The Best Motivational Speakers to Know in 2022

Whether booking a motivational speaker for a grand opening keynote address or to inspire your employees, you want to make the best choice possible. Do you want the star impact of a top celebrity? Or do you seek inspiration for executives from a first-rate leadership speaker? For that matter, you might want to hire someone industry-specific such as a real estate or health and wellness speaker.

With so many options, it’s helpful to start with a list of some of the best motivational speakers available. Here, you will find 16 top motivational speakers with a variety of backgrounds from a wide range of industries. So start scheduling. And get motivated!

Anne Grady

A leading global authority on resilience, Anne is also an entrepreneur and author of Mind Over Moment: Harness the Power of Resilience, and 52 Strategies for Life, Love & Work: Transforming Your Life One Week at a Time. Her approach to coping with challenges and overall health and well-being are grounded in both personal challenges and research. When her son was diagnosed with severe mental illness and autism, she dove into researching brain development and neuroscience to find answers.

This scientific inquisitiveness grounds her inspirational and enlightening approach to personal growth with plenty of grace, humor and strategies to meet any adversity. Grady is a two-time TEDx speaker and has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Fox Business and other news outlets nationwide.

Notable Quote: “Getting in a rut is dangerous; after all, a rut is just a grave with no ends.”

Mel Robbins

A leading business speaker and authority on confidence-building and planning, Mel Robbins has become one of the most booked speakers in the world. Her productivity planner, The 5 Second Rule, became an international bestseller with four additional #1 best-selling audiobooks on Audible including The High 5 Habit: Take Control of Your Life with One Simple Habit.

As an entrepreneur, her online courses have changed the lives of over a million students with a 99% approval rating. Her nationally-syndicated daytime talk show, The Mel Robbins Show, has likewise inspired audiences with better tools for building courage and taking control both in work and in life.

Notable Quote: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

Trent Shelton

Former NFL wide receiver Trent Shelton knows how to get your attention and hold it, inspiring people with his candid and deeply motivational short videos. His 2019 book, The Greatest You: Face Reality, Release Negativity, and Live Your Purpose, enjoys a nearly five-star rating at Amazon as does his 2020 book, Straight Up: Honest, Unfiltered, As-Real-As-I-Can-Put-It Advice for Life’s Biggest Challenges.

When an injury cut his NFL career short, he chose not to lose sight of his dream and instead turned his setback into a global message of empowerment. He founded the Christian nonprofit Rehab Time, a global-facing institution with a message of positive change and life improvement. Reaching millions through his uplifting message, Rehab Time also includes workout groups and Shelton’s own inspirational speaking engagements.

Notable Quote: “If you’re afraid of struggle, then you’re afraid of growth. You have to go through it to get to it.” 

Jay Shetty

With a background in business and as a Hindu monk, life coach Jay Shetty brings a unique perspective to his message of peace and inner growth. The #1 New York Times best-selling author of Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day inspires readers and listeners alike with a message of well-being and sustainable fulfillment.

Forbes named Shetty to their 30 Under 30 list as a game-changer in media, and People Magazine has named him as an influencer to watch. Creator of On Purpose, named to Apple’s Top 20 Podcasts of the Year in its first year, Shetty’s inspirational videos have garnered him more than 4 million subscribers.

Notable Quote: “We must keep the promises we make to ourselves so that we can keep those that we make to others.”

Grant Cardone

When it comes to speaking engagements, Grant Cardone knows his business. Through hard work and entrepreneurship, Cardone now owns and operates seven privately held companies and the private equity real estate firm Cardone Capital.

The New York Times best-selling author of The 10X Rule also established the 10X Growth Conference, now among the largest business and entrepreneurial conferences in the world. With a massive following as a speaker, Cardone is known for his crowdfunding acumen and has been voted the top marketing influencer to watch by Forbes. His business and sales educational platforms have inspired more than nearly 400,000 users with their message of personal accomplishment in the worlds of business, finance and real estate.

