Preamble This is something of a follow up to a personal philosophy paper I wrote about 7 years ago titled "I am a Self-Development Educator and NOT a Motivational Speaker".
I recently found it compelling to do an additional write up on this subject because of the continued proliferation of people who call themselves Motivational Speakers out here.
You see, I believe what we have in Nigeria has become what I call a "Motivational Speaker Pandemic" where what is supposed to be motivational speaking has metamorphosed into an unhealthy social trend or fad.
So many people today go around offering motivational speaking services without having ANY convincing credentials to prove they are competent to deliver what they promise.
I saw the likelihood of this current situation developing, way back in 2003, and that was why I published my personal philosophy paper.
Indeed, my mind became made up on this matter when I discovered I was getting introduced as (and called) a Motivational Speaker in many places I went, or had to speak.
Examples include Corona Schools' Trust Council and the University of Lagos.
People were able to inflict this "injury" (of mislabeling) on me because I broke a cardinal rule meant to guide serious self-marketing professional speakers - which is NEVER to let any one introduce you without using YOUR personally written introduction.
In other words, you must write an introduction for yourself, which you will always insist anyone introducing you, follows closely - if not exclusively.
This is important because a speaker who knows her onions, and has a clear vision of where she is going, will recognise the need to DEFINE and DIFFERENTIATE herself to create a unique identity.
So, Who (or What) Am I? In writing my paper back in 2003, I had assumed that simply stating what I believed differentiated me from Motivational Speakers would be adequate to clear up any misconceptions about what I did.
What I failed to consider was the fact that a majority of people in Nigeria do not necessarily have the background knowledge that any distinctions exist between various kinds of speakers - talk less of knowing what those distinctions are.
This is probably because of people today parading themselves as Motivational Speakers.
So, in many cases, those who read that paper probably concluded I was playing with words, and so did not take it seriously.
The feedback I have gotten up till date, suggests that the foregoing is most likely what has happened.
My one-page paper describes me as an "Educator" and "Social Change Agent".
In it, I explain that I am trying to bring about a "Philosophical Re-orientation" in Nigerians - so that they can achieve what I call "Mental Emancipation".
An excerpt from the paper reads as follows: "Yes, there is a motivational dimension to what I do, but my basic aim is to help people achieve Mental Emancipation?, by (re) orienting them about what they thing they know, how they see themselves/their society; and what they believe they can (or cannot) do.
" Robert Nesta Marley once sang "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.
None but ourselves can free our minds".
That's where I got the phrase Mental Emancipation?.
I believe many Nigerians lack it, and therefore need to free their minds from limitations imposed by their culture, and society.
What I am trying to do through my work is to facilitate that process of Mental Emancipation?.
Looking For Definitions Now, I did a little checking and came up with some definitions to help gain a better understanding of what it means to be a "Speaker-Educator".
The Longman's Dictionary of Contemporary English (also called Complete Guide to Written and Spoken English) was especially useful.
A few examples follow: 1.
Educate: This word is explained to mean providing formal schooling for someone.
But under "Teach", in a usage box, it goes further to define "educate" to mean teaching "people over along period of time in all kinds of knowledge (not just school subjects").
2.
Teach: A word used to describe helping a person or group or people learn something.
But this word - teaching - is further defined in other ways as: a.
Providing school/college education - which involves giving lessons in a formal school setting (up to university).
b.
Showing somebody how to do something c.
Changing somebody's ideas - that is to show or tell a person what to think and/or how to act or behave.
3.
Speaker - described as someone who gives talks or speeches.
Under "Public", the phrase "Public Speaking" is defined as the "act of making speeches in public".
Suffice to say here that I undertook a short dictionary adventure aimed at extracting the meaning of words used in my one page paper such as "motivate, educator, public speaker, teach, myth, philosopher etc".
You can do the same - my methods are not infallible.
Note: I did my best to find an entry for "Motivational Speaker/Speaking" - with no luck.
That further confirms my submission that Motivational Speaking is just one of many types of public speaking activities that can be done.
You can read my other article titled "Understanding The Types of Public Speakers".
Now, We Make Use Of The Derived Meanings So, a professional public speaker would be someone who gives talks or makes speeches in public on a specific subject, often for a professional fee.
A "Motivational Speaker" would be a "public speaker" who "gives a talk or makes a speech" to make his listeners "want to achieve something" and be "willing to work harder...
to do it".
While a "Speaker-Educator" would be one who teaches or trains people in all kinds of knowledge by "showing them how to do something, or telling them how they should behave or what they should think".
The Speaker-Educator goes one added step beyond what the Motivational Speaker would normally do i.
e.
s/he shows or tells the audience HOW.
Look at Kiyosaki's books.
They are filled with information designed to get you to change the way you've been brought up to "think" about money making, about education/learning and life in general.
In addition, he has developed practical exercises/games to "show" people how to improve their (and their kids') financial intelligence.
That's why Robert describes himself (and is recognised as) an educator! But, his speeches/writings also motivate his audience.
Is Think and Grow Rich A Motivational Book? No, it's not.
On the back cover of Napoleon Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich", the following is written: "The Practical Guide For Achievement and Personal Fulfillment"...
