tweet this )

“It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.” – Wayne Burgraff  ( Tweet this )

“The most precious things in speech are the... pauses.” – Sir Ralph Richardson ( Tweet this )

“Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.” – Martin Fraquhar Tupper ( Tweet this )

“The problem with speeches isn’t so much not knowing when to stop, as knowing when not to begin.” – Frances Rodman ( Tweet this )

“Words have incredible power. They can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore. – Dr. Mardy Grothe ( Tweet this )

“The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” – Mark Twain ( Tweet this )

“If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential.” – Warren Buffet ( Tweet this )

“If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.” – Gerald R. Ford ( Tweet this )

“Always give a speech that you would like to hear.” – Andrii Sedniev ( Tweet this )

“If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.” – Harvey Diamond ( Tweet this )

“Find out what’s keeping them up nights and offer hope. Your theme must be an answer to their fears .” – Gerald C Myers ( Tweet this )

“In presentations or speeches less really is more.” – Stephen Keague ( Tweet this )

“Speeches measured by the hour die with the hour”          – Thomas Jefferson ( Tweet this )

“It’s much easier to be convincing if you care about your topic. Figure out what’s important to you about your message and speak from the heart” – Nicholas Boothman ( Tweet this )

“Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“It is not failure itself that holds you back; it is the fear of failure that paralyzes you.” -Brian Tracy ( Tweet this )

“All you need is something to say, and a burning desire to say it… it doesn’t matter where your hands are.” – Lou Holtz ( Tweet this )

“If you don’t use stories audience members may enjoy your speech, but there is no chance they’ll remember it.” – Andrii Sedniev ( Tweet this )

“There is no such thing as presentation talent, it is called presentation skills” -David JP Phillips ( Tweet this )

“The audience only pays attention as long as you know where you are going.” - Philip Crosby ( Tweet this )

“Ask yourself, ‘If I had only sixty seconds on the stage, what would I absolutely have to say to get my message across.” - Jeff Dewar ( Tweet this )

“It’s all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation.” – Rob Gilbert ( Tweet this )

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, and to sit down and listen.”   – Winston Churchill ( Tweet this )

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin ( Tweet this )

“Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern.” – Ken Haemer ( Tweet this )

“The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?'” – Jim Rohn ( Tweet this )

“The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“To communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins ( Tweet this )

“To sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak.” – C. Kent Wright ( Tweet this )

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein ( Tweet this )

“If you can’t state your position in eight words, you don’t have a position. “ – Seth Godin ( Tweet this )

“The way something is presented will define the way you react to it.” – Neville Brody ( Tweet this )

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” – William Butler Yeats ( Tweet this )

“A presentation is a chance to share, not an oral exam.” – M.F. Fensholt ( Tweet this )      

“Speech is power. Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson ( Tweet this )

“Words do two major things: they provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” – Jim Rohn ( Tweet this )

“Every speaker has a mouth, an arrangement rather neat. Sometimes it’s filled with wisdom, sometimes it’s filled with feet.” – Robert Orben ( Tweet this )

“Humor is a rubber sword – it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.” – Mary Hirsch ( Tweet this )

“If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.” – Oscar Wilde ( Tweet this )

“Once you get people laughing, they’re listening and you can tell them almost anything.” – Herbert Gardner ( Tweet this )

“The world is waiting for your words.” – Arvee Robinson ( Tweet this )

“Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” – Jim Rohn ( Tweet this )

“A designer knows he or she has achieved perfection, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery  ( Tweet this )

“If God is in the details, then the Devil is in PowerPoint.” – @AngryPaulRand ( Tweet this )

“The more strikingly visual your presentation is, the more people will remember it. And more importantly, they will remember you.” – Paul Arden ( Tweet this )

“All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson ( Tweet this )

“Communication works for those who work at it .” – John Powell ( Tweet this )

“If you wing it when speaking, you’ll get wing it results.” – Arvee Robinson ( Tweet this )

“Your smile is a messenger of your goodwill.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought.” – Dennis Roth ( Tweet this )

“Make sure you have stopped speaking before your audience has stopped listening.” – Dorothy Sarnoff ( Tweet this )

“Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much. ” - Robert Greenleaf ( Tweet this )

“If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.” - Winston S. Churchill ( Tweet this )

“The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do.” -Thomas Jefferson ( Tweet this )

“Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” -John Wooden ( Tweet this )

“Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.” - Charles de Gaulle ( Tweet this )

“Creative thinking is merely intelligent plagiarism.” - Aristotle ( Tweet this )

"Always be yourself and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and try to duplicate it." -Bruce Lee ( Tweet this )

“Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.” - Reed Markham ( Tweet this )

“Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.” - Zig Ziglar ( Tweet this )

“A talk is a voyage with purpose and it must be charted. The man who starts out going nowhere, generally gets there.” - Dale Carnegie  ( Tweet this )

“I have not failed. I’ve simply discovered 10,000 ways that don’t work.” - Thomas Edison ( Tweet this )

“Buried deep within each of us is a spark of greatness, a spark than can be fanned into flames of passion and achievement. That spark is not outside of you it is born deep within you.” -James A. Ray ( Tweet this )

“The energy level of the audience is the same as the speaker’s. For better...or for worse.” -Andras Baneth ( Tweet this )

"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation." -Arthur Ashe ( Tweet this )

“Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.” - Cesar Chavez ( Tweet this )

“I do not speak of what I cannot praise.” - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe  ( Tweet this )

“If you're not comfortable with public speaking - and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable - practice. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust.” -Hillary Clinton ( Tweet this )

“Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” -Oliver Wendell Holmes ( Tweet this )

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” - Eleanor Roosevelt ( Tweet this )

As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” - Bill Gates ( Tweet this )

"Good transitions can make a speech more important to the audience because they feel they are being taken to a positive conclusion without having to travel a bumpy road." - Joe Griffith ( Tweet this )

"When speaking in public, your message - no matter how important - will not be effective or memorable if you don't have a clear structure." - Patricia Fripp ( Tweet this )

“The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.” -Lady Bird Johnson ( Tweet this )

“The best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you are talking about.” -Michael H. Mescon ( Tweet this )

“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.” - Robert McKee ( Tweet this )

“If something comes from your heart, it will reach the heart of your audience.” — فوزیه کوفی (Fawzia Koofi)‎ ( Tweet this )

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120 Inspiring Quotes to Start A Speech with Impact

April 20, 2023 by smartmovesonly

• 1 Inspiring Quotes to Start A Speech with Impact
• 2 Good Quotes To Start A Speech About Yourself 
• 3 Good Quotes To Start A Speech
• 4 Funny Quotes To Start A Speech
• 5 Great Quotes To Start A Speech
• 6 Motivational Quotes To Start A Speech
• 7 Quotes To Start A Speech on Relationship
• 8 Quotes To Start A Speech on fashion designing
• 9 Quotes To Start A Speech in School
• 10 Conclusion

Inspiring Quotes to Start A Speech with Impact

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes, a single sentence can leave a lasting impact on our minds and hearts. Quotes are powerful tools that can inspire, motivate, and move us to action. Whether you are giving a speech, writing an essay, or simply looking for a source of inspiration, quotes can provide the perfect starting point to help you express your ideas and connect with your audience.

Today, I have compiled 120 quotes that cover a wide range of topics, from motivation and success to love and friendship. These quotes have been carefully curated to provide you with a diverse collection of voices and perspectives that will help you find the perfect words to start your speech. Whether you are looking for a witty one-liner, a profound insight, or a timeless piece of wisdom, you are sure to find something that resonates with you in this collection.

But why are quotes so powerful? At their core, quotes are distilled expressions of the human experience. They capture our thoughts and emotions in a way that is both concise and profound. They can make us laugh, cry, or feel a surge of motivation, all in a few short words. Quotes have the power to connect us with each other and with ourselves, reminding us of our shared humanity and the things that truly matter in life.

So, without further ado, let us dive into this collection of 120 quotes to start a speech. May these words inspire you, challenge you, and move you to action as you seek to make your mark on the world.

Related:  30 Powerful Ways to Start a Speech or Presentation

Good Quotes To Start A Speech About Yourself 

• “I am the author of my own story, and every page is a testament to my resilience and determination.”
• “As I stand here before you today, I am reminded of the quote, ‘Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.’ And it is with that mindset that I have faced every challenge that has come my way.”
• “I am not defined by my past, but rather by the person I am today and the person I strive to become tomorrow.”
• “I believe that every person has a unique story to tell, and it is through our experiences that we gain wisdom and empathy for others.”
• “I am a firm believer in the power of self-reflection and personal growth, and it is through these practices that I have become the person I am today.”
• “I have always been driven by a desire to make a positive impact on the world, and it is this passion that has guided me throughout my life.”
• “I am a lifelong learner, constantly seeking new knowledge and experiences that broaden my understanding of the world and my place in it.”
• “I believe that success is not just about achieving our goals, but also about the journey we take to get there.”
• “I have learned that failure is not a setback, but rather an opportunity to learn and grow.”
• “I am a believer in the power of community, and it is through the support and encouragement of those around me that I have been able to achieve my goals.”
• “I believe that each of us has a unique purpose in life, and it is our responsibility to discover and pursue that purpose with passion and dedication.”
• “I am a firm believer in the importance of perseverance, and it is through my own determination and persistence that I have been able to overcome obstacles and achieve my dreams.”
• “I believe that our greatest strengths often emerge from our greatest challenges, and it is through these challenges that we discover what we are truly capable of.”
• “I am committed to living a life of integrity, compassion, and kindness, and it is these values that guide my actions and decisions every day.”
• “I believe that we all have the power to make a positive impact on the world, and it is through our actions and our words that we can inspire others to do the same.”

Related:  How to Start a Speech: The Power of Storytelling

Good Quotes To Start A Speech

• “The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”
• “Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.”
• “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
• “The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
• “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”
• “Life is a journey, and if you fall in love with the journey, you will be in love forever.”
• “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
• “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
• “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
• “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.”
• “To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.”

Related:  5 Steps To Crafting the Perfect Opening Line for Your Speech

Funny Quotes To Start A Speech

• “I am here to talk to you about myself because no one else will.”
• “I’m not great at the advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?”
• “I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.”
• “I’m not sure if I’m the best person for this job, but they gave it to me anyways.”
• “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right.”
• “I’m not lazy, I’m just conserving my energy.”
• “I’m not short, I’m just concentrated awesome.”
• “I’m not a morning person, I’m a coffee person.”
• “I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not sure.”
• “I’m not procrastinating, I’m just prioritizing my to-do list.”
• “I’m not saying I’m Batman, but have you ever seen me and Batman in the same room?”
• “I don’t always have a good idea, but when I do, I forget it.”
• “I’m not saying I’m old, but I remember when emojis were called emoticons.”
• “I’m not saying I’m forgetful, but I went to the fridge to get some water and ended up watching Netflix for an hour.”
• “I’m not saying I’m a genius, but I did just figure out how to eat pizza while lying down.”

