Check out this post with my favourite 30 motivational quotes to inspire you into action. With journal prompts and questions to help you apply each quote to your own life and encourage you to live with intention not indecision.
HOW THESE QUOTES CAN HELP YOU
Here are some of my favourite 30 motivational quotes to inspire you. I hope they encourage you to keep going when the going gets tough and take action when you need to. A full and happy life sometimes requires us to dig deep, face up to the prospect of failure and dream big.
I’m also sharing some of my thoughts on each of the quotes and maybe a journal prompt, question for you to think about or even some further reading.
Above all, I’d love for you to really think about each quote. Not just the words, but the meaning behind them and how you can apply them to yourself and your life.
I like to take one quote a day and mull it over in my mind as I go about my day…
30 MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES TO INSPIRE YOU
Here are 30 motivational quotes to help you to take intentional action!
1. “Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.” (Robert H. Schuller)
Life comes in seasons. Some are pleasurable, others are just plain tough. Be tougher than those tough times and prove to yourself that you can do this!
2. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” (Confucius)
Totally, think of the tortoise and the hare.
3. “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” (George Addair)
Sometimes we just have to take that plunge, even though we’re not quite sure whether we’re going to belly flop. Unless you try it though, you won’t ever know for sure.
4. “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” (Lance Armstrong)
Sometimes we do need to be honest with ourselves and change path. What served us once may not be serving us anymore. But, before you give up, think whether it’s just because things have got a little difficult. Dig deep and be honest with yourself. You’re no quitter!
5. “A problem is a chance for you to do your best.” (Duke Ellington)
Look at a difficult situation, not as a problem, but as a chance to shine.
6. “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.” (Bob Riley)
How do you know what you’re capable of when you never test your superpowers?
7. “It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort.” (Jillian Michaels)
Only you will worry about whether something’s perfect. Other people won’t see the imperfections that you can. Just carry on doing what you do and do it well. Perfect doesn’t matter and it’s highly overrated!
8. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
Who said you can’t do something? I bet it’s most likely to be that little voice in your head saying ‘really, are you sure?’. Listen to that other little voice instead. The one that says ‘yes, I CAN do this’ and go for it!
9. “Difficult roads always lead to beautiful destinations.” (Zig Ziglar)
When we’ve faced with adversity, a good outcome always seems so much sweeter because of the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into creating it!
10. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” (Steve Jobs)
Forget comparison. It serves nobody, especially not you.
11. “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” (Julie Andrews)
If you want something bad enough, just keep trying. That’s what we tell our kids so perhaps we should tell that to our adult selves as well! Not everyone has the willpower or attitude to persevere so the very fact that you’re not accepting failure sets you apart! Be proud of yourself.
12. “Goals may give focus, but dreams give power.” (John Maxwell)
Breathe life into your dreams by combining goals, imagination and courage.
13. “You cannot fail at being yourself.” (Wayne Dyer)
Just be your wonderful, unique and special self. The end.
14. “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” (Napoleon Hill)
We’re not all world-changers, but you can change things for the people closest to you. Set an example in all things and be proud of what you achieve.
15. “When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you’ll find a way to get it.” (Jim Rohn)
Knowing what you want is often the part that many of us struggle with. Sometimes it comes with trial and error, sometimes by luck and sometimes it evades us completely. Why not journal your thoughts in response to this question ‘What 3 things do I want most out of life and how can I make them happen?’. Be intentional.
16. “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” (Lucille Ball)
This is your life, right now. Pack it with things that fill your heart and mind, rather than thoughts of ‘what if’ and ‘if only’. Get intentional with my free mini course, Your Intentional Life.
17. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” (Jim Rohn)
Being honest, finding the motivation to do something can be tough! Develop routines and habits to help you be consistent without sapping your physical or mental energy in the process.
18. “Done is better than perfect.” (Sheryl Sandberg)
Perfectionism can be our enemy if we let it stand in the way of getting things done. Nothing will ever be perfect so just get it done, tick it off and move on.
19. “I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.” (Estée Lauder)
There’s no way around it. Sometimes you just need to get stuck in and make it happen.
20. “Don’t ask if your dream is crazy, ask if it’s crazy enough.” (Lena Waithe)
Dreams are just plans that need targets. If you have a dream, plan, prioritise and get intentional about making it happen. You can do whatever you put your mind to.
21. “Success is what happens after you have survived all of your disappointments.” (Unknown)
Whatever success looks like to you, I doubt that it will ever just land in your lap. Sometimes you need to keep on trying and have faith in yourself. What does success look like to you?
22. “Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star.” (W. Clement Stone)
Be brave and you never know what you’ll receive. Believe in the Law of Attraction!
23. “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)
Avoiding new experiences or challenges doesn’t serve you at all. You’ll never learn more about yourself that way and your world will just become smaller and narrower.
24. “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” (John Wooden)
If you’re constantly picking holes in things, saying to yourself that it’s not perfect, not how you planned or not good enough, then you’ll never be happy with the outcome. Sometimes the outcome is just different to what you expected.
25. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” (Arthur Ashe)
Don’t ever not start something because you don’t have the tools. Make a start and make a plan to get the tools along the way. The hardest part is starting and making excuses to not start doesn’t help. What can you start today without excuses?
26. “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” (Newt Gingrich)
One of my favourite books is ‘Grit’ by Angela Duckworth. She writes about the power of passion and perseverance in terms of achievement and potential. I encourage you to check it out if you have a difficult relationship with sticking at the things.
27. “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” (Maya Angelou)
Don’t give up when the going gets tough. You’re more resilient than you give yourself credit for. Every time you feel defeated, learn from it and improve upon it for next time.
28. “Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.” (Alfred A. Montapert)
Problems are just opportunities in disguise. Rethink your approach to problems, deal with them and move on.
29. “Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.” (Rikki Rogers)
We need to push ourselves to understand and appreciate all that we’re capable of. If we stick with the easy option we’d never reach our potential. When was the last time you achieved something you initially thought you couldn’t do?
30. “We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.” (Barbara De Angelis)
If you never put yourself in a situation where you need courage you’ll never learn to summon it up when you need it. Courage is like a muscle that needs to be used to get stronger.
FOR MORE MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES
If you enjoy quotes and like me, love the power of words, you might enjoy more motivational quotes from Wisdom Quotes – a wonderful collection of empowering quotes to inspire your day and intentional life.
YOUR NEXT STEP…
Many of the quotes we’ve looked at in this post require you to be intentional. To be deliberate, purposeful and clear about what you’re doing and why.
For some practical ways you can be intentional in your life right now, why not take my free mini course, Your Intentional Life.
We’ll explore practical ways you can be intentional about your home, your time, your goals and more. It’s a powerful little course with workbooks and challenges to really make you think and motivate you!
Antonia Colins is the creator of Balance Through Simplicity, helping busy people declutter, simplify and live more intentionally. She has over 20 years of personal and professional experience in juggling work and family life and supporting individuals to remain independent and enjoy their home more. In her spare time, you can find Antonia walking, gardening or planning her next travel adventure! She lives in the UK with her husband and teenage kids. Read more about Antonia.