Ethics Keynotes
Leadership Keynotes
Happiness Keynotes
Inspire Integrity
Motivational Keynote Speech Summary
Corey’s most popular keynote on ethics encourages audiences to chase the truly important things in life such as a solid character, strong personal relationships and a sense of contentment. These “real rabbits” are compared and contrasted to more fleeting worldly success such as excessive wealth, popularity, and prestige. Audience members leave with a better sense of what it takes to develop integrity, set priorities, gain a big-picture perspective, and chase an authentic life. By the end, Corey promises that this will be one of the most powerful and motivational speeches you ever hear.
Stuff To Think About
Here are some key questions to think about before, during, and after you hear this speech. Please do not reflexively answer. Instead, put some real thought into each question and answer honestly. This is a speech about ethics after all!
- What do you chase – right now – in your life? Is it acceptance? Renown or popularity? Good looks? A successful career?
- Would you consider yourself authentically happy? Do you consistently and genuinely wake up happy?
- Do you consider yourself a virtuous person (i.e., honest, kind, courageous, loyal, humble)? Please don’t just answer this and move on . . . really think about it.
- How many real friends do you have? I mean, how many people would literally rush into your life when others rushed out?
- Every day, do you really wonder about important things, get goosebumps, and laugh at yourself?
Key Quotes From Inspire Integrity
- “You can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy.” — Eric Hoffer
- “I realized that the things I have been chasing my whole life aren’t even real.” — Cash The Greyhound
- “Instead of excessive wealth, good looks, and popularity/renown, chase a sense of contentment, a few solid relationships, and a strong character.” — Corey Ciocchetti
- “Beware the barrenness of a busy life” — Socrates
- “Are you constantly surrounded by people yet friendless?” — Corey Ciocchetti
- “Character is how you act when no one is looking and how you treat the people who cannot do anything to your or for you.” — Corey Ciocchetti
- “The most important advice you will hear all year is that you have to align the priorities in your heart to the way you live your life. In doing so, it’s imporatnt to put people, not work, higher on the list.” — Corey Ciocchetti
- “There are three things we all should do—every day! Number one is laugh—you should laugh every day. Number two is think—you should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears—it could be happiness or joy. But think about it: If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heckuva day.” — Jimmy Valvano
- “Everyday you should get goosebumps. And goosebumps only happen when you so something that makes someone else’s life better.” — Corey Ciocchetti
- “Chase real rabbits and you will shine like you should . . . from the inside out.” — Corey Ciocchetti
True North: Make Ethical Decisions
Motivational Keynote Speech Summary
Tough decisions bombard us so consistently that we tend to merely swat them away. We mostly cross our fingers and react via the Bon Jovi theory of life – we’re “Livin’ on a Prayer.” What a great song; but it provides below-average life advice. Our days would be much more satisfying if we possessed and consistently executed a plan to make better, more-ethical decisions. Corey’s talk delivers just such a plan – with a focus on the ethical aspects of our difficult decisions. This keynote speech puts forth strategies that allow you to seek:
- the greatest good for the greatest number of people;
- specific duties as members of vital communities (family, work, neighborhood); and
- the virtues needed to make the best decisions under pressure.
This intellectually stimulating and encouraging talk begins by showing that virtually all of the tough choices we make in life lie in the grey areas. Very few things are always right or always wrong. After exposing the simplicity of these theories, each of us will leave better prepared to navigate life’s toughest decisions. Be prepared to learn a ton!
Stuff To Think About
Here are some key questions to think about before, during, and after you hear this speech. Please do not reflexively answer. Instead, put some real thought into each question and answer honestly. This is a speech about ethics after all!
- Do you think you make ethical decisions most of the time? What would others say?
- What tools do you use to make the most ethical decisions possible?
- Do you think it’s important to seek the greatest good for the greatest number?
- How do you determine when you have a duty to act or not act in a certain way? For example, if a friend needed help but providing help might compromise one of your values, what would you do?
- What virtues do you use to make both hard and easier decisions?
Key Quotes From True North
- “Wisdom begins in wonder” — Socrates
- “When we were little our consciences still worked. We had a visceral reaction to immoral behavior. When we lied, we recoiled. When we were mean, we felt bad. Do you still have that reaction?” — Corey Ciocchetti
- “Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.” — George Washington
- “Duty then is the sublimest word in the English language. You should do your duty in all things. You can never do more, you should never wish to do less.” — Robert E. Lee
- ““We’re all in this together. You are not alone. All lines and divisions are artificial. We are one. We are part of something greater. We have a responsibility to one another. We have a social responsibility to one another. We have a responsibility to this planet, our children, the future. We’re all in this together.” — Akiroq Brost
- “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — African Proverb
- “One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.” — Maya Angelou
- “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” — Aristotle
- “Stop living solely by the Bon Jovi theory of life – “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Have some tried and true frameworks to make ethical decisions and then cross your fingers and go.” — Corey Ciocchetti
- “Ethical decision-makers outperform their peers. They can tackle deeper questions more efficiently and effectively becuase their peers are stuck in the moral morass.” — Corey Ciocchetti
Be A Leader You Would Follow
Motivational Keynote Speech Summary
Contrary to popular wisdom, Corey believes values and character can be taught. For instance, where did you learn to lie or cheat? On the more virtuous end, where did you learn to be kind and thoughtful? From the influential people in your life, of course.