Notable Quote: “As long as you are alive, you will either live to accomplish your own goals and dreams or be used as a resource to accomplish someone else’s.”

Kindra Hall

President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective and a former Director of Marketing and VP sales, Kindra Hall knows intimately the power of strategic storytelling. Her influential books Stories That Stick and Choose Your Story, Change Your Life, among others, explore the way stories can influence both sales and our personal outlooks in life and goal changing ways.

Hall’s clients include Hilton Hotels, Tyson Foods, Target and Berkshire Hathaway, and she has even served as a guest faculty member at Harvard Medical School. A former contributing editor to SUCCESS magazine, Hall is a highly sought-after keynote and guest speaker by some of the most trusted brands across industries. Her motivational speeches inspire teams and individuals in improved means of communicating their messages through better storytelling

Notable Quote: “A single purpose story has the ability to unite entire teams of people and reconnect them to the deeper meaning of their work.”

Iyanla Vanzant

Inspirational speaker and lawyer Iyanla Vanzant sees two different kinds of work. The first is growth work—that is, managing to work with where you are and what you have for better outcomes. The second is healing work: digging for the causes of certain habitual, unconscious and systemic behaviors or beliefs that may hold you back from healing and growth.

Named by Ebony Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Black Americans, she inspires a practical path forward through any hardship and toward personal growth and spiritual development. A television guest of Oprah, Joy Behar, Dr. Oz and many others, Vanzant inspires both teams and individuals with her messages of personal empowerment and tapping into the power within.

Notable Quote: “Every day is your day if you claim it. If you wait for somebody else to make it for you, you’re going to be disappointed.”

Simon T. Bailey

Speaker, success coach, author, television host and philanthropist Simon T. Bailey doesn’t believe in limits. With an emphasis on high performance, he motivates his followers to discover their brilliance and act on it.

He provides real-world strategies for high performers under pressure through platforms including LinkedIn Learning features and books such as Be the Spark: Five Platinum Service Principles for Creating Customers for Life and his Brilliant Living series. With more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including serving as sales director for the Disney Institute, Bailey understands the pressures faced by leaders and provides the motivation and tools needed to succeed in the most demanding industries.

Notable Quote: “Expand your inner circle to include those who can challenge your thinking and escalate you to unreached heights of success.”

Erin King

Communication isn’t always easy. Effective sales communications can be harder. The ever-changing digital age has afforded greater access to audiences, but also additional nuances and hurdles. Digital communications, sales and branding keynote speaker Erin King will inspire your teams and provide a new way of understanding how to succeed.

King has authored best-selling books such as Digital Persuasion: Sell Smarter in the Modern Workplace and You’re Kind of a Big Deal: Level Up by Unlocking Your Audacity and serves clients ranging from the Pentagon to the Oscars. King served as CEO of Socialite Agency, and her keynote addresses assist marketing teams in closing the gap between online and offline worlds for a better communications strategy. A master in the art of digital persuasion, her addresses are known to “crush it” for audiences with lasting impressions and opportunity for sales growth and personal fulfillment.

Notable Quote: “Level up how you show up online, offline, and all the time.”

Tristan Ahumada

CEO of Lab Coat Agents and award-winning blogger, Realtor® Tristan Ahumada has worked in real estate since 2004 and serves as SUCCESS magazine’s people editor. A highly sought after speaker, he assists businesses as a consultant with a focus on relationship building with clients.

Ahumada believes in leading with kindness, and the results are impressive. His podcast features thought leaders currently shaping industries, and he loves using social media outlets to market real estate and to connect with others. In fact, he is the creator and co-founder of one of the largest private Facebook real estate groups in the U.S. Ahumada speaks year-round on lead conversion through long-term followup and building lasting connections.

Notable Quote: “I often hear I’m getting into real estate because I’m tired of working 9-5. And that is the number one biggest mistake.”

