Motivational and Inspirational Short Stories

Motivational English Stories

Motivational and Inspirational Short Stories

Here are some motivational stories that you may like. These stories are also inspirational and help motivate you when you feel down. They help guide to face life and its different problems that may come your way. Read the stories with their morals. You could also watch the videos where the whole story is told. 

1. The Elephant and the Rope - Inspirational English Story

This story is about a baby elephant who is conditioned. It has a rope tied by the mahout to its leg  which prevents it to escape. When the baby elephant grows big, it still feels that it won’t be able to break free from the rope. Actually, the grown elephant can easily break free from the insignificant rope tied to it. 


This story teaches us ( moral ) that in life we are conditioned by certain beliefs that limit our thinking and ability. We need to break free from these shackles that our minds have created through different experience and our negative thoughts. Watch the video, to hear the full English Motivational Story.

2. The Story of the Two Frogs - Motivational English Short Story

This story is about two frogs who were traveling somewhere and happen to fall in a pit.  The other frogs gather and tell the frogs that it’s pointless trying to jump and escape. They tell them to give up because they feel it is impossible to get out of that pit. One frogs listens to the other frogs, gives up and eventually dies but the other frogs happens to be deaf and can’t hear the negative comments of the frogs. He happens to think that they were cheering for him not to give up and eventually manages to get out of the pit.


This story teaches us ( moral ) to sometimes pay a deaf hear to negative comments. The pit here symbolizes troubles.  The frogs outside symbolizes society. At times, we are told to give up on our dreams because they seem foolish to others. It is wise at times to pay a deaf ear to the negativity and continue doing what you truly believe in.  Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story.

3. The Story of the Struggling Butterfly - Inspirational English Short Story

This story is about a boy who tries to help a butterfly come out of its cocoon earlier than the required time. The boy’s intentions to help the struggling butterfly were good but it caused harm to the butterfly. The butterfly’s wings were underdeveloped and it eventually died.

 

This story teaches us that struggles in our lives don’t make us weak but actually stronger. Don’t try to do everything for someone especially your children. Let them learn to do things by themselves. A little trouble now will build them up to faces the many challenges that life will throw at them in the future and you won’t be there to help them every step of the way. And for the many going through tough times, remember you will come out stronger. Keep pushing ahead with a strong positive attitude. Watch the whole video to know the full English Motivational Story.

4. The Boy who learnt to Control his Temper - Inspirational English Short Story

This story is about a boy who had a very bad temper. He father realized that it was high time to teach him how to behave. Telling him wouldn’t help much so his father planned a nice idea. His father told him that every time he would get angry, he would have to hammer a nail into the fence till the day he had control over his anger. The boy thought it was no big deal. Many days passed and the number of nails he hammered into fence became less, till one day when the boy had a strong control over his anger. The boy was happy and informed his father. But the boy’s father said now every time you’re able to control your anger you’ll have to remove a nail you had hammered from the fence. The boy did as per his father’s instructions. The day he removed every nail from the fence, he ran to his father once again and exclaimed he had removed every scrawny nail. This is where the father makes him understand that the marks made by the nail would still remain. 

 

This story teaches us that our actions and words have consequences. The bad actions and words have negative consequences which can’t really be undone. So be careful not to hurt others when you’re angry.  Watch the video you to know the full English Motivational Story.

5. The Story of the Young Boy and the Starfish - Motivational English Short Story

This story is about a young boy who was going along the seashore collecting the stranded starfish and tossing them into the water. While the boy was doing a good gesture, a man who had observed him remarked to him that it was a futile job as there were man starfish and it would next to impossible to help them all. The boy unfazed continued to toss the stranded starfish and replied that he had made a difference to the ones he helped.


This story teaches us that we need to continue doing good that we do, even if it is just a little task or for just a few. The impact we can have on the ones we’ve helped could be life changing for them. So never stop the good you do cause even small things can make a great difference.  You never know the impact you can have on someone. Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story.

6. The Story of the Black Balloon and the Balloon Seller - Motivational English Story

This story is about a balloon seller who was doing his daily business of selling helium filled balloons. He had all colors of balloons with him. Whenever business was slow, he would release a balloon in the air to attract the kids so that they would notice it and buys his balloons. A little boy who happened to watch the balloon seller, came up to him and asked him if the black colored balloon would also go as high as the other colored balloons. The balloon seller was quite amused with his questioned but empathically replied him that it wasn’t the color of the balloon that made it go up but what was inside of it, that did. 

 

This story teaches us ( moral ) that we should judge people other outer appearance but what their personality is. Many a time, we feel that we aren’t good enough, we don’t look that great. Let this story replied you and inspire you that maybe you can’t really change how you look (your height, looks and so on) but you can surely build your self-esteem and self-confidence by learning and educating the mind especially with positive thoughts. Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story.

7. The Story of the Professor and the Jar ( Pebbles, Rocks, and Sand ) - Motivational Short Story

This story is about a professor and his class students. Once in his class, the professor took out a an empty jar and placed it in front of the students on the table. The asked the students whether the jar was empty and naturally all the students agreed. He later filled the jar with pebbles and then asked if it was full. The students said yes but the professor proving them wrong added few tiny pieces of rock in the jar. He then asked them again if it were full this time. The students hesitated for a while and agreed that it was full this time. He professor surprised his class but pouring sand into the jar. And finally this time, the jar was finally filled. 