"it initiated the Self-Development movement in the United States...
It reveals the secret and gives the plan...
shows the way to overcome all obstacles, achieve any ambition, bring success as though provided from an ever-flowing river".
That book is therefore categorised as "Self-Help" and NOT Motivational.
This means that a (Self-Development) Educator - like me - will supply information that not only makes you want to achieve (motivates) but also gives you step-by-step description of HOW to do so within the realities of your social environment (i.
e.
educates).
THAT is The Key Difference! That last, underlined and highlighted phrase (above) is the crux of the difference between a Self-Development Speaker-Educator and a Motivational Speaker.
The former will seek to bridge the gap between the vision/desire aroused in the person, and the realities that will face the person when s/he begins to try accomplishing that chosen vision or goal.
For instance, how do you persevere as an entrepreneur when you know you're not likely to be given any contract until you bribe the man in charge, or use some connections? An educator like me can share true-life experiences with you on how to successfully deal with the Nigerian factor.
The (Nigerian) motivational speaker often tells you "You can be what you want to be" but fails to warn (maybe because he does not know - or worse, probably because he also plays the game!) that - except you prepare a good plan to deal with it - the Nigerian factor can effectively deny you your success.
That is actually one of the solutions I offer interested persons as a speaker-educator.
I personally undertook the painfully torturous/long search for an alternative to joining those who used the Nigerian factor.
And I did find a way out.
This is now what I offer to share with any persons desirous of achieving the same thing.
It is possible to practice entrepreneuring in Nigeria without becoming crooked, but you must be ready to suffer some humiliation and possibly prolonged periods of severe hardship/lack! I call it Hard Core Entrepreneuring? for Nigerians living in Nigeria.
Summary I strongly believe much of our lack of progress in Nigeria derives from HOW WE THINK as individuals and as groups.
Indeed, it is my strong opinion from interacting widely across society, that the quality of thinking employed by a large majority of Nigerians is VERY poor.
It is not my intention to upset or insult anyone - I only make a factual observation here.
By writing articles like this one, giving talks etc, that explain why it is important to begin to think deeper about things, instead of accepting surface answers/explanations to issues (including who is a Motivational Speaker or not), I hope to influence the occurrence of Social Change for Real Progress in Nigeria.
We do not all have to use loud, confrontational methods to influence lasting positive change in society.
In fact, sometimes it can be much more effective to employ subtle techniques to get people to change their ways! Everything does not have to be done in an obvious way.
Our culture as Nigerians makes this an unfamiliar approach, but I have found that it often gets better and more sustainable results, with minimal losses.
You of course have every right to disagree with me in this regard.
I recently found it compelling to do an additional write up on this subject because of the continued proliferation of people who call themselves Motivational Speakers out here.
You see, I believe what we have in Nigeria has become what I call a "Motivational Speaker Pandemic" where what is supposed to be motivational speaking has metamorphosed into an unhealthy social trend or fad.
So many people today go around offering motivational speaking services without having ANY convincing credentials to prove they are competent to deliver what they promise.
I saw the likelihood of this current situation developing, way back in 2003, and that was why I published my personal philosophy paper.
Indeed, my mind became made up on this matter when I discovered I was getting introduced as (and called) a Motivational Speaker in many places I went, or had to speak.
Examples include Corona Schools' Trust Council and the University of Lagos.
People were able to inflict this "injury" (of mislabeling) on me because I broke a cardinal rule meant to guide serious self-marketing professional speakers - which is NEVER to let any one introduce you without using YOUR personally written introduction.
In other words, you must write an introduction for yourself, which you will always insist anyone introducing you, follows closely - if not exclusively.
This is important because a speaker who knows her onions, and has a clear vision of where she is going, will recognise the need to DEFINE and DIFFERENTIATE herself to create a unique identity.
So, Who (or What) Am I? In writing my paper back in 2003, I had assumed that simply stating what I believed differentiated me from Motivational Speakers would be adequate to clear up any misconceptions about what I did.
What I failed to consider was the fact that a majority of people in Nigeria do not necessarily have the background knowledge that any distinctions exist between various kinds of speakers - talk less of knowing what those distinctions are.
This is probably because of people today parading themselves as Motivational Speakers.
So, in many cases, those who read that paper probably concluded I was playing with words, and so did not take it seriously.
The feedback I have gotten up till date, suggests that the foregoing is most likely what has happened.
My one-page paper describes me as an "Educator" and "Social Change Agent".
In it, I explain that I am trying to bring about a "Philosophical Re-orientation" in Nigerians - so that they can achieve what I call "Mental Emancipation".
An excerpt from the paper reads as follows: "Yes, there is a motivational dimension to what I do, but my basic aim is to help people achieve Mental Emancipation?, by (re) orienting them about what they thing they know, how they see themselves/their society; and what they believe they can (or cannot) do.
" Robert Nesta Marley once sang "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.
None but ourselves can free our minds".
That's where I got the phrase Mental Emancipation?.
I believe many Nigerians lack it, and therefore need to free their minds from limitations imposed by their culture, and society.
