Motivational Quotes: For Work, Life, & Success

By Justine Saavedra, M.S.
Reviewed by Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.

Learn how motivational quotes can help your mental well-being. Discover motivational quotes for work, success, life, positivity, and more.

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Motivation is the feeling of being moved to action—it gives you the ability to work toward your goals. When your levels of motivation are high, it is easier to take action. However, when motivation wanes, it can become more challenging to will yourself to put in the work. It is natural for motivation to lessen but pushing through, being disciplined, and taking action even during times of minimal motivation can help you learn to persevere through life’s challenges.

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What Are Motivational Quotes Helpful For? (A Definition)

Motivational quotes are helpful nuggets of wisdom that can help inspire you to take action toward your goals. They can be used as a tool to help increase your drive and motivation during times when you may feel uninspired or apathetic. Reading quotes from people you admire can help you understand what they did to achieve their success. Looking at quotes from people with a different background than you can also help you gain a new, possibly more helpful, perspective.

Motivational quotes have been shown to have psychological benefits through research as well. When integrated into treatment programs, motivational quotes can help adults with a variety of mental health issues (Bedrov & Bulaj, 2018).

Motivational Quotes can be integrated into treatment for:

Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Substance use

Quotes can be used for motivation and even as an additional tool in mental health treatment. Consider the following quotes–specific to a variety of topics including work, life, and exercise–to help boost your motivation and give you the drive to work toward your goals.

Motivational Quotes for Work

Unless you have the privilege of being very wealthy, you likely have to work in order to make money. Some people are fortunate enough to have a job doing something that they love; others are stuck in jobs that they don’t enjoy. If you fall into the later group, it can be more difficult to work as you may not feel passionate or joyful about your work. If possible, try looking for a career that more closely aligns with your goals. Work towards your dreams and consider the following quotes to get you through those times when you don’t feel motivated.

"The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work." — Mark Twain
“Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room.” — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
"Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard, then succeed on purpose." — G.K. Nielson
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved." — Helen Keller
“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
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” — Thomas Edison
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell

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Motivational Quotes for Monday

It can be challenging to switch back into a work mindset after the weekend. Instead of viewing Mondays as “bad” or “hard”, try and view them as an opportunity to begin again. Starting your week on a better tone can set a more positive trajectory for your mood and productivity.

“You are in control. Never allow your Monday to be manic.” — Andrea L’Artiste
“It’s Monday. Get a new perspective. Whatever obstacle you’re facing — it’s not permanent.” — Unknown
“Mondays are the start of the work week which offer new beginnings 52 times a year!” — David Dweck
“May your coffee be strong and your Mondays be short.” — Unknown
“Your Monday morning thoughts set the tone for your whole week. See yourself getting stronger, and living a fulfilling, happier, and healthier life.” — Germany Kent
“Hey, I know it’s Monday. But it’s also a new day and a new week. And in that lies a new opportunity for something special to happen.” — Michael Ely

Motivational Quotes on Life

Life can get busy and stressful. Competing responsibilities and demands on your time might start to feel overwhelming if you let it get out of hand. Practicing meditation, mindfulness, or other relaxation exercises can help ease feelings of stress. You can try incorporating the following quotes into those exercises to give you an extra boost of motivation to take on whatever life is throwing your way.

"Life is short, but it is wide. This too shall pass." — Rebecca Wells
“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” — Dalai Lama
“If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you’ll never enjoy the sunshine.” — Morris West
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” — Soren Kierkegaard
“Life imposes things on you that you can’t control, but you still have the choice of how you’re going to live through this.” — Celine Dion
"I have very strong feelings about how you lead your life. You always look ahead, you never look back." — Ann Richards
"Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion, you're wasting your life." — Jackie Robinson

