50+ Motivational Quotes for Work: Inspire Your Team (2024)

Have you ever been part of a team that simply didn’t jive? Even when everyone gets along and has mutual respect for each other, some teams lack the motivation to get things done. That lack of inspiration can then affect your individual production and even your personal life.

Team-building activities, like the ones put together by Let’s Roam, can help overcome the malaise that “infects” teams from time to time. While that’s great news, teams don’t always have the time or resources to engage in such exercises. Fortunately, there are motivational quotes for work that can infuse some much-needed energy and enthusiasm in teams tasked with what seem like impossible projects.

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Motivate Your Employees With Inspirational Activities

Has your staff been in a slump? Liven them up with team-building activities from Let’s Roam! Inspire them with a special workshop, team them to meditate to change their frame of mind, or fuel up their competitive spirit. There are over 20 exercises to choose from, and we can accommodate teams of all sizes. Contact our guides to start planning!

Inspirational Quotes: The Secret Sauce That’s Behind Them

When you take a moment to think about your favorite quotes, can you identify the things about them that made you memorize them in the first place? As it turns out, there is something of a science behind the reasons why certain quotes resonate with people while others that express the same or a similar sentiment fall flat and are quickly forgotten.

People tend to favor motivational quotes that have a measure of coaching or mentoring in them. For that reason, quotes that reinforce the belief that you can do something are among the most popular and longest-lasting sayings out there.

According to Ward Farnsworth, the author of “Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric,” humans have an “appetite for well-expressed wisdom, motivational or otherwise.” With that in mind, it shouldn’t be a surprise that people gravitate toward quotes that are expressed a certain way, such as sayings that rhyme or those that steep memorable words in a brew of deep insight.

The individuals behind inspirational quotes also influence their staying power and circulation. Quotes from people holding positions in the public eye seem to be the most impactful because those individuals are widely viewed are successful, wise, and exceptional in some way. Sayings from recognized names like performers, artists, professional athletes, and world leaders speak to a person’s aspirational side and they make us want to follow their example on a primal level we might not even be aware of.

Make no doubt about it. Certain quotes have the very real power to make you see something inside yourself that you may have overlooked your whole life. And they can do the same or even more for your team, especially when everyone buys into your chosen message.

A Look at Some of the Best Motivational Quotes

Trite sayings like “teamwork makes the dream work” are well known. While quotes like that are memorable and all too common, they provide no insight into how you can prevent that dream from becoming a nightmare. Luckily, there are plenty of motivational quotes for teams that have more teeth and thus a bigger bite.

“Someday is not a day of the week.” – Janet Dailey

Janet Anne Haradon Dailey sold more than 300 million books under the pen name “Janet Dailey.” In addition to being a successful novelist, Dailey was also an entrepreneur who knew a thing or two about teamwork.

Having written 57 novels for Harlequin alone and more titles for other publishers before her death in 2013, Dailey employed a strict daily routine to get her work done. Dailey started her day at four o’clock in the morning with the constant goal of writing 15 pages per day. When she met her goal, Dailey stopped writing even if she was in the middle of a sentence. Dailey claimed her unfinished work motivated her to resume working the following day.

As a result of Dailey’s routine and discipline, the prolific author completed some of her earliest books in a mere eight days. Her overwhelming success and stringent work ethic are proof that someday isn’t a day of the week for your team. Someday is today, and it’s time for your team to script your collective 15 pages.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Best known for novels like “Treasure Island” and “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” author Robert Louis Stevenson certainly had a way with words. Stevenson suffered from symptoms commonly affiliated with tuberculosis from an early age, yet he still became a world-famous novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer whose work has influenced generations of readers.

Like Daily planted the seeds of success for tomorrow with her unfinished work, Stevenson’s words should inspire your teammates to set the stage for future success rather than rest on their laurels with today’s achievements. Teams that look forward move forward, after all, something that Stevenson managed to do in both literal and figurative contexts despite his chronic illness.

