50 Best English Motivational Quotes For Success

Discover our carefully curated collection of English motivational quotes for success that will inspire you to overcome obstacles and achieve your dreams. These powerful words of wisdom from accomplished leaders, thinkers, and innovators provide the perfect boost when facing challenges on your journey to success. 


Whether you need encouragement to persevere, develop a growth mindset, take decisive action, set meaningful goals, or build resilience, these inspirational sayings will help fuel your determination and guide you toward achievement in all areas of life.

Icon for english motivational quotes for success

Quotes About Perseverance

1. "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

  • Winston Churchill - British Prime Minister who led Britain to victory in WWII 🇬🇧
  • Churchill's words remind us that success requires ongoing perseverance. When facing challenges, remember that setbacks are just temporary obstacles on your path to success. Maintaining courage and persistence is essential for long-term achievement.

2. "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 - Legendary NFL Coach who won five championships 🏈
  • Lombardi highlights that success often boils down to determination. Many people have the necessary skills and knowledge but lack the willpower to persevere when facing difficulties. Developing strong willpower is crucial for achieving success in any endeavor.

3. "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."

  • Confucius - Ancient Chinese philosopher and teacher 🧠
  • This wisdom from Confucius emphasizes that the pace of progress isn't as important as maintaining forward momentum. Success doesn't always come quickly, but consistent effort and perseverance (per-suh-VEER-ens) will eventually lead to achievement of your goals.

4. "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

  • Michael Jordan - Six-time NBA champion and basketball legend 🏀
  • Jordan's quote illustrates how perseverance through repeated failures ultimately led to his tremendous success. Rather than being discouraged by setbacks, he used them as stepping stones toward achievement and growth.

5. "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

  • Thomas Edison - Inventor with over 1,000 patents including the light bulb 💡
  • Edison, who reportedly failed thousands of times before succeeding with his inventions, reminds us that persistence is key to success. Many people abandon their goals just before breakthrough moments, highlighting the importance of steadfast perseverance.

6. "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt - 32nd US President who led America through the Great Depression 🇺🇸
  • Roosevelt suggests that self-doubt is the greatest obstacle to success. By maintaining unwavering perseverance and belief in yourself, you can overcome any challenge and achieve your goals, no matter how difficult they may seem.

7. "Fall seven times, stand up eight."

  • Japanese Proverb 🇯🇵
  • This concise proverb captures the essence of perseverance for success. It reminds us that what matters most isn't how many times we fail, but rather our willingness to get back up and continue striving toward our goals.

8. "Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

  • Conrad Hilton - Founder of Hilton Hotels 🏨
  • Hilton emphasizes the connection between persistent action and achievement. The path to success isn't always smooth, but those who persevere through mistakes and setbacks ultimately reach their destination.

9. "Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success."

  • Napoleon Hill - Influential self-help author of "Think and Grow Rich" 📚
  • Hill identifies the three P's of success: patience, persistence, and perspiration. This powerful combination emphasizes that perseverance coupled with hard work and a patient outlook creates the perfect formula for achieving your goals.

10. "The secret of success is to do the common thing uncommonly well."

  • John D. Rockefeller - American business magnate and philanthropist 💰
  • Rockefeller reminds us that perseverance in perfecting even basic skills can lead to extraordinary success. Consistent dedication to excellence in everyday tasks distinguishes those who achieve lasting success from those who don't.
Emoji icon 1f3c6.svg

Motivational Quotes Curated For You

Try our free AI Motivation Coach to find the best motivational quotes for your circumstances. Based on your challenges, goals and success.

Quotes About Growth Mindset

1. "The mind is everything. What you think you become."

  • Buddha - Spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism 🧘
  • Buddha's profound insight highlights how our thoughts shape our reality and success. Developing a growth mindset means believing that your abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This perspective is fundamental to achieving lasting success in any endeavor.

2. "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."

  • Henry Ford - Founder of Ford Motor Company and pioneer of assembly line production 🚗
  • Ford's quote emphasizes the power of mindset in determining outcomes. A growth mindset (believing in your ability to improve) creates opportunities for success, while a fixed mindset (believing abilities are static) limits potential achievement.

3. "The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind."

  • {{$quote 23 author}}
  • James recognized that mindset transformation (trans-for-MAY-shun) leads to life transformation. By adopting a growth-oriented attitude, you can reshape your approach to challenges and significantly improve your chances of success.

4. "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude."

  • Zig Ziglar - Motivational speaker and author 📣
  • Ziglar cleverly suggests that mindset (attitude) is more important than natural talent (aptitude) in determining how high you'll soar (altitude). A growth mindset focused on learning and improvement will take you further than relying solely on inherent abilities.

5. "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

  • Albert Einstein - Nobel Prize-winning physicist who developed the theory of relativity 🔭
  • Einstein emphasizes the need for mental flexibility and fresh perspectives to achieve success. A growth mindset involves being willing to adopt new ways of thinking when facing challenges rather than remaining fixed in old patterns.

6. "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it."

  • Charles R. Swindoll - Pastor, author, and educator 📚
  • Swindoll highlights that success depends less on circumstances and more on our mindset and responses. Developing a growth mindset empowers you to react constructively to challenges, turning potential setbacks into opportunities for advancement.

