Positive Affirmations & Positive Sayings

Dr. Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who is dying of pancreatic cancer, gives a reprise of his last lecture at the Oprah show. He shares his childhood dreams-what they were and how he achieved most of them-and inspires people to go after theirs.

He also motivates people to live their lives with the correct principles so that when they look back, they will have no regrets. His testimony is made powerful by the fact that he is choosing to live life to the full despite his sickness and is changing people's perspectives while he's at it.

Key Points from this Inspirational Video:

• Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want
• Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things
• Have a sense of fun and wonder
• We need to value people over things
• Decide early on if you're a Tigger or an Eeyore
• Work and play well with others
• Show gratitude
• Don't complain; just work harder

Overall Rating (1-5): 5

Entertainment Rating (1-5): 5

Although he is a university professor doing a lecture, the video was never boring. He is a very engaging and interesting speaker.

Instructional Rating (1-5): 5

He used a simple slide show with pictures and points that deliver his message clearly.

Sincere thanks and appreciation goes out to Lailani Mendoza for this in-depth inspirational video review!

"You are not a captive of your circumstances."

Thus says motivational mogul Stephen Covey. Too many of us have believed that events in the past will determine our future. Yet, what we overlook is the fact that we always have a choice. The things that go on around us are simply different stimuli, and our response is wholly dependent on us. It is our response that can charter the rest of the course in this journey called life. Therefore, Covey has one reminder to get us on the right track: be proactive.

Key Points from this Inspirational Video:

• Be proactive. You are not a captive of your circumstances
• Leaders are not born or made - they are self-made
• You can expand the time frame between the stimulus and your response in your life if you choose to train your mind to respond properly

Overall Rating (1-5): 4

Entertainment Rating (1-5): 4
The video is very professional and made in a documentary/report format.

Instructional Rating (1-5): 3

Although the speaker gives a good theory, he does not show the viewer how to apply it.

Sincere thanks and appreciation goes out to Lailani Mendoza for this in-depth inspirational video review!

This is a very unique way of showing the principles behind teamwork. It uses a combination of words and music to illustrate what happens when people work together and how much more people can achieve when they are in sync with each other.

As the two speakers talk about the points behind teamwork, they sing the different musical parts of Canon by Pachelbel. By doing this, they show that they can create a multi-dimensional and more beautiful music than by trying to sing the piece alone.

Key Points from this Inspirational Video:

• Teamwork is less about "me" and more about "we."
• There is no selfish hypocrisy in "team."
• No man is an island.
• "Some of us" is not as smart as "all of us."

Overall Rating (1-5): 5

Entertainment Rating (1-5): 5

The video not only uses music and words to convey the message, it also adds humor, which makes it a really entertaining way of teaching teamwork.

Instructional Rating (1-5): 5

It uses a very unique combination of words, music and humor to say the same message in different mediums, a proven technique in teaching.

Sincere thanks and appreciation goes out to Lailani Mendoza for this in-depth inspirational video review!

This video talks about the life story of Jean Francois Gravelet, the great French tightrope walker and acrobat. He was known to be the first person who successfully crossed the Niagara Falls on a 335 long tightrope in only five minutes. His courage and success made him a well-known acrobat after performing daring feats high above the ground.

Once he pushed a wheelbarrow while on the tightrope and asked the crowd if they believed he can push it across with a person inside. The people said they did. Yet no one volunteered to go in except for one person: his manager. Some people believe with words and others jump in with actions. Which one are you?

Key Points from this Inspirational Video:

• We can believe with words, but it is nothing without action
• Belief must be followed by action if it is to take you where you want to go
• To achieve success, you have to decide which person you are going to be - a person of words or a person of action

Overall Rating (1-5): 5

Entertainment Rating (1-5): 4.5

The presentation of the video was dynamic and modern.

Instructional Rating (1-5): 5

The anecdote brings home the point and gives a very powerful call to action.

Sincere thanks and appreciation goes out to Lailani Mendoza for this in-depth inspirational video review!

This video is a strong collection of thoughts for meditation. The quotes all have powerful grains of truth that each person can incorporate in his or her thought pattern to live a successful and positive life.

Coupled with nice, mellow jazz music, this video is the perfect thing to watch to unwind and re-focus on the important things in life. It changes your perspective about daily situations when the truths are taken to heart.

Key Points from this Inspirational Video:

• Success is the outcome of thinking, visualizing, planning and taking action
• The image of yourself is responsible for the way people see and treat you
• When the mind thinks of success, the outside world mirrors these thoughts
• Peace comes from within; do not seek it without
• Rehearsing success in the mind produces it in the material world

Overall Rating (1-5):  4.5

Entertainment Rating (1-5): 4

Relaxing with this video and listening to the accompanying music can greatly enhance a person's sense of well-being.

Instructional Rating (1-5): 1

The video did not have much instructional value.

Sincere thanks and appreciation goes out to Lailani Mendoza for this in-depth inspirational video review!