Need an extra source of motivation? Get inspired for more success, new goals, and a better life with this collection of inspirational quotes and sayings that will light a fire in you. Whether you’re looking to be inspired professionally, in your relationship, or when you find it hard to jump out of bed on a Monday morning, use this list of the best inspirational quotes to uplift and motivate you.
Jump to:
- Inspirational Quotes About Success
- Inspirational Quotes About Life
- Inspirational Quotes for Work
- Short Inspirational Quotes
- Inspirational Quotes About Love
- Inspirational Quotes for Women
- Funny Inspirational Quotes
- Morning Inspirational Quotes
- Inspirational Quotes for Kids
Inspirational Quotes About Success
We all want to succeed, and sometimes we need a little extra motivation to get us going. If you’re feeling down in the dumps after a hard day of work and your destination seems far off, try using success mantras to turn your day around. We’ve compiled a list of the best motivational quotes about success and hard work that will boost your confidence, uplift your spirit, and make you feel ready to take on anything.
- “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'” —Muhammad Ali
- “The difference between a successful person and others is not lack of strength not a lack of knowledge but rather a lack of will.” —Vince Lombardi
- “I am thankful for all of those who said NO to me. It’s because of them I’m doing it myself.” —Albert Einstein
- “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” —Michael Jordan
- “I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” —Serena Williams
- “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” —Thomas Alva Edison
- “Belief in oneself is one of the most important bricks in building any successful venture.” —Lydia M. Child
- “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” —Earl Nightingale
- “Success is achieved and maintained by those who try and keep trying.” —W. Clement Stone
- “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” —Will Rogers
- “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal. Nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong attitude.” —Thomas Jefferson
- “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” —Robert Collier
- “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” —Dale Carnegie
- “Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.” —Joyce Brothers
- “There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen.” —Jim Lovell
- “Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt, or fear.” —Dan Millman
- “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” —Conrad Hilton
- “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” —Pele
- “Happiness is the real sense of fulfillment that comes from hard work.” —Joseph Barbara
- “Success only comes to those who dare to attempt.” —Mallika Tripathi
- “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” —Confucius
- “Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.” —Albert Einstein
Inspirational Quotes About Life
Kickstart your inspiration with these positive quotes on happiness, perseverance, and facing life’s challenges. From quotes about life to wise words about believing in yourself, use these sayings to inspire and motivate you. Here’s a list of the best quotes to live by and inspire you each day.
- “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” —Dennis P. Kimbro
- “Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact. —William James
- Look at the sparrows; they do not know what they will do in the next moment. Let us literally live from moment to moment.” —Mahatma Gandhi
- Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” —Carl Bard
- “The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.” —Arthur C. Clarke
- “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.” —Oprah Winfrey
- “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” —Dolly Parton
- “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” —Helen Keller
- “Every day is not a success. Every year is not a success. You have to celebrate the good.” —Reese Witherspoon
- “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” —Roald Dahl
- “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” —Oprah Winfrey
- “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” —Martin Luther King Jr.
- “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” —Dr. Suess
- “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” —Unknown
- “Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.” —Carole Burnett
- “If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.” —Beyoncé
- “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” —Albert Einstein
- “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” —George Bernard Shaw
- “I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.” —Arthur Rubinstein
- “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” —Oscar Wilde
- “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain
- “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” —Henry Ford
Inspirational Quotes for Work
Workweeks can be rough. Each day can be a challenge to maintain your productivity and focus. You have so many responsibilities that it can be hard to reduce the stress and pressure you may feel from work or school. Whether you’re aiming for a promotion or starting a new business, you can turn to quotes that inspire you to keep you going. Use these inspirational quotes for work to keep you focused in your professional life.
