Over the past few years, I've discovered an endless treasure trove of inspiration, wisdom, and education on YouTube.
Every now and then, I stumble across an inspirational video that rocks my world and helps me see things from a new perspective. Whenever I find these gems, I've made a habit of bookmarking them for such a time as this.
Today I want to share with you 15 of the most powerful, inspiring and important videos I've ever come across. These have all played a role in shaping my personal and entrepreneurial endeavors – and with any luck, they just might be able to help you along the way too.
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1. The Time You Have Left
What are you doing with your time today? Is it important? How would your schedule change if this was the last day you had to live? If you've never stopped to think about this, the video below is worth pondering for a bit.
2. Alan Watts: What If Money Was No Object?
What would you like to do if money were no object? If you can answer this question, and figure out how to run after that dream and become a master at it, there's a good chance you'll come out much further ahead in the long run. It took me years to figure this out for myself, but once I finally did and decided to steer my life in that direction, it completely changed the trajectory of my future, and I've never looked back.
https://youtu.be/qLD0P372xxQ
3. Jim Carrey: Take A Chance On What You Love
There's an interesting fact most of us never stop to recognize – you can fail miserably at a career you hate. As long as it's possible to fail at something you DON'T want, you might as well take a chance on something you love.
https://youtu.be/q2rVDCrt6QY
4. Steve Jobs: On Life
The first time I saw this short video clip from Steve Jobs, it was pretty mind-blowing for me. Why? Because I had spent most of my life trying to “fit inside the box” and be defined by everyone else's rules and expectations. While there are certainly some merits to this, it can also be a huge limitation for those who have the ideas that go against the grain AND have to potential to change the world for the better. If you're anything like me, this is definitely worth thinking about.
https://youtu.be/SU9-uhVPzJk
5. Simon Sinek: Start With Why
We all know WHAT we do. Most of us know HOW we do it. But an astonishing number of people, companies, and organizations don't have a firm grasp on WHY they do what they do. What's your purpose, your cause, your core beliefs? Why do you exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? As Simon Sinek explains below, the better you understand your “why”, the more you'll end up changing the world.
https://youtu.be/IPYeCltXpxw
6. Robert Cialdini: The Science of Persuasion
We are all in the persuasion business. Whether you're trying to buy or sell a property, find the most talented employees, win the best business partners or make friends with the right people, it is imperative that you have the ability to persuade others to say YES. This video gives a powerful overview of 6 essential elements of persuasion.
7. Jim Rohn: Work Harder On Yourself
There's a cold, hard fact that nobody can deny (as much as many of us would like to). If you're not valuable to the marketplace, you're not going to get much money. If you want to increase your earning potential – the shortest path to getting there is to become more valuable. Jim Rohn explains below…
8. Alan Watts: Live Fully Now
If you're one who likes to think ahead, there's a good chance you're not living in the moment. When you constantly spend your conscious energy stuck in some distant future that hasn't arrived yet, you're missing out on a huge part of what life has to offer. As Alan Watts said, “You can't live at all unless you can live fully now.”
9. Work is a Rubber Ball That Bounces Back
If you're an ambitious person, you may fall into the trap of treating your work life like the most important thing you have to live for – but take it from me, this is a huge mistake. In this video, I'll explain why this is a huge misconception, and what you should do instead.
10. Steve Jobs' Advice for Entrepreneurs
In order to do anything great in life over a long period of time, it's important to love what you do. Steve Jobs knew it, and he dishes out some great advice for entrepreneurs in this video.
11. Derek Sivers: How To Start A Movement
Starting a movement requires a great leader, but it also requires courageous followers. Someone who will be the first person to follow the leader. Which one are you?
https://youtu.be/Qu3xpp5BbHU
12. Pursuit of Happyness: Baby Steps
Sometimes life is just hard. Business is hard. Relationships are hard. There's no way to sugarcoat these things, it's just part of the human experience. If you want to endure and push through these inevitable roadblocks in life, you'll save yourself a lot of heartache by simply accepting these truths, and learning to deal with them head-on.
https://youtu.be/WCKaZ6EEmlg
13. Knowledge Does Not Equal Understanding
If there's anything I learned from being in school for 20+ years of my life, it's that knowing about a subject, skill or profession is NOT the same as truly understanding it (the dynamics at work, the moving pieces that complicate the situation, the hidden pitfalls nobody tells you about, etc). If you're not familiar with this yet, this video is a perfect illustration.
14. Francis Chan: What Makes You Happier?
One of the most spiritually riveting books I've ever read is Crazy Love by Francis Chan. He really calls you to the carpet and challenges a lot of assumptions that keep people in a lukewarm state with their faith. If you're of the Christian persuasion (and even if you're not), this video will get you thinking.
15. Steve Jobs: On Failure
One of the prerequisites to any kind of success is knowing when, who and how to ask for help. Perhaps most importantly, you need to be bold enough to pick up the phone and make the call. This is something I've always been bad at because I let my fear and “shyness” get in the way – but the bottom line is, if you're not going to ask for help, you can never expect to receive it.