Related:  30 Powerful Ways to End a Speech or Presentation

Great Quotes To Start A Speech

• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
• “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
• “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein
• “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
• “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” – Epictetus
• “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
• “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
• “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” – Billie Jean King
• “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller
• “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky 

Related:  How To Not Be Nervous For A Presentation-13 Proven Techniques

Motivational Quotes To Start A Speech

• “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson
• “Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs
• “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison
• “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
• “If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission.” – Unknown
• “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
• “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer
• “Success is not a destination, but the road that you’re on. Being successful means that you’re working hard and walking your walk every day. You can only live your dream by working hard towards it.” – Marlon Wayans
• “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson 

Related:  The Do’s and Don’ts of Starting a Speech: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Quotes To Start A Speech on Relationship

• “A healthy relationship is built on unwavering trust, honesty, and communication.” – Unknown
• “The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.” – Tony Robbins
• “Relationships are not about finding someone to complete you but rather someone who accepts you completely.” – Unknown
• “In a strong relationship, the love between two people should be greater than the need for each other.” – Unknown
• “A successful relationship requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin
• “Relationships are about trust. If you have to play detective, then it’s time to move on.” – Unknown
• “It’s not about finding someone who completes you. It’s about finding someone who accepts you completely.” – Unknown
• “A true relationship is two imperfect people refusing to give up on each other.” – Unknown
• “A great relationship is about two things: first, appreciating the similarities, and second, respecting the differences.” – Unknown
• “Relationships are like gardens. They require nurturing, patience, and love to grow.” – Unknown
• “The greatest happiness in life is the certainty that we are loved.” – Victor Hugo
• “Love isn’t something you find. Love is something that finds you.” – Loretta Young
• “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” – Audrey Hepburn
• “A true relationship is when you can tell each other anything and everything. No secrets and no lies.” – Unknown
• “A good relationship is when two people accept each other’s past, support each other’s present, and love each other enough to encourage each other’s future.” – Unknown
• “Happiness is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them together.” – Unknown
• “The best relationships are built on a foundation of friendship.” – Unknown
• “In a strong relationship, two people love each other for who they are, not who they want each other to be.” – Unknown
• “A relationship is not based on the length of time you’ve spent together, but on the foundation, you’ve built together.” – Unknown
• “The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been, and the memories we’ve made along the way.” – Unknown 

Top Reads: 135 Monday Motivation Quotes to Jumpstart Your Week

Quotes To Start A Speech on fashion designing

• “Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” – Bill Cunningham
• “Fashion is the most powerful art there is. It’s movement, design, and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we’d like to be.” – Blair Waldorf
• “Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It’s not about brands. It’s about something else that comes from within you.” – Ralph Lauren
• “Fashion is the language of the soul.” – Miuccia Prada
• “Fashion is the mirror of history.” – Christian Dior
• “Fashion is not just beauty, it’s about good attitude. You have to believe in yourself and be strong.” – Adriana Lima
• “The joy of dressing is an art.” – John Galliano
• “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” – Rachel Zoe
• “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel
• “Fashion is about dreaming and making other people dream.” – Donatella Versace
• “I think fashion is a lot of fun. I love clothes. More than fashion or brand labels, I love design.” – Marc Jacobs
• “Fashion is a form of self-expression. It’s how you show the world who you are without saying a word.” – Unknown
• “The best fashion show is definitely on the street. Always has been, and always will be.” – Bill Cunningham
• “Fashion is an art, and you are the canvas.” – Velvet Paper
• “Fashion is a trend. Style lives within a person.” – Oscar de la Renta 

Top Reads: 105 Tuesday Motivation And Quotes To Keep The Vibe Going

Quotes To Start A Speech in School

• “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
• “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King
• “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
• “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey
• “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
• “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” – Aristotle
• “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – W.B. Yeats
• “Education is not a problem. Education is an opportunity.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
• “The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.” – Carl Rogers
• “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X
• “The purpose of education is to make minds, not careers.” – William Deresiewicz
• “Education is not a tool for development – individual, community and the nation. It is the foundation for our future. It is empowerment to make choices and emboldens the youth to chase their dreams.” – Nita Ambani
• “Education is not about filling a pail, it’s about lighting a fire.” – William Butler Yeats
• “Intelligence plus character – that is the true goal of education.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
• “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” – George Washington Carver

We have explored the power of quotes and how they can be used to start a speech. From motivational quotes to humorous quips, the right quote can set the tone for your speech and capture the attention of your audience. We have seen that quotes can distill complex ideas into a few simple words, making them a powerful tool for communication.

But quotes are more than just words on a page. They are a reflection of the human experience, capturing our hopes, dreams, fears, and aspirations. They remind us of the things that truly matter in life and connect us with each other in a way that transcends time and space. Whether you are looking for a source of inspiration, a way to connect with your audience, or simply a reminder of the beauty and complexity of the human experience, quotes can provide the perfect starting point.

So, as you prepare to give your next speech, consider the power of a well-chosen quote. Let these words inspire you, challenge you and move you to action as you seek to make your mark on the world. Remember that words have the power to change lives, and that the right quote can be the spark that sets your audience on fire.

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20 Great Quotes To Help You Deliver A Killer Speech

Want to make your next speech more powerful ? Use superb quotations and use them well. In this article, I will share 20 of my favorite quotations for beginning and professional speakers. And I will tell you when and how to use them.

But before we get into these specific sayings, here are a few introductory suggestions for using quotations when you are a keynote speaker , giving an inspirational message, annual report, sales presentation, after-dinner talk, Sunday sermon, teaching lesson, or any speech you are preparing.

• Use no more than 3 to 5 quotations in your speech. Remember that a quotation is like seasoning on a fine meal. Don’t overuse quotations in your talk. That’s like dumping an entire saltshaker worth of salt on top of your meal. Think of quotes as delicious flavor additives, not the main dish.
• Avoid using quotes that are already well known to your audience. The real (secret) power of a great quotation is its ability to surprise your listeners.
• Take the time to find the ideal quotes for your talk. Go deeper than a google search. Read inspiring books, check out relevant articles, visit your local bookstore or library. Keep a journal and collect the sayings, proverbs, quotations, and bits of wisdom that move your heart and mind.
• Whenever possible, cite the source of your quotation. Give credit where credit is due. And be sure your source is accurate. You will lose credibility if you quote George Washington as an expert on social media! If you cannot track down the original source of your quote, you can simply say, “It has been said…”
• Make sure your quotations support your main message . Sometimes it’s tempting to sneak a great quip or quote into your talk because you love it. First decide if it’s apt for what you want to communicate.

Here Are 20 of the Best Quotations for Your Next Speech Use One of These Great Quotes When You Want to…

Create laughter.

Quoting a comedian, famous wit, ancient proverb, or even a child’s wisdom can generate an instant laugh during your presentation. And trust me, your audience wants to laugh! Here’s the key: Pause before and after you share the funny quotation or short joke. A humorous quotation will surprise, shock, exaggerate, and often convey a tough truth in a way that delights.

“If you’re looking for a helping hand, there’s one at the end of your arm.” ~Yiddish Proverb

Make them THINK

A powerful quotation will give your audience food for thought. First of course, you must determine what you want your audience to understand, believe, and embrace. Then, choose a quotation that packs a punch.

“He not busy being born, is busy dying.” ~Bob Dylan

Grab their ATTENTION

Usually the shorter the quotation, the more powerful the punch. Long quotes, like long speeches, will leave your audiences yawning. To open your speech, you may want to grab your listener’s attention with a short quotation or aphorism. If you are giving a talk about dream casting or goal-setting for example, here’s a fine quotation:

“If you know what you want, you can have it.” ~RH Jarrett

Prove your POINT

You don’t have to agree with every source you quote. Sometimes who you quote, is as important as what you quote. Here’s an example. Though I obviously detest this famous leader, this quotation makes a powerful point. When I am stressing the power of passion, I sometimes share this one. Note: After I give the source—which always shocks the audience—I remind them that he was evil and that we must use the power of passion for good.

“Only a storm of hot passion can turn the destinies of people. And he alone can arouse passion who bears it within himself.” ~Adolf Hitler

Illustrate an IDEA

A good quotation is like a good story. It’s a window in your house. Use it to let the light in. Help your audience see what you are saying. A good metaphor is one of the most helpful tools in a speaker’s toolbox. To get your idea across, use a strong word picture. Imagine giving a talk to a group of schoolteachers. Your goal is to affirm them for the great work they are doing. You want to remind them that what they do—educating children—matters forever.

“A school is a building with four walls, with tomorrow inside.” ~Lon Watters

INSPIRE your audience

The best speeches lift hearts! If your goal is to motivate your audience, insert a quotation designed to inspire the dreams of your audience members. Connect with their emotions. Choose a statement that is filled with hope and encouragement. Here’s one of my favorites, because it strikes such an emotional chord:

“If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme.” ~Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio

Issue a WARNING

You can use a quotation to sound an alarm. You may want to shake your hearers into stopping/starting a behavior. The key here is choosing a quotation that lights a fire under your people. What mindset do you want them to change? What do you want them to do?

“Unassertive salespeople have skinny kids!” ~Zig Ziglar

Make people CARE

Many speakers make the mistake of thinking that their talk is primarily about content. While content is important, the best speakers transfer their conviction to an audience. Your group doesn’t want more information. They are looking for takeaways and transformation.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Maya Angelou

Capture an INSIGHT

Many times the quotes that will rock your speech are what I call “zingers.” What is a “zinger”? It’s a pithy statement that expresses a flash of insight. Zap your audience with a truth in capsule form. People love to read the fortune inside their fortune cookie—and often the words apply to their lives. When I am giving a speech that talks about how we learn, I love to share this one:

“I respect wisdom but I obey pain.” ~12 Step Recovery Saying

EDUCATE your attendees

Don’t make the mistake many speakers make. Never confuse a statistic with a quotation. Remember: facts tell, stories sell. Search out stories and quotations for your talk that provide “teaching moments.” Tip: Do an Amazon search for aphorism. You’ll discover some great gems and nuggets for your next speech. An aphorism, like a proverb, teaches a memorable lesson-in-a-few-words.

“Don’t expect your ship to come in—unless you’ve sent one out.” ~Belgian Proverb

STRENGTHEN your case

Know exactly what you want to say to an audience. Then you will be in a position to find the perfect quote(s) for your next keynote speech, workshop or seminar. If you are giving a talk on leadership, select a quotation from an inspiring leader. Are you motivating athletes? Choose a motivational saying from an accomplished football, basketball, or soccer player. Most importantly, know your audience. This will help you know which quotation will best support your speech.

“We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.” ~Anais Nin

Make your speech MATTER

A good question to ask yourself is: “Who cares about what I am saying?” By the way, this is the very question your audience is asking when you start your speech. How does this matter to me ? Reverse engineer your speech. Think about the big takeaway you want your group to get from your presentation. Then craft your message—and the quotes that will make it pop—based on the actions you want your audience to take.

“The meaning of communication is the response you get.” ~NLP maxim

Use the power of REPETITION

One of the great speeches in U.S. history is Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. And one of the factors that makes it so powerful? MLK’s repeated use of his awesome title: “I Have a Dream.” Consider repeating a strong quotation again and again during your talk. This can help you re-state your core message. You can also hammer home a big point with a quotation that repeats certain words to great effect. Notice how Winston Churchill did this often. (“Never, never, never give in…”), He and MLK are two of the greatest orators of the 20th century. Both leaders repeated words to maximize the impact of their language.

“We are all worms. But I do believe that I am a glow-worm.” ~Winston Churchill

Enhance a CELEBRATION

Maybe you will give your speech at a wedding, an anniversary party, or an awards program. You can pump up the proceedings with a special quote. Identify a sparkling statement that will raise spirits…and maybe wine glasses. Here’s the key to doing this well: Keep the focus on who/what is being celebrated. Your quotation should amplify the purpose of the event. Honor the bride, toast the award-winner, congratulate the champion. Get clear on the reason for festivities. Your quotation should put a spotlight on what your guests are celebrating together.

“Life is short, wear your party pants.” ~Loretta LaRoche

Want to make sport of a competitor? Handle a heckler? Or lampoon an idea you don’t like? A good quote can work wonders. Just be careful about coming across as mean-spirited. Humor helps.

“Lord, help me make my enemies look ridiculous.” ~Voltaire (French Philosopher)

Increase your AUTHORITY

Don’t get the wrong idea here. Quotations are not the source of your authority, you are. But a compelling quote can boost your credibility as a speaker. Select a quote that comes from a recognized name or organization that will resonate with your audience. Quote an expert. Better yet, become one.

