You can also call on the words of others to lend your speech a sense of history, perspective, and timeless eloquence. Quotations, repeating the exact words of another person, are usually most effective when they are brief, to the point, and clearly related to your topic. You might quote a historical figure, a celebrity, a poet, or a playwright. For example, in a speech about motivation, you could quote Michelangelo: “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it but that it is too low and we reach it.” Your sources do not need to be famous—you may be motivated to quote a friend or family member: “My grandfather always told me, ‘An education is never a burden.’” Be sure to point out the source of your quote and, if necessary, explain who the person is or was.