“He that can have patience can have what he will.” – Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was part of a team commonly referred to as the founding fathers, a group that laid the foundation for America’s democracy. Franklin signed some important papers over the course of his life, such as the:

• Declaration of Independence
• Treaty of Paris
• U.S. Constitution

A brilliant thinker who earned enviable stature as a statesman, Franklin’s words speak directly to the hearts of teammates who’ve lost motivation because a project isn’t moving along as quickly as they’d like. If everyone remains patient and resilient, your team can have what it wants in the form of a successfully completed assignment that exceeds expectations.

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” – Michael Jordan

Owner of the Charlotte Bobcats and arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan has been a cross-generational source of inspiration for decades. Credited with a number of motivational quotes, Jordan’s words typically relay simple truths. In this case, the message is that no matter how talented your individual teammates might be, you’ll all be more successful by working together.

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“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

A graduate of Radcliffe College of Harvard University, Helen Keller was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts. She went on to become an author, a lecturer, and an advocate for disability rights and politics.

Thanks in large part to her lifelong companion and teacher Anne Sullivan, Keller achieved great things in her lifetime despite her physical disabilities. Had she been left alone after she lost her sight and hearing at 19 months old as the result of an illness, Keller may have achieved very little. Instead, she teamed with others and accomplished “so much” during her lifetime. Now is the time for your team to do the same.

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” – Lou Holtz

A member of the esteemed College Football Hall of Fame, Lou Holtz is still the only college football coach who led six different collegiate programs to bowl games and the only coach who pushed four different teams into the top 20 rankings in the sport. With such praiseworthy achievements under his belt, Holtz clearly had to come up with some inspirational quotes from time to time.

As the quote provided above relates to teams, Holtz’s words indicate that teams aren’t burdened by their assignments if they carry their shared load together. If a team fails to support their load as one, then the load make break the group even if it’s weightless.

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh

A Dutch post-impressionist artist, Van Gogh became a wildly influential figure in the history of western art after his death in 1890. In the last decade of his life alone, Van Gogh painted and crafted more than 2,000 works of art, with him making most of them in the final two years of his life.

All the small things that constituted Van Gogh’s life added up to a breathtaking collection of art that included masterpieces, such as:

• The Potato Eaters
• Sunflowers
• The Starry Night
• Church of Auvers
• The Siesta

Van Gogh struggled with mental health issues throughout his life, including depression. Even still, he managed to leave an indelible mark on the art world, and his art continues to enrich the lives of everyone who views his work.

If you look at your teammates as “small things brought together,” it’s easy to imagine all the great things your group can do. Now, it’s time to make those images a reality, so get to work!

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“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius

Leave it to Confucius to have come up with a simple phrase that packs a whole lot of motivational punch. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you start a project because it seems like the work equivalent of a mountain. If you break that project into smaller, manageable pieces or stones, your team will recapture its previously lost motivation because they can start carrying away their mountain of a workload piece by digestible piece.

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” – Thomas Jefferson

A philosopher, statesman, lawyer, founding father, diplomat, architect, and the third president of the United States, Jefferson’s actions defined and delineated him during his lifetime, and they continue to support his enduring legacy to this day. Teams that lack a shared identity often become stagnant because they don’t know who they are as a group. Jefferson’s words should inspire your teammates to take action that will define and delineate your group, with those actions eventually being the basis for your team’s legacy.

Will your group’s legacy be one of success or failure? You’ll only know by taking action.

“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

With Jefferson having accomplished so much during his lifetime, it’s almost a given that his words would appear more than once on any list of the best motivational quotes. This particular quote needs little explanation. If your team has the right attitude, there’s nothing your group can’t do. Even with all possible resources allocated to them, teams with the wrong attitude are hopeless.

“What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

A poet, abolitionist, philosopher, lecturer, and essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson was at the forefront of the transcendentalist movement in the mid-19^th century. A strong promoter of individualism, Emerson proved he was a wordsmith with dozens of published and well-received essays and more than 1,500 lectures delivered throughout the United States.

For individuals and teams, Emerson’s prescient words make a lot of sense. While your group may be stifled with fear, it’s what your team fears the most that should be tackled right away. Putting something scary in the rearview should motivate you and your team to take care of business on both individual and group levels.