“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.” ~Muhammed Ali

Speak with CONFIDENCE

Want to know a speaking secret? Your listeners aren’t paying that much attention to what you say. But they are tuned in to how you say it. They are listening for your confidence. What do you do if you don’t feel confident? Act like you are. And to take it to the next level—instill confidence in your audience too. Model it.

“Feel the fear and do it anyway.” ~Susan Jeffers

Bring CLARITY

One of the gifts you can bring people via your message is clarity. Help your audience see the path, cut through the clutter, and take decisive action. Make a statement, or share a quotation, that simplifies things for people. Sometimes this can be phrased as a question like, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” Other times you will want to give them the answer straight up. A great quote can help you do just that. You want to communicate with great clarity. And show your audience the way forward.

“If you don’t have a plan for your life, somebody else does.” ~Michael Hyatt

Issue a call to ACTION!

You can wrap-up your speech with a mighty quotation to finish strong. Make sure that your final phrase captures the heart of your main message. Don’t end on something cliché like, “Thanks for listening” or “My name is Blah Blah.” Your end quote, if you use one, should empower your audience and echo the main thrust of your talk. And get this: You want to invite your audience to take action.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.” ~Walt Disney

Create your own CATCH PHRASE

Few people remember speeches, but many people remember speakers. Can you create an original quotation that fits your personal brand? Tap into what makes you unique. What makes your message special? The final words of your speech can remind people about who you are and what you had to say. What is your signature “sign off” sentence? It might be a parting piece of advice. It could also be a statement you design to capture the way you want the group to remember the experience you created for them.

“The tribe has spoken.” ~Jeff Probst, “Survivor”

By finding and utilizing quotations that appeal to you, you will heighten the impact of your speech. Plug one or two of the above quotations into your next speech or special presentation. Better yet, discover the pitch-perfect quotes for your talk. Weave them into your speech and speak with gusto. You’ll be glad you did. And your audience will be pleased too. You can quote me on that.

Adam Christing is a professional keynote speaker, master of ceremonies , and author . He has written four humor and personal transformation books including: Comedy Comes Clean 1 & 2: A Hilarious Collection of Wholesome Jokes, Quotes, and One-liners, Your Life is a Joke: 12 Ways to Go from Ha Ha to AHA! and Bob Dylan Can Change Your Life: 61 Ways to Invent a Legendary You.  Adam has been studying and collecting quotations for more than 25 years.

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101 Inspirational Quotes for Speeches: Inspire the Crowd

Unlock the power of inspiration with our handpicked collection of 101 unique and original quotes! Whether you’re preparing a captivating speech or simply seeking motivation, these words of wisdom will leave a lasting impact on your audience. Let the eloquence begin!

101 Inspirational Quotes for Speeches

1. “Believe in yourself; your potential is limitless.”

2. “Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success.”

3. “Dare to dream, and then dare to make it a reality.”

4. “Challenges are opportunities in disguise.”

5. “Every day is a chance for a new beginning.”

6. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

7. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”

8. “Your attitude determines your altitude.”

9. “The only limit is the one you set for yourself.”

10. “In the midst of difficulty lies opportunity.”

11. “Believe in the power of perseverance.”

12. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

13. “Find strength in adversity; it will make you unbreakable.”

14. “Success is not a destination but a continuous journey.”

15. “The world needs your unique contribution; don’t hold back.”

16. “Be the beacon of light in someone’s darkness.”

17. “Let your passion fuel your purpose.”

18. “You are the master of your fate; you are the captain of your soul.”

19. “Every setback is a set-up for a remarkable comeback.”

20. “The greatest achievements often start with humble beginnings.”

21. “The key to success is consistent and focused effort.”

22. “Never underestimate the power of kindness and compassion.”

23. “Your worth is not defined by external validation.”

24. “Adversity reveals the true strength of your character.”

25. “A positive mindset is the foundation for greatness.”

26. “Success is not just reaching the top but helping others climb with you.”

27. “Your uniqueness is your superpower; embrace it.”

28. “Every day is an opportunity to inspire and be inspired.”

29. “The journey to success is filled with valuable lessons.”

30. “Set your goals high and don’t stop until you get there.”

31. “A positive outlook can turn obstacles into stepping stones.”

32. “Your purpose is your north star; let it guide you.”

33. “Be the voice of encouragement to those who need it most.”

34. “Success is not about how fast you go but how far you reach.”

35. “With every challenge, you grow stronger and wiser.”

36. “The road to greatness is paved with dedication and hard work.”

37. “Believe in the power of your dreams; they hold infinite possibilities.”

38. “Never underestimate the ripple effect of your actions.”

39. “Your potential is like a seed; nurture it, and it will blossom.”

40. “Gratitude opens the door to abundance.”

41. “Embrace uncertainty; it is the birthplace of innovation.”

42. “Be the reason someone believes in the goodness of humanity.”

43. “Success is not about luck but about seizing opportunities.”

44. “Your journey is a story worth sharing; it can inspire others.”

45. “The greatest achievements often require the greatest leaps of faith.”

46. “Don’t be afraid to rewrite your story; you hold the pen.”

47. “Your impact on others is the true measure of success.”

48. “Find strength in unity; together, we can achieve more.”

49. “The path to success is not always straight but filled with valuable detours.”

50. “A positive mindset turns stumbling blocks into stepping stones.”

51. “Believe in your potential; it’s greater than you can imagine.”

52. “Small acts of kindness can ignite a chain reaction of goodness.”

53. “Your resilience can turn setbacks into comebacks.”

54. “Success is a journey of continuous learning and growth.”

55. “Let your actions speak louder than your words.”

56. “Be the spark that ignites positive change in the world.”

57. “The greatest strength lies in humility.”

58. “Chase your dreams relentlessly; they hold the key to your fulfillment.”

59. “Your uniqueness is your greatest asset; embrace it fully.”

60. “Success is not just about reaching the summit but enjoying the climb.”

61. “You are capable of achieving greatness; don’t doubt yourself.”

62. “Believe in the power of your voice; it can move mountains.”

63. “Failure is not the end but a stepping stone towards growth.”

64. “Your journey is a testament to your strength and resilience.”

65. “The world needs your light; don’t hide it.”

66. “Success is not just about personal achievement but about lifting others up.”

67. “In every setback, there is a valuable lesson to be learned.”

68. “Be a source of inspiration, even in the face of adversity.”

69. “Your passion is the fuel that propels you towards your dreams.”

70. “Believe in yourself, and others will believe in you too.”

71. “Your potential knows no boundaries; let it soar.”

72. “Be the architect of your destiny; design a life of purpose.”

73. “The power to change the world lies within you.”

74. “Every step you take is a step closer to your dreams.”

75. “Your journey is a canvas waiting for your masterpiece.”

76. “Success is not an overnight achievement but a culmination of effort.”

77. “Kindness has the power to heal and transform lives.”

78. “Don’t be afraid to stand out; it’s what makes you extraordinary.”

79. “Your courage in the face of fear is a beacon of hope for others.”

80. “Embrace challenges; they bring out the best in you.”

81. “Success is not just about achieving greatness but inspiring it in others.”

82. “Your purpose is your compass; let it guide your path.”

83. “The journey to success is as important as the destination.”

84. “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

85. “The power to make a difference lies within your actions.”

86. “Your dreams are the blueprint of your future; build them wisely.”

87. “Success is not defined by wealth but by the impact you make.”

88. “Let your perseverance be an inspiration to those around you.”

89. “Believe in the power of hope; it can move mountains.”

90. “Your uniqueness is what sets you apart; embrace it wholeheartedly.”

91. “Every challenge is an opportunity for growth and self-discovery.”

92. “Success is not about being the best but bringing out the best in others.”

93. “Be the driving force behind positive change.”

94. “Your journey is an epic story waiting to be written.”

95. “The world needs your light to shine; don’t dim it for anyone.”

96. “Believe in yourself; you are destined for greatness.”

97. “Every setback is a setup for a comeback; don’t give up.”

98. “Your impact on others can create a ripple effect of kindness.”

99. “Embrace failure; it is the stepping stone to success.”

100. “Success is not about perfection but progress.”

101. “Be the architect of your dreams; design a life you love.”

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Impactful Public Speaking Quotes to Inspire You!

Feb 8, 2023 | Public Speaking

Public speaking is a daunting task for many of us. But it’s often a task we cannot avoid. Whether it be giving a presentation at work or doing the best man speech at your friend’s wedding, it’s hard to know where to start. That’s where public speaking quotes are inspiring.

Don’t battle on alone. Learn from the masters – the wisdom of some of history’s greatest public orators is an excellent kicking off point when preparing your own speech. From sage advice to words of wisdom, these little aphorisms and knowledge nuggets can soothe your nerves and spark your creativity.

Spanning Winston Churchill to Mark Twain, our list of public speaking quotes contains some of the deepest thinkers in world history. So, if you’ve got a public speaking event to prepare for, don’t fear. Here are some of the best public speaking quotes ever uttered.

Impactful public speaking quotes

HISTORICAL FIGURES

“If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time – a tremendous whack.”

-Winston S. Churchill

(British Prime Minister during World War II)

“A wise man speaks because he has something to say; a fool speaks because he has to say something.” -Plato

(Classical Greek philosopher)

“Be sincere; be brief; be seated.”

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

(32 nd   American President during World War II)

“The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.”

-Lady Bird Johnson

(American socialite and first lady of President Lyndon B. Johnson)

“If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.”

-Gerald R. Ford

(38 th   American President)

ARTISTS AND AUTHORS

“The most precious things in speech are the pauses.”

-Sir Ralph Richardson

(English actor)

“Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.”

-Martin Fraquhar Tupper

(English writer and poet)

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

-Maya Angelou

(American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist)

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.”

-D.H. Lawrence

“We don’t always have an accurate view of our own potential. I think most people who are frightened of public speaking and can’t imagine they might feel different as a result of training. Don’t assume you know how much potential you have. Sometimes the only way to know what you can do is to test yourself.”

-Scott Adams

(Creator of the Dilbert comic strip)

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.”

-Dale Carnegie

(American writer and lecturer)

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

(American, essayist, poet, and philosopher)

BUSINESS AND POLITICAL FIGURES

“Picture yourself in a living room having a chat with your friends. You would be relaxed and comfortable talking to them; the same applies when public speaking.”

-Richard Branson

(Founder of the Virgin Group)

“If you’re not comfortable with public speaking – and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable – practice. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust.”

-Hillary Clinton

(American politician and lawyer)

“You are not being judged; the value of what you are bringing to the audience is being judged.”

-Seth Godin

(American author and entrepreneur)

“Simple and to the point is always the best way to get your point across.”

-Guy Kawasaki

(American marketing specialist, author, and venture capitalist)

“The first time you say something, it’s heard; the second time, it’s recognized; the third time, it’s learned.”   – John Maxwell

(American author, speaker, and pastor)

“It’s what you practice in private that you will be rewarded for in public.”

-Tony Robbins

(American author, coach speaker, and philanthropist)

PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS

“The first 30 seconds and the last 30 seconds have the most impact in a presentation.”

-Patricia Fripp

(Keynote speaker and executive speech coach)

“Speak like you talk, not like you write.”

-Craig Valentine

(1999 World Champion of Public Speaking)

“If you don’t want to preach, put stories in your speech.”

-Andy Harrington 

(Professional public speaker and coach)

“When you’re rehearing, just focus on giving the speech, and then look at the video. You really cannot give a speech and be critiquing it at the same time.”

“Humans are completely incapable of reading and comprehending text on a screen and listening to a speaker at the same time. Therefore, lots of text (almost any text!), and long, complete sentences are bad, Bad, BAD.”