Corey’s keynote speech on leadership begins with a critical question: Do you have the values and character to make you the type of leader that you would follow? If you would resist being led by someone like yourself, then others will surely opt out. The rest of Corey’s powerful speech is devoted to the five character traits of an effective leader.
We come to find out that no one is born a leader. This means that you and your people can learn to lead more effectively, without any buzzwords or theories! All it takes is the drive to become a more virtuous person. Ethical people become the best leaders.
Stuff To Think About
Here are some key questions to think about before, during, and after you hear this speech. Please do not reflexively answer. Instead, put some real thought into each question and answer honestly. This is a speech about ethics after all!
- What qualities do you admire in a leader? How many of those qualities do you possess?
- How would you react if a leadership role was thrust upon you? What would you do first?
- How often do you look out for the greatest good for those around you?
- How do you determine whether you have a duty to act?
- What virtues do you need the most to be a “good” leader?
Key Quotes From Be A Leader You Would Follow
- “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” — Woodrow Wilson
- “To add value to others, one must first value others.” — John Maxwell
- “The task of the leader is to get their people from where they are to where they have not been” — Henry Kissinger
- “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they are capable of being.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- “I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.” — Mahatma Gandhi
- “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — African Proverb
- “When people talk, listen completely.” — Ernest Hemingway
- “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” — Ray Kroc
- “Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you’ll be criticized anyway.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
- “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” — Douglas MacArthur
- “A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.” — Arnold Glasow
- “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” — Martin Luither King, Jr.
Professionalism & Your Iron Ring
Motivational Keynote Speech Summary
Our communities need more professionals. Corey’s keynote helps answer critical questions such as:
- What does it mean to be a professional?
- How does society expect its professionals to act, speak, and think in terms of their work?
- How can we use our skill and knowledge, without reservation, for the public good?
- What serves as our iron ring, reminding us of our obligations to ourselves, our loved ones, our colleagues, and our communities?
In the end, audiences are encouraged to create their own creed, a set of strongly held beliefs. This creed should contain commitments to the important stakeholders in our lives – our spouses, kids, other loved ones, colleagues, neighbors, and communities. This is our chance to make solemn promises and keep them – even when times get tough and we get tired. That’s what true professionals do and what our society desperately needs.
Stuff To Think About
Here are some key questions to think about before, during, and after you hear this speech. Please do not reflexively answer. Instead, put some real thought into each question and answer honestly. This is a speech about ethics and professionalism after all!
- Who should be considered a professional? Are only some careers (think, doctos, lawyers, priests) considered professions?
- Do you believe that professionals are judged by society more harshly because of their status?
- Are you proud of your ability to act, speak, and think in critical situations? How often do you make the correct call in these situations?
- Do you treat your work / school as a profession or do you just go through the motions?
- What promises do you make to the important stakeholders in your life about how you will approach your career?
Key Quotes From Professionalism & Your Iron Ring
- “Professional is not a label you give yourself – it’s a description you hope others will apply to you.” — David Maister
- “. . . a professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn’t feel like it.” — Alistair Cooke
- “Professionalism: It’s not the job you do. It’s how you do the job.” — anonymous
- “You have to act like a responsible professional in the industry regardless of your age.” — Josh Schwartz
- “The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy…neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.” — John Gardner
- “Professionalism is not about adherence to the policies of a bureaucracy. Professionalism is about having the integrity, honesty, and sincere regard for the personhood of the customer, in the context of always doing what is best for the business. Those two things do not need to be in conflict.” — Eric Lippert
- “We choose what attitudes we have right now. And it’s a continuing choice.” — John Maxwell
- “If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior. In other words, begin to act the part, as well as you can, of the person you would rather be, the person you most want to become. Gradually, the old, fearful person will fade away.” — William Glasser
- “I am an engineer [but fill in your career / aspirations here], in my profession I take deep pride. To it I owe solemn obligations.” — Calling Of An Engineer Ceremony
- “What you do is what matters, not what you think or say or plan.” — Jason Fried
- “Perfect is the enemy of good.” — Voltarie
- “. . . if you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires.” — Malcolm Gladwell
Under The Influence . . . Of Stress
Motivational Keynote Speech Summary
Stress is omnipresent. It lurks in every nook and cranny of our typical day. Work (and particularly colleagues) can be stressful, home life can be stressful, and never mid our commutes to these places. The problem is that excessive stress has major negative repercussions on our bodies and behavior. It roils our immune system, long-term memory, and sleep habits. Stress causes anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, tense muscles, and, in the worst cases, heart disease. But, perhaps more important, stress removes our motivation to live an authentic life, to help others, and to chase after character – we are just trying to get through until tomorrow.