Video: The Greatest Motivational Quotes For Life & Mental Resilience

Motivational Quotes for Success

Everyone’s personal definition of success is different which is why it is important to define what success looks like to you. Are you currently working toward your big dreams and personal goals or are they the dreams and goals you’ve been told you should work toward? It is okay to have a different definition of success than those around you. Try to spend some time journaling to clarify your definition of success and use the following quotes to motivate you to achieve it.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.” — Robert Collier
“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.” — William Feather
"Whenever you see a successful person, you only see the public glories, never the private sacrifices to reach them." — Vaibhav Shah
"If you set your goals ridiculously high and it's a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success." — James Cameron
“There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” — Ray Goforth
“Treat failure as a lesson on how not to approach achieving a goal, and then use that learning to improve your chances of success when you try again. Failure is only the end if you decide to stop.” — Richard Branson

Video: 1 Hour Of The Greatest Motivational Quotes From History

Positive Motivational Quotes

Do you generally have a more negative or positive mindset? If you struggle with negativity, practicing positivity might help. One study found that practicing positive psychology exercises weekly had a lasting, positive effect on overall happiness (Mongrain & Anselmo-Matthews, 2012). Try to use the following quotes to add some more positivity to your life.

“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” — Dalai Lama
“Affirm the positive, visualize the positive, and expect the positive, and your life will change accordingly.” — Remez Sasson
“A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.” — Joyce Brothers
“If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges.” — Pat Riley
“Positivity brings about a peace of mind which in turn relaxes your whole being.” — Suman Arora
“A positive mind finds opportunity in everything. A negative mind finds fault in everything.” — Unknown

Motivational Quotes to Inspire

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible!’” — Audrey Hepburn
"Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you." — Walt Whitman
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” ― Anne Frank
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." — Malala Yousafzai
"Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put some sunglasses on." — Lady Gaga
“You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.” ― Shonda Rhimes
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” — Amelia Earhart
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” — Stephen R. Covey

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Motivational Quotes for Women

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” — Nora Ephron
“Give light and people will find the way.” — Ella Baker
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” ― Maya Angelou
“Everything you want to be, you already are. You’re simply on the path to discovering it.” ― Alicia Keys
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” ― Oprah Winfrey
“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.” ― Serena Williams

Short Motivational Quotes

Short motivational quotes are especially helpful because you can use them as a mantra–a phrase you return to and repeat when you need to ground yourself. Find a short quote that resonates with you and try using it as a mantra for meditation or as a source of comfort throughout the day.

“Make each day your masterpiece.” — John Wooden
“Everything you can imagine is real.” — Pablo Picasso
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Addair
“Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” — Jim Rohn
“Opportunities don't happen, you create them.” — Chris Grosser
“If you’re not positive energy, you’re negative energy.” — Mark Cuban
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” ― Walt Disney

Video: Top 100 Motivational Quotes

Video: Motivational Quotes | Over One Hour of Inspirational Messages with Music

Motivational Quotes for a Workout

“It’s going to be a journey. It’s not a sprint to get in shape.” — Kerri Walsh Jennings
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” — Jim Rohn
“Put all excuses aside and remember this: You are capable.” — Zig Ziglar
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.” — Karen Lamb
“When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.” — Unknown
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, and others make it happen.” — Michael Jordan
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” — John F. Kennedy

Best Motivational Quotes

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford
“Believe you can and you're halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” — Wayne Gretzky
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” — Confucius
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined” — Henry David Thoreau

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Final Thoughts on Motivational Quotes

Motivational quotes are helpful tools to help drive you toward your goals and dreams. They can even be added to treatment for a variety of mental health issues, such as stress or depression, to help ease symptoms (Bedrov & Bulaj, 2018). Try writing your favorite quote on a sticky note and putting it somewhere you will see it often such as a bathroom mirror, on the front of a work planner, or on a kitchen cabinet. These small reminders throughout your day can serve as reminders of what you are working toward and what you are capable of.

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References

Bedrov, A., & Bulaj, G. (2018). Improving self-esteem with motivational quotes: Opportunities for Digital Health Technologies for people with chronic disorders. Frontiers in Psychology, 9.
Mongrain, M., & Anselmo-Matthews, T. (2012). Do positive psychology exercises work? A replication of Seligman et al. . Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(4).