-Garr Reynolds

(Internationally-acclaimed communications consultant and author)

“90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform.”

 -Somers White

(Keynote speaker and former Arizona State Senator)

There is a pearl of wisdom waiting to be understood in each of these public speaking quotes. Learning from these masters of speaking and writing, you can hone your skill and bolster your public speaking abilities. Is there a public speaking quote we missed that you love? Or do you have any words of advice you’ve learned when practicing public speaking? Tell us about it.

Need Public Speaking Inspiration?

If you need help with public speaking, don’t hesitate to contact our team for a free consultation. With over 20 years of experience, we’re ready to transform you into a public speaking pro. No more nerves. No more anxiety. Just steady confidence that comes from being trained by the best.

Contact  Speech and Voice Enterprises  today and learn about our online  2-Day Public Speaking Seminars ,  accent reduction ,  voice improvement training , and more  online public speaking courses  today!

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The big fish blog, 25 awesome public speaking quotes.

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Public speaking is the number one fear in America.  Death is number two.

From sweaty palms to cracking voices, speaking publicly can be terrifying, yet it is a crucial skill to have in the business world.  We’d like to alleviate some of this stress by offering up some inspirational, informative quotes.  These quotes are in no particular order, and the speakers range from well-known orators to presentation gurus.  Some are serious, some are classic, and some are short and funny.  Feel free to spread these around, write them in your journals, whatever you want! Enjoy!

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.”  -John Ford  

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.”  -D. H. Lawrence  

“Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.”  -Dionysius Of Halicarnassus  

“What we say is important… for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”  -Jim Beggs  

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.”  -Dianna Booher  

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” – Dale Carnegie

“It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”  – Mark Twain

“A good orator is pointed and impassioned.”  -Marcus T. Cicero

“Oratory is the power to talk people out of their sober and natural opinions.”  – Joseph Chatfield

“He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.”  – Joseph Conrad

“There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.”  – Alexander Gregg

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.”  – Lilly Walters

“If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.”  – Harvey Diamond

“Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about.”  – Michael H Mescon

“There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.”  – Mark Twain

“No one ever complains about a speech being too short!”  – Ira Hayes

“90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform.”  – Somers White

“It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.”  – Wayne Burgraff

“The most precious things in speech are the pauses.”  – Sir Ralph Richardson

“Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.”  – Martin Fraquhar Tupper

“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”  – Carl W. Buechner

“The problem with speeches isn’t so much not knowing when to stop, as knowing when not to begin.”  – Frances Rodman

“Words have incredible power. They can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore.” -Dr. Mardy Grothe

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”  – Mark Twain

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These are 25 quotes that every writer on oratory as well as every orator need to have in his or her repertory of quotes. The one by Martin Fraquhar Tupper, “Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.” is a special favorite of mine because I’m always telling the new speakers that I mentor to pause when speaking as an alternative to using filler words when they need a moment to gather their thoughts. A well-laced pause can add dramatic impact to a speech while filler words do nothing but detract from the quality of ones speech.

We completely agree. Pausing adds that special dramatic impact. Filler words like “umm” and “ahh” can get dangerous if used too much…

Thank you!!!!

No problem, Jon! We’re glad you liked it! Stay tuned for more!

I just stumbled across this blog, and I love those Mark Twain quotes. What a genius, that man.

We completely agree, Mike! Make sure to subscribe to our blog for more posts!

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Motivational Speech Quotes That Hook Your Audience

Many speakers start with inspirational quotes and include quotes throughout their presentations. If you use them correctly, motivational speech quotes can be an effective technique. so long as you appropriately attribute them to the author.

One of the most important things to assure you have a powerful motivational speech is getting your audience engaged and listening from the beginning. An excellent way to hook the audience is through  motivational speech quotes.

Table of Contents

Choosing A Good Quote To Start A Speech

Many people love using a relevant quote to kick off a stellar speech. The quote you use early in your speech should grab attention and interest immediately. Stay away from passages that are lengthy and difficult to understand. Something brief and catchy is often precisely what you want.

Some speech professionals believe starting an address with your own works is preferable to using a motivational quote. While there is no harm in starting with a quote, make sure that most of what you have to say comes from your thoughts.

Hints on Using Quotes In Speeches

There is a right and a wrong way to use a quote in a speech.

• Use the quote correctly.  Sometimes we hear a quote, think we remember it accurately, and then inadvertently misquote it. Look into the selection to be confident you have it right.
•   Please cite the source   and be sure you are citing it accurately.  The only thing worse than not stating the derivation of a quote is giving credit to the wrong person.
•   Use quotes sparingly.  If you add too many quotes to your speech, they can take over. Remember that it is your speech, not someone else’s.

How Do Quotes Offer Credibility To A Speech?

Using a quote  can offer credibility to a speech , particularly if you are using it to further expound upon a point or support a claim or assertion you are making. Finding a quote from someone considered an authority on the topic is an excellent way to bring listeners to share your opinions in a  persuasive speech  – especially if you are quoting a well-known person or someone renowned in their field.

Well-chosen and perfectly placed quotes can make a speech stand out.

How Do You Attribute The Author In Speeches?

When using a quote in a speech,  giving the person credit for their words is always appropriate.  There are different ways to do so. Note that when you see quotation marks at the beginning of the quote, you say the word  quote  in the speech. When you are at the end of the quote and see the quote marks, say  end quote .

• As Michael Jordan said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships.”
• “What you lack in talent can be made up with desire, hustle, and giving 110% all the time.” These words were immortalized by Major League Baseball great Don Zimmer.
•  You may put the quote and source on the visual aid when using a visual aid. Using italics, you can distinguish the quote from the information you have put together and include the attribution in writing.

Famous Motivational Speech Quotes On Different Topics

When seeking the best motivational quotes, there are so many out there you might have difficulty picking just a few! On any subject, you can find well-known  popular speakers  like Tony Evans or Brene Brown or impressive local talent.

What Are 10 Positive Quotes?

• “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
•  “Magic is believing in yourself. If you can make that happen, you can make anything happen.” — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
•  “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” ―Napoleon Hill
•  “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” — Will Rogers
•  “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ―Theodore Roosevelt
•  “Motivation comes from working on things that we care about.” — Sheryl Sandberg
•  “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” ―Thomas A. Edison
•  “Do what is easy, and your life will be hard. Do what is hard, and your life will become easy.” – Les Brown
•  “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” — Thomas Jefferson
•  “What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” –Oscar Wilde

What Are 10 Motivational Quotes?

• “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar
•  “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney
•  “The big secret in life is that there is no secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” ―Oprah Winfrey
•  “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ―Aristotle
•  “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” — William James
•  “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” ―Vincent Van Gogh
•  “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” ―Ayn Rand
•  “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
•  “Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” – Wayne Dyer
•  “Winning means you’re willing to go longer, work harder, and give more than anyone else.” ―Vince Lombardi

What Are 10 Quotes About Success?

• “Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm” ―Winston Churchill
•  “Nothing will work unless you do.” ―Maya Angelou
•  “Try not to become a man of success, but rather become a man of value.” ―Albert Einstein
•  “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain
•  “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” ―Jim Rohn
•  “Unsuccessful people make their decisions based on their current situations. Successful people make their decisions based on where they want to be.” ―Benjamin Hardy
•  “If you talk about it, it’s a dream. If you envision it, it’s possible. If you schedule it, it’s real.” ―Tony Robbins
•  “Success usually comes to those who are too busy looking for it.” — Henry David Thoreau
•  “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ―C.S. Lewis
•  “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” ―Bill Gates

What Are Some Good Inspirational Sayings?

• “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” — Steve Jobs
•  “If something is important enough, even if the odds are stacked against you, you should still do it.” — Elon Musk
•  “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” — George Lorimer
•  “I never lose. Either I win or learn.” ―Nelson Mandela
•  “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
•  “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” -Benjamin Franklin
•  “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” — Babe Ruth
•  “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is a success.” — Henry Ford
•  “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” ―Abraham Lincoln
•  “Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat is accepted as a reality.” ―Bruce Lee

What 10 Good Quotes For Someone Who Is Feeling Down?

• “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” ―Confucius
•  “Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.” —Walt Whitman
•  “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” —Martin Luther King, Jr. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss
•  “You do not find a happy life. You make it.” —Thomas S. Monson
•  “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” —Roald Dahl
•  “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” – Dr. Seuss
•  “Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” — Dalai Lama
•  “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” —Helen Keller
•  “Do the best you can. No one can do more than that.” ―John Wooden
•  “We become what we think about all day long.” – Earl Nightingale

A former English teacher and currently an elementary principal in a rural school, Pam has honed her speaking skills in the classroom and before professional groups. Pam enjoys sharing her insights about public speaking almost as much as she enjoys running, which she does daily.

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300 Best Impromptu Speech Quotes: Public Speaking (2023)

1. “Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” D. H. Lawrence.

2. “The most important things in life aren't things.” -­ Anthony J. D'Angelo

3. “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” – James Humes

4. “I’ve been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics.” – Barack Obama

5. “The dead cannot cry out for justice; it is a duty of the living to do so for them.” – Lois McMaster Bujold

6. “It’s alright to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation.” Rob Gilbert.

7. “Communication works for those who work at it.”

8. “The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”

9. “The most precious things in speech are the pauses.” – Sir Ralph Richardson

10. “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

11. “Woman is woman’s natural ally.” – Euripides

12. “Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.”

13. “He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.” – Joseph Conrad

14. “If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential.”

15. “If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

16. “There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.” – Mark Twain

17. “If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.”

18. “Find out what’s keeping them up nights and offer hope. Your theme must be an answer to their fears. ” – Gerald C Myers

19. “The more you do speak from the heart, rather than thumping the agenda, people will listen or relate or open themselves up more.” Drew Barrymore.

20. “The world is waiting for your words.”

21. “If you can’t state your position in eight words, you don’t have a position. “

22. “Every speaker has a mouth, an arrangement rather neat. Sometimes it’s filled with wisdom, sometimes it’s filled with feet.”

23. “To communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”

24. “The more strikingly visual your presentation is, the more people will remember it. And more importantly, they will remember you. ”

25. “90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform.” – Somers White

26. “It’s all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation.”

27. “When I meet a man I ask myself, ‘Is this the man I want my children to spend their weekends with?’ – Rita Rudner

28. “Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern. ” – Ken Haemer

29. Decide on the tone

30. “I have not failed. I’ve simply discovered 10,000 ways that don’t work.”

31. “Grasp the subject, the words will follow.”

32. “Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.”

33. “If God is in the details, then the Devil is in PowerPoint.”

34. “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives. ”

35. “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” Jim Rohn.

36. “The best speeches come from the heart and reflect your passion. Speak as if your life depended on it. ”

37. “Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.” – Oscar Wilde

38. Storytelling

39. “College isn’t the place to go for ideas.” – Helen Keller

40. “A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.” – Winston Churchill

41. “A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest. ”

42. “You are not being judged, the value of what you are bringing to the audience is being judged. ” – Seth Godin

43. “The secret of being a bore is to tell everything. ”

44. Dishes up winning flavours

45. “The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most. ”

46. “We are inclined to believe those whom we do not know because they have never deceived us.” – Samuel Johnson

47. “There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.” – Malcom Gladwell

48. “If you wing it when speaking, you’ll get wing it results.”

49. “Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.” – Martin Fraquhar Tupper

50. “If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time – a tremendous whack.”

51. “The way something is presented will define the way you react to it.”

52. “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. ”

53. “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. ” – Mark Twain

54. “What we say is important… for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” -Jim Beggs

55. “Find out what’s keeping them up nights and offer hope. Your theme must be an answer to their fears. ”

56. “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, and to sit down and listen.” Winston Churchill.

57. “The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops… until you stand up to speak in public.” George Jessel.

58. “Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.”

