I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse
— Letter from Nightingale to a young student
Nightingale's commitment to accountability serves as a powerful motivator for overcoming obstacles.
Wisdom Category
Motivation Quotes
Inspirational quotes to energize and drive your personal growth
35 Curated Quotes
It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it
— Motivational speaking sessions
Holtz highlights the importance of approach and mindset in facing challenges and pressures.
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today
— From a speech, April 13, 1945
Roosevelt inspires people to overcome present insecurities to unlock future potential, promoting confidence over doubt.
Believe you can and you're halfway there
— Frequently cited in leadership and motivational literature
Roosevelt highlights the power of self-belief as a pivotal factor in achieving one's goals.
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does
— From teachings and works in psychology and philosophy
James' powerful message implies the significance of one's actions, encouraging a mindset that perceives actions as impactful.
Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person
— Speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, 1994
Inspires taking initiative on an individual level instead of waiting for guidance or instructions from leaders.
What is not started today is never finished tomorrow
— Book: Elective Affinities, Chapter 4
Encourages immediate action instead of procrastinating, emphasizing the importance of beginning tasks now for future completion.
Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny
— C.S. Lewis to an American Lady, Collected Letters Volume III
Highlights how facing challenges can lead to remarkable personal growth and accomplishments.
Energy and persistence conquer all things
— Letter to John Burgoyne, dated December 1776
Franklin highlights the crucial impact that dedication and sustained effort have in overcoming challenges and achieving success.
Don't let yesterday take up too much of today
— Column article in The New York Times
This quote advises focusing on the present moment rather than dwelling on past mistakes or successes that might impede current progress.
The secret of getting ahead is getting started
— Found in biographies and compilations of Twain's quotes
Twain simplifies the journey to success, stressing the importance of taking the initial step.
Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit
— Speech at a hotel management conference
This quote emphasizes the importance of continuous action and movement towards goals as a key to success.
In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity
— Letter to his son Eduard, 1921
Einstein captures the essence of transforming challenges into opportunities, encouraging individuals to find potential amidst obstacles.
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing
— Various, attributed to his speeches
Disney emphasizes the importance of action over deliberation to create momentum towards achieving goals.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us
— Attributed to Emerson, often associated with motivational principles
Emerson highlights the power of inner strength and resilience in overcoming obstacles and achieving success.
Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other
— Book: The Spiritual Life, Chapter: On Perseverance
Emphasizes the enduring and cumulative nature of perseverance in achieving goals.
It always seems impossible until it's done
— Interview, 2001
Highlights the power of perseverance and putting in effort to achieve goals, even when the tasks seem impossible initially.
The only way to do great work is to love what you do
— Stanford Commencement Speech, 2005
This quote emphasizes the importance of passion and enthusiasm in achieving outstanding results and maintaining motivation in one's profession or endeavors.
Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts
— Speech addressing students at Harrow School
This quote emphasizes the importance of resilience and persistence in achieving success.
Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking
— Attributed to Yeats in collections of inspirational quotes
This quote encourages proactive effort rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible
— Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
In 'Alice in Wonderland,' Charles Kingsleigh reminds us of the power of belief, suggesting that our mindset can transform our ability to overcome challenges.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life
— Stanford University Commencement Address, 2005
Jobs urges us to focus on our own aspirations and not be sidetracked by external pressures.
What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals
— Book titled "Born to Win: Find Your Success Code"
Ziglar underscores the transformative personal growth that accompanies goal achievement, rather than only material or external rewards.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams
— Book: You Learn by Living, Chapter: The Right to Dream
A reminder that belief in one's dreams is crucial for achieving future success.
Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going
— Motivational speech at an athletics coaching seminar
Ryun highlights the critical role of motivation to initiate action and the sustaining power of habits to keep one on track.
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take
— Interview response discussing risk and opportunity
Gretzky underscores the necessity of taking action and seizing opportunities.
Don't watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going
— Television and comedy performances
Encourages people to remain focused and persistent, despite the passage of time.
Opportunities don't happen, you create them
— Quoted in motivational speeches and articles
Grosser points out the proactive role individuals must take in seizing or crafting their success and opportunities.
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else
— From Washington's speeches on self-improvement and mutual support
Washington suggests that helping others and fostering community can boost personal motivation and success.
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it
— A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, 1849
This quote indicates that true achievement is often an outcome of dedicated work and focus, rather than actively seeking success.
If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress
— Speech at the Democratic National Convention, 2004
Encourages staying committed to a chosen path and emphasizes consistency in making advancements toward goals.
The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary
— Common motivational proverb
This maxim stresses the importance of hard work as a precursor to any success.
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful
— Quoted in various motivational speeches and self-help books
This quote emphasizes the relationship between passion and success, suggesting that true achievement comes when one enjoys their work.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall
— Analects, Book 2, Chapter 3
Emphasizes resilience and the value of persistence, highlighting that true success comes from overcoming failures.
You do not find the happy life. You make it
— Quoted in religious and inspirational texts
Kimball's words encourage initiative and self-determination, reminding us that happiness and motivation stem from proactive choices.