 

The professor told them an important lesson. He told them that the jar represents their life and the pebbles, rocks and sand represent the things they fill their lives with. The rocks represent family and the things that matter the most in life. The pebbles represent important things like friends, jobs – basically things that are important but one could live without; they are temporary and could be changed. And the sand represents the finer things like life that entertain us an give make life more comfortable like watching TV, Mobiles, cars and so on. The professor warned them to be cautious of what they fill their jar i.e. their life with.

 

This story teaches us to be mindful of what we give importance or priority to in life. Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story. 

8. The Story of Self-worth - Inspirational Short Story

This story is about a teacher who is trying to teach his class about SELF-WORTH. The teacher held a 100 dollar bill in his hand and asked his students who wanted it. Naturally, all the students raised their hands. The teacher then crumpled the note and then once again asked his students who wanted it. Once again, the students raised their hands. He then threw it to the ground then stamped and dirtied it with his shoes. Without hesitation, everyone still wanted it. 

 

The teacher then told them. It’s the same with life. When you’re tossed, ridiculed or shamed you don’t lose your value. Remember to hold your head high always. 

 

This story teaches us that we don’t lose our self-worth no matter what happens to us in life. Just like the 100 dollar bill, we still preserve the same value we have when bad things happen to us. This story is to inspire you and make you remember that you are still great and not to lose hope in yourself no matter what has happened in your life. And remember you never lose your value. Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story. 

9. The Boy who cried Wolf - Short Inspirational Story

This story is about a young shepherd boy. The shepherd boy would take the sheep up on the hill to graze. One day he felt bored and so he decided to amuse himself. He purposely called out to the villagers below that a wolf had come to eat the sheep. The villagers came at once to his recuse but the boy laughed. The villagers realised that the boy fooled them. They warned him not to purposely shout out for help. The boy agreed but again shamelessly did the same thing and once again fooled the village. He was thrilled by this. But after a while a wolf really did come and started eating the sheep. The boy helplessly cried out for help but this time no one came to his aid. 

 

This story teaches us not to lie or fake things in life. The saying ‘ crying wolf ‘ comes from this famous short story. And always remember – No one believes a liar even if he telling the truth. Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story. 

10. The Story about Value - Short Inspirational Story

This story is about a young boy who wanted to know the value of life. He went to his dad and asked him what was the value of life. He father knew that the boy had to understand the answer to his question. So the father didn’t reply him but told him to take the stone that he handed to him and told him go to the market and ask how much were they willing to pay for that stone. His father also told him if any asks you the price just raise two fingers. The father while sending him cautioned him not to take any offer but to come back to him. So the boy went out into the market area.  

 

The first person that the boy went to offered him only 2 dollars for the stone when he raised his two fingers. He had said he wanted to put the stone in his garden. The went to his father and informed him. His father sent him again but this time to the museum. The boy went and the man at the museum wanted to buy the rock. The boy as instructed raise two fingers. The man said, “200 dollars? I’ll take it.” The boy went home with the stone and told him father about it. The father told the boy that the last place he wanted him to take the stone to was to a precious stone shop and to show it only to the owner. The boy, obedient as he was, went and showed the stone to the owner of the shop. When asked how much, the boy raised his two fingers. The owner said, “TWO MILLION DOLLARS? I’ll take it.” The boy not knowing what to say, went running to his father and then his father gave him the answer to his question.

 

This story is a brilliant one. It teaches us the value of our life. Our life is priceless but if you are in the wrong environment, you might see a wrong value of your life. But if you’re in the right place, you’ll shine. Never settle! Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story. 

11. The Story of the King and the Boulder - Short Inspirational Story

This story is about a king who wanted to know who was a helpful person. Once a king purposely placed a boulder on a roadway. He hid nearby to see who would remove the boulder from the roadway. Many people passed by but no one removed the boulder from the path. They saw it but chose to go from the side of it rather than removing it off the path. These were all well-to-do people in society. Finally, after much wait, a peasant passed by. He saw the boulder and instead of walking passed it like how the rest did, he put down his heavy vegetable filled bag and chose to remove the boulder from the roadway. He struggled a lot to remove the boulder from the roadway and after much efforts, he managed to remove it. As he went to pick up his bag, he noticed a purse that contained gold coins and a note from the king which explained that the gold coins were a reward to the one who removed the boulder from the roadway.


This story teaches us that every obstacle on one’s roadway is an opportunity to improve one’s life. It also shows that when you go out of your way to help, you will be rewarded in an unexpected way.  Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story. 

12. The Story of the Inconsiderate Blind Girl - Short Inspirational Story

This story is about a blind girl. She hated her life purely because she was born blind. She practically hated everyone except her kind boyfriend. He loved her lot. He tried everything in his own way to make her happy. One day he asked her to marry him. She was happy that he asked but she said that she that she would marry him only on the condition if she could see. A few days passed and she unexpectedly got a call from the hospital saying that someone had donated their eyes to her. She was overjoyed. The operation was successful. She could see again. She looked around and saw her boyfriend lying on the bed next to her. He asked her whether now she would marry him. Seeing that her boyfriend was blind, she was shocked. She refused to marry him. Heartbroken, he went away and sent her a letter which read ‘ Take care of my eyes dear’.

 

This story teaches us many times. One of the things is that don’t take the people you love for granted. It also teaches us to be careful of people you get attached to. But it does also teach us, the great love and forgiveness of love. Watch the video to know the full English Motivational Story. 

Attention readers: 


If you’d like to read some Short Buddha Stories to inspire you click here.

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