“Twenty years from now you’ll be more disappointed by the things you did not do than the ones you did.” – Mark Twain

Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, the author, entrepreneur, lecturer, and publisher scripted great American classics under the pen name Mark Twain. Once celebrated as the “greatest humorist the United States has produced,” Twain was the genius behind timeless novels like “The Prince and the Pauper,” “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court,” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”

Twain also had an impressive catalog of oft-satirical short stories, which include:

• “The Celebrat4ed Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”
• “Cannibalism in the Cars”
• “A True Story, Repeated Word for Word As I Heard It”
• “Hunting the Deceitful Turkey”

While some of Twain’s works have been deemed controversial in recent years, his biting satirical quotes continue to inspire others. His observation that people will regret the things they didn’t do more than they’ll bemoan the things they did is spot on. If members of your team want to look back on their careers knowing they did everything possible to be successful as individuals and as a group, they should be motivated to do everything they can to make that happen beginning as early as today.

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” – Colin Powell

Colin Powell was the first African American to hold the office of United States Secretary of State, a title he held from 2001 until 2005. An American patriot, Powell was a U.S. soldier for 35 years. After leaving the U.S. Armed Forces, Powell became a well-spoken diplomat, statesman, and politician.

An author of two books, “My American Journey” and “It Worked for Me, Lessons in Life and Leadership,” Powell was an inspiration for many. Without even being a candidate, Powell managed to earn three electoral votes in the 2016 presidential election.

During his military career, Powell won several prestigious U.S. and foreign military accolades. As a civilian, he was awarded the:

• Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Congressional Gold Medal
• Presidential Citizens Medal
• Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award

With such a storied career and life, Powell was one of the most successful people of his generation in many ways. With that in mind, it makes sense for your team to take his words to heart. Your teammates cannot achieve your shared goals by sitting back and waiting for something magical to happen. You need to band together and fully invest yourselves in your work to surpass benchmarks, meet deadlines, and set an example for other teams to emulate.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

Taught by Plato, Aristotle was a Greek philosopher who supposedly knew everything there was to know during his lifetime. With such a formidable knowledge bank, Aristotle made countless contributions in just about every aspect of human knowledge, such as ethics, biology, and aesthetics. Referred to as “The First Teacher” in Arabic philosophy and simply as “The Philosopher” in the West, Aristotle may be the smartest, most enlightened man to ever walk the earth. At a minimum, he’s at least one of them.

Considering his vast knowledge and incredible insights, it’s wise to take The Philosopher at his word when he says that people are what they do over and over and that excellence is a habit. If your team wants to be excellent, you and your co-workers may need to change your habits and daily routine. The success that’s sure to result from those changes should keep your group motivated over the long haul.

“In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Often called T.R. or Teddy by his close associates, Theodore Roosevelt was the 26^th president of the United States, holding office from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt took over the presidency after President McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo, NY on September 6, 1901.

Teddy Roosevelt had a wide range of interests, which he melded into a persona that exuded machismo. A historian, naturalist, conservationist, and writer, Roosevelt had a knack when it came to words. A war hero, Roosevelt was a leader in every sense of the word.

When someone with Roosevelt’s credentials says inaction is even worse than the worst action you can take, it’s wise to pay attention. If your team is stuck in a quagmire of nothingness, they should heed the former president’s words and do something, anything. No matter what your teammates do, it will be better than sitting around. Doing just one thing today makes it easier and more habit-like to do another tomorrow.

If you can’t motivate your team to do some work, you can schedule some team-building exercises designed by Let’s Roam. The development of deeper bonds between team members is one of the many benefits that team-building activities can yield. What benefits can those deeper bonds produce? Team bonding can improve productivity, increase the number of tasks your team completes, and put an end to your co-workers doing nothing.

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“The big secret in life is that there is no secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” – Oprah Winfrey

An actress, author, television producer, and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey is best known as the host of a talk show that bore her name. Winfrey’s show earned high ratings throughout its 25-year run, which began way back in 1986.

