Motivational speakers are persons engaged in public speaking who help motivate others with their knowledge and real-life stories in public setting such as sales seminar and corporate meetings.

Many are well-known figures such as retired athletes and movie and TV actors while others are persons who have received little public attention early in their lives but have been raised by events to the status of war hero or other heroic figure such as a firefighter involved in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks or the 1995 Oklahoma City federal building bombing.

Often, "inspirational" material is included in such presentations, usually of somewhat generic "spirituality" but occasionally an overtly Christian message.

The best-known parody of this occupation in North America in recent years was that performed as a recurring sketch comedy character on Saturday Night Live by the late Chris Farley .