Motivational speeches can work wonders, if delivered the right way. They can inspire the masses to act with the fullest of their potentials. They can boost confidence in people and inspire them to overcome failure. There were entrepreneurs who changed the world, there were leaders who influenced masses, there were activists who devoted their lives to a social cause. Citing examples of their work can make a motivational speech more effective. Talking about their lives and how they faced adversity can serve as a good motivation for the audience. Give examples of these people's contribution to society. Explain how they made a difference to the world. Great people and their commendable work can make good inspirational speech topics. Here are some examples.