The wealthiest African American of the 20^th century, Winfrey was born into poverty to a single teenage mother. Despite her humble beginnings, Winfrey was already a co-anchor of the local evening news by the time she was 19 years old. Winfrey’s career only skyrocketed from there, and she is now known as the “greatest black philanthropist in U.S. history.”

Even if you somehow don’t find Winfrey’s backstory inspiring, you can’t deny the power of her words. If your team is willing to work, no goal is out of your collective reach.

“You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.” – Zig Ziglar

A salesperson, author, and motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar touched the lives of many during his amazing career. His first book, “See You at the Top,” was rejected no less than 39 times before it was finally published. That self-help book is still in print today.

While a lot of Ziglar’s material targets salespeople, a significant number of his lessons are relevant to people in other positions. The quote provided immediately above is a good example of a lesson that applies to all people in both professional and personal contexts.

Your team was put together because a higher-up thought the members of the group were the best candidates to handle a given project as a unit. If you plan and prepare for success, your team will achieve its goals. What better motivation is there than winning in the end?

“You must do the kind of things you think you cannot do.”- Eleanor Roosevelt

The longest-serving first lady in the history of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt had a lot to say during her husband’s four terms as president. Roosevelt was the niece of Teddy Roosevelt and she was married to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Given her admirable work in the area of human rights, President Harry S. Truman once referred to Roosevelt as the “First Lady of the World.”

Did Roosevelt think she’d be able to achieve all that she did, with some believing she acted as president when her husband was ill? While we don’t know for sure, we’d imagine she experienced periods of self-doubt given her inspirational quote. Your team should follow her lead and do even the things you fear you might not be able to pull off.

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“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” – Jim Rohn

Better known as Jim Rohn, Emanual James Rohn was an entrepreneur, author, and sought-after motivational speaker. While Rohn passed away in 2009, his legacy lives on through his timeless books, videos, and courses.

Have you ever encountered a person who claims to have a busy schedule but always has time to gossip about the latest episode of the hottest show on streaming services? The fact is, we all make time for the things we want to do, but we don’t always do the same for less enticing activities.

Similarly, Rohn is spot on when he says you’ll find a way to do something you want to do. If you don’t want to do something, you’ll find a reason, credible or otherwise, not to do it. When it comes to work, however, there are no excuses for not getting a task done.

While an explanation might be acceptable from time to time, no one on your team should make excuses for not pulling their weight. When your whole team is doing their fair share without excuses, it will keep everyone motivated because no one will want to be the weak link who brings the group down with their failures, particularly the failures they chose to let happen.

“Live out your imagination, not your history.” – Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey was many things during his lifetime, with an author being one of them. His catalog of books includes familiar titles, such as:

• “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”
• “First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership”
• “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families”
• “The 8^th Habit”
• “The Leader in Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time”

Once named one of the 25 most influential people by “Time” magazine, Covey was an in-demand keynote speaker right up to the time of his death. Never at a loss for words, Covey’s instruction to live out your imagination rather than your history should motivate teams to venture into uncharted territory with their work.

To support Covey’s sentiment, we offer you the words of fellow writer William Arthur Ward who said, “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” Keep that in mind as you stop letting your history hold you back, start imagining and achieving, and begin dreaming and becoming with your teammates.

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“Goal setting is the secret to a compelling future.” – Tony Robbins

A top life and business strategist, Tony Robbins is a gifted speaker and the talented author of several books, including “Unlimited Power” and “Awaken the Giant Within.” While Robbins always has sound messages to share, this quote is nothing short of a gem. If your team has lost its mojo, you can get it back by setting new goals and reframing existing ones so you and your co-workers can forge your way toward a compelling and thus inspiring future.

“Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it… Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.” – Steve Jobs

Even though Steve Jobs has now been gone for more than a decade, which is hard to believe, his words continue to remind even the least tech-savvy people among us what a visionary the business magnate truly was. To motivate your team, use this compelling quote from Jobs. It’s unlikely you’ll need to say another word to inspire your co-workers and possibly change their lives.

“Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the political ethicist, lawyer, and civil rights and freedom fighter was first referred to as “Mahatma” in 1914. The English translation for Mahatma is “venerable” or “great-souled,” and anyone familiar with Gandhi’s many triumphs and commitment knows how accurately either or both of those interpretations are as they relate to Gandhi.

Having led a more than exemplary life, Mahatma Gandi continues to inspire the world to be and act better. If his advice about learning like you’ll live forever and living as if you’ll die tomorrow isn’t one of the most moving motivational quotes you’ll ever come across, we can’t imagine where you’re sourcing your quotes from.

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

An acclaimed poet, civil rights activist, and memoirist, Maya Angelou had a gift for moving people with her words. In this particular case, she says it all with just six of them. At the end of the day, nothing will work unless your team gets to it. That simple fact will put, to quote Larry the Cable Guy, the “git-r-done” spirit in your co-workers.

“Everyone has inside them a piece of good news. The good news is you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is.” – Anne Frank

One of the most discussed victims of the Holocaust thanks to the publication of her diary in 1947, Anne Frank hid from the Nazis from 1942 to 1944 with her family, an experience she captured in her journal. Unfortunately, her family was eventually discovered, arrested, and sent to concentration camps. Frank died while in captivity, but she continues to move others with her diary to this day.

Although she passed away at the tender age of 15, Frank’s words prove she was wise well beyond her years. With the right motivation, the things your team can accomplish and your group’s true potential are limitless.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.” – Dr. Suess

Taken from the book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” this quote from Dr. Suess will put a spring in your team’s step. Better yet, consider giving a copy of the good doctor’s book to each of your co-workers. While the book was written for children, its inspirational messaging is relevant to kids of all ages and in all settings, including grown-ups working in professional environments.

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“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth

One of the best baseball players ever, Babe Ruth is also one of the most quotable. This quote speaks the truth rather plaintively. If your team never gives up, others will struggle to defeat or outperform your group. What’s more inspirational than the prospect of a perfect, unrivaled track record?

“The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.” – Oscar Wilde

A poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde didn’t mince his words in this inspirational quote. Does anything else really need to be said to light a figurative fire under your team’s feet?

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison

Even though Thomas Edison wasn’t known for being nice or particularly ethical, he is credited with a near-countless number of inventions. With this quote, he can also be considered a wordsmith who gets right to the heart of the matter. Your team can seize opportunities if your co-workers aren’t afraid of or resistant to getting their hands dirty and doing some hard work.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein

Even if some of your team members are experiencing tough times, your group must keep moving to stay afloat and be productive. One of the greatest minds and most successful people of his generation or any other, Abert Einstein put things in perspective for even the most sluggish teams with this motivational quote.

Do you want to get your team moving? If so, you have an opportunity for meeting preparation that goes beyond refreshing the coffee and plating pastries. To get your team moving and heading in the right direction, consider signing your group up for an online scavenger hunt. Our ultimate guide to virtual scavenger hunts will help you choose a hunt that will get your co-workers on their feet and inspire them.

Inspirational Quotes That Stand on Their Own

While it’s fun to discuss inspirational quotes, some of them say more on their own. Here are some of them:

• “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
• “Impossible is just an opinion.” – Paulo Coelho
• “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” – Napolean Hill
• “Don’t count the days, make the days count.” – Muhammad Ali
• “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi
• “Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda
• “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “Defeat is a state of mind: no one is ever defeated until defeat is accepted as a reality.” – Bruce Lee
• “Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
• “I never lose. Either I win or learn.” – Nelson Mandela
• “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C.S. Lewis
• “Action is the foundational key to all success.” – Pablo Picasso
• “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
• “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer
• “Learning never exhausts the mind.” – Leonardo Da Vinci
• “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” – Dale Carnegie
• “When you change your thoughts, remember to also change your world.” – Norman Vincent Peale
• “If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” – Seth Godin
• “Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” – Truman Capote
• “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
• “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.” – Henry Ford
• “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand
• “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” – Dalai Lama
• “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass away.” – Earl Nightingale

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