105 Motivational Quotes by Famous People | The Inspiring Journal (2024)

105 Motivational Quotes by Famous People | The Inspiring Journal (1)

Reading motivational quotes by famous people can give us the strength to keep going. It is always worth paying attention to the advice, experience, and wisdom of those who have achieved great things in life.

Here are 105 motivational quotes by famous people to help you stay motivated to achieve your goals. Also, check out our list of courage quotes for more inspiration.

Feel free to share these motivational quotes by famous people with your friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.

1. “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” – Benjamin Franklin

2. “Nothing will work unless you do.” – Maya Angelou

3. “Action is the foundational key to all success.” – Pablo Picasso

4. “The path to success is to take massive, determined action.” – Tony Robbins

5. “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

6. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

7. “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford

8. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn

9. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

10. “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi

11. “The mind is everything. What you think you become.” – Buddha

12. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

13. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain

14. “And in the end it is not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln

15. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs

16. “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.” – Napoleon Hill

17. “Kites rise highest against the wind – not with it.” – Winston Churchill

18. “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” – Mahatma Gandhi

19. “Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.” – Orison Swett Marden

20. “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Related: 65 Motivational Quotes About Goal Setting

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21. “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie

22. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

23. “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” – Bruce Lee

24. “The best revenge is massive success.” – Frank Sinatra

25. “The biggest mistake people make in life is NOT making a living at doing what they most enjoy.” – Malcolm S. Forbes

26. “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge

27. “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

28. “Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.” – W. Clement Stone

29. “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” – Swami Vivekananda

30. “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein

31. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

32. “Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life, no matter what may be one’s aim.” – John D. Rockefeller

33. “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

34. “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” – Alan Kay

35. “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” – Farrah Gray

36. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw

37. “Every one of us is the sum total of his own thoughts.” – Earl Nightingale

38. “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius

39. “Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.” – Oscar Wilde

40. “There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” – Aristotle

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41. “Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.” – Robert Kiyosaki

42. “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anais Nin

43. “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” – Norman Vincent Peale

44. “The only people who don’t make mistakes are those who do nothing, and that is the biggest mistake of all.” – Dr William Reilly

45. “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” – Brian Tracy

46. “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd

47. “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu

48. “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” – T. S. Eliot

49. “Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” – Paulo Coelho

50. “Dreams don’t work unless you do.” – John C. Maxwell

51. “Focus on being productive instead of busy.” – Tim Ferriss

52. “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.” – Nelson Mandela

53. “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Suzy Kassem

54. “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

55. “Success is the child of audacity.” – Benjamin Disraeli

56. “A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” – John Assaraf

57. “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot

58. “Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama

59. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier

60. “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” – Bill Cosby

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61. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

62. “Nothing happens unless first a dream.” – Carl Sandburg

63. “Dream is not the thing you see in sleep but is that thing that doesn’t let you sleep.” – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

64. “Greatness begins beyond your comfort zone.” – Robin Sharma

65. “Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.” – Wayne Dyer

66. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

67. “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

68. “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve.” – Mary Kay Ash

69. “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau

70. “You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can because that’s where you will find success, on the other side of failure.” – Thomas Watson

71. “A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” – Charles Darwin

72. “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing you can do is keep your mind young.” – Mark Twain

73. “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” – Benjamin Franklin

74. “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Winston Churchill

75. “People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals – that is, goals that do not inspire them.” – Tony Robbins

76. “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn

77. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali

78. “Never give up. You only get one life. Go for it!” – Richard E. Grant

79. “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” – William Wallace

80. “Diligence is the mother of good fortune.” – Benjamin Disraeli

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105 Motivational Quotes by Famous People | The Inspiring Journal (5)

81. “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” – Maya Angelou

82. “Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.” – Samuel Johnson

83. “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” – Zig Ziglar

84. “The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

85. “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby

86. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison

87. “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

88. “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn

89. “Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.” – Denis Waitley

90. “People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” – Dale Carnegie

91. “Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.” – W. Clement Stone

92. “The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” – Robert Kiyosaki

93. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

94. “The difference between where you are today and where you’ll be five years from now will be found in the quality of books you’ve read.” – Jim Rohn

95. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu

96. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” – George Bernard Shaw

97. “The important thing is that we must be constantly moving forward – yes, the progress realization of a predetermined goal. And our growth should never end.” – Og Mandino

98. “Men who know exactly what they want of life, and are determined to get it, do not stop with wishing. They intensify their wishes into a burning desire, and back that desire with continuous effort based on a sound plan.” – Andrew Carnegie

99. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin

100. “The moment a man ceases to progress, to grow higher, wider and deeper, then his life becomes stagnant.” – Orison S. Marden

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101. “Discontent is the first necessity of progress.” – Thomas A. Edison

102. “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller

103. “If you can dream it. you can do it.” – Walt Disney

104. “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” – Paulo Coelho

105. “Your world is a living expression of how you are using and have used your mind.” – Earl Nightingale

SEE ALSO: 65 Positive Thinking Quotes to Inspire You

What are your favorite motivational quotes? Please share in the comment section below.