7. "The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty."

  • Winston Churchill - British Prime Minister who led Britain through WWII 🇬🇧
  • Churchill contrasts two mindsets: one that limits success and one that enables it. A growth mindset allows you to perceive challenges as chances to learn and develop, rather than as insurmountable obstacles.

8. "Believe you can and you're halfway there."

  • Theodore Roosevelt - 26th US President and conservationist 🇺🇸
  • Roosevelt's simple but powerful statement underscores how belief in yourself is a crucial first step toward achievement. A growth mindset begins with the conviction that improvement is possible through effort and perseverance.

9. "I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions."

  • Stephen Covey - Author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" 📚
  • Covey emphasizes personal agency and the power of choice in creating success. A growth mindset recognizes that we can decide how to respond to circumstances and take responsibility for our own development.

10. "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."

  • Albert Einstein - Theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize winner 🧠
  • Einstein attributes his success not to innate intelligence but to persistence with difficult problems—a classic growth mindset perspective. This mindset views challenges as opportunities to develop abilities rather than as tests of fixed intelligence.

Quotes About Action and Implementation

1. "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

  • Walt Disney - Founder of Disney and pioneering animator 🏰
  • Disney emphasizes that success comes through action, not just planning or discussion. Taking concrete steps toward your goals is essential for achievement, even when the path forward isn't completely clear. Implementation is where ideas transform into tangible successes.

2. "Don't watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going."

  • Sam Levenson - Humorist, writer, and television host 🕰️
  • Levenson uses a clever analogy about time to encourage consistent action. Like clock hands that keep moving forward, successful people maintain steady progress through consistent implementation of their plans and goals.

3. "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

  • Zig Ziglar - Motivational speaker and self-help author 🎤
  • Ziglar addresses the perfectionism that often prevents action. Success doesn't require mastery before beginning—it requires beginning before mastery. Taking imperfect action is better than waiting for perfect conditions that may never arrive.

4. "The secret of getting ahead is getting started."

  • Mark Twain - American writer and humorist 📝
  • Twain highlights the crucial first step toward success: simply beginning. Many people fail not because they lack ability, but because they never implement their ideas. Taking that initial action often creates momentum that carries you toward your goals.

5. "Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking."

  • William Butler Yeats - Irish poet and Nobel Prize winner 📜
  • Yeats uses the blacksmithing metaphor (MET-uh-for) of striking iron to encourage proactive action. Rather than waiting for perfect conditions, successful people create favorable circumstances through decisive implementation of their plans.

6. "Action is the foundational key to all success."

  • Pablo Picasso - Revolutionary artist and co-founder of Cubism 🎨
  • Picasso, known for his prolific output, emphasizes that all achievement stems from taking action. Without implementation, even the most brilliant ideas remain unrealized. Success requires converting thoughts into tangible results through consistent action.

7. "I never dreamed about success, I worked for it."

  • Estée Lauder - Founder of Estée Lauder Companies and cosmetics pioneer 💄
  • Lauder distinguishes between passive wishing and active implementation. Her tremendous success came not from merely envisioning achievement but from consistently taking practical actions to build her business empire.

8. "Success is not in what you have, but who you are."

  • Bo Bennett - Entrepreneur, author, and podcaster 💼
  • Bennett redefines success as personal development rather than material acquisition. Implementing actions that align with your values and develop your character leads to more meaningful and lasting success than simply accumulating possessions.

9. "The path to success is to take massive, determined action."

  • Tony Robbins - Bestselling author and performance coach 🔥
  • Robbins emphasizes the scale and intensity of action needed for significant achievement. Success typically requires bold, decisive implementation rather than timid, hesitant steps. Taking consistent, determined action creates momentum toward your goals.

10. "Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned."

  • Peter Marshall - Scottish-American preacher and chaplain of the US Senate 🙏
  • Marshall highlights the value of actual implementation over elaborate planning. Modest actions completed have more impact than grand schemes never executed. Success comes through consistent implementation of even small steps toward your goals.
Emoji icon 1f3c6.svg

Motivational Quotes Curated For You

Try our free AI Motivation Coach to find the best motivational quotes for your circumstances. Based on your challenges, goals and success.

Quotes About Goal Setting and Vision

1. "A goal properly set is halfway reached."

  • Zig Ziglar - Motivational speaker and sales trainer 🎯
  • Ziglar emphasizes how clearly defined goals are fundamental to success. When you precisely articulate what you want to achieve, you've already made significant progress toward accomplishment. Effective goal setting provides direction and purpose to your efforts.

2. "If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things."

  • Albert Einstein - Theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate 🧠
  • Einstein suggests that meaningful goals create fulfillment. Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve gives life purpose and direction, which are essential components of success and happiness.

3. "Goals are dreams with deadlines."

  • Diana Scharf Hunt - Time management expert and author ⏰
  • Hunt cleverly connects aspirations with concrete timeframes. Successful people transform vague wishes into specific, time-bound objectives. This approach to goal setting creates accountability and urgency that drives achievement.

4. "The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score."