59. “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain

60. “90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform.” – Somers White

61. “Always give a speech that you would like to hear. ”

62. “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” – Dale Carnegie

63. “Words do two major things: they provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.”

64. “If you don’t use stories audience members may enjoy your speech, but there is no chance they’ll remember it.”

65. “Creative thinking is merely intelligent plagiarism.”

66. “When speaking in public, your message – no matter how important – will not be effective or memorable if you don’t have a clear structure.” Patricia Fripp.

67. “Why do you have to be a nonconformist like everybody else?” – James Thurber

68. “Always do sober what you say you’ll do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.” – Ernest Hemingway

69. “You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” John Ford.

70. “There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.”

71. “A wise man speaks because he has something to say; a fool speaks because he has to say something.” Plato.

72. “Thank you to every American who hasn’t sued me so far.” – Sacha Baron Cohen

73. “Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.”

74. “Once you get people laughing, they’re listening and you can tell them almost anything.”

75. “Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.” Martin Fraquhar Tupper.

76. “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”

77. “The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.”

78. “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than delivering the eulogy.”

79. “If you’re not comfortable with public speaking – and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable – practice. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust.” Hilary Clinton.

80. “The audience only pays attention as long as you know where you are going.”

81. “Simple and to the point is always the best way to get your point across. ” – Guy Kawasaki

82. “It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.”

83. “Always give a speech that you would like to hear. ” – Andrii Sedniev

84. “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

85. Diplomatic framework

86. “Excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism.” – Oprah Winfrey

87. “You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” -John Ford

88. “The most precious things in speech are pauses. ”

89. “There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.” Alexander Gregg.

90. “A presentation is a chance to share, not an oral exam. ” – M. F. Fensholt

91. “Be sincere, be brief, be seated.” Franklin Roosevelt.

92. “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

93. “We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves.” – Lynn Hall

94. “You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart. ”

95. “Speeches measured by the hour die with the hour”

96. “Words ought to be a little wild for they are the assaults of thought on the unthinking.”

97. “So much is said with the electricity of the eyes, the intensity of a whisper. Less is more. ”

98. “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln

99. “It’s what you practice in private that you will be rewarded for in public. ” – Tony Robbins

100. “If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.” Harvey Diamond.

101. “Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people. ”

102. “A designer knows he or she has achieved perfection, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

103. “Getting what you want is not nearly as important as giving what you have.” ‐Tom Krause

104. “Your ability to communicate with others will account for fully 85% of your success in your business and in your life.” Brian Tracy.

105. “Words have incredible power. They can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore.

106. “Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.” – Henry David Thoreau

107. “Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.”

108. “A talk is a voyage with purpose and it must be charted. The man who starts out going nowhere, generally gets there.” Dale Carnegie.

109. “Simple and to the point is always the best way to get your point across.” Guy Kawasaki.

110. “The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most.”

111. “Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.”

112. “My best advice is to not start in PowerPoint. Presentation tools force you to think through information linearly, and you really need to start by thinking of the whole instead of the individual lines. ” – Nancy Duarte

113. “If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.”

114. “There is no such thing as presentation talent, it is called presentation skills”

115. “The most precious things in speech are the pauses. ” – Sir Ralph Richardson

116. “No question, 2006 was a lousy year for Iraq.” – Pres. George W. Bush

117. “Make sure you have stopped speaking before your audience has stopped listening.” Dorothy Sarnoff.

118. “Begin with the end in mind.” Dr Stephen R. Covey.

119. “One man with courage makes a majority.” -­ Andrew Jackson

120. “There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience. ” – Alexander Gregg

121. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”

122. “Light travels faster than sound. That’s why certain people appear bright until you hear them speak.” Albert Einstein.

123. “If you're not comfortable with public speaking - and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable - practice. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust.”

124. “The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do.”

125. “Your smile is a messenger of your goodwill.”

126. “A wise man speaks because he has something to say, a fool speaks because he has to say something.”

127. “Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about.” Michael H. Mescon.

128. “Oratory is the power to talk people out of their sober and natural opinions.” – Joseph Chatfield

129. “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives. ” – Lilly Walters

130. “Words have incredible power.

131. “Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.”

132. “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.”

133. “The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?'”

134. “I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education.” – Wilson Mizner

135. “Always give a speech that you would like to hear.”

136. “The more laws, the less justice.” - Marcus Tullius Cicero

137. “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.”

138. “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

139. “The first time you say something, it’s heard; the second time, it’s recognized; the third time, it’s learned. ” – John Maxwell

140. “Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak. ”

141. “A good orator is pointed and impassioned.” -Marcus T. Cicero

142. “Humor is a rubber sword – it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.”

143. “Picture yourself in a living room having a chat with your friends. You would be relaxed and comfortable talking to them, the same applies when public speaking.” Richard Branson.

144. “Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.” - James Dean

145. “If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought.”

146. “Be sincere; be brief; be seated.”

147. “The more things change, the more they remain… insane.” – Michael Fry and T. Lewis

148. “There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” –Dale Carnegie

149. “That depends on the length of the speech,” answered the President. “If it is a ten-minute speech it takes me all of two weeks to prepare it; if it is a half-hour speech it takes me a week; if I can talk as long as I want to it requires no preparation at all. I am ready now.”

150. “The problem with speeches isn’t so much not knowing when to stop, as knowing when not to begin.”

151. “What we say is important… for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

152. “Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern.”

153. “To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” – Joseph Chilton Pearce

154. “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.”

155. “You are not being judged, the value of what you are bringing to the audience is being judged.” Seth Godin.

156. “In presentations or speeches less really is more.”

157. “Words do two major things: they provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” Jim Rohn.

158. “To communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” Tony Robbins.

159. “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know. ”

160. “There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.”

161. “Communication works for those who work at it.” John Powell.

162. “Speech is power. Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.”

163. “The fear of public speaking is the fear of being judged.” – Brené Brown

164. “Practice as if you are the worst, perform as if you are the best.” -Anonymous

165. “Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about. ” – Michael H Mescon

166. “Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much. ”

167. “Think about the impromptu speech as a game. Your attitude will change your frame of mind and instead of concentrating on the difficulty of finding the right words, your brain will deliver the perfect answer.”

168. “You don’t have to change who you are, you have to become more of who you are. ” – Sally Hogshead

169. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

170. “Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” William Butler Yeats.

171. “If something comes from your heart, it will reach the heart of your audience.”

172. “All you need is something to say, and a burning desire to say it… it doesn’t matter where your hands are.”

173. “Make sure you have stopped speaking before your audience has stopped listening.”

174. “Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.” Dale Carnegie.

175. “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. ”

176. “Speeches measured by the hour die with the hour.” Thomas Jefferson.

177. “The setup is where the pattern is established and everything goes in the same direction. The punch line is where a train of thought is derailed from a pattern and people laugh.”

178. “If you want me to speak for an hour, I am ready today. If you want me to speak for just a few minutes, it will take me a few weeks to prepare.” Mark Twain.

179. “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. ”

180. “The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like cuttlefish squirting out ink. ”

181. Make some quick notes

182. “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Albert Einstein.

183. “Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.”

184. “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” – Andy Warhol

185. “90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform. ” – Somers White

186. “Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.”

187. “There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.” – Alexander Gregg

188. “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” Lilly Walters.

189. “Education is a state-controlled manufactory of echoes.” – Norman Douglas

190. “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”

191. “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

192. “It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.” – Wayne Burgraff

193. “Speak clearly, if you speak at all. Carve every word before you let it fall.” Oliver Wendell Holmes.

194. “The most precious things in speech are the... pauses.”

195. “If you’re not comfortable with public speaking – and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable – practice. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust. ”

196. “The more strikingly visual your presentation is, the more people will remember it. And more importantly, they will remember you.”

197. “The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter–’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. ”

198. “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” Mark Twain.

199. “Make sure you have stopped speaking before your audience has stopped listening. ”

200. “Fathers send their sons to college either because they went to college or because they didn’t.” – L.L. Henderson

201. “Buried deep within each of us is a spark of greatness, a spark than can be fanned into flames of passion and achievement. That spark is not outside of you it is born deep within you.”

202. “90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform.” Somers White.

203. “In order that all men may be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it.” – Samuel Johnson

204. “Humans are completely incapable of reading and comprehending text on a screen and listening to a speaker at the same time. Therefore, lots of text (almost any text!), and long, complete sentences are bad, Bad, BAD. ” – Garr Reynolds

205. “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”

206. “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”

207. “I do not speak of what I cannot praise.”

208. “The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off.” – Gloria Steinem

209. “Someday I want to be rich. Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That’s how rich I want to be.” – Rita Rudner

210. “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” – Alan Kay

211. “Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.” -Dionysius Of Halicarnassus

212. “Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident. ” – Dale Carnegie

213. “The problem with speeches isn’t so much not knowing when to stop, as knowing when not to begin.” Frances Rodman.

214. “People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.”

215. “If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.” – Harvey Diamond

216. “Words have incredible power. They can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore.” Dr. Mardy Grothe.

217. “A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.” – Oscar Wilde

218. “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” – Mark Twain

219. “That all men are equal is a proposition which, at ordinary times, no sane individual has ever given his assent.” – Aldous Huxley

220. “There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.”

221. “The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” – Mark Twain

222. “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” – Benjamin Disareli

223. “It’s the space you put between the notes that make the music.” Massimo Vignelli.

224. “If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour. ” – Dianna Booher

225. “The problem with speeches isn’t so much not knowing when to stop, as knowing when not to begin.” – Frances Rodman

226. “A talk is a voyage with purpose and it must be charted. The man who starts out going nowhere, generally gets there.”

227. “To sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak. ”

228. “A presentation is a chance to share, not an oral exam.”

229. “90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform. ”

230. “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein

231. “Eloquence is the essential thing in a speech, not information. ”

232. “Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.”

233. “Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” -D. H. Lawrence

234. “All speaking is public speaking, whether it’s to one person or a thousand.” Roger Love.

235. “He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.”

236. “There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

237. “He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense. ”

238. “The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?” Jim Rohn.

239. “All you need is something to say, and a burning desire to say it… it doesn’t matter where your hands are. ”

240. “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, and to sit down and listen.”

241. “If you don’t want to preach, put stories in your speech. ” – Andy Harrington

242. “Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about.” – Michael H Mescon

243. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

244. “No one ever complains about a speech being too short!” Ira Hayes.

245. “Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much.” Robert Greenleaf.

246. The 5 Ws

247. “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

248. “Ask yourself, ‘If I had only sixty seconds on the stage, what would I absolutely have to say to get my message across.”

249. “I’ve never been a millionaire but I just know I’d be darling at it.” – Dorothy Parker

250. “Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.”

251. “Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.” - Oscar Wilde

252. “Picture yourself in a living room having a chat with your friends. You would be relaxed and comfortable talking to them, the same applies when public speaking. ” – Richard Branson

253. “Speak clearly, if you speak at all. Carve every word before you let it fall. ”

254. “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – Lilly Walters

255. “If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.”

256. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

257. Have a friend or a family member give you a random quote. Then you attempt to deliver an impromptu speech on that quote. Do this exercise as much as possible before the competition. I’d recommend at least five times a day before the competition, depending upon how much time you have before the competition. This will help build what I like to call “Public Speaking Muscle Memory. ” So during the c… (more)

258. “If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” -Dianna Booher

259. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs

260. “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.

261. “Once you get people laughing, they’re listening and you can tell them almost anything. ”

262. “It is not true that equality is a law of nature. Nature has no equality. Its sovereign law is subordination and dependence.” – Marquis de Vauvenargues

263. “There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.”

264. “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.”

265. “Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means of going backwards.” – Aldous Huxley

266. “The most precious things in speech are pauses.” – Sir Ralph Richardson

267. “Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men.”