What I am trying to do through my work is to facilitate that process of Mental Emancipation?.
Looking For Definitions Now, I did a little checking and came up with some definitions to help gain a better understanding of what it means to be a "Speaker-Educator".
The Longman's Dictionary of Contemporary English (also called Complete Guide to Written and Spoken English) was especially useful.
A few examples follow: 1.
Educate: This word is explained to mean providing formal schooling for someone.
But under "Teach", in a usage box, it goes further to define "educate" to mean teaching "people over along period of time in all kinds of knowledge (not just school subjects").
2.
Teach: A word used to describe helping a person or group or people learn something.
But this word - teaching - is further defined in other ways as: a.
Providing school/college education - which involves giving lessons in a formal school setting (up to university).
b.
Showing somebody how to do something c.
Changing somebody's ideas - that is to show or tell a person what to think and/or how to act or behave.
3.
Speaker - described as someone who gives talks or speeches.
Under "Public", the phrase "Public Speaking" is defined as the "act of making speeches in public".
Suffice to say here that I undertook a short dictionary adventure aimed at extracting the meaning of words used in my one page paper such as "motivate, educator, public speaker, teach, myth, philosopher etc".
You can do the same - my methods are not infallible.
Note: I did my best to find an entry for "Motivational Speaker/Speaking" - with no luck.
That further confirms my submission that Motivational Speaking is just one of many types of public speaking activities that can be done.
You can read my other article titled "Understanding The Types of Public Speakers".
Now, We Make Use Of The Derived Meanings So, a professional public speaker would be someone who gives talks or makes speeches in public on a specific subject, often for a professional fee.
A "Motivational Speaker" would be a "public speaker" who "gives a talk or makes a speech" to make his listeners "want to achieve something" and be "willing to work harder...
to do it".
While a "Speaker-Educator" would be one who teaches or trains people in all kinds of knowledge by "showing them how to do something, or telling them how they should behave or what they should think".
The Speaker-Educator goes one added step beyond what the Motivational Speaker would normally do i.
e.
s/he shows or tells the audience HOW.
Look at Kiyosaki's books.
They are filled with information designed to get you to change the way you've been brought up to "think" about money making, about education/learning and life in general.
In addition, he has developed practical exercises/games to "show" people how to improve their (and their kids') financial intelligence.
That's why Robert describes himself (and is recognised as) an educator! But, his speeches/writings also motivate his audience.
Is Think and Grow Rich A Motivational Book? No, it's not.
On the back cover of Napoleon Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich", the following is written: "The Practical Guide For Achievement and Personal Fulfillment"...
"it initiated the Self-Development movement in the United States...
It reveals the secret and gives the plan...
shows the way to overcome all obstacles, achieve any ambition, bring success as though provided from an ever-flowing river".
That book is therefore categorised as "Self-Help" and NOT Motivational.
This means that a (Self-Development) Educator - like me - will supply information that not only makes you want to achieve (motivates) but also gives you step-by-step description of HOW to do so within the realities of your social environment (i.
e.
educates).
THAT is The Key Difference! That last, underlined and highlighted phrase (above) is the crux of the difference between a Self-Development Speaker-Educator and a Motivational Speaker.
The former will seek to bridge the gap between the vision/desire aroused in the person, and the realities that will face the person when s/he begins to try accomplishing that chosen vision or goal.
For instance, how do you persevere as an entrepreneur when you know you're not likely to be given any contract until you bribe the man in charge, or use some connections? An educator like me can share true-life experiences with you on how to successfully deal with the Nigerian factor.
The (Nigerian) motivational speaker often tells you "You can be what you want to be" but fails to warn (maybe because he does not know - or worse, probably because he also plays the game!) that - except you prepare a good plan to deal with it - the Nigerian factor can effectively deny you your success.
That is actually one of the solutions I offer interested persons as a speaker-educator.
I personally undertook the painfully torturous/long search for an alternative to joining those who used the Nigerian factor.
And I did find a way out.
This is now what I offer to share with any persons desirous of achieving the same thing.
It is possible to practice entrepreneuring in Nigeria without becoming crooked, but you must be ready to suffer some humiliation and possibly prolonged periods of severe hardship/lack! I call it Hard Core Entrepreneuring? for Nigerians living in Nigeria.
Summary I strongly believe much of our lack of progress in Nigeria derives from HOW WE THINK as individuals and as groups.
Indeed, it is my strong opinion from interacting widely across society, that the quality of thinking employed by a large majority of Nigerians is VERY poor.
It is not my intention to upset or insult anyone - I only make a factual observation here.
By writing articles like this one, giving talks etc, that explain why it is important to begin to think deeper about things, instead of accepting surface answers/explanations to issues (including who is a Motivational Speaker or not), I hope to influence the occurrence of Social Change for Real Progress in Nigeria.
We do not all have to use loud, confrontational methods to influence lasting positive change in society.
In fact, sometimes it can be much more effective to employ subtle techniques to get people to change their ways! Everything does not have to be done in an obvious way.
Our culture as Nigerians makes this an unfamiliar approach, but I have found that it often gets better and more sustainable results, with minimal losses.
You of course have every right to disagree with me in this regard.