The 10 Most Motivational Stories I’ve Heard

Short Motivational stories are powerful reads. The nice thing about them is that they’re so easy to absorb, and there’s always a moral at the conclusion of the story. Whether they’re genuine stories or not is another issue, as many of them are legends purportedly hundreds of years old. However, the stories that I’m talking about are so compelling and motivating that many of them truly do get you thinking and even leave you speechless at times.

The 10 Best Inspirational Short Stories

I’ve been reading lots of these short stories in the past few weeks and find the teachings underlying them very lovely. So I’ve chosen to put up this essay presenting the 10 most inspirational short tales I’ve heard. Next to the subheadings, in brackets, I’ve placed what the narrative’s lesson is all about, with a short summary of the moral of the story at the end of each part.

1.      The Elephant Rope (Belief) 

A guy was going through an elephant camp, and he saw that the elephants weren’t being confined in cages or held by the use of chains. All that was holding them back from exiting the camp, was a short bit of rope attached to one of their legs. As the guy glanced at the elephants, he was absolutely bewildered as to why the elephants didn’t just utilise their might to break the rope and flee the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try to at all. Curious and eager to hear the truth, he questioned a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to flee.

The trainer answered;“when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s adequate to hold them. As kids grow up, they are conditioned to feel they cannot break away. They feel the rope can still hold them, therefore they never try to break free.”The only reason that the elephants weren’t breaking free and escaping from the camp was that over time they formed the attitude that it just wasn’t feasible.The moral of the story:\sNo matter how much the world attempts to hold you back, always persist with the idea that what you want to achieve is achievable. Believing you can become successful is the most critical step towards actually accomplishing it.

2.      Thinking Out of the Box (Creative Thinking) (Creative Thinking)

In a little Italian village, hundreds of years ago, a small company owner owed a considerable sum of money to a loan shark. The loan shark was a very elderly, unpleasant-looking guy that just so happened to admire the business owner’s daughter. He decided to offer the businessman a proposal that would fully wipe off the amount he owed him. However, the catch was that we would only wipe away the debt if he could marry the businessman’s daughter. Needless to say, my idea was welcomed with a look of contempt.

The loan shark claimed that he would place two stones inside a bag, one white and one black.The daughter would next have to reach into the bag and take out a rock. If it was black, the debt would be removed, but the loan shark would then marry her. If it was white, the debt would likewise be eliminated, but the daughter wouldn’t have to marry the loan shark. Standing on a pebble-strewn walkway in the businessman’s yard, the loan shark leaned over and picked up two stones. Whilst dad was scooping them up, the daughter saw that he’d picked up two black stones and placed them both inside the bag.

He then requested the daughter to reach into the bag and choose one.

The daughter naturally had three alternatives as to what she might have done:

1. Refuse to take a stone from the bag.
2. Take both stones out of the bag and expose the loan shark for cheating.
3. Pick a rock from the bag fully well knowing it was black and sacrifice herself for her father’s freedom.

She picked out a pebble from the bag, and before looking at it ‘accidentally’ dropped it into the mix of the other stones. She remarked to the loan shark“Oh, how clumsy of me. Never worries, if you look inside the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to see which stone I picked.”The pebble left in the bag is plainly black, and being as the loan shark didn’t want to be discovered, he had to play along as though the pebble the daughter dropped was white, and clear her father’s debt. The moral of the story:\sIt’s always feasible to overcome a challenging circumstance outside of the box thinking, and not give in to the only alternatives you think you have to choose from.

3.      The Group of Frogs (Encouragement) (Encouragement)

As a bunch of frogs was walking through the woods, two of them slipped into a deep pit. When the other frogs flocked around the hole and realised how deep it was, they warned the two frogs that there was no chance left for them.However, the two frogs chose to ignore what the others were saying and they proceeded to attempt to jump out of the hole.Despite their efforts, the group of frogs at the top of the pit were still suggesting that they should just give up.

That they would never make it out.Eventually, one of the frogs took notice to what the others were saying and he gave up, tumbling down to his death. The second frog proceeded to jump as hard as he could. Again, the mass of frogs shouted at him to cease the torture and just die.He leapt even harder and eventually got it out. When he came out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?”The frog conveyed to them that he was deaf. He felt they were encouraging him the entire time.Moral of the story:\sPeople’s comments may have a tremendous influence on other’s life. Think about what you say before it comes out of your lips. It could well be the difference between life and death.

4.      A Pound of Butter (Honesty) (Honesty)

There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to a baker. One day the baker wanted to weigh the butter to verify whether he was receiving the appropriate quantity, which he wasn’t. Angry over this, he brought the farmer to court.The court questioned the farmer if he was using any measure to weight the butter. The farmer said, “Honor, I am primitive. I don’t have a correct measure, but I do have a scale.”The judge said, “Then how do you weigh the butter?

”The farmer answered;“Your Honor, long before the baker started buying butter from me, I had been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when the baker comes the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anybody is to be responsible, it is the baker.”Moral of the story:\sIn life, you receive what you give. Don’t attempt and deceive people.

5.     The Obstacle In Our Path (Opportunity) (Opportunity)

In ancient times, a King had a boulder put on a route. He then hid himself and watched to see if anyone would move the boulder out of the path. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers stopped by and just strolled around it.Many people angrily chastised the King for not keeping the roads free, but none of them did anything about getting the stone out of the way.A peasant then came up with a bunch of veggies. Upon nearing the boulder, the peasant set down his burden and tried to push the stone out of the way.

After much pushing and straining, he eventually succeeded.After the peasant went back to pick up his veggies, he saw a pocketbook laying in the path where the boulder had been.The bag contained several gold coins and a message from the King stating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the path.Moral of the story:\sEvery hurdle we come across in life provides us an opportunity to improve our circumstances, and as the lazy grumble, the others are generating opportunities by their kind hearts, generosity, and determination to get things done.

6.     The Butterfly (Struggles) (Struggles)

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.One day a little opening emerged. He stayed and observed the butterfly for several hours as it battled to squeeze its body through that small opening.Until it suddenly stopped making any progress and seemed like it was trapped.So the guy decided to aid the butterfly. He got a pair of scissors and chopped off the last part of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged readily, but it had a bloated body and little, shrivelled wings.The man didn’t think anything of it and sat there waiting for the wings to grow to support the butterfly.

But it didn’t happen. The butterfly spent the remainder of its life unable to fly, crawling around with little wings and a bloated body.Despite the good heart of the guy, he didn’t comprehend that the confining cocoon and the struggle needed by the butterfly to force itself through the narrow aperture; were God’s means of driving fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. To ready itself for flying once it got out of the cocoon.Moral of the story:\sOur hardships in life strengthen our strengths. Without hardships, we never develop and never get stronger, thus it’s necessary for us to handle obstacles on our own, and not be reliant on support from others.

7.      Control Your Temper (Anger) (Anger)

There was was a small child who had a really nasty temper. His father decided to deliver him a bag of nails and explained that every time the child lost his anger, he had to pound a nail into the fence.On the first day, the youngster pounded 37 nails into that fence.The child gradually started to manage his fury over the following several weeks, and the number of nails he was pounding into the fence eventually dropped.He realised it was simpler to restrain his fury than to hammer those nails into the fence.Finally, the day arrived when the youngster didn’t lose his temper at all.

He informed his father the news and the father proposed that the youngster should now pluck out a nail every day he kept his fury under control.The days passed and the small child was eventually able to notify his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his kid by the hand and walked him to the fence.“you have done well, my son, but look at the gaps in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you speak words in anger, they leave a scar exactly like this one. You can stick a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.”Moral of the story:\sControl your anger, and don’t say things to others in the heat of the moment, that you may later regret. Some things in life, you are powerless to take back.

8.     The Blind Girl (Change) (Change)

There was a blind girl who despised herself merely for the fact she was blind. The only person she didn’t despise was her devoted lover, as he was always there for her. She remarked that if she could only see the globe, she would marry him.One day, someone gave a pair of eyeballs to her – suddenly she could see everything, even her boyfriend. Her lover asked her, “now that you can see the world, would you marry me?”The girl was astonished when she realised that her boyfriend was blind also, and refused to marry him.

Her lover walked away in tears, and subsequently wrote a message to her saying:Keep an eye on my eyes, please.To sum up, our thoughts and feelings vary as our circumstances change. Some individuals may be unable to recall the previous state of affairs and hence fail to recognise the improvements that have been made. This narrative has a lot to teach us, and one item isn’t enough.It’s one of the most uplifting short tales I’ve read in a while. 

9.     Two. Puppies on the Market (Understanding)

Above the door of his store, a shop owner posted a sign reading, “Puppies For Sale.”A little youngster contacted the proprietor of the shop after spotting the sign, which isn’t a surprise.”How much are you going to charge for the puppies?” he inquired.According to the business owner, the price range is between $30 and $50.The youngster fumbled in his pocket for some spare coins. He said, “I have $2.37,” and proceeded to count it. “Would you mind if I had a look?”The shop owner grinned and whistled as he greeted the customers. “Lady” emerged from her pen, followed by five itty-bitty balls of fur. She rushed down the aisle of his store with them.One of the puppies was much behind the others. Small Boy: “What’s wrong with that puppy? What’s going on with that little dog?”The proprietor of the business revealed that the veterinarian had inspected the puppy and found that it did not have a hip socket. It was a limpet. It’d never be anything but lame.

The youngster’s excitement was palpable. “That’s the dog I want to buy,” said the customer.”No, you don’t want to buy that small puppy,” the shop owner remarked. You can have him if you truly want him.The youngster became really distressed. He pointed his finger directly at the business owner and stated;”I don’t want him handed up to me. I’ll pay full price for that small puppy since he’s worth as much as any of the others. To be precise: “In reality, I’ll give you $2.37 right now, and 50 cents a month until I’ve paid him.”He said, “You definitely don’t want to purchase this small dog. He’ll never be able to play with you like the other pups since he can’t run and leap like them.”An amused small kid lifted up his trouser leg to reveal that his left leg had been severely injured and was supported by a large metal brace. Looked up at the shop owner with a softly said “I’m sorry, but the dog will need a friend who understands”

10.  A Vase Filled with Hugs (Love)

A few years ago, a guy disciplined his 3-year-old daughter for squandering a gold-wrapping-paper roll. Dad was strapped for cash, so when the kid insisted on decorating a box to go under the tree, he was enraged.It didn’t stop her from bringing it to him the next day, saying “This is for you Daddy.”A few moments prior, he’d felt ashamed of his response, but now that the box was empty, his wrath had returned. His words to her were: “Don’t you know that there is supposed to be something inside when you give someone a present?”The small girl wept and sobbed as she stared up at him.

This is not at all empty, Daddy. I kissed the box as I put it away. Daddy, they’re all for you.The father was heartbroken. He cradled his daughter in his arms and pleaded with her to forgive him.Accidentally, the youngster died not long after that.When her father was feeling low, he would pull out an imagined kiss from the gold box and remember the love of the little girl who had placed it there.In the end, the story’s moral is that love is one of life’s greatest gifts.