268. “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”

269. “Oratory is the power to talk people out of their sober and natural opinions.”

270. “To sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak.” C. Kent Wright.

271. “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. ” – Carl W. Buechner

272. “If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.”

273. “No one ever complains about a speech being too short!” – Ira Hayes

274. “Sports do not build character. They reveal it.” - John Wooden

275. “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” - Michael Jordan

276. “Find out what’s keeping them up nights and offer hope. Your theme must be an answer to their fears.”

277. “It’s much easier to be convincing if you care about your topic. Figure out what’s important to you about your message and speak from the heart”

278. “Advertising is the modern substitute for argument; its function is to make the worse appear the better.” – George Santayana

279. “Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.” Dale Carnegie.

280. “Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about.”

281. “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. ”

282. “The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.” – Einstein

283. “There are good leaders who actively guide and bad leaders who actively misguide. Hence, leadership is about persuasion, presentation and people skills. ” – Shiv Kera

284. “The best speeches come from the heart and reflect your passion. Speak as if your life depended on it.” Rave Robinson.

285. “If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.”

286. “You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.”

287. “The energy level of the audience is the same as the speaker’s. For better...or for worse.”

288. “Hegel was right when he said that we learn from history that man can never learn anything from history.” – George Bernard Shaw

289. “Be sincere, be brief, be seated. ”

290. “If it scares you it may be a good thing to try.” Seth Godin.

291. “If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought.” Dennis Roth.

292. “If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time — a tremendous whack. ”

293. “A good orator is pointed and impassioned.”

294. “The best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you are talking about.”

295. “All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.”

296. “All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.

297. “To sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak.”

298. “Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace.” – Oscar Wilde

299. “You, however, will know that this magic consists of 3 words: details, dialogue and conflict.”

300. “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”

301. “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”

302. “It is not failure itself that holds you back; it is the fear of failure that paralyzes you.”

303. “If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour. ”

304. “The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?’” – Jim Rohn

305. “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Carl W. Buechner

306. “Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all.”

307. “There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” Dale Carnegie.

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The Best Quotes About Speech

A list of the best speech quotes and sayings , including the names of each speaker or author when available. This list is sorted by popularity, so only the most famous speech quotes are at the top. The authors of these historic speech quotes are displayed next to each quote, so if you see one you like be sure to check out other inspirational speech quotes from that same writer.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best quotes about speech?" and "What are inspirational speech quotes?"

Speech is the gift of all, but the thought of few.

All speech, written or spoken, is a dead language, until it finds a willing and prepared hearer., they that are loudest in their threats are the weakest in the execution of them. it is probable that he who is killed by lightning hears no noise; but the thunder-clap which follows, and which most alarms the ignorant, is the surest proof of their safety., speech and silence. we feel safer with a madman who talks than with one who cannot open his mouth., never try to impress people with the profundity of your thought by the obscurity of your language. whatever has been thoroughly thought through can be stated simply., there are remarks that sow and remarks that reap., speech is external thought, and thought internal speech., i have often regretted my speech, never my silence., speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall., speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. it is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense., speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so he is., speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again., a long tongue shortens life., speech is always bolder than action., speech is for the convenience of those who are hard of hearing; but there are many fine things which we cannot say if we have to shout., a talk is like a woman's dress. long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting., i have always been among those who believed that the greatest freedom of speech was the greatest safety, because if a man is a fool the best thing to do is to encourage him to advertise the fact by speaking., let us speak, though we show all our faults and weaknesses, --for it is a sign of strength to be weak, to know it, and out with it -- not in a set way and ostentatiously, though, but incidentally and without premeditation., speech is the twin of my vision, it is unequal to measure itself, it provokes me forever, it says sarcastically, walt you contain enough, why don't you let it out then, i've decided to discontinue my long talks. it's because of my throat. someone threatened to cut it., be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot., speech is human, silence is divine, yet also brutish and dead: therefore we must learn both arts., when you have spoken the word, it reigns over you. when it is unspoken you reign over it., it usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech., we have as many planes of speech as does a painting planes of perspective which create perspective in a phrase. the most important word stands out most vividly defined in the very foreground of the sound plane. less important words create a series of deeper planes., speeches are not magic and there is no great speech without great policy., if you don't want to read it, see it or hear it, don't say it., let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. -- colossians 4:6, a witty saying proves nothing., speech is human nature itself, with none of the artificiality of written language..

50 Speech Closing Lines (& How to Create Your Own) | The Ultimate Guide

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

While speech openings are definitely one of the most important components of a speech, something that is equally as important is the way you conclude your speech.

There are few worse ways to end your speech than with a terse ‘thank you’–no elaboration or addition whatsoever.

Speech endings are just as crucial to the success of your speech as speech openings, and you must spend just as much time picking the perfect ending as you do to determine your best possible speech opening.

The words you speak at the beginning and end of your speech are words that your audience will pay the most attention to, and remember longer than any other part of your speech.

Speech endings can put even the most experienced speaker in flux, and increase their anxiousness manifold as they sit there attempting to figure out the perfect way to end your speech.

If you’re someone who’s in flux about your speech ending too, don’t worry. We’ve got some amazing ways to conclude your speech with a bang!

1. Circling Back To The Beginning

The idea behind circling back to the beginning of your speech is to reinforce the idea of your speech being a complete whole. By circling back to the beginning and connecting it to your ending, you let the audience understand that the idea of your speech is complete & standalone.

Circling back to the beginning of your speech also acts as an excellent way of reinforcing the central idea of your speech in the audience’s mind, and makes it more likely that they will remember it after the speech ends.

Need more inspiration for speech opening lines? Check out our article on 15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines & Tips To Create Your Own.

How To Circle Back To The Beginning

The easiest way to do this is to set up your beginning for the conclusion of your speech. That is, if you’re saying something like, say, a story or joke in the beginning, then you can leave your audience in a cliffhanger until the ending arrives.

Another great way to circle back to the beginning is by simply restating something you said at the start. The added knowledge from attending the rest of your speech will help the audience see this piece of information in a new–and better–light.

1. Will Stephen

Ending Line: “I’d like you to think about what you heard in the beginning, and I want you to think about what you hear now. Because it was nothing & it’s still nothing.”

2. Canwen Xu

Speech Ending: My name is Canwen, my favorite color is purple and I play the piano but not so much the violin…

Think of a memorable moment from your life, and chances are you’ll realize that it involved a feeling of happiness–something that we can associate with smiling or laughter. And what better way to generate laughter than by incorporating the age-old strategy of good humor.

The happy and lighthearted feeling you associate with good memories is the kind of emotional reaction you want to create in your audience too. That’s what will make your speech stick in their memory.

Done incorrectly, humor can be a disaster. Done right, however, it can entirely transform a speech.

Humor doesn’t only mean slapstick comedy (although there’s nothing wrong with slapstick, either). Humor can come in many forms, including puns, jokes, a funny story…the list is endless.

How To Incorporate Humor In Your Speech Ending

The simplest way to incorporate humor into your speech ending is by telling a plain old joke–something that’s relevant to your topic, of course.

You can also tell them a short, funny anecdote–may be an unexpected conclusion to a story you set up in the beginning.

Another way would be by employing the power of repetition. You can do this by associating something funny with a word, and then repeating the word throughout your speech. During the end, simply say the word or phrase one last time, and it’s likely you’ll leave off your audience with a good chuckle.

1. Woody Roseland

Ending Line: “Why are balloons so expensive? Inflation.”

2. Andras Arato

Ending Line: “There are three rules to becoming famous. Unfortunately, nobody knows what they are.”

3. Hasan Minhaj

Ending Line: “And you want to know the scariest part? Pretty soon every country on the earth is going to have its own TLC show.”

4. Sophie Scott

Speech Ending: In other words, when it comes to laughter, you and me baby, ain’t nothing but mammals.

5. Tim Urban

Speech Ending: We need to stay away from the Instant Gratification Monkey. That’s a job for all of us. And because there’s not that many boxes on there. It’s a job that should probably start today. Well, maybe not today, but, you know, sometime soon.

6. Hasan Minhaj

Speech Ending: Showing my legs on TV is probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done. And keep in mind last week I went after the Prince of Saudi Arabia.

3. Question

The idea behind posing a question at the end of your speech is to get the wheels in your audience’s minds turning and to get them thinking of your speech long after it has ended. A question, if posed correctly, will make your audience re-think about crucial aspects of your speech, and is a great way to prompt discussion after your speech has ended.

How To Add Questions To Your Speech Ending

The best type of questions to add to your speech ending is rhetorical questions. That’s because, unlike a literal question, a rhetorical question will get the audience thinking and make them delve deeper into the topic at hand.

Make sure your question is central to the idea of your speech, and not something frivolous or extra. After all, the point of a question is to reinforce the central idea of your topic.

1. Lexie Alford

Speech Ending: Ask yourself: How uncomfortable are you willing to become in order to reach your fullest potential?

2. Apollo Robbins

Speech Ending: If you could control somebody’s attention, what would you do with it?

Quotes are concise, catchy phrases or sentences that are generally easy to remember and repeat.

Quotes are an age-old way to start–and conclude–a speech. And for good reason.

Quotes can reinforce your own ideas by providing a second voice to back them up. They can also provoke an audience’s mind & get them thinking. So, if you add your quote to the end of your speech, the audience will most likely be thinking about it for long after you have finished speaking.

How To Use Quotes In Your Speech Ending

While adding quotes to your speech ending, make sure that it’s relevant to your topic. Preferably, you want to pick a quote that summarizes your entire idea in a concise & memorable manner.

Make sure that your quote isn’t too long or complicated. Your audience should be able to repeat it as well as feel its impact themselves. They shouldn’t be puzzling over the semantics of your quote, but its intended meaning.

1. Edouard Jacqmin

Speech Ending: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

2. Chris Crowe

Speech Ending: “It’s more certain than death and taxes.”

3. Olivia Remes

Speech Ending: I’d like to leave you with a quote by Martin Luther King: “You don’ have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”

4. Tomislav Perko

Speech Ending: Like that famous quote says, “In twenty years from now on, you’ll be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did do.

5. Diana Nyad

Speech Ending: To paraphrase the poet, Mary Oliver, she says, “So, what is it? What is it you’re doing with this one wild and precious life of yours?”

5. Piece Of Advice

The point of giving a piece of advice at the end of your speech is not to pull your audience down or to make them feel bad/inferior about themselves. Rather, the advice is added to motivate your audience to take steps to do something–something related to the topic at hand.

The key point to remember is that your advice is included to help your audience, not to discourage them.

How To Add Piece Of Advice To Your Speech Ending

To truly make your audience follow the advice you’re sharing, you must make sure it resonates with them. To do so, you need to inject emotions into your advice, and to present it in such a manner that your audience’s emotions are aroused when they hear it.

Your advice shouldn’t be something extra-complicated or seemingly impossible to achieve. This will act as a counter-agent. Remember that you want your audience to follow your advice, not to chuck it away as something impossible.

Our article, 15 Powerful Speech Ending Lines And Tips To Create Your Own , is another great repository for some inspiration.

1. Ricardo Lieuw On

Speech Ending: “Learn something new, or a new way of approaching something old because there are a few skills are valuable as the art of learning.”

2. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

Speech Ending: “If we want to improve the competence level of our leaders, then we should first improve our own competence for judging and selecting leaders.”

3. Sharique Samsudheen

Speech Ending: “Some people love money, some people hate money, some people crave money, some people even kill for money. But what they miss is they just need to learn how to manage money well, and that will give them financial freedom.”

4. Kate Simonds

Speech Ending: Teens, you need to believe in your voices and adults, you need to listen.

5. Melissa Butler

Speech Ending: When you go home today, see yourself in the mirror, see all of you, look at all your greatness that you embody, accept it, love it and finally, when you leave the house tomorrow, try to extend that same love and acceptance to someone who doesn’t look like you.

