10 inspirational videos to get you out of bed and into the boardroom

We’ve scoured the web for the 10 most motivational videos you could imagine. So whether you’re finding it hard to wake up in the morning or you need a dose of inspiration for that next big meeting, sit back and prepare for a big hit of inspiration.

1. Jim Carrey’s Commencement Address 2014 MUM – 10:00

You can’t help but go away from this heart-felt talk from Hollywood funny-man Jim Carrey feeling like the world is yours for the taking. The standout moment comes when Jim talks about his Dad (at about the 10:00 min mark)

“My father could have been a great comedian but he didn’t believe that was possible for him. So he made conservative choice. Instead he got a safe job as an accountant. When I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job and our family had to do whatever we could to survive.

I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you could fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance at doing what you love.”

2. David Blaine- How I Held My Breath for 17 Minutes

The eighth wonder of the world, David Blaine, talks about how he confounded medical science and held his breath for 17 minutes. And here we were worrying about next week’s deadline…

3. life= risk

Take 1 minute from your day and learn the untold story of the failures of some of the most recognisable names of our time. In the words of Henry Ford “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”

4.  The 6 Rules of Success

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 6 Rules of Success mixed with footage of extreme sports? It doesn’t get much more inspirational than this.

5. Nick Vujicic- Life Without Limbs (thumb nails 5 mins).

The odds were stacked against Nick Vujicic. Despite being born without Limbs, Nick’s inspiring resilience shows you there’s always a way.

6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGRyYKF5jVY

A video about a father and son completing an iron-man competition together. What makes them special? Rick, the son, can’t talk or walk and Dikc, the father, has a heart condition.

7. How Bad Do You Want it?

Footage of athlete Giavanni Ruffin mixed with a fable from Eric Thomas (AKA The Hip Hop Preacher). If you like your inspiration served with a hot slice of tough love, then this is the one for you.

8. One Red Paperclip

It’s that old urban myth, starting at the bottom and trading all the way up to a house.  Except Kyle MacDonald actually did it. From a red paper clip, to a fish pen, all the way to a beautiful house. It just goes to show, with the right idea and a lot of grit, anything can happen.

9. Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight

As Jill Bolte Taylor was having a stroke, she felt her brain functions slip away one by one- speech, movement, understanding. She later studied and remembered every moment- seeing a life-threatening event as an opportunity to develop human understanding.

10. Grandma Drumming

Grandma can drum? This clip might not win anyone a Nobel Prize, but it’s a good reminder that people can surprise you with skills you’d never guess they had.