Explore hard-to-find speeches, lectures, and talks from history's greatest innovators, founders, and investors. Including Jony Ive, Jeff Bezos, Charlie Munger, Admiral McRaven, and Richard Feynman. Every speech has a full transcript and links to related interviews, letters, and book summaries.
Not long ago, I came across a little-known speech titled, You and Your Research. The speech had been delivered in 1986 by Richard Hamming, an accomplished mathematician and computer engineer, as part of an internal series of talks given at Bell Labs. I had never heard of Hamming, the internal lecture series at Bell Labs, or this particular speech. And yet, as I read the transcript, I came across one useful insight after another.
After reading that talk, I got to thinking… What other great talks and speeches are out there that I've never heard? As far as I know this is the only place where you can read transcripts of these speeches in one place.
Speeches, Lectures, and Talks
- Richard Hamming's Talk on You and Your Research
- Peter Kaufman's Talk on The Multidisciplinary Approach to Thinking
- Charlie Munger's Lecture on Strengths and Weaknesses After Considering Interdisciplinary Needs
- Graham Weaver's Lecture on How to Live an Asymmetric Life
- Randy Pausch's Famous Time Management Lecture
- William Deresiewicz's Speech at West Point on Solitude and Leadership
- Dr. Richard Hamming's Lecture on Learning to Learn
- Ed Catmull of Pixar's Lecture on Keeping Your Crises Small
- General Patton's "Speech to the Third Army" on the Eve of the Invasion of Europe
- Graham Weaver's Three Practices to Help You Become the Best in the World
- General Bruce C. Clarke's Leadership, Commandership, Generalship, and Followership Speech
- Richard Feynman's Lecture on The Character of Physical Law and Seeking New Laws
- Stanley Druckenmiller's Rare Lost Tree Club Lecture and Audience Q&A
- Charlie Munger's Famous Speech on The Revised Psychology of Human Misjudgment
- Admiral William H. McRaven's Speech on The Value of Discipline - "Make Your Bed"
- Claude Shannon's Talk at Bell Labs on Creative Thinking
- Jony Ive's California College of the Arts Commencement Address
- Robert Oppenheimer's Speech to the Los Alamos Scientists Working on the Manhattan Project
- Steve Jobs Lecture at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business
- Pixar Director Andrew Stanton's "The Clues to a Great Story" Commencement Address
- Graham Weaver's Last Lecture on Your Life as the Hero's Journey
- Coach Bill Parcells' NFL Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech
- Albert Gray's The Common Denominators of Success Speech
- J.K. Rowling's Speech on The Fringe Benefits of Failure
- Art Williams' Famous "Just Do It" Speech
- Charlie Munger's “A Lesson on Elementary Worldly Wisdom“ Speech
- Neil Gaiman's Commencement Address on Making Good Art
- Photographer Arno Rafael Minkkinen's Talk on Finding Your Own Vision
- Rob Pardo's AGC Keynote on Blizzard Entertainment's Design Philosophy
- Rob Pardo's Lecture on Blizzard's Game Design Philosophy
- Tobi Lutke's Shopify Summit Speech on Solving New Problems
- Charlie Munger's Commencement Address at USC's Law School
- John W. Gardner's Address at Stanford's 100th Commencement Ceremony
- B.F. Skinner's Lecture on How to Discover What You Have to Say
- Jeff Bezos Commencement Address on What Matters More Than Your Talents
- Chemist Louis Pasteur's Speech on Worshiping the Spirit of Criticism
- Steve Jobs MIT Distinguished Speaker Series Lecture
- John W. Gardner's Personal Renewal Speech to McKinsey & Company
- William Lyon Phelps' Speech on The Love of Books
- Broadcaster John Hilton's "A Talk About Talking"
- George Saunders' Commencement Address on Failures of Kindness
- Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Address
- Comedian John Cleese's Talk on Creativity in Management
- Charlie Munger's Speech on How to Guarantee a Life of Misery
- Bill Gurley's Running Down a Dream - How to Succeed and Thrive in a Career You Love
- Steve Jobs SIGGRAPH Keynote on Pixar and Toy Story
- Bret Victor's Talk on How to Invent on Principle
- Jeff Bezos Statement to the U.S. House on Entrepreneurship and Amazon's Journey
- Benjamin Franklin's Address to the 1787 Federal Convention
- William Safire's Witty Speech on the Telephone as the Subverter of Good English
- Nelson Mandela's Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award Speech - "Sport Has The Power to Change the World"
- John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s Speech on His Family’s Creed