6. Iskra Lawrence

Speech Ending: Speak to your body in a loving way. It’s the only one you got, it’s your home, and it deserves your respect. If you see anyone tearing themselves down, build them back up And watch your life positively grow when you give up the pursuit of perfection.

6. Contemplative Remark

As the name itself suggests, contemplative remarks are intended to make your audience contemplate or mull over something. The ‘something’ in question should be the idea central to your speech, or a key takeaway that you want them to return home with.

The idea is to get your audience thinking and to keep them thinking for a long, long time.

How To Add A Contemplative Remark To Your Speech Ending

To add a contemplative remark to your speech ending, you first need to figure out your key takeaway or main theme. Then, you want to arrange that as a question, and propose it to your audience at the end of your speech.

Remember that your question shouldn’t be something too wordy or complicated to understand. As with the quotes, you don’t want your audience stuck on the semantics. Rather, you want them to focus on the matter at hand.

1. Lisa Penney

Speech Ending: “So I invite you to pay more attention to your thoughts & consider the legacy you leave behind.”

2. Grant Sanderson

Speech Ending: “Some of the most useful math that you can find or teach has its origin in someone who was just looking for a good story.”

3. Greta Thunberg

Speech Ending: “We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up & change is coming whether you like it or not.”

4. Bill Eckstrom

Speech Ending: Now, think about this: it’s not the complexity-triggering individuals or events you should fear the most, but it’s your own willingness to accept or seek discomfort that will dictate the growth of not just you, but our entire world.

5. Robert Hoge

Speech Ending: Choose to accept your face, choose to appreciate your face, don’t look away from the mirror so quickly; understand all the love, and the life, and the pain that is the part of your face, that is the art of your face. Tomorrow when you wake up, what will your choice be?

7. Personal Anecdote

Personal anecdotes, as the name suggests, are anecdotes that are personal to the speaker or instances from their life. Personal anecdotes are a great way to incorporate the magical powers of storytelling in your speech, as well as to make a personal connection with the audience. Using personal anecdotes, you can hit two birds with one stone!

How To Add Personal Anecdotes To Your Speech Ending

To add personal anecdotes to your speech ending, you need to filter through your life experiences to find out ones that directly relate to your topic at hand. You don’t want to include an anecdote, no matter how compelling it is, if it doesn’t relate to your topic.

Remember to not keep your anecdote too long. Your audience will most likely lose their attention if you do so.

1. Sheila Humphries

Speech Ending: “Why do you go work for these people?” My answer to them was, “If I could help one child make it in this world, it’ll be worth it all.”

8. Call To Action

A call-to-action is one of the absolute best ways to conclude a speech with a bang. A well-written speech should aim to alter the audience’s mind or belief system in some way and to make them take an action in that direction. One crucial way to assure your audience does this is by using a call to action.

How To Add A Call To Action To Your Speech Ending

A call to action comes right before the ending of your speech to provide your audience with a clear idea or set of instructions about what they’re supposed to do after your talk ends.

A call to action should provide a roadmap to the audience for their future steps, and to outline clearly what those future steps are going to be.

1. Armin Hamrah

Speech Ending: “So tonight, after you finish your Math homework & before you lay your head down on that fluffy pillow, bring a piece of paper and pen by your bedside…”

2. Graham Shaw

Speech Ending: “So I invite you to get your drawings out there & spread the word that when we draw, we remember more!”

3. Andy Puddicombe

Speech Ending: You don’t have to burn any incense, and you definitely don’t have to sit on the floor. All you need to do is to take out 10 minutes out a day to step back, familiarize yourself with the present moment so that you get to experience a greater sense of focus, calm, and clarity in your life.

4. Amy Cuddy

Speech Ending: Before you go into the next stressful evaluative situation, for two minutes, try doing this in the elevator…

5. Jia Jiang

Speech Ending: When you are facing the next obstacle or the next failure, consider the possibilities. Don’t run! If you just embrace them, they might become your gifts as well.

9. Motivational Remark

As the name clearly explains, a motivational remark motivates your audience to carry out a plan of action. It ruffles the audience’s mind and emotions and has a powerful impact on the steps that your audience will take after you’ve finished speaking.

How To Add A Motivational Remark To Your Speech Ending

The key to a good motivational remark is to inspire your audience. Your motivational remark should act as a ray of hope to your audience and positively inspire them to take a desired course of action.

Your motivational remark should not be negative in any way. You don’t want to guilt or coerce your audience into doing something or feeling a certain way. You want to leave them on a positive note to move forward with their life.

1. Khanh Vy Tran

Speech Ending: “No matter what you’re going through right now & no matter what the future holds for you, please don’t change yourself. Love yourself, accept yourself & then transform yourself.”

2. Mithila Palkar

Speech Ending: “Get a job, leave a job, dance, sing, fall in love. Carve your own niche. But most importantly: learn to love your own randomness.”

3. Andrew Tarvin

Speech Ending: “Anyone can learn to be funnier. And it all starts with a choice. A choice to try to find ways to use humor. A choice to be like my grandmother, to look at the world around you and say WTF–wow, that’s fun.”

4. Laura Vanderkam

Speech Ending: There is time. Even if we are busy, we have time for what matters. And when we focus on what matters, we can build the lives we want in the time we’ve got.

5. Julian Treasure

Speech Ending: Let’s get listening taught in schools, and transform the world in one generation into a conscious listening world, a world of connection, a world of understanding, and a world of peace.

6. Mariana Atencio

Speech Ending: Let’s celebrate those imperfections that make us special. I hope that it teaches you that nobody has a claim on the word ‘normal’. We are all different. We are all quirky and unique and that is what makes us wonderfully human.

10. Challenge

Much like a call to action, the aim of proposing a challenge at the end of your speech is to instigate your audience to take some desired course of action. A challenge should make an appeal to your audience’s emotion, and motivate them to meet it.

How To Add A Challenge To Your Speech Ending

To apply a challenge effectively to your speech ending, you need to make sure that it’s something relevant to your topic. Your challenge should drive the central topic of your speech forward, and make your audience engage in real-life steps to apply your idea in the real world.

While its always a good idea to set a high bar for your challenge, make sure its an achievable one too.

1. Jamak Golshani

Speech Ending: “I challenge you to open your heart to new possibilities, choose a career path that excites you & one that’s aligned to who you truly are.”

2. Ashley Clift-Jennings

Speech Ending: So, my challenge to you today is, “Do you know, would you even know how to recognize your soulmate?” If you are going out in the world right now, would you know what you are looking for?

11. Metaphor

Metaphors are commonly used as a short phrase that draws a comparison between two ideas in a non-literal sense. People use metaphors quite commonly in daily life to explain ideas that might be too difficult or confusing to understand otherwise. Metaphors are also great tools to be used in speech, as they can present your main idea in a simple and memorable way.

How To Add Metaphors To Your Speech Ending

To add a metaphor to your speech ending, you need to first decide on the main idea or takeaway of your speech. Your metaphor should then be organized in such a way that it simplifies your main idea and makes it easier for your audience to understand & remember it.

The key is to not make your metaphor overly complicated or difficult to retain and share. Remember that you’re trying to simplify your idea for the audience–not make them even more confused.

1. Ramona J. Smith

Speech Ending: “Stay in that ring. And even after you take a few hits, use what you learned from those previous fights, and at the end of the round, you’ll still remain standing.”

2. Shi Heng YI

Speech Ending: “If any of you chooses to climb that path to clarity, I will be very happy to meet you at the peak.”

3. Zifang “Sherrie” Su

Speech Ending: “Are you turning your back on your fear? Our life is like this stage, but what scares are now may bring you the most beautiful thing. Give it a chance.”

12. Storytelling

The idea behind using stories to end your speech is to leave your audience with a good memory to take away with them.

Stories are catchy, resonating & memorable ways to end any speech.

Human beings can easily relate to stories. This is because most people have grown up listening to stories of some kind or another, and thus a good story tends to evoke fond feelings in us.

How To Incorporate Stories In Your Speech Ending

A great way to incorporate stories in your speech ending is by setting up a story in the beginning and then concluding it during the end of your speech.

Another great way would be to tell a short & funny anecdote related to a personal experience or simply something related to the topic at hand.

However, remember that it’s the ending of your speech. Your audience is most likely at the end of their attention span. So, keep your story short & sweet.

1. Sameer Al Jaberi

Speech Ending: “I can still see that day when I came back from my honeymoon…”

2. Josephine Lee

Speech Ending: “At the end of dinner, Jenna turned to me and said…”

Facts are another excellent speech ending, and they are used quite often as openings as well. The point of adding a fact as your speech ending is to add shock value to your speech, and to get your audience thinking & discussing the fact even after your speech has ended.

How To Add Facts To Your Speech Ending

The key to adding facts to your speech ending is to pick a fact that thrusts forward your main idea in the most concise form possible. Your fact should also be something that adds shock value to the speech, and it should ideally be something that the audience hasn’t heard before.

Make sure that your fact is relevant to the topic at hand. No matter how interesting, a fact that doesn’t relate to your topic is going to be redundant.

1. David JP Phillips

Speech Ending: 3500 years ago, we started transfering knowledge from generation to generation through text. 28 years ago, PowerPoint was born. Which one do you think our brain is mostly adapted to?

14. Rhethoric Remark

Rhetoric remarks are another excellent way to get the wheels of your audience’s minds turning. Rhetoric remarks make your audience think of an imagined scenario, and to delve deeper into your topic. Rhetoric remarks or questioned don’t necessarily need to have a ‘right’ or one-shot answer, which means you can be as creative with them as possible!

How To Add Rhethoric Remarks To Your Speech Ending

Since rhetorical questions don’t need to have a definite answer, you have much freedom in determining the type of question or statement you wish to make. However, as with all other speech endings, a rhetorical question shouldn’t be asked just for the sake of it.

A rhetorical question should make your audience think about your topic in a new or more creative manner. It should get them thinking about the topic and maybe see it from an angle that they hadn’t before.

Rhetorical questions shouldn’t be too confusing. Use simple language & make sure it’s something that the audience can easily comprehend.

1. Mona Patel

Speech Ending: Pick your problem, ask “What if?” Come up with ideas. Bring them down. Then execute on them. Maybe you’re thinking, “What if we can’t?” I say to you, “What if we don’t?”

2. Lizzie Velasquez

Speech Ending: I want you to leave here and ask yourself what defines you. But remember: Brave starts here.

Another great way to end your speech with a literal bang is by using music! After all, if there’s something that can impact the human mind with just as much force as a few well-placed words, it’s the correct music.

How To Add Music To Your Speech Ending

To add music to your speech ending, you must make sure that the music has something to do with your speech theme. Remember that you’re not playing music in your concert. The piece of music that you choose must be relevant to your topic & work to have a contribution in your overall speech.

1. Tom Thum

Speech Ending: *ends the TED Talk with beat boxing*

16. Reitirate The Title

The title of your speech is its most important component. That’s why you need to pay careful attention to how you pick it, as it is something that your viewers will most likely remember the longest about your speech.

Your title will also act as a guiding hand towards how your audience forms an initial idea about your speech and is what they will associate your entire speech with.

By repeating your title at the end of your speech, you increase the chances that your audience will remember it–and your speech–for a long time.

How To Retierate The Title In Your Speech Ending

Your title is something that your audience associates your entire speech with. However, you don’t want to simply add the title in your speech end for the sake of adding it. Instead, make it flow naturally into your speech ending. This will make it seem less forced, and will also increase the chances of your audience remembering your entire speech ending and not just the title of your speech.