Amy Purdy

Professional speaker, blogger and author Amy Purdy understands challenges, determination and success. After falling victim to meningitis, she became a double amputee and began snowboarding seven months after she received her prosthetic legs. Accomplished in athletics, dance and entrepreneurship, her popular TEDx talk “Living Beyond Limits” gained her notoriety as a top inspirational speaker at events.

Purdy is a co-founder of the nonprofit organization Adaptive Action Sports and authored the book On My Own Two Feet: From Losing My Legs to Learning the Dance of Life. In it, she inspires readers with her story of resilience, daring to dream big and how we can all rewrite our own stories.

Notable Quote: When we embrace the things that make us unique, our true and remarkable capabilities are revealed

Michelle Poler

Keynote speaker and fear facer Michelle Poler encourages her audiences to step outside their respective comfort zones to reach their full potential. A branding strategist, she authored the book Hello, Fears: Crush Your Comfort Zone and Become Who You’re Meant to Be. She has spoken at TEDx, Microsoft, Toyota and other major brands with engaging humor and humility, tackling practical strategies for personal growth and professional accomplishment.

Poler is a creative and passionate social entrepreneur, and is also the creator of the 100 Days Without Fear project. 

Notable Quote: “Making fear-based decisions leads to regret, unhappiness, conformity, and resentment.”

Mally Roncal

Celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal knows drive and motivation. She followed her ambitions from the makeup counter at Barney’s to traveling the world as a celebrity makeup artist for stars such as Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez. Entrepreneurial in spirit, she launched Mally Beauty live on QVC in 2005 and has garnered a massive social media following as a key influencer.

Roncal has appeared on The Wendy Williams Show, Good Morning America, Today and others, and is the author of Love, Lashes, and Lipstick: My Secrets for a Gorgeous, Happy Life. Her positive and inspirational message and dynamic, engaging qualities make her a favorite public speaker.

Notable Quote: “In my opinion, there are no rules. If you want to rock a trend, I say go for it, and just know that you are fierce enough to pull it off!”

Eric Thomas

Speaker and business consultant Eric Thomas takes a creative approach to living successfully, both in your personal and professional life. He serves as CEO of his consulting firm, ETA LLC., working with companies such as General Electric, Quicken Loans and AT&T as well as consulting for major league sports franchises.

The author of Greatness is Upon You: How to Achieve and Sustain Greatness conducts sermons and started a program for underprivileged youth in Huntsville, Alabama. He also founded Breathe University, featuring online training and coaching sessions and hosts the Secret to Success podcast on Apple, YouTube, Stitcher and Spotify.

Notable Quote: “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.” 

Michael Gelb

Our most underutilized resource lies within us. The genius within each of us often goes unnoticed—and unused. Michael Gelb leads as a corporate culture authority, author and speaker on tapping into genius and applying it to both personal and organizational development.

Scholarly, fun and well-rounded, Gelb’s nearly 20 published books cover such topics as public speaking, wellness and creativity. His latest book, The Healing Organization: Awakening the Conscience of Business to Help Save the World, explores why certain companies excel at employee happiness, customer loyalty and community engagement. Co-authored with Raj Sisodia, The Healing Organization has earned a nearly five-star overall review on Amazon.

Notable Quote: “Whatever your discipline, become a student of excellence in all things. Take every opportunity to observe people who manifest the qualities of mastery. These models of excellence will inspire you and guide you toward the fulfillment of your highest potential.”

Seeking the best motivational speaker for your event?

While this list showcases some of the best motivational and keynote speakers, it is by no means exhaustive. There might be a more perfect fit for your needs available today. Still, pouring through hundreds of web pages and thousands of speakers isn’t the answer.

That is why SUCCESS presents the SUCCESS Speakers Bureau. Depend on our 100 years of experience in business success and a decade of building relationships with top business professionals and speakers worldwide. Explore our speakers by category of interest, read individual biographies and check for availability. It’s that simple.

Be prepared and make a splash at your next corporate event. Check out the SUCCESS Speakers Bureau now!