The Top 10 Motivational Speeches in Movie History

Hollywood speeches can be hit or miss, but every now and then they really nail it. Need to make your first million, win the big game, or just replace the coffee and Red Bull in your life? Check out the clips below and remember, kid "money never sleeps" - get to work!

Wall Street - “Greed is Good”

Feel like you're selling your soul to the man? Well, it could be worse. You could be selling out your dad and all of his friends so some bloodsucking kingpin can make a few extra million to throw on the pile. Get it together and realize that we can't all save the whales. Remember, people at the top aren't afraid to pull the trigger, so maybe it's time to get a little greedy.

The Premise: An entry level nobody on Wall Street gets to work for one of the most powerful men on the Street, learning the secret to his riches is, well, insider trading and corporate espionage. Who would have thunk, huh?

Key Quote: "The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed - for lack of a better word - is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms - greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge - has marked the upward surge of mankind."

Any Given Sunday - “One Inch at a Time”

Even champions have a bad run now and again - who hasn't had that bad year, a dry spell, or some dark days pounding their ego into oblivion? Take it Coach D'Amato though, it's not about where you've been, it's about where you're going. Even if you feel a million miles away from victory, realize you're only inches away. Are you really going to stand six inches away from winning?

The Premise: A down and out football team battles their arch-rivals to save their reputation and make it to the playoffs.

Key Quote: "We`re in hell right now, gentlemen, believe me. And, we can stay here - get the shit kicked out of us - or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb 'outta hell one inch at a time."

Braveheart - “Freedom!”

Do not hit on William Wallace's wife. Not only will he kick your ass and burn down your fortress, but he'll start a war with your country. He has very little sense of humor about the whole thing. But hey, sometimes you need to know when to stick up for yourself and what you believe in. Do you know where you draw the line?

The Premise: Dude, didn't you read what we just said? Someone tries to rape William Wallace's wife, Wallace kills them, they kill his wife, and he burns down their fortress and starts a war with England over it, using Scotland's oppression as a cover for revenge. Ok, so it was kind of a crappy situation for Scotland, too.

Key Quote: "Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take – Our Freedom! "

Glengarry Glen Ross - “Always Be Closing”

Are you going to sit around and make excuses, or are you going to do whatever it takes to win? It's not a straightforward answer - as Blake says in the film, sometimes you can't be a nice guy, or a good father - hell, you can't be a decent human being if you want to kick ass and be king of the mountain. So what's it gonna be? Nice guy in the Hyundai or asshole in the BMW?

The Premise: A big-time sales agent from headquarters tells a loser bunch of Chicago real estate brokers all but the top two salespeople of the week will be fired. It's do or die.

Key Quote: "Get mad, you sons of bitches! Get mad! You know what it takes to sell real estate? It takes brass balls to sell real estate. Go and do likewise, gents. The money's out there. You pick it up, it's yours. You don't, I have no sympathy for you. You wanna go out on those sits tonight and close? Close. It's yours. If not, you're going to be shining my shoes."

Boiler Room - "Look at the Smile On My Face"

While the motivations of this film are dubious, the message is clear - hard work equals wealth. You're not living in Europe pal, you want to know how much vacation time you get in the first year? Do everyone else a favor and get out of their way.

The Premise: A kid from Queens gets a shot at the big time when he lands a job as a broker on Wall Street but soon realizes the firm runs an elaborate scam operation. But like, in an illegal way, not in that standard, getting screwed as usual by Wall Street way.

Key Quote: "We want winners here, not pikers. A piker walks at the bell. A piker asks how much vacation time you get in the first year. Vacation time? People come to work at this firm for one reason - to become filthy rich. That's it. We're not here to make friends, we're not saving the fucking manatees here guys. You want vacation time, go teach third grade at a public school. ... Now go home and think about it. Think about whether or not this is really for you. If you decide that it isn't, listen, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. This is not for everyone. But if you really want this, you call me on Monday and we'll talk."

Rocky Balboa - "That is How Winning Is Done"

Spend all your time figuring out who was to blame on the last bad thing to happen to you and what do you get? Just a bunch of wasted time. Like Rocky says, only cowards and losers point the finger, it's the winners that shake it off, get up, and keep moving forward.

The Premise: The champ comes back from retirement to fight one last match.

Key Quote: "You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you!"

Scent of a Woman - "That's The Stuff Leaders Should Be Made Of"

It can be a tall order to draw a line in the sand when you're the only one standing on the other side, but if you can't respect yourself, how do you expect others to respect you? Principles can be a funny thing, and not many people talk about stuff like this anymore. Maybe they should.

The Premise: Charlie Simms, a student at a snooty Boys prep school, has to decide between a golden ticket to Harvard and his own principles.

Key Quote: "Makers of men, creators of leaders, be careful what kind of leaders you're producing here. I don't know if Charlie's silence here today is right or wrong; I'm no judge or jury. But I can tell you this; he won't sell anybody out to buy his future! And that, my friends, is called integrity. That's called courage. Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of. "

Lean On Me - "You Are Not Inferior"

Being a leader is no enviable position, and sometimes you have to walk the line to get things done. Joe Clark, the Principal of East Side High School takes a hard line with his staff, his students, and the community to stop accepting so little from themselves. He certainly doesn't make any friends, but he's willing to do whatever it takes to pull the school out of its downward spiral.

The Premise: A school of losers is whipped into shape by a tough-love Principal who pulls no punches in his campaign to turn their lives around.

Key Quote: "And now I've got a message for those people out there who've abandoned you and written you off! Can you hear me? Good! You are NOT inferior! Your grades may be. Your school may have been. But you can turn that around and make liars out of those bastards in exactly one hour when you take that test and pass it and win!"

Rudy - "You Hear Me Clear Enough?"

Put your mind to something and you can find a way. Just look at Rudy - what did this guy really have going for him at all? Not his size, not his test scores, not his family's means, basically everything was working against him save the guy's unflappable will. He was rejected over and over again, but just kept his head down until he reached his goal. Kinda makes you wish he wanted world peace instead, doesn't it?

The Premise: A floundering kid fights against all odds to realize his dream of playing football for Notre Dame.

Key Quote: "I thought I wasn`t being played because of my color. I got caught up with alot of attitude, so I quit. Still, not a week goes by I don`t regret it, and I swear to god, a day or week won`t go by in your life, where you won`t regret walking out, letting them get the best of you. Now are you hearing me clear enough?"

Full Metal Jacket - "Sir, Yes Sir!"

As the wise man Kenny Rogers once said, "You got to know when to hold em', know when to fold em." Because there's a difference between pushing through hardship and meeting an immoveable object like Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. If you ever get a boss like that, well, maybe it's time to consider a career in another branch of service, know what we mean?

The Premise: The worst recruit in a Marine Corps boot camp class is psychologically tortured by his drill instructor.

Key Quote: "Who said that? Who the fuck said that? Who's the slimy little communist shit, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant? Nobody, huh? The fairy fucking godmother said it. Out-fucking-standing. I will PT you all until you fucking die! I'll PT you until your assholes are sucking buttermilk."

Edward Hertzman
e. ehertzman@debonairmag.com

In 2006 Eddie co-founded Debonair Magazine - a men’s lifestyle publication dedicated to serving style-conscience young professionals. Eddie’s style commentary can be found in assorted men’s publications and national newspapers including FHM and the New York Daily News.