1. Ruairi Robertson

Speech Ending: I feel we can all contribute to this fight worth fighting for our own health, but more importantly, our future generations’ health by restoring the relationship between microbe and man. There is SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

Need more inspiration for speech closing lines? Check out our article on 10 Of The Best Things To Say In Closing Remarks.

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To sum up, speech endings are just as imperative to the success of your speech as speech openings, and you must spend just as much time picking the perfect ending as you do to determine your best possible speech opening. The words you speak at the beginning and end of your speech are words that your audience will pay the most attention to, and remember longer than any other part of your speech.

Still looking for inspiration? Check out this video we made on closing remarks:

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wisdom quotes trending all quotes

75 Words of Wisdom From The Best Minds (Ever)

By Maxime Lagacé

Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page .

I’ve spent 10+ hours doing one thing:

Curate the wisest words from Einstein, Buddha, Seneca, Socrates, Emerson, Plato, and many more.

So here’s a list of THE top 75 words of wisdom ever written .

Why should you read this article?

• You’ll learn how to be calmer and wiser
• You’ll learn how to live a good and meaningful life
• You’ll discover condensed wisdom from the best thinkers of the last 2000 years

In sum, you’ll gain precious insights in just 5 minutes.

Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life . Immanuel Kant

Doubt is the origin of wisdom. Augustine of Hippo

The truest wisdom is a resolute determination. Napoleon Bonaparte

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it. Albert Einstein

Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use. Thomas J. Watson

A symptom of wisdom is curiosity. The evidence is calmness and perseverance. The causes are experimentation and understanding. Maxime Lagacé

It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor. Seneca

A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself. Michel de Montaigne

A fool is known by his speech; and a wise man by silence. Pythagoras

Foolishness is a twin sister of wisdom. Witold Gombrowicz

There is only a finger’s difference between a wise man and a fool. Diogenes

Never say no twice if you mean it. Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Irrigators channel waters; fletchers straighten arrows; carpenters bend wood; the wise master themselves. Buddha

Wisdom is nothing but a preparation of the soul, a capacity, a secret art of thinking, feeling and breathing thoughts of unity at every moment of life. Hermann Hesse

A lot of wisdom is just realizing the long-term consequences of your actions. The longer term you’re willing to look, the wiser you’re going to seem to everybody around you. Naval Ravikant

Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait. Leo Tolstoy

Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end. Leonard Nimoy

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. Jimi Hendrix

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom. Francis Bacon

A weak reaction is to rush things. A strong reaction is to go slow and steady. Maxime Lagacé

The best words are the ones you are ready for. Maxime Lagacé

We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us. Marcel Proust

Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children. Kahlil Gibran

A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit. David Elton Trueblood

The wise know they are fools. Fools think they are wise. Maxime Lagacé

Discipline is wisdom and vice versa. M. Scott Peck

The greatest wealth is to live content with little. Plato

Wisdom is knowing when you can’t be wise. Paul Engle

Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences. Norman Cousins

Wisdom and deep intelligence require an honest appreciation of mystery. Thomas Moore

The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing. Epictetus

Wisdom is keeping a sense of fallibility of all our views and opinions. Gerald Brenan

Much wisdom often goes with fewest words. Sophocles

Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is contentious. Zhuangzi

Who then is free? The wise man who can command himself. Horace

We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. George Bernard Shaw

True wisdom is remembering that in the end, no matter what, everything will be fine. Maxime Lagacé

The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. Paulo Coelho ( Source )

Men who know themselves are no longer fools. They stand on the threshold of the door of wisdom. Havelock Ellis

Wisdom consists not so much in knowing what to do in the ultimate as knowing what to do next. Herbert Hoover

Silence at the proper season is wisdom, and better than any speech. Plutarch

• 100 Leo Tolstoy Quotes (On Love, Life, Happiness)
• 135 Rumi Quotes On Love, Beauty, Friendship
• Albert Einstein Quotes On Life, Education, Humanity

The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness. Michel de Montaigne

It’s better to be alone than to spend time with toxic people. It’s better to do nothing than to work on something that doesn’t matter. It’s better to rest than to climb the wrong mountain. James Clear

Knowledge shrinks as wisdom grows. Alfred North Whitehead

If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise. William Blake

Don’t try to become, let go of who you’re not. Maxime Lagacé

The truest sayings are paradoxical. Lao Tzu (Tao Te Ching)

Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. Alfred Lord Tennyson

One principle eliminates a thousand decisions. Johnny Uzan

Wisdom comes by disillusionment. George Santayana

He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book. Benjamin Franklin

Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another. Juvenal

Pain is the doorway to wisdom and to truth. Keith Miller

Kindness is wisdom. Philip James Bailey

Maturity is when you stop being surprised by anything. Wisdom is when you start again. Maxime Lagacé

I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom. Anatole France

The wise are those who know the Self. Sri Sathya Sai Baba

No man was ever wise by chance. Seneca

Wisdom begins in wonder. Socrates

One part of wisdom is knowing what you don’t need anymore and letting it go. Jane Fonda

Wisdom comes from experience. Experience is often a result of lack of wisdom. Terry Pratchett

For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else. Ralph Waldo Emerson

The best words of wisdom will create confusion, action, understanding and ultimately, peace. Maxime Lagacé

Cleverness is like a lens with a very sharp focus. Wisdom is more like a wide-angle lens. Edward de Bono

It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err. Mahatma Gandhi

We will be known forever by the tracks we leave. Dakota (Native American saying)

Has fortune dealt you some bad cards. Then let wisdom make you a good gamester. Francis Quarles

The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil. Marcus Tullius Cicero

Do now what your future you will thank you for. Maxime Lagacé

Genius unrefined resembles a flash of lightning, but wisdom is like the sun. Franz Grillparzer

Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which are completely unnecessary to know. Leo Tolstoy

Wisdom is seeing wounds and obstacles as blessings. Maxime Lagacé

Innocence dwells with wisdom, but never with ignorance. William Blake

The small wisdom is like water in a glass: clear, transparent, pure. The great wisdom is like the water in the sea: dark, mysterious, impenetrable. Rabindranath Tagore

A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men. Roal Dahl

Wisdom is knowing what to ignore. Shane Parrish ( Source )

Key Takeaways

• Questions over answers
• Listening over talking
• Doubts over confidence
• What they don’t control
• Keep in mind: life is chaos. Being a little foolish can help.
• Want to become wiser? Think “experiences”. Try, fail, reflect, and learn .
• Self-understanding
• Meditation (mindful.org)

Words of Wisdom Visual

Wisdom is remembering life is short. Maxime Lagacé

Further Readings

• Topic: Life
• 117 Short Quotes That Will Inspire You (Fast)
• 91 Of The Best Stoic Quotes (For A Better Life)
• 115 Philosophy Quotes From The Best Philosophers
• 77 Life Lessons Quotes (To Learn And Grow)
• How to Be Wise  (dariusforoux.com)
• 87 Deep Quotes That Will Make You Think
• 100+ Most Famous Quotes Of All Time
• 21 Life-Changing Questions To Ask Yourself Today

Hope you enjoyed these beautiful words of wisdom. If you did, please share them with a friend today!

Do you consider yourself wise? What are your favorite words of wisdom? And remember: words can transform your life, if you find the right ones.

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"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." -Aristotle

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Dictate your documents in Word

Dictation lets you use speech-to-text to author content in Microsoft 365 with a microphone and reliable internet connection. It's a quick and easy way to get your thoughts out, create drafts or outlines, and capture notes. 

Start speaking to see text appear on the screen.

How to use dictation

Tip:  You can also start dictation with the keyboard shortcut:  ⌥ (Option) + F1.

Learn more about using dictation in Word on the web and mobile

Dictate your documents in Word for the web

Dictate your documents in Word Mobile

What can I say?

In addition to dictating your content, you can speak commands to add punctuation, navigate around the page, and enter special characters.

You can see the commands in any supported language by going to  Available languages . These are the commands for English.

Punctuation

Navigation and selection, creating lists, adding comments, dictation commands, mathematics, emoji/faces, available languages.

Select from the list below to see commands available in each of the supported languages.

• Select your language

Arabic (Bahrain)

Arabic (Egypt)

Arabic (Saudi Arabia)

Croatian (Croatia)

Gujarati (India)

• Hebrew (Israel)
• Hungarian (Hungary)
• Irish (Ireland)

Marathi (India)

• Polish (Poland)
• Romanian (Romania)
• Russian (Russia)
• Slovenian (Slovenia)

Tamil (India)

Telugu (India)

• Thai (Thailand)
• Vietnamese (Vietnam)

More Information

Spoken languages supported.

By default, Dictation is set to your document language in Microsoft 365.

We are actively working to improve these languages and add more locales and languages.

Supported Languages

Chinese (China)

English (Australia)

English (Canada)

English (India)

English (United Kingdom)

English (United States)

French (Canada)

French (France)

German (Germany)

Italian (Italy)

Portuguese (Brazil)

Spanish (Spain)

Spanish (Mexico)

Preview languages *

Chinese (Traditional, Hong Kong)

Chinese (Taiwan)

Dutch (Netherlands)

English (New Zealand)

Norwegian (Bokmål)

Portuguese (Portugal)

Swedish (Sweden)

Turkish (Turkey)

* Preview Languages may have lower accuracy or limited punctuation support.

Dictation settings

Click on the gear icon to see the available settings.

Spoken Language:  View and change languages in the drop-down

Microphone: View and change your microphone

Auto Punctuation:  Toggle the checkmark on or off, if it's available for the language chosen

Profanity filter:  Mask potentially sensitive phrases with ***

Tips for using Dictation

Saying “ delete ” by itself removes the last word or punctuation before the cursor.

Saying “ delete that ” removes the last spoken utterance.

You can bold, italicize, underline, or strikethrough a word or phrase. An example would be dictating “review by tomorrow at 5PM”, then saying “ bold tomorrow ” which would leave you with "review by tomorrow at 5PM"

Try phrases like “ bold last word ” or “ underline last sentence .”

Saying “ add comment look at this tomorrow ” will insert a new comment with the text “Look at this tomorrow” inside it.

Saying “ add comment ” by itself will create a blank comment box you where you can type a comment.

To resume dictation, please use the keyboard shortcut ALT + `  or press the Mic icon in the floating dictation menu.

Markings may appear under words with alternates we may have misheard.

If the marked word is already correct, you can select  Ignore .

This service does not store your audio data or transcribed text.

Your speech utterances will be sent to Microsoft and used only to provide you with text results.

For more information about experiences that analyze your content, see Connected Experiences in Microsoft 365 .

Troubleshooting

Can't find the dictate button.

If you can't see the button to start dictation:

Make sure you're signed in with an active Microsoft 365 subscription

Dictate is not available in Office 2016 or 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365

Make sure you have Windows 10 or above

Dictate button is grayed out

If you see the dictate button is grayed out

Make sure the note is not in a Read-Only state.

Microphone doesn't have access

If you see "We don’t have access to your microphone":

Make sure no other application or web page is using the microphone and try again

Refresh, click on Dictate, and give permission for the browser to access the microphone

Microphone isn't working

If you see "There is a problem with your microphone" or "We can’t detect your microphone":

Make sure the microphone is plugged in

Test the microphone to make sure it's working

Check the microphone settings in Control Panel

Also see How to set up and test microphones in Windows

On a Surface running Windows 10: Adjust microphone settings

Dictation can't hear you

If you see "Dictation can't hear you" or if nothing appears on the screen as you dictate:

Make sure your microphone is not muted

Adjust the input level of your microphone

Move to a quieter location

If using a built-in mic, consider trying again with a headset or external mic

Accuracy issues or missed words

If you see a lot of incorrect words being output or missed words:

Make sure you're on a fast and reliable internet connection

Avoid or eliminate background noise that may interfere with your voice

Try speaking more deliberately

Check to see if the microphone you are using needs to be upgraded

Need more help?

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