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The 10 Most Inspirational Short Stories I’ve Heard

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Top 10 Most Inspirational Short Stories I’ve Heard

Short Inspirational stories are powerful reads;

The great thing about them is that they’re so easy to digest, and there’s always a moral at the end of the story.

Whether they’re true stories or not is another thing, as many of them are legends supposedly hundreds of years old.

However, the stories that I’m talking about are so powerful and inspirational that many of them really do get you thinking and even leave you speechless at times.

 

The 10 Best Inspirational Short Stories

I’ve been reading plenty of these short stories in the past couple of weeks and found the lessons behind them truly wonderful. So I’ve decided to write out this article highlighting the 10 most inspirational short stories I’ve heard.

Next to the subheadings, in brackets, I’ve put what the story’s lesson is all about, with a short description of the moral of the story at the end of each section.

 

10. The Elephant Rope (Belief)

The Elephant Rope (Inspirational Short Stories)

A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, and he spotted that the elephants weren’t being kept in cages or held by the use of chains.

All that was holding them back from escaping the camp, was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs.

As the man gazed upon the elephants, he was completely confused as to why the elephants didn’t just use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try to at all.

Curious and wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to escape.

The trainer replied;

 

“when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

 

The only reason that the elephants weren’t breaking free and escaping from the camp was that over time they adopted the belief that it just wasn’t possible.

 

Moral of the story:

No matter how much the world tries to hold you back, always continue with the belief that what you want to achieve is possible. Believing you can become successful is the most important step in actually achieving it.

 

9. Thinking Out of the Box (Creative Thinking)

Thinking Out of the Box (Inspirational Short Stories)

In a small Italian town, hundreds of years ago, a small business owner owed a large sum of money to a loan-shark. The loan-shark was a very old, unattractive looking guy that just so happened to fancy the business owner’s daughter.

He decided to offer the businessman a deal that would completely wipe out the debt he owed him. However, the catch was that we would only wipe out the debt if he could marry the businessman’s daughter.

Needless to say, this proposal was met with a look of disgust.

The loan-shark said that he would place two pebbles into a bag, one white and one black.

The daughter would then have to reach into the bag and pick out a pebble. If it was black, the debt would be wiped, but the loan-shark would then marry her. If it was white, the debt would also be wiped, but the daughter wouldn’t have to marry the loan-shark.

Standing on a pebble-strewn path in the businessman’s garden, the loan-shark bent over and picked up two pebbles.

Whilst he was picking them up, the daughter noticed that he’d picked up two black pebbles and placed them both into the bag.

He then asked the daughter to reach into the bag and pick one.

The daughter naturally had three choices as to what she could have done:

  1. Refuse to pick a pebble from the bag.
  2. Take both pebbles out of the bag and expose the loan-shark for cheating.
  3. Pick a pebble from the bag fully well knowing it was black and sacrifice herself for her father’s freedom.

She drew out a pebble from the bag, and before looking at it ‘accidentally’ dropped it into the midst of the other pebbles. She said to the loan-shark;

 

“Oh, how clumsy of me. Never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

 

The pebble left in the bag is obviously black, and seeing as the loan-shark didn’t want to be exposed, he had to play along as if the pebble the daughter dropped was white, and clear her father’s debt.

 

Moral of the story:

It’s always possible to overcome a tough situation throughout of the box thinking, and not give in to the only options you think you have to pick from.

 

8. The Group of Frogs (Encouragement)

The Group of Frogs (Inspirational Short Stories)

As a group of frogs was traveling through the woods, two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs crowded around the pit and saw how deep it was, they told the two frogs that there was no hope left for them.

However, the two frogs decided to ignore what the others were saying and they proceeded to try and jump out of the pit

Despite their efforts, the group of frogs at the top of the pit were still saying that they should just give up. That they would never make it out.

Eventually, one of the frogs took heed to what the others were saying and he gave up, falling down to his death. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die.

He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?”

The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

 

Moral of the story:

People’s words can have a big effect on other’s lives. Think about what you say before it comes out of your mouth. It might just be the difference between life and death.

 

7. A Pound of Butter (Honesty)

A Pound of Butter (Inspirational Short Stories)

There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to a baker. One day the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting the right amount, which he wasn’t. Angry about this, he took the farmer to court.

The judge asked the farmer if he was using any measure to weight the butter. The farmer replied, “Honor, I am primitive. I don’t have a proper measure, but I do have a scale.”

The judge asked, “Then how do you weigh the butter?”

The farmer replied;

 

“Your Honor, long before the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when the baker brings the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the baker.”

 

Moral of the story:

In life, you get what you give. Don’t try and cheat others.

 

6. The Obstacle In Our Path (Opportunity)

The Obstacle in Our Path (Inspirational Short Stories)

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. He then hid himself and watched to see if anyone would move the boulder out of the way. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.

Many people loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

A peasant then came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to push the stone out of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.

After the peasant went back to pick up his vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been.

The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King explaining that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

 

Moral of the story:

Every obstacle we come across in life gives us an opportunity to improve our circumstances, and whilst the lazy complain, the others are creating opportunities through their kind hearts, generosity, and willingness to get things done.

 

5. The Butterfly (Struggles)

The Butterfly (Inspirational Short Stories)

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.

One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Until it suddenly stopped making any progress and looked like it was stuck.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, although it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man didn’t think anything of it and sat there waiting for the wings to enlarge to support the butterfly. But that didn’t happen. The butterfly spent the rest of its life unable to fly, crawling around with tiny wings and a swollen body.

Despite the kind heart of the man, he didn’t understand that the restricting cocoon and the struggle needed by the butterfly to get itself through the small opening; were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. To prepare itself for flying once it was out of the cocoon.

 

Moral of the story:

Our struggles in life develop our strengths. Without struggles, we never grow and never get stronger, so it’s important for us to tackle challenges on our own, and not be relying on help from others.

 

4. Control Your Temper (Anger)

Control Your Temper (Inspirational Short Stories)

There once was a little boy who had a very bad temper. His father decided to hand him a bag of nails and said that every time the boy lost his temper, he had to hammer a nail into the fence.

