In Chinese culture, 励志 is more than just a genre; it's a reflection of a core societal value: changing one's fate through sheer effort and perseverance (奋斗, fèndòu). This is especially resonant in a society where the national college entrance exam, the gaokao (高考), is seen as a pivotal, life-altering event. Stories of students from poor rural areas studying relentlessly to get into top universities are classic 励志 narratives. Compared to the Western concept of “inspirational,” 励志 is less abstract and more goal-oriented. While a beautiful sunset might be “inspirational” in English, it would not be described as 励志. 励志 requires a story of human struggle against adversity leading to a tangible success, whether academic, professional, or personal. It's less about “finding yourself” and more about “making yourself.” This ties into the concept of a collective “Chinese Dream” (中国梦), where individual success through hard work contributes to national progress.
励志 is most commonly used as an adjective to classify types of media or stories. It has a very positive connotation, though it can sometimes be used to describe something as a bit cliché, similar to how one might call something “a cheesy self-help book” in English.