There is hope. Corey’s motivating and intellectually-driven speech on stress is perfect for you and your team. Corey believes that carrying some stress is a good thing – it can motivate you to face life’s important challenges. This good kind of stress is there for a purpose and then fades away. The problem is that we carry too much of the bad kind of stress as well.
Corey’s speech helps you figure out your current stress level. After determining your stress score, the group then evaluates twenty ways to decrease the minor stressors in your life. Once you lower your stress score, you can focus and, hopefully, eliminate your major stressors and more effectively chase an authentic life. Feeling stressed? This keynote is for you . . . and everyone really!
Stuff To Think About
Here are some key questions to think about before, during, and after you hear this speech. Please do not reflexively answer. Instead, put some real thought into each question and answer honestly. This is a speech about ethics after all!
- What is your current stress level? Why is it higher or lower than your baseline?
- How do you handle major and minor stressors? Do you find that stress negatively impacts your health?
- Do you consistently make excellent decisions? If not, do the consequences of many of your decisions cause you stress?
- Does your daily life line up with your heart’s desires? If not, how much stress does that cause?
- Do you have a big-picture perspective on life? If not, is that attitude causing you stress?
Key Quotes From Under The Influence . . . Of Stress
- “How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened.” — Thomas Jefferson
- “Stress is not what happens to us. It’s our response to what happens. And response is something we can choose.” — Maureen Killoran
- “Stress should be a powerful driving force, not an obstacle.” — Bill Phillips
- “For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” — Lily Tomlin
- “When we commit to action, to actually doing something rather than feeling trapped by events, the stress in our life becomes manageable.” — Greg Anderson
- “Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they’ve started.” — David Allen
- “Stress is like spice – in the right proportion it enhances the flavor of a dish. Too little produces a bland, dull meal; too much may choke you.” — Donald Tubesing
- “The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” — Sydney Harris
- ““One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast. I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there aren’t enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.” — Viggo Mortensen
- “It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.” — Bruce Lee
- “If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.” — Doug Larson
- “When we are at peak-stress, the last thing we care about is our character. We’re just trying to get to the next day.” — Corey Ciocchetti
Chase Your Passion, Fuel Your Life
Motivational Keynote Speech Summary
What drives you to arise each day and spar with life? Is it money, an important promotion or raise, recognition or renown, nicer stuff, the approval of loved ones, good grades? These things all matter, to be sure, but the fuel they provide is fleeting. These benefits just are not designed to produce the type of lasting motivation you need to push through life’s unavoidable uphill battles. Have you noticed that new stuff, or a raise, or a promotion, a pat on the back, or straight “A”s feels great . . . for a moment. Then, the fuel these successes provide runs out and it’s back to seeking something to take its place. What we all crave is a fuel source that never runs out; energy that replenishes itself when we are exhausted, stressed, on a losing streak, or worse.
The fuel that endures is the kind you create by discovering and following your passion. Chances are you know exactly what drives you deep down, but your mind is focused on different, more world-conforming goals. And that’s to be expected; we are bombarded with false promises that begin with following the crowd and often lead to unfulfilling often unreachable goals. Corey’s inspirational speech urges you to change course. Corey helps reunite your heart’s passion with your life’s goals – which are rarely ever mutually exclusive. He breaks down the steps it takes to identify your ideal fuel sources (they differ a bit for each of us) and then provides the tools needed to make a lasting change. Imagine your life driven by a fuel that never runs out.
Stuff To Think About
Here are some key questions to think about before, during, and after you hear this speech. Please do not reflexively answer. Instead, put some real thought into each question and answer honestly. This is a speech about ethics after all!
- What motivates you to wake up each day and spar against life? Have you found your passion(s)?
- How often do you feel tired, stressed, or like you just cannot get ahead?
- What are your top ten priorities in your heart? Do most of your daily taks connect somehow to those priorities?
- What types of fuel (i.e., motivation) do you think last the longest? Is that what fuels you?
- Does your focus need to change in order to fuel up with the kind of motivation that lasts? In other words, do you need to chase after different things in your life?
Key Quotes From Fuel Your Life
- “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford
- “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” — Albert Einstein
- “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” — Charles Swindoll
- “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey
- “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” — Robert Lewis Stevenson
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs
- “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” — Farrah Gray
- “What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.” — Bob Dylan
- “Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture the heart.” — Indian Proverb
- “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Addair
- “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy”. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” — John Lenon