On the first day, the boy hammered 37 nails into that fence.

The boy gradually began to control his temper over the next few weeks, and the number of nails he was hammering into the fence slowly decreased.

He discovered it was easier to control his temper than to hammer those nails into the fence.

Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father the news and the father suggested that the boy should now pull out a nail every day he kept his temper under control.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

 

“you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.”

 

Moral of the story:

Control your anger, and don’t say things to people in the heat of the moment, that you may later regret. Some things in life, you are unable to take back.

 

3. The Blind Girl (Change)

The Blind Girl (Inspirational Short Stories)

There was a blind girl who hated herself purely for the fact she was blind. The only person she didn’t hate was her loving boyfriend, as he was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry him.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her – now she could see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, “now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”

The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and refused to marry him. Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying:

 

“Just take care of my eyes dear.”

 

Moral of the story:

When our circumstances change, so does our mind. Some people may not be able to see the way things were before, and might not be able to appreciate them. There are many things to take away from this story, not just one.

This is one of the inspirational short stories that left me speechless.

 

2. Puppies for Sale (Understanding)

Puppies for Sale (Inspirational Short Stories)

A shop owner placed a sign above his door that said: “Puppies For Sale.”

Signs like this always have a way of attracting young children, and to no surprise, a boy saw the sign and approached the owner; 

 

“How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked.

 

The store owner replied, “Anywhere from $30 to $50.”

The little boy pulled out some change from his pocket. “I have $2.37,” he said. “Can I please look at them?”

The shop owner smiled and whistled. Out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his shop followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur.

One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, “What’s wrong with that little dog?”

The shop owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.

The little boy became excited. “That is the puppy that I want to buy.”

The shop owner said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.”

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger, and said;

 

“I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.”

 

The shop owner countered, “You really don’t want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.”

To his surprise, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the shop owner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!”

 

1. Box Full of Kisses (Love)

Box Full of Kisses (Inspirational Short Stories)

Some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.”

The man became embarrassed by his overreaction earlier, but his rage continue when he saw that the box was empty. He yelled at her; “Don’t you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside?”

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried;

 

“Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They’re all for you, Daddy.”

 

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child.

Her father kept the gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

 

Moral of the story:

Love is the most precious gift in the world.

 

Summary of the 10 Best Inspirational Stories

Here’s a quick summary of the 10 best short inspirational stories:

  1. Box Full of Kisses (Love)
  2. Puppies for Sale (Understanding)
  3. The Blind Girl (Change)
  4. Control Your Temper (Anger)
  5. The Butterfly (Struggles)
  6. The Obstacle in Our Path (Opportunity)
  7. A Pound of Butter (Honesty)
  8. The Group of Frogs (Encouragement)
  9. Thinking Out of the Box (Creative Thinking)
  10. The Elephant Rope (Belief)

Thanks for reading these inspirational short stories. Some of them left me speechless for a minute or two, and it really does make us think.

If you know of any other inspirational short stories that you think should be featured on the list, then let me know in the comments below or drop me an email and I’ll feature them in part two later on in the year.

Which are your favorite inspirational short stories? Leave a comment below.

Dan Western is the founder of Wealthy Gorilla. Dan has been running Wealthy Gorilla and studying self-development, personal finance, and investment for the last 7 years. To this day, Wealthy Gorilla has become one of the fastest growing wealth infotainment sites in the world; with over 300 million views worldwide. Dan doesn't use personal social media anymore, so you won't be able to find him on Instagram, or Twitter.

88 Comments

88 Comments

  1. shubee

    Jan 3, 2016 at 10:32 am

    Am no softie but that last story titled Box Full of Kisses wet my eyes. Can’t really explain.

  2. Vivek Sivaramakrishnan

    Jun 12, 2016 at 2:46 pm

    2 and 4 made me too think out of the box!

    • Dan Western

      Jun 22, 2016 at 9:18 am

      Hey Vivek,

      Awesome, yeah completely agree! These short stories can have a powerful impact, right?

      Dan

      • ritika

        May 4, 2017 at 11:03 am

        yes..i agree with u..

      • lykah

        Dec 6, 2017 at 12:20 pm

        who is the authors of the story?

        • Dan Western

          Dec 14, 2017 at 8:58 am

          I honestly have no idea. These stories have been passed along over generations! I’m sure you might be able to find authors for some of them across the web.

          • Ajeta Gupta

            Jan 25, 2018 at 8:03 pm

            Pupoies For Sale – is by Dan Clerk , The Wuthering Stage and it is published in The Chicken Soup For The Soul, by Jack Canfield. I basically read this when I was younger, it made me compassionate.

      • Anna

        Feb 28, 2020 at 7:59 pm

        The one about love is the best, it left me thinkingabout be personaly.

  3. Ayesha

    Jul 10, 2016 at 12:47 pm

    The story “Control your anger” heart touching , truth of life hidden in it. ..absolutely wonderful

  4. Stephen

    Sep 12, 2016 at 10:24 am

    Must of the things you believe in always work for you

  5. Vili

    Nov 23, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    who is the writer for the 2nd story??? PLEASE

  6. Dayna Nelson

    Dec 20, 2016 at 6:25 pm

    what is the theme of the short story “the blind girl” please if anyone has answers..

  7. Vijay

    Dec 25, 2016 at 6:35 am

    The Box Full Of Kisses
    Why the girl should be killed? Doesn’t she deserves to live longer? Damn it…

    • valerie

      Oct 11, 2017 at 9:59 pm

      so right

  8. Shakeela

    Feb 14, 2017 at 3:38 pm

    Hello Dan Western brother,
    can you please post some motivational stories that could motivate the students who isolated at school?
    Thank you

    • Dan Western

      Feb 15, 2017 at 10:21 am

      Hey Shakeela, sure thing! I’ll try and find some more short stories to put up!

  9. kevin nguyen

    Feb 14, 2017 at 4:10 pm

    where do you find more stories like these?

    I practice public speaking and telling these stories could make for a powerful speech

    Thank you!

    • Dan Western

      Feb 15, 2017 at 10:22 am

      Hey Kevin! I’ll have browse on the web and try and create some more short story lists!

  10. jatin

    Mar 21, 2017 at 4:13 pm

    Inspired

  11. hoorain noor

    Apr 8, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    SerioulY from these stories I learnt manY lessons….Inspired

  12. nayan shorma

    Apr 24, 2017 at 12:43 pm

    outstanding effort.. thank you for sharing

  13. Viral Nomaly

    May 7, 2017 at 7:18 pm

    They are the kind of love stories that you will love over and over again. Thank you for sharing this.

  14. Olango George

    May 14, 2017 at 9:02 am

    inspiring

  15. Jemmy Anderson

    May 24, 2017 at 5:48 am

    They were really good. Could you please make some more.

  16. David

    May 25, 2017 at 8:49 am

    These stories carries a great potency of light, to strengthen and illuminate one to act

  17. Vaibhav

    May 30, 2017 at 5:14 am

    Nice story…awsome

  18. deeshini

    Jun 12, 2017 at 6:36 pm

    Comment:
    great pieces dan.
    ‘m inspired

  19. Neeraj

    Jul 3, 2017 at 1:14 pm

    Thinking out of box nd obstacles in our way

  20. Remo

    Jul 10, 2017 at 10:29 am

    Awesome article thanks for inspiring us with ur small and inspirational short stories. Especially the elephant rope one…

  21. Amrita

    Jul 16, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    Loved the article a lot.Some stories are really amazing and its worth reading.Thank you so much for posting this article.

  22. Raj

    Jul 19, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    Each story has an unique point to take up but the Love made my eyes wet….
    I am writing book on belief need your reference for the same and support where I can mention your blog details

  23. MB

    Jul 22, 2017 at 9:03 am

    Elephant rope was really sad, I mean imagine a life that’s tied to a rope forever. And that thought of never being able to get free, so sad. But good story!

  24. Suraj Kadam

    Jul 24, 2017 at 3:53 am

    It’s an actual life problem.
    We stop trying and crying when things are not working.
    We should find the new way to do it. That’s what our failure means. 🙂
    NEVER GIVE UP

  25. John James

    Jul 26, 2017 at 6:06 am

    Thank you for this Dan! This is such an awesome read. The last one reallyyyy got me.

  26. Gabber

    Jul 31, 2017 at 6:37 pm

    Last one .. aahh i m still crying … N yeah love is most precious gift

  27. danny

    Aug 2, 2017 at 10:00 pm

    if frog is deaf how could they tell him the last part that ” are you not listening to us “

  28. Meena

    Aug 7, 2017 at 6:16 pm

    A Pound of Butter (Honesty) and Box Full of Kisses (Love)

  29. Abhisek

    Aug 17, 2017 at 6:33 pm

    Hey Dan Western ..m really inspired by all stories..thnx frn..
    Could you just jot down some stories for morning assembly for little children for morning assmebly

  30. Rose

    Aug 17, 2017 at 6:54 pm

    “The Elephant Rope” This story really inspired me. Because my parents wanted me to follow them always. I feel like I can’t decide on my own. 🙁 But now, I am determine to follow the things that makes me feel happy.
    -All is well

    • kishorinath

      Oct 26, 2017 at 3:03 am

      my parents allow me to do anything that i want to do , but not bad things & I also do that … in this your parents are like to be bad or they are pgl ……………

  31. Suraj Das

    Sep 12, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    Dear Dan Western, Hope you’re doing good.
    I would like to thank you for posting all these lovely and inspiring stories. The Box full of kisses had me crying. Loved it. Keep up the good work. God bless…

  32. Aravi

    Sep 26, 2017 at 7:14 am

    Nice to read those type of stories,Especially the last one made my eyes wet….

    Thank you so much.

  33. Sunitha.M

    Oct 5, 2017 at 8:33 am

    Hello, it’s hard to choose the favorite among them. Every story posted here has it’s own significance. Thank you for posting them, would request to share more such stories.

    Warm regards,
    Sunitha.M

  34. Jocelyn Miclat

    Oct 21, 2017 at 9:21 am

    Dear Dan Western,
    Thank you for sharing these stories… Yes, I have heard all of the 10 before and I’m happy to remember them from your site. I will be sharing them with others.

    Regards,
    Joncyn A.

  35. jason nevil santhmayor

    Oct 23, 2017 at 8:22 am

    the last one, cant control my tears

  36. Mohana Krishna

    Nov 3, 2017 at 3:16 pm

    Your stories are very inspirational and motivational Dan
    Keep it up
    MOHANA KRISHNA

  37. Arbaaz Hussain

    Dec 13, 2017 at 5:08 pm

    These stories are just fab!! hey writer! ur doing a great job

  38. Grace Wat

    Dec 13, 2017 at 9:37 pm

    There is a story that I know which is about saying unkind words. It is like squeezing toothpaste out of its tube and trying to get it back in again. Better of if you never said or did anything in the first place.

  39. Raj Mahur

    Dec 19, 2017 at 10:49 am

    All these stories are awesome. Most touching were “Box full of kisses” and the Puppies for sale. Great Job

  40. nirbhay sharma

    Dec 24, 2017 at 1:46 am

    The blind girl. Touched my heart deeply.

  41. Sanath Wanni Arachchige

    Jan 8, 2018 at 7:56 pm

    All of them are good. I will share them on my Facebook and on my website.

    Sanath

  42. Debolina

    Jan 15, 2018 at 8:21 pm

    Beautiful compilation. Loved the story Puppies for sale (understanding) & of course Box full of kisses (love) the most!

  43. Vishnu jangir

    Jan 16, 2018 at 10:00 am

    I am also speech less at this story

  44. Shweta

    Jan 18, 2018 at 2:02 am

    Nice collection of inspirational stories! The story “obstacle in your path” is very true even in today’s world. Every obstacle is an opportunity. We should utilize these obstacles and turn them into opportunities with our hard work.

  45. mash

    Jan 18, 2018 at 11:29 am

    seriously very motivating and encouraging for me….

  46. Monika

    Jan 28, 2018 at 10:44 am

    Hey Don ! All the stories knocked the socks off me ! I loved the frogs one !! Will read that story everyday till I go deaf on the discouragement this world throws at me and will keep trying till I jump out of my well too !
    Thanks for that one .

    Please let more coming in ??

    And I can tell you “I will not give up on life because of you”

  47. Anithraj R

    Feb 4, 2018 at 2:45 am

    All stories are very inspiring.
    The Butterfly Story was good

  48. jivansutra

    Feb 11, 2018 at 12:43 pm

    Hey Dan, Great story. collection of all of Your stories is more than motivationl. i’ll share it on my facebook wall, so others can get inspiration from them.

  49. Ayna Tamton

    Apr 17, 2018 at 2:53 am

    of course the puppies for sale story. person who understands you is the lack of the hour and if you find such a person you are blessed

  50. Khawar Hashmat

    Apr 30, 2018 at 6:04 am

    Box Full of kisses was very emotional, being a father of a beautiful daughter, I was off.
    Every story was remarkably good.
    Thanks.

  51. Meenakshi

    May 2, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    Very inspiring stories…all stories have moral dimensions which tell us that nothing is impossible. If we face some difficulties in life, we should always find a solution rather than give up on God. We all are very blessed to have such a beautiful life.

  52. Michael Ketcham

    May 14, 2018 at 12:54 am

    This is one you might like!

    A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

    Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

    In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She then pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

    Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?”

    “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

    She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

    The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, Mother?”

    Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity — boiling water — but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

    “Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

    Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity? Do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

    Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

    Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of your life. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level?

    How do you handle adversity? Are you changed by your surroundings or do you bring life, and flavor to them?

  53. Bilal Ahmad shah

    May 14, 2018 at 8:34 am

    BOX full of kisses(love)….
    is most awesome story I have ever red..
    even I have even red All stories over there ….
    last one stories had a fab moral
    LOVE is precious gift in the world..

  54. arya

    Jun 19, 2018 at 2:20 pm

    the story about the elephant rope is very good

  55. Anu

    Jun 21, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    4th one which I striked more . It is really inspiring because I am Part of it and I really wish to be myself happy without anger. thank u dan

  56. Richa jain

    Jun 21, 2018 at 6:21 pm

    All stories left a very good message..But control ur anger is really inspiring..

  57. Benji

    Jul 20, 2018 at 3:25 pm

    Thinking out of the box is my favorite… Wow…

  58. Anshuman

    Nov 2, 2018 at 4:45 am

    These stories are so powerful they helped me to bounce back thanks for sharing these stories with us. You give boost to my work and effort. Thanks

  59. simba

    Nov 14, 2018 at 3:37 pm

    Beautiful stories i really loved them and i hope you don’t mind me sharing them

  60. Terry Lico

    Dec 7, 2018 at 11:48 pm

    Box of kisses. Nowadays the world needs love. Thank you Dan for sharing such a wonderful stories. God bless you & your family.

  61. Life Coach Tushar Vakil

    Dec 27, 2018 at 9:48 am

    You might have unfathomable powers but your sometimes wrong beliefs hinder your potentials to live up to your conditions. What we learned from Elephant story is a million dollar thing. Thanks for sharing, all stories are awesome.

  62. george kaungu

    Jan 3, 2019 at 10:15 am

    control your temper, has changed me.

  63. Garima

    Jan 16, 2019 at 6:10 pm

    The box full of kisses is the story that I loved the most.. it’s something that I can connect myself to ! Thanks for such stories..

  64. Asad Meah

    Apr 4, 2019 at 1:45 pm

    This was beautiful. Love is the key.

  65. Rich

    Jan 8, 2020 at 11:36 pm

    Puppies for sale and the blind girl are very touching

  66. Anu Bhardwaj

    Nov 10, 2020 at 7:08 am

    Great Stories . These are Very Interesting and inspiring.

  67. Kangootui Julius M

    Nov 20, 2020 at 10:28 am

    Just Take Care Of My Eyes Dear.

  68. Axmednuur Marayare

    Nov 21, 2020 at 12:08 pm

    Speechless

  69. Jn

    Nov 23, 2020 at 12:40 pm

    Great really!

  70. Power of Positivity

    Nov 25, 2020 at 7:15 pm

    The most profound inspirational quotes about fitness carry a weight capacity of elevating a rough workout from demoralizing struggle to the righteous, eye-opening victory of mind over body. Sometimes, you only need a single reminder that someone before you rose to incredible heights only after challenging the definition of “impossible” through consistency, clearly defined goals, and the will to see the finish line beyond one bad day.

  71. Mazhar Iqbal

    Dec 10, 2020 at 2:07 pm

    All stories are too much motivational but I liked 2nd one. What a way to clear the debt of father. I really appreciate the wisdom of the girl.

  72. Anu Bhardwaj

    Jan 25, 2021 at 11:27 am

    Motivational stories have the ability to lift us up, make us smile, encourage, motivate, and teach us valuable life lessons. I have read such real life motivational stories at this link https://www.drilers.com/articles-and-stories

  73. Anu Bhardwaj

    Feb 27, 2021 at 5:09 am

    Very nice stories. I have read more motivational stories like these stories at this link https://www.motivationalkeeda.com/2019/07/3-best-motivational-story-in-hindi.html

  74. Power of Positivity

    Mar 31, 2021 at 5:01 pm

    Hi,

    While surfing on the google I have found your website about SELF-IMPROVEMENTThe 10 Most Inspirational Short Stories I’ve Heard.

    These short stories are very inspirational for me.

    Thanks!!!

  75. Anu Bhardwaj

    Jun 4, 2021 at 7:40 pm

    Very Inspiring Stories.

  76. Ahmad Sofyan H

    Sep 2, 2021 at 11:02 am

    I like all the stories.

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Top Lists

The 10 Best Short Moral Stories With Valuable Lessons

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The 10 Best Short Moral Stories

Stories that have morals and messages behind them are always powerful. In fact, it’s crazy just how powerful a 200 word story can be.

Our last article of short stories became so popular, that we decided to create another list, in which every story has a simple moral behind it.

 

The 10 Best Short Moral Stories

Some of these stories are very short and basic. In fact some are so basic they’re most likely featured in children’s books somewhere. However, the strength of the message remains the same.

Here’s some more of the best short moral stories:

 

1. An Old Man Lived in the Village

Short Moral Stories - An Old Man

An old man lived in the village. He was one of the most unfortunate people in the world. The whole village was tired of him; he was always gloomy, he constantly complained and was always in a bad mood.

The longer he lived, the more bile he was becoming and the more poisonous were his words. People avoided him, because his misfortune became contagious. It was even unnatural and insulting to be happy next to him.

He created the feeling of unhappiness in others.

But one day, when he turned eighty years old, an incredible thing happened. Instantly everyone started hearing the rumour:

 

“An Old Man is happy today, he doesn’t complain about anything, smiles, and even his face is freshened up.”

 

The whole village gathered together. The old man was asked:

Villager: What happened to you?

 

“Nothing special. Eighty years I’ve been chasing happiness, and it was useless. And then I decided to live without happiness and just enjoy life. That’s why I’m happy now.” – An Old Man

 

Moral of the story:

Don’t chase happiness. Enjoy your life.

 

2. The Wise Man

Short Moral Stories - The Wise Man

People have been coming to the wise man, complaining about the same problems every time. One day he told them a joke and everyone roared in laughter.

After a couple of minutes, he told them the same joke and only a few of them smiled.

When he told the same joke for the third time no one laughed anymore.

The wise man smiled and said:

 

“You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over. So why are you always crying about the same problem?”

 

Moral of the story:

Worrying won’t solve your problems, it’ll just waste your time and energy.

 

3. The Foolish Donkey

Short Moral Stories - The Foolish Donkey

A salt seller used to carry the salt bag on his donkey to the market every day.

On the way they had to cross a stream. One day the donkey suddenly tumbled down the stream and the salt bag also fell into the water. The salt dissolved in the water and hence the bag became very light to carry. The donkey was happy.

Then the donkey started to play the same trick every day.

The salt seller came to understand the trick and decided to teach a lesson to it. The next day he loaded a cotton bag on the donkey.

Again it played the same trick hoping that the cotton bag would be still become lighter.

But the dampened cotton became very heavy to carry and the donkey suffered. It learnt a lesson. It didn’t play the trick anymore after that day, and the seller was happy.

 

Moral of the story:

Luck won’t favor always.

 

4. Having A Best Friend

Short Moral Stories - Having A Best Friend

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand;

 

“Today my best friend slapped me in the face.”

 

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone;

 

“Today my best friend saved my life.”

 

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him;

 

“After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”

 

The other friend replied;

 

“When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

 

Moral of the story: 

Don’t value the things you have in your life. But value who you have in your life.

 

5. The Four Smart Students

Short Moral Stories - The Four Smart Students

One night four college students were out partying late night and didn’t study for the test which was scheduled for the next day. In the morning, they thought of a plan.

They made themselves look dirty with grease and dirt.

Then they went to the Dean and said they had gone out to a wedding last night and on their way back the tire of their car burst and they had to push the car all the way back. So they were in no condition to take the test.

The Dean thought for a minute and said they can have the re-test after 3 days. They thanked him and said they will be ready by that time.

On the third day, they appeared before the Dean. The Dean said that as this was a Special Condition Test, all four were required to sit in separate classrooms for the test. They all agreed as they had prepared well in the last 3 days.

The Test consisted of only 2 questions with the total of 100 Points:

 

1) Your Name? __________ (1 Points)

2) Which tire burst? __________ (99 Points)
Options – (a) Front Left (b) Front Right (c) Back Left (d) Back Right

 

Moral of the story:

Take responsibility or you will learn your lesson.

 

6. The Greedy Lion

Short Moral Stories - The Greedy Lion

It was an incredibly hot day, and a lion was feeling very hungry.

He came out of his den and searched here and there. He could find only a small hare. He caught the hare with some hesitation. “This hare can’t fill my stomach” thought the lion.

As the lion was about to kill the hare, a deer ran that way. The lion became greedy. He thought;

 

“Instead of eating this small hare, let me eat the big deer.”

 

He let the hare go and went behind the deer. But the deer had vanished into the forest. The lion now felt sorry for letting the hare off.

 

Moral of the story:

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

 

7. Two Friends & The Bear

Short Moral Stories - Two Friends & The Bear

Vijay and Raju were friends. On a holiday they went walking into a forest, enjoying the beauty of nature. Suddenly they saw a bear coming at them. They became frightened.

Raju, who knew all about climbing trees, ran up to a tree and climbed up quickly. He didn’t think of Vijay. Vijay had no idea how to climb the tree.

Vijay thought for a second. He’d heard animals don’t prefer dead bodies, so he fell to the ground and held his breath. The bear sniffed him and thought he was dead. So, it went on its way.

Raju asked Vijay;

 

“What did the bear whisper into your ears?”

 

Vijay replied, “The bear asked me to keep away from friends like you” …and went on his way.

 

Moral of the story:

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

 

8. The Struggles of Our Life

Short Moral Stories - The Struggles of our Life

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it.

She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.

Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter.

The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the burners.

He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.

 

Turning to her, he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?”

“Potatoes, eggs and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer” he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft.

He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

 

He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity-the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak.

The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which one are you?” he asked his daughter.

 

“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

 

Moral of the story: 

In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is how you choose to react to it and what you make out of it. Life is all about leaning, adopting and converting all the struggles that we experience into something positive.

 

9. The Fox & The Grapes

Short Moral Stories - The Fox & The Grapes

One afternoon a fox was walking through the forest and spotted a bunch of grapes hanging from over a lofty branch.

“Just the thing to quench my thirst,” he thought.

Taking a few steps back, the fox jumped and just missed the hanging grapes. Again the fox took a few paces back and tried to reach them but still failed.