  • Bill Copeland - Poet and writer 🏈
  • Copeland uses a sports analogy to illustrate the importance of clear objectives. Without defined goals, even tremendous effort can be wasted. Success requires not just action but directed action toward specific, meaningful targets.

5. "Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act."

  • Pablo Picasso - Pioneering artist and sculptor 🎨
  • Picasso outlines the complete goal achievement process: setting objectives, creating plans, maintaining belief, and taking action. This comprehensive approach to goal setting forms the foundation for success in any endeavor.

6. "If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time."

  • Zig Ziglar - Sales expert and motivational speaker 🎯
  • Ziglar's humorous observation highlights the necessity of clear targets. Success requires specific, well-defined goals. Without them, any outcome can seem acceptable, leading to mediocrity rather than excellence.

7. "You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential."

  • Steve Jobs - Co-founder of Apple and visionary entrepreneur 🍎
  • Jobs advocates for ambitious goal setting that pushes boundaries. Setting challenging goals that require growth stretches your capabilities and leads to greater success than easily attainable objectives.

8. "Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world."

  • Joel A. Barker - Futurist and author 🔭
  • Barker emphasizes the vital connection between having a clear vision and implementing it. Successful goal setting requires both a compelling vision of what you want to achieve and the consistent action needed to make it reality.

9. "A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement."

  • Bo Bennett - Businessman and author 💼
  • Bennett describes how aspirations transform into concrete objectives. Successful people convert vague dreams into specific goals by taking deliberate steps toward achievement. This process turns wishful thinking into meaningful accomplishment.

10. "Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible."

  • Tony Robbins - Performance coach and author 🚀
  • Robbins explains how goal setting materializes desires. By defining what you want to achieve, you begin the process of bringing it into existence. This initial step of clarifying your vision is crucial for success in any area of life.

Quotes About Resilience and Adaptability

1. "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up."

  • Vince Lombardi - Hall of Fame NFL coach who won the first two Super Bowls 🏈
  • Lombardi emphasizes that success hinges on resilience (ri-ZIL-yens) after setbacks. Everyone faces failures, but those who achieve success are distinguished by their ability to recover and continue moving forward despite challenges.

2. "Success is not the absence of failure; it's the persistence through failure."

  • Aisha Tyler - Actress, comedian, and director 🎬
  • Tyler redefines success as resilience rather than perfection. The path to achievement inevitably includes setbacks, but maintaining persistence through difficulties is what ultimately leads to success.

3. "When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it."

  • Henry Ford - Automobile industry pioneer and founder of Ford Motor Company 🚗
  • Ford uses an aviation metaphor to illustrate how resistance can actually facilitate success. Just as planes use opposing forces to gain altitude, resilient people leverage challenges to propel themselves toward greater achievement.

4. "Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm."

  • Winston Churchill - British Prime Minister during WWII 🇬🇧
  • Churchill, who faced numerous setbacks throughout his career, highlights how maintaining enthusiasm amid failures characterizes successful people. True resilience involves not just continuing after failure but doing so with undiminished energy and optimism.

5. "Adaptability is not imitation. It means power of resistance and assimilation."

  • Mahatma Gandhi - Leader of India's independence movement and advocate of nonviolence 🕊️
  • Gandhi distinguishes true adaptability from mere mimicry. Success in changing circumstances requires both resisting negative influences and integrating positive ones. This balanced approach allows for authentic growth amid transitions.

6. "The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived."

  • Robert Jordan - Fantasy author of "The Wheel of Time" series 📚
  • Jordan uses this natural metaphor to contrast rigidity with flexibility. Successful people, like the willow, know when to adapt to circumstances rather than resisting them futilely. This adaptability ensures survival and eventual success despite challenging conditions.

7. "Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

  • J.K. Rowling - Author of the Harry Potter series who wrote while living on welfare 📝
  • Rowling shares how extreme adversity became her starting point for tremendous success. Her experience demonstrates that resilience can transform even the most difficult circumstances into opportunities for achievement and growth.

8. "Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom."

  • George S. Patton - U.S. Army General during World War II 🎖️
  • Patton's military background informed this perspective on resilience. The measure of success isn't avoiding downfalls but rather how effectively you recover from them. This ability to bounce back determines long-term achievement.

9. "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."

  • Albert Einstein - Revolutionary physicist who developed the theory of relativity 🧠
  • Einstein recognizes that challenges often contain hidden benefits. Resilient people develop the ability to identify and capitalize on these opportunities within difficult situations, turning potential obstacles into stepping stones toward success.

10. "Life doesn't get easier or more forgiving; we get stronger and more resilient."

  • Steve Maraboli - Behavioral scientist and author 💪
  • Maraboli highlights that success comes not from diminishing challenges but from developing greater capacity to handle them. Building resilience is a process of personal growth that enables you to thrive amid increasingly complex situations.
Emoji icon 1f3c6.svg

Motivational Quotes Curated For You

Try our free AI Motivation Coach to find the best motivational quotes for your circumstances. Based on your challenges, goals and success.

THE POWER OF POSITIVITY - Best Motivational Video For Positive Thinking

Built on Unicorn Platