Favorite Inspirational Quote
Ever read a quote that changed the course of your entire life? Everyone has an experience like this, and it’s common in the world of entrepreneurship where inspiration is a requirement.
You never know where or when you might hear that life-changing quote, whether it’s from a friend, family member, mentor, or even social media post.
What’s Your Favorite Inspirational Quote?
We talked to a few great modern business leaders to hear about their favorite inspirational quotes to see this powerful wisdom in action.
Put Things in Perspective
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by responsibilities and obligations when first venturing into the world of business, and some quotes help us put it all in perspective during challenging times.
We might feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders, but we sometimes need to zoom out and see that we’re not the center of the universe.
“There are so many, but I’ll share the most recent one that has stuck with me: ‘We are basically monkeys on a spinning rock,’ from Naval Ravikant
Adam Reed, CEO of Crown and Paw.
“Why do I find this inspiring? It just explains humanity’s absurdity and how fortunate we are to even be here in the first place, in eight words. And when you think about that, it leads to more profound thoughts about the challenges you’re facing right now, and actually how trivial they are in the grand scheme of things.” – Adam Reed
Your business might be your main focus, but it’s important to remember all the other things that make life worth living each day.
Genius in Simplicity
If your favorite quote is from a famous scientist or philosopher, you’re probably a high-minded individual with potential for greatness.
Surprisingly, many great thinkers offer short and sweet quotes that aren’t filled with wild formulas or equations.
“One of my favorite inspirational quotes is Albert Einstein’s: ‘If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough,’– “It has inspired me to write and communicate in a way that a four-year-old or a 40-year-old will understand.”
Sarah Morgan, CEO of Even Health.
Maybe you aren’t the next Einstein, but his wisdom applies to any goal in life you may have.
Risk and Reward
When faced with risky situations, we sometimes need a quote to remind us that taking a chance is necessary to move things in the right direction.
As we all know, business success requires risk in many different areas, so keep these types of quotes close to the heart throughout your journey.
“Mine has always been
‘Behold the turtle, for he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out,’ by James Conant Doyle
Ben Cook, Vice President, and General Counsel at Printed Kicks.
“Sometimes it’s hard to take risks, especially when you have your livelihood in the balance. Yet with great risk comes great reward; a turtle can’t make any progress if he stays inside his shell.”
Teaching Toughness
Technical abilities, intelligence, and background are all critical when starting a business, but toughness is something that can’t be taught – or can it?
Some quotes remind us to stay strong during the most challenging times of our lives and careers, and we tend to come out better on the other end of those experiences.
“Tough times never last, but tough people do,’ from Robert H. Schuller pushes me to get through the hardships I experience here and there,”
Michael Scott Cohen, CEO of Harper and Scott.
“Life isn’t meant to be easy. Some obstacles will be thrown your way, but learning to cope through these times is what teach us lessons and allow us to grow.” –Michael Scott Cohen
When you show strength in your leadership roles, team members and peers will stay by your side and contribute to your success in the long run.
Eyes Ahead
There’s only so much you can learn by looking in the rearview mirror. Sure, there might be some worthwhile lessons learned from your past experiences, but we often need to be reminded to keep our eyes on the road ahead.
“The quote, ‘Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today’ by Will Rogers has taught me to not beat myself up for failure in the past,”
Louis Leidenfrost, CEO of Paint Your Numbers.
“It’s taught me that every day is a new day and focuses only on the present. If yesterday didn’t go as planned, don’t dwell on it.” –Louis Leidenfrost
Overachievers tend to be tough on themselves, which is excellent, but too much focus on past events can drag us down despite our best interests.
Learned Leadership
Not all of us are natural-born leaders. These are skill sets earned with time and require that we learn from trailblazers who have done and seen it all before.
Quotes about managing people are often beneficial for those who are not accustomed to team building and delegation.
If we give people tasks, we get doers. If we give people authority, we get leaders,’ from Oleg Vishnepolsky,”
Marketing Expert Brianna Vallesky of Brave Ink LLC.
“Before I started my own business, I experienced both types of leadership. The diminisher, which requires complete control over all projects and tells employees what to do and how to do it; and the multiplier, who empowers employees by granting them ownership over projects and guiding them along the way.” –Brianna Vallesky
Not sure how to handle your personnel during challenging times? A quote like this might help you out.
Daily Reminders
Most entrepreneurs have no shortage of motivation, but some quotes are so powerful that they can’t be ignored.
On the path to business success, we’ll face endless challenges, so keep some favorite inspirational quotes on hand to give you that boost when it matters most.
“You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction,’ from George Lorimer,”
Lezlie Karls, CEO of Mid-Day Squares.
“This quote is my favorite inspirational quote because it motivates me to get up in the morning and accomplish my tasks for the day. Every night I set a goal for me to do for work or a personal goal, so in the morning, I wake up determined to complete my goal and give myself something to look forward to. This goal can consist of anything as little as doing laundry. It’s important to celebrate even the littlest wins sometimes.” –Lezlie Karls
How do you motivate yourself when energy is low? We all have at least one quote that lights the fire beneath us and gets us in the zone.
Shifting Focus
How many business leaders are just focused on the big payday or earning acclaim on the cover of a magazine? These can be encouraging in the short term, but you need something more profound to keep you going through moments of stress and strain.
“Oprah Winfrey once said, ‘Don’t worry about being successful but work toward being significant and the success will naturally follow,” said Sean O’Brien, CMO of Modloft.
“This is an inspirational quote because it provides a sense of perspective. Being significant in your space will give you the results you want for your success, so long as you aim for being significant. Sometimes entrepreneurs go into their business wanting to be an automatic success. This quote reminds me to shift my perspective and focus on my work rather than the results. So long as I take time to cultivate my work, opportunities will follow.” – Sean O’Brien
Great quotes help us reorient our priorities and make more sense of the daily grind.
Instant Motivator
Working a regular job 40 hours a week isn’t exactly inspiring, which is why so many entrepreneurs get into the game of business funding and ownership.
Keep a quote in your notebook that you can always rely on for a burst of motivation and remind you why you’re on the journey in the first place.
“‘ Remember why you started,’
Artie Baxter, CEO of Paperclip.
“The person who said this is unknown, but it’s one I often think about. This quote is important to me because everyone can be hard on themselves, especially when things don’t go the way you wanted them to go. Remembering why you started serves as a motivation not to quit, even when you’ve failed. Recalling why you began helps bring you back on track and remember the purpose.” –Artie Baxter
You might be living lean now, but stick to your goals, and brighter days will soon be here.
Getting Started
A certain percentage of business leaders are certified geniuses, of course, but many are everyday people who dared to take a risk and hit the start button on their goals.
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it,’
Oli Russel-Cowan, Founder and CEO of Rad Season
“ I love this quote by Goethe because it reminds me that instead of thinking about what would happen if I failed, I remember to focus on the genius and magic that comes with bold risk. Do you want to look back on your life and think I could have or I should have? That feeling of knowing that you could have made a difference in the lives of others or created something truly innovative should be the driver of pursuing your dream.” –Oli Russel-Cowan
Are you considering starting a new venture but can’t seem to muster up the courage? Read quotes that inspire action and get to work today.
Moving the Needle
So many decisions in business are made without clear intention or purpose. The same goes for life in general. Are you just going through the motions, or are your decisions leading you in the direction you want to go?
“Ask yourself if what you’re doing today is getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow”
Lauren Bosworth, CEO of Love Wellness.
“This quote reminds me to put my thoughts and words into action and to push myself closer to my goals each day.” –Lauren Bosworth
You can’t attain your goals without setting them first, so map them out clearly and make them your top priority.
Power of Persistence
Ask any business leader about their path to success, and they’ll indeed mention how many times they stumbled before achieving their vision.
If you’re on the verge of quitting or backing down from a challenge, the correct quote will eliminate that fear of failure and push you forward.
“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other,’ from Walter Elliot,”
Jonathan Snow, COO and Co-Founder of The Snow Agency
“There’s no one way of things being, each day, each project, each client, will bring experiences that require perseverance in different ways. This quote brings it all into perspective.” –Jonathan Snow
Expecting the Best
Too many people go through life with low standards and expectations. Mediocrity is a mindset like any other, and you need to eliminate that idea from your mental vocabulary.
The correct quote can instantly raise the quality of your mindset – and life – if you take it to heart and apply it in practice.
“’ It’s a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.’ from Somerset Maugham,”
Ming Zhao, CEO of Proven Skincare.
“Go for what you want, even if others or society have their ideas of what may be the ‘best for you. You can decide what is the best for you, in terms of goals, standards, values, or any other aspects of your life.” –Ming Zhao
What’s Your Favorite Inspirational Quote?
Is your notebook loaded with powerful quotes from the greatest minds in history? Do you repeat a quote to yourself and coworkers to keep everyone going when the pressure is on? Don’t underestimate the power of great quotes, and learn to see the value from all perspectives.