Finally, giving up, the fox turned up his nose and said, “They’re probably sour anyway,” and proceeded to walk away.

 

Moral of the story: 

It’s easy to despise what you can’t have.

 

10. The Lion & The Poor Slave

Short Moral Stories - The Lion & The Poor Slave

A slave, ill-treated by his master, runs away to the forest. There he comes across a lion in pain because of a thorn in his paw. The slave bravely goes forward and removes the thorn gently.

The lion without hurting him goes away.

Some days later, the slave’s master comes hunting to the forest and catches many animals and cages them. The slave is spotted by the masters’ men who catch him and bring him to the cruel master.

The master asks for the slave to be thrown into the lion’s cage.

The slave is awaiting his death in the cage when he realizes that it is the same lion that he had helped. The slave rescued the lion and all other caged animals.

 

Moral of the story: 

One should help others in need, we get the rewards of our helpful acts in return.

 

Summary

Here’s a quick recap on the 10 best short moral stories:

  1. An old man lived in the village
  2. The wise man
  3. The foolish donkey
  4. Having a best friend
  5. The four smart students
  6. The greedy lion
  7. The two friends & the bear
  8. The struggles of our life
  9. The fox & the grapes
  10. The lion & the poor slave

If you haven’t seen our original article, with slightly more detailed inspirational short stories, check it out!

Do you have any other favorite short moral stories? Leave a comment below.

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Top Lists

The 10 Best Motivational Speakers in the World

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The Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Who are the best motivational speakers of all time?

Motivational speakers have had an enormous impact on my life, and millions of others, no matter what their personal situation in life may be.

Their words are so powerful and inspirational, you just have to listen to their stuff on a daily basis. So it brings me to this post.

I’ve been enjoying a lot of motivational videos recently, have been creating my own, and have ended up listening to a lot of wonderful speeches.

 

Top 10 Best Motivational Speakers

But who are the best motivational speakers in the world?

Here’s my list of the top 10 motivational speakers in the world.

These are the people you need to be following, listening to and watching on YouTube. They have transformed many people’s lives including mine.

 

10. Nick Vujicic

Nick Vujicic - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Nick Vujicic was born on December 4th 1982 in Melbourne, Australia. Vujicic was born with Tetra-Amelia syndrome, a very rare disorder whereby someone is born with an absence of all four limbs.

This no doubt ably, made things incredibly tough for Nick growing up, as he struggled both mentally and physically.

It led to him founding his very own non-profit organization called ‘Life Without Limbs’. Nick Vujicic is a true inspiration to us all, and if you’ve watched some of his motivational speeches on YouTube, you’ll realize just how much he’s been able to adapt to a life without limbs.

Many people with this disorder might not be willing to work hard in order to truly push their abilities.

He can type 43 words a minute on a computer. That’s right, you heard me correctly. This is a guy who has an absence of all four limbs, but can type 43 words per minute on a computer.

I encourage you to watch some of his videos on YouTube, and see exactly what I’m talking about.

“It’s a lie to think you’re not good enough. It’s a lie to think you’re not worth anything.” – nick Vujicic

 

9. Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Brian Tracy was born on January 5th 1944 in Vancouver, Canada, and is the CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company that specifically sets out to help individuals and organizations develop, train and grow.

Brian’s ultimate goal is to help other people achieve their goals more efficiently and be able to achieve their full potential.

That definitely sets the foundation for being one of the best motivational speakers in the world.

His lifetime achievements are phenomenal, consulting huge numbers of businesses, hosting huge numbers of seminars and conducting  years and years of research in Business, Economics, Psychology and Philosophy.

There’s no more to say other than the title given on his website: Professional Speaker, Best Selling Author, Entrepreneur and Success Expert. Check out some of the best Brian Tracy quotes.

“No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals.” – Brian Tracy

 

8. Robin Sharma

Robin Sharma - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Robin Sharma was born in 1964 in Nepal, and straight out of the Dalhousie University School of Law, became a professional lawyer. But he went much further in his career than being a fully qualified and successful lawyer.

Sharma has written a total of 15 published books, from 1995 – 2011, on the subjects of self-help and leadership. One of his most popular books written; ‘The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari’, has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.

The book is all about a character called Julian, who decides to sell his home and Ferrari to go on a spiritual journey, after being the victim to a sudden heart attack.

Some may say that Robin Sharma’s more of a motivational author rather than speaker, but he deserves to be on this list. He’s written 12 global best sellers, and is an expert author in the world of leadership and self development.

“Dreamers are mocked as impractical. The truth is they are the most practical, as their innovations lead to progress and a better way of life for all of us.” – Robin S. Sharma

 

7. Wayne Dyer

Dr. Wayne Dyer - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Dr. Wayne Dyer was born on May 10th 1940 in Detroit, and spent the majority of his childhood in an orphanage.

Dyer was in the U.S Navy after graduating high school, from 1958 to 1962. He then received his degree in counselling, a profession that he chose to work in for a while before taking it one step further.

Dyer left his teaching job and started pursuing a career in motivational speaking, holding various lectures across the states and becoming an incredibly popular author.

The first book that Dyer ever wrote has now had over 35 million copies sold and he’s proceeded to continue with his lecture tours, release various audio tapes and publish a regular stream of books.

“Passion is a feeling that tells you: this is the right thing to do. Nothing can stand in my way. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says. This feeling is so good that it cannot be ignored. I’m going to follow my bliss and act upon this glorious sensation of joy.” – Wayne Dyer

 

6. Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Zig Ziglar was born on November 6th, 1926 in Alabama, and passed away on November 28th in 2012.

Ziglar has 11 siblings, and at the age of five years old, his father died of a stroke, and his sister passed away two days later. Zig actually served in the army from 1935 – 1946 during World War II.

Ziglar met his wife Jean when he was just 17 years old, and after the war began to work as a salesman for many different companies, eventually becoming the vice president for the Automotive Performance company.

He started taking part in motivational seminars, and also wrote his first book in 1975 titled: ‘See You at the Top’. This was the first of at least 15 books he’d written during the period of 1975 and 2012.