- “The real opportunity for success lies within the person and not in the job.” —Zig Ziglar
- “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” —Farrah Gray
- “All careers go up and down like friendships, like marriages, like anything else, and you can’t bat a thousand all the time”. —Julie Andrews
- “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” —Confucious
- “Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you’re willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.” —Lou Holtz
- “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” —Karen Lamb
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” —Steve Jobs
- “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”—
- “The more I want to get something done the less I call it work.” —Richard Bach
- “I would rather die of passion than of boredom.” —Emile Zola
- “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Talent means nothing, while experience, acquired in humility and with hard work, means everything.” —Patrick Suskind
- “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” —Alan Wilson Watts
- “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” —Stephen King
- “Spend eighty percent of your time focusing on the opportunities of tomorrow rather than the problems of yesterday.” —Brian Tracy
- “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them, and start again.” —Richard Branson
- “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” —C.S. Lewis
Short Inspirational Quotes
If you need a little dose of inspiration to keep you going, check out this collection of short inspirational quotes to brighten your day. Sometimes you need a short motivational quote for a quick pick-me-up or one that you can remember to repeat to yourself. These wise, inspirational, and humorous sayings will bring you peace and comfort when you need it most. Plus, they’re perfect for using as Instagram captions or as your custom text for a photo book.
- “If not us, who? If not now, when?” —John F. Kennedy
- “Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” —Jack Canfield
- “Live each day as if your life had just begun.” —Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
- “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” —Lao Tzu
- “Every noble work is at first impossible.” —Thomas Carlyle
- “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” —George Eliot
- “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” —John Wooden
- “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” —Babe Ruth
- “An obstacle is often a stepping stone.” —Prescott
- “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” —Theodore Roosevelt
- “Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace.” —French Proverb
- “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” —Norman Vincent Peale
- “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” —George Addair
- “You can be the lead in your own life.” —Kerry Washington
- “If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” —Erica Jong
- “Do one thing every day that scares you.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
- Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.” —Elizabeth Elliot
- “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” —Winston Churchill
- “Life is a series of baby steps.” —Hoda Kotb
- “It is not the length of life, but depth of life.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
Inspirational Quotes About Love
It can be hard to find the right words to describe the feeling of love. Whether it’s a new love, a decades-old love, or a reminder of self-love, use these love quotes to express what’s in your heart. You can use these quotes for a Valentine’s Day card, your wedding vows, or send them as a romantic message to the person you love.
- “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” —Lucille Ball
- “Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” —James Baldwin
- “The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.” —Morrie Schwartz
- “Love in its essence is spiritual fire.” —Seneca
- “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” —Maya Angelou
- “We love because it’s the only true adventure.” —Nikki Giovanni
- “There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.” —George Sand
- “Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.” —Oscar Wilde
- “Each time you love, love as deeply as if it were forever – only, nothing is eternal.” —Audre Lorde
- “The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love.” —Henry Miller
- “The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” —Vincent van Gogh
- “Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.” —Mother Teresa
- “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” —Martin Luther King Jr.
- “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” —Dalai Lama
- “Love cures people—both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.” —Karl A. Menninger
Inspirational Quotes for Women
Get a dose of girl power with this collection of empowering and inspirational quotes for women. With quotes from Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and more extraordinary women — use these words of wisdom for when you’re facing a challenge or just need some day-to-day encouragement.
- “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.” —Ruth Bader Ginsberg
- “Think like a queen. A queen if not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” —Oprah Winfrey
- “There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” —Michelle Obama
- “A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done.” —Marge Piercy
- “Taking joy in living is a woman’s best cosmetic.” —Rosalind Russell
- “A woman is like a tea bag — you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
- “A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts.” —Nancy Rathburn
- “When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” —Malala Yousafzai
- “People think at the end of the day that a man is the only answer [to fulfillment]. Actually, a job is better for me.” —Princess Diana
- “You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful just as you are.” —Melissa Etheridge
- “The strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her; but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate her and who she becomes.” —C. JoyBell C.
- “You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.” —Shonda Rhimes
- “I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself.” —Emma Stone
- “You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.” —Diane von Furstenberg
- “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
- “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” —Diane Mariechild
- “It’s not the absence of fear, it’s overcoming it. Sometimes you’ve got to blast through and have faith.” —Emma Watson
Funny Inspirational Quotes
Bring a smile to your face with this collection of funny quotes. If you need something to brighten your day, get you out of bed, or de-stress, use these positive and funny quotes to add some humor to your life. Spread the joy by sharing these witty, inspiring quotes with your friends and family when they need a pick-me-up.