Don’t forget to share these motivational quotes by famous people on your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest.

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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

As an expert in motivational quotes, I have spent years studying the wisdom and advice of famous individuals who have achieved great things in life. I have immersed myself in their words, gaining a deep understanding of their messages and the impact they can have on our lives.

Motivational quotes have the power to ignite a fire within us, giving us the strength and determination to keep going, even in the face of challenges. They remind us of the importance of taking action, staying persistent, and believing in ourselves.

In this article, there are 105 motivational quotes by famous people from various fields, including Benjamin Franklin, Maya Angelou, Pablo Picasso, Tony Robbins, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Ford, Jim Rohn, Theodore Roosevelt, Vince Lombardi, Buddha, Helen Keller, Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln, Steve Jobs, Napoleon Hill, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, and many more.

These quotes cover a range of topics, from the importance of energy and persistence, the value of taking action, the strength that comes from facing hardships, the power of belief, the role of motivation and habit, the significance of willpower, the impact of mindset and thoughts, the pursuit of a daring adventure, the secret of getting ahead, the value of time, the development of courage and growth, the necessity of risk-taking, the pursuit of dreams, and the importance of perseverance.

These quotes can be shared with friends and family on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, spreading their inspirational messages far and wide.

Motivational quotes have the ability to uplift, inspire, and encourage us to achieve our goals. They remind us that success is within reach, and that with determination, perseverance, and a positive mindset, anything is possible. So, embrace these quotes, let them guide you in your journey, and never forget the power that lies within you to create the life you desire.

105 Motivational Quotes by Famous People | The Inspiring Journal (2024)

FAQs

What is the best inspiring quote from famous people? ›

Famous quotes in English
QuoteWho
To thine own self, be true.William Shakespeare
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.Robert Frost
United we stand, divided we fall.Aesop
What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.Friedrich Nietzsche
54 more rows

What is the most famous motivational quote? ›

What is the most inspiring quote ever?
  • “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” – Confucius.
  • “Magic is believing in yourself. ...
  • “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them” – Walt Disney.
  • “The real test is not whether you avoid this failure…
Aug 19, 2021

What is Elon Musk's most famous quote? ›

When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.

What is the most powerful quote ever? ›

7 Most Powerful Quotes That Inspire
  • The Power of Words. ...
  • “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi. ...
  • “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. ...
  • “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein. ...
  • Navigating Life's Challenges.
Sep 28, 2023

What are Mark Twain's most famous quotes? ›

"Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn't." "The funniest things are forbidden." "There are no people who are quite so vulgar as the over-refined." "When you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain."

What is the best life quote ever? ›

50 quotes about life
  • "You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated." – ...
  • "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on." – ...
  • "Life is a long lesson in humility." – ...
  • "To live is the rarest thing in the world.
Apr 6, 2024

What are 5 inspirational quotes? ›

50 motivational quotes
  • "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." — ...
  • "Your self-worth is determined by you. ...
  • "Nothing is impossible. ...
  • "Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you." — ...
  • “You have brains in your head. ...
  • "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." —
Nov 30, 2023

What are five famous quotes about life? ›

Inspiring short quotes
  • “Do not let making a living prevent you from making a life.” — John Wooden.
  • “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — ...
  • “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” — ...
  • “What's the world for if you can't make it up the way you want it?” —
Nov 30, 2023

What are 10 good quotes short? ›

Famous Short Quotes
  • Everything has BEAUTY, but not everyone sees it. ...
  • Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. - ...
  • The grass is greener where you water it. - ...
  • When you focus on problems, you'll have more problems. ...
  • Fear does not stop death, it stops life. ...
  • They tried to bury us, they didn't know we were seeds.

What is a very powerful quote? ›

Life isn't as serious as the mind makes it out to be — Eckhart Tolle. Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm —Winston Churchill. A real man smiles in times of trouble, gathers strength from distress and grows brave by reflection — Thomas Paine.

What is a very famous quote? ›

Some famous quotes can provide you with valuable advice you can look to you're pursuing your dreams : "Believe you can and you're halfway there." — Theodore Roosevelt. "The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."

What are the deepest quotes ever? ›

50 Shortest And Deep Meaningful Quotes That Blow Your Mind
  • “The only joy in the world is to begin. ...
  • “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”- ...
  • “Whatever you do, do it well.” — ...
  • “What we think, we become.” — ...
  • “I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.” —
Nov 6, 2020

What is the most famous quote ever said? ›

10 most famous quotes of all time
  • "I have a dream." - Martin Luther King Jr.
  • "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - ...
  • "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - ...
  • "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." -
May 20, 2022

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