A lot of wisdom has come from Zig Ziglar over the years and he is definitely one of the best motivational speakers in the world.

“You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.” – Zig Ziglar

 

5. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on July 30th 1947, in Austria. We all know him as the world famous professional bodybuilding champion, and there’s a very inspirational story behind Arnie’s bodybuilding success.

Schwarzenegger served in the Austrian army at the age of 18 years old for 1 year, which at the time was compulsory for all 18-year-old males.

During this time, he would still manage to fit in his workouts between all the training and drills, whilst most people were resting. He snuck out of the camp to compete in the Junior Mr. Europe contest, which he ended up winning.

Arnold’s discipline towards his training was incredible, and the fact that he was willing to disobey the rules of the army and sneak out of the camp to compete in the contest, just goes to show how badly he wanted it.

Nowadays, he’s an inspiration to many bodybuilders and a great source of motivation for anyone wanting to be successful.

“For me life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

4. Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Jim Rohn was born September 17th, 1930 in Yakima, Washington, and passed away on December 5th, 2009. He was a very successful entrepreneur, at one time being a Vice President of a very successful sales company, Nutri-Bio.

However, after the company eventually went out of business, he was invited to speak at a meeting of one of his clubs.

After this meeting, he was invited to speak at many other events and began making a name for himself. Rohn was a wise businessman and managed to impart much of this wisdom to others.

He’s definitely earned the right to be on this list of the best motivational speakers in the world.

“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” – Jim Rohn

 

3. Les Brown

Les Brown - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Les Brown was born on February 17th, 1945 in Miami, Florida. He was adopted by Mamie Brown, and whilst in grade school, was declared “educably mentally retarded”.

Despite this and the emotional issues, it brought upon him; he was encouraged by others to continue to learn and be the best he could be. Leading him to unlock his full potential.

Les is another motivational speaker who is incredibly popular among the motivational video compilations that others create. Because his speeches are so deep and meaningful that they really get through to people.

His top-selling books: ‘It’s Not over until You Win!’ and ‘Live Your Dreams’ are truly inspirational and well worth the read.

“When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up. Let your reason get you back up.” – Les Brown

 

2. Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Tony Robbins was born on February 29th, 1960 in Los Angeles. His life at home when he was young was described by him as abusive and chaotic. It was because of this that he left home at the age of 17.

Originally when starting out in the world of motivational speaking, Robbins was promoting seminars for Jim Rohn. He later decided to begin his own journey by hosting his own seminars.

Tony has affected and changed so many people’s lives in a positive way through his seminars, motivational speeches, inspirational quotes and best-selling books.

Search for him on YouTube and several videos will pop up showing him change someone’s life.

The favorites of mine that I’ve watched, are where he cures a young man’s stutter in 7 minutes and saves another guy’s marriage in 8.

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” – Tony Robbins

 

1. Eric Thomas

Eric Thomas - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Eric Thomas, born and raised in Detroit, was homeless at the age of 16 years old. But Eric decided that he wanted to make a better life for himself, to become someone with a life he could be proud of.

E.T did just that, and you can now check out powerful advice from Eric Thomas on YouTube. Including his “Thank God It’s Monday” series.

He also managed to get the education he missed out on whilst he was homeless and pushed himself further to achieve all the qualifications he dreamed of being able to achieve.

Eric Thomas has become one of the best motivational speakers in the world. His YouTube videos are legendary and his best-selling books have taken in millions of dollars in revenue.

E.T’s speeches are so popular, that you’ll find he’s featured in roughly 90% of the motivational videos that others create and upload to YouTube, using compilations of clips, speeches, and music.

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.” – Eric Thomas

 

Summary

I hope you enjoyed this list of the top 10 best motivational speakers in the world. Many of these speakers are featured within some of the videos we included in our new list of ultimate gym motivation. Take a look and see what you think.

Here’s a quick recap on the list of the best motivational speakers in the world::

  1. Eric Thomas
  2. Tony Robbins
  3. Les Brown
  4. Jim Rohn
  5. Arnold Schwarzenegger
  6. Zig Ziglar
  7. Dr. Wayne Dyer
  8. Robin Sharma
  9. Brian Tracy
  10. Nick Vujicic

Who’s your favorite of the 10 best motivational speakers? Do you still agree with the current order of this list? Leave a comment below.

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Top Lists

Top 20 Best Personal Development Authors of All Time

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Top 20 Best Personal Development Authors of All Time

Ever wanted to start reading self-development books, but you’re not sure who the best personal development authors to follow are?

You’re in luck…

I’m about to give you the names of what I believe to be the top 20 best self-development authors to be reading up on. These are names to remember when you’re looking for your next book to buy.

 

Top 20 Best Personal Development Authors

Here are, in no particular order, the names of the 20 best authors to start reading up on. I would have loved to include a few other names on this list, but the top 20 is what it is!

 

1. Jack Canfield

38 Jack Canfield Quotes (Chicken Soup for the Soul)

Jack Canfield is the legend behind the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series; one of the most popular self-development book series of all time.

Over 250+ books have been published by the company, and Canfield has gone on to become a leading motivational speaker and trainer.

 

2. Napoleon Hill

The 35 Most Notorious Napoleon Hill Quotes

Napoleon Hill is the author behind the notorious ‘Think & Grow Rich’, one of the most popular self-development books of all time.

Hill teaches the principles of attaining any riches you desire in life, and there is so much valuable information within this book, that it’ll always be remembered.

 

3. Dale Carnegie

55 Powerful Dale Carnegie Quotes to Live By

Another self-development author you have to check out, and one you’ve probably already heard of, is Dale Carnegie. Carnegie lived from 1888 to 1955, and within his life, published a considerable number of self-help books.

Two of those books, specifically the best selling ones, were ‘How to Win Friends & Influence People’ and ‘How to Stop Worrying & Start Living’.

 

4. Robert B. Cialdini

58 Wisdom Filled Robert B. Cialdini Quotes

You probably know Cialdini as the author of ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’. This book is highly regarded as one of the best self-development books of all time, as well as one of the best psychology books to read.