- “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” —Mark Twain
- “Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” —Charles Schulz
- “When I hear somebody sigh, Life is hard, I am always tempted to ask, ‘Compared to what?’” —Sydney Harris
- “The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs… one step at a time.” —Joe Girard
- “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” —George Bernard Shaw
- “Age is of no importance unless you’re a cheese.” —Billie Burke
- “If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito.” —Betty Reese
- “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” —Jack London
- “A diamond is merely a lump of coal that did well under pressure.” —Unknown
- “Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” —Truman Capote
- “It’s okay to look at the past and the future. Just don’t stare.” —Lisa Lieberman-Wang
- “Wisdom comes from experience. Experience is often a result of lack of wisdom.” —Terry Pratchett
- “To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” —Reba McEntire
- “You grow up the day you have your first real laugh – at yourself.” —Ethel Barrymore
- “A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.” —Frank Zappa
- “Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” —Dale Carnegie
- “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” —Elbert Hubbard
Morning Inspirational Quotes
Feeling motivated first thing in the morning can be difficult. When life gets busy, it can feel harder and harder to jump out of bed every morning. Start your day off on the right foot with good morning inspirational quotes that will help you forget about the tiredness. To have you up and at ’em in no time, kick off your mornings with positive quotes and sayings that will motivate you to have your best day.
- “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” —George Lorimer
- “Light tomorrow with today.” —Elizabeth Barrett Browning
- “Someday is not a day of the week.” —Janet Dailey
- “Make each day your masterpiece.” —John Wooden
- “Don’t count the days, make the days count.” —Muhammad Ali
- “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” —Marcus Aurelius
- “The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.” —Ayn Rand
- “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” —Steve Jobs
- “You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.” —Beverly Sills
- “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.” —Sheryl Sandberg
- “Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.” —Dalai Lama
- “Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.” —Grandma Moses
- “It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined.” —Henry James
- “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” —Jim Rohn
- “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” —Denis Waitley
- “The best dreams happen when you’re awake.” —Cherie Gilderbloom
- “For each new morning let there be flow of love. Let there be light of happiness in every direction.” —Amit Ray
- “I never wake up in the morning and wonder why I am here. I wake up and wonder why I am not making here better.” —Jeffrey Fry
- “Climb the day, Drop your dreams, Possess the day.” ―Gail Carson Levine
- “Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.” —Mark Twain
- “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “The morning wind spreads its fresh smell. We must get up and take that in, that wind that lets us live. Breathe before it’s gone.” —Rumi
- “Today is a beautiful day and I will attract good things into my life.” —Unknown
- “A little progress each day adds up to big results.” —Satya Nani
- “One day or day one. It’s your decision.” —Unknown
- “Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” —Dalai Lama
Inspirational Quotes for Kids
Get your kids and students motivated with the best inspirational quotes for kids. Inspire them to be their best selves with these words of encouragement and hopes from the likes of Disney heroes and famous children’s authors. You can use these quotes as wall art or custom posters for the classroom, or to read to your kids when they need inspiration.
- “The more you give away the more happy you become. Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” —Dr. Suess
- “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” —Japanese Proverb
- “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why we call it ‘The Present’.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
- “No one is perfect – that’s why pencils have erasers.” —Wolfgang Riebe
- “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” —Judy Garland
- “Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.” —Hans Christen Andersen
- “Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.” —H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
- “Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” —Pamela Vaull Starr
- “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” —Maya Angelou
- “Being different isn’t a bad thing. It means you’re brave enough to be yourself.” —Luna Lovegood
- “If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” —Roald Dahl
- “You’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” —A.A. Milne
- “Give the world the best you have, and the best will come to you.” —Madeline Bridge
- “Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting so get on your way.” —Dr. Seuss
- “If you can dream it, you can do it.” —Walt Disney
Related Resources
If you loved these quotes and you’re looking for additional inspirational quotes related resources, we’ve got you covered. Make sure to check out our guide on quotes about love and life, as well as the following resources:
