There are films to move us, to make us feel scared, to provoke us… and there are also those that can have an effect on us beyond the screens or the cinema, when the final credits are over and we move away from these fictional worlds to immerse ourselves in the everyday life of our lives.

These are the motivational and self-improvement films , which not only tell us inspiring stories but often transform the way we see things and make decisions. These are pieces of cinema that seem to have been created to motivate all kinds of audiences and feed the fire of their will power.

By the way, don’t miss our compilation of phrases: “The 30 best motivational phrases”

In this article you can find a selection of 20 motivational and self-improvement films that you can “self-administer” when you believe that a little encouragement can help you to tackle projects with renewed strength.

Motivational and self-improvement films for all tastes

1. In search of happiness

Will Smith plays a father who has to face financial ruin and abandonment by his wife in order to continue providing good care for his son . The helplessness and the lack of help provided by the individualistic society in which he is immersed will not make him throw in the towel in his struggle to find a future in which he and his son can live with dignity. A life lesson that teaches us the importance of continuing to fight even when the circumstances are not very flattering.

2. The diving suit and the butterfly

One of our most notable inclusions in the article on movies about psychology and mental disorders is also one of the best self-improvement movies . This feature film tells the story of a former editor-in-chief of the magazine Elle , who was trapped in his own body due to an accident, being able to move only one eye. This will not prevent him from communicating with a nurse by blinking and thus writing an autobiographical book.

3. The indomitable Will Hunting

Will Hunting is a uniquely talented man who prefers to devote himself to his modest life goals rather than to fully express his potential. A teacher will help you get out of this blockage born of conformity . One of those self-improvement films especially suitable for people who believe they can give more of themselves. If you need an extra dose of motivation, you should meet Will Hunting as soon as possible.

4. The bright side of things

Acclaimed film in which the character played by Bradley Cooper learns to cope with the difficulties of living with Bipolar Disorder when he meets Jennifer Lawrence in the role of Tiffany . This impromptu duo will discover how mutual support is capable of transforming reality and decisively improving their lives.

5. A Wonderful Mind

One of the most famous and remembered films of achievement is the story of how John Forbes Nash began his successful academic and research career in the world of mathematics and geometry, by tackling his mental problems and his fit in society .

6. Ratatouille

Remy is a rat who dreams of becoming a great chef despite the opposition of his family and the fact that, well, is a rat . However, all this will not prevent her from associating with a young chef and undertaking with him an ambitious project that could cost her her life should the customers or the rest of the kitchen staff discover her. Motivational film for all audiences: shows us that everything is within our reach if we set our minds to it .

7. Forrest Gump

I couldn’t miss a compilation of motivational films. The actor Tom Hanks plays a young man with a low IQ who, thanks to his good faith and an exemplary desire to excel, lives a thousand adventures and earns a place in people’s hearts . This is a classic among self-improvement films; it shows us that an intellectual disability is not an obstacle to leaving a mark on this world.

8. The Dead Poets’ Club

In one of the most memorable roles of Robin Williams , he embodies a teacher who teaches at a high school for young people and who, going far beyond the role expected of him, acts as a real inspirational force for his students to discover for themselves the meaning of their lives through poetry. A moving story told with incredible sensitivity that is both moving and thought-provoking.

9. Untouchable

One of the most successful self-improvement films ever made, it is also based on real events . Philippe is a man of good financial standing who becomes quadriplegic and needs someone to look after him . This person turns out to be Driss , a sub-Saharan man who lives in a marginal environment and has a criminal record. The culture shock between the two of them will be the spark that will lead them to support each other in overcoming the different barriers they have to overcome.

10. The King’s Speech

This feature film tells the story of King George VI , who ascended the British throne in the mid-thirties and had to face the challenge of being an authority at the level of the House of Windsor despite his marked stuttering . The monarch is not alone in his fight against speech blockages, as he is assisted by a brilliant speech therapist named Lionel Logue , who plays a role similar to that of a modern coach.

11. The life of Pi

The life of the young Hindu Piscine Patel takes a big turn when the boat he is travelling in sinks and is cast adrift in a boat full of wild animals. On his long journey to nowhere, Piscine will have to manage to share his boat with a tiger using a mixture of ingenuity, hunger for adventure and good faith .

12. Life is beautiful

The film that catapulted director and actor Roberto Benigni to world fame. Gido is a Jewish man who is sent with his family to a concentration camp during the decline of Nazism. In these painful conditions of survival, will set out to protect the psychological integrity of his son by creating a fantasy about everything that happens around him. An exceptional portrait of fatherly love in spite of the most dire circumstances.

13. Rocky

The feature film that made Silverter Stallone famous is also a great example of what self-improvement films should be. Rocky is a young Italian-American from the lower class who boxes to become the heavyweight champion . Besides being a classic, he tells us one of the most inspiring and motivating stories in history.

14. Billy Elliot

Billy Elliot has a passion for dancing, and more specifically for ballet . This energetic hobby is not exactly well regarded in 1980s England, but Billy will devote all his energies to fighting the social pressure that could lead him to give up his dream. A film that tackles issues such as social stereotypes and identity .

15. The theory of everything

Here is the story of how the famous astrophysicist Stephen Hawking faced during his youth the diagnosis of the disease that would put him in his wheelchair , and how the complications that arose from this did not prevent him from focusing on an ambitious journey of learning and discovery while he was beginning a relationship with his first wife. An essential biographical film to motivate oneself and become what one wants to be… in spite of everything.

16. The pianist

Brilliant film directed by Roman Polanski . It is the story of a Polish pianist of Jewish origin who lives in a suburb of Warsaw, just at the time of the Third Reich. The Nazis enter the city, so that the protagonist will have to survive in hiding and with the only company of his piano and a constant fear of being discovered and sent to the death camps.

17. Million Dollar Baby

A veteran boxing coach intercepted by Clint Eastwood owns a gym on the outskirts of town. One day, Maggie Fitzgerald , a poor but very willing girl, shows up at the gym asking to be trained. A film that shows us an extraordinary capacity for sacrifice of the protagonist, who will have to squeeze the maximum to become a professional boxer and leave her old and unhappy life. Determination and motivation to fight against a grey life.

18. Invictus

A film that tells the life of Nelson Mandela , who after spending long years in prison for his political ideals, becomes president of South Africa and declares the end of apartheid . With the excuse of the celebration of the Rugby World Cup, reconciliation between blacks and whites is possible and Mandela will do everything necessary to promote values such as respect and peace .

19. Moneyball: breaking the rules

In this curious film, a sports director of an American baseball team ( Brad Pitt ) employs a rigorous methodology of working with his players. In spite of having fewer economic resources than the rest of the teams in the league, the motivation, the cunning and the thousands of hours of work invested in improving the team’s performance will bear fruit . A motivating film that will make you enjoy yourself if you like the field of sports psychology.

20. Life imprisonment (Dreams of Freedom)

The Shawshank Redemption is a classic among classics. A masterful film in every sense of the word, starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman , two prisoners in a 1950s US prison who will forge a beautiful friendship. An optimistic view of life, even in especially unjust and dramatic circumstances. Robbins will only be able to escape from routine thanks to his commitment and his will to live.