 

5. Tim Ferriss

36 Tim Ferriss Quotes That Truly Inspire

If you’re not following Tim Ferriss, I don’t know what you’re doing. There are four best selling books that every Tim Ferriss fan will have read, and they’ve helped change the lives of millions.

Those four books are:

  • The Four Hour Work Week
  • The Four Hour Body
  • Tools For Titans
  • Tribe of Mentors

 

6. Dr. Wayne Dyer

Dr. Wayne Dyer Quotes in Remembrance of His Life

Sadly, Wayne Dyer passed away several years ago. He was an American philosopher, self-help author and motivational speaker. Dyer wrote over 40 books in the field of personal development, and they have sold in tens of millions.

 

7. John C. Maxwell

50 John C. Maxwell Quotes on Leadership & Growth

John Maxwell is an American author, speaker and pastor. He focuses solely on leadership, and training other to become wise and wonderful leaders.

Maxwell has written a ton of incredible books, however these are some the most popular books he’s written:

  • The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
  • Developing The Leader Within You
  • The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth
  • How Successful People Think
  • Failing Forward

 

8. Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Tony Robbins, what a guy! Tony has helped people all over the world to transform their lives, and there’s so much wisdom we can all gain from listening to his speeches, and reading his content.

If you want to learn more about Tony Robbins and his work, you can check out these books:

  • Awaken the Giant Within
  • Unlimited Power
  • Unshakeable

 

9. Paulo Coelho

 

You probably know Paulo Coelho for his best selling book, ‘The Alchemist’. Coelho is a best selling author, lyricist and novelist, and has received many awards for his work over the years.

The Alchemist is definitely a book you should read if you’re an ambitious individual trying to pursue your dreams and overcome any obstacles in your way.

 

10. Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra - Best Personal Development Authors

Deepak Chopra is an American author, public speaker, alternative medicine advocate, and a prominent figure in the New Age movement.

Chopra has become one of the most influential figures in the area of spiritual healing and alternative medicine. Some of his best selling books you should be adding to your reading list are:

  • Re-inventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
  • Creating Affluence
  • The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

 

11. Peter F. Drucker

Peter Drucker - Best Personal Development Authors

Peter Drucker was an Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation.

You probably know him as the author behind ‘Managing Oneself’, and if you don’t, then you should.

 

12. Martha Beck

Martha Beck - Best Personal Development Authors

Martha Nibley Beck is an American sociologist, life coach, best-selling author, and speaker who travels the world helping people achieve personal and professional goals.

Some of Martha’s most popular books are:

  • Finding Your Own North Star
  • Find Your Way In A Wild New World
  • The 4-Day Win

 

13. Stephen R. Covey

Stephen Covey - Best Personal Development Authors

I first encountered Stephen Covey’s work when I purchased ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’, which at the time had sold over 15 million copies!

Covey was an American educator, speaker and author. He sadly passed away 5 years ago, but his work has lived on to be some of the best reading material anybody could ever purchase.

 

14. Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Brian Tracy is a Canadian-born American motivational public speaker and self-development author. He is the author of over 70 books that have been translated into dozens of languages.

Some of his most notorious books are:

  • No Excuses: The Power of Discipline
  • Eat That Frog!

 

15. Les Brown

Les Brown - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Les Brown is one of my favorite motivational speakers of all time. Les was labelled educable mentally retarded when he was younger, and was born on the floor of an abandoned building.

Some of his most popular and best selling books are ‘Live Your Dreams’ and ‘It’s Not Over Until You Win’.

 

16. Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn - Best Motivational Speakers in the World

Emanuel James “Jim” Rohn was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. He was responsible for changing many people’s lives, and even mentored Tony Robbins once upon a time.

These are some of the most popular self-development books by Jim Rohn:

  • 7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness
  • My Philosophy for Successful Living
  • The Keys to Success

 

17. Gary Keller

Gary Keller - Best Personal Development Authors

Gary Keller is an American entrepreneur and best-selling author. He is the founder of Keller Williams Realty International, which is the largest real estate company in the world by agent count.

You’ve probably heard Keller’s name come up when people talk about ‘The ONE Thing’, his best selling self-help book.

 

18. Gabrielle Bernstein

Gabrielle Bernstein - Best Personal Development Authors

Gabrielle Bernstein is an American motivational speaker, life coach, and author. Bernstein teaches primarily from the metaphysical text A Course In Miracles.

Some of here most popular books are:

  • Miracles Now
  • Spirit Junkie
  • May Cause Miracles
  • The Universe Has Your Back

 

19. Brendan Burchard

Brendan Burchard - Best Personal Development Authors

Brendon Burchard is an American author on motivation and the use of digital and affiliate marketing to sell “info products” based on whatever expertise a person has.

He is most commonly known for his book: The Motivation Manifesto, however he has written several other useful and recommended books on the subject of motivation, such as:

  • The Charge
  • The Millionaire Messenger
  • Life’s Golden Ticket

 

20. Joel Osteen

50 Encouraging & Motivating Joel Osteen Quotes

Joel Scott Osteen is an American preacher and televangelist. He is the Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church, in Houston, Texas. Osteen’s televised sermons are seen by over 7 million viewers weekly and over 20 million monthly in over 100 countries.

Some of his most popular books are:

  • Think Better, Live Better Study Guide
  • The Power of I Am
  • Fresh Start

 

Summary

That concludes the list of the best personal development authors of all time:

  1. Jack Canfield
  2. Napoleon Hill
  3. Dale Carnegie
  4. Robert B. Cialdini
  5. Tim Ferris
  6. Dr. Wayne Dyer
  7. John C. Maxwell
  8. Anthony Robbins
  9. Paulo Coelho
  10. Deepak Chopra
  11. Peter F. Drucker
  12. Martha Beck
  13. Stephen R. Covey
  14. Brian Tracy
  15. Les Brown
  16. Jim Rohn
  17. Gary Keller
  18. Gabrielle Bernstein
  19. Brendan Burchard
  20. Joel Osteen

Who are your favorite personal development authors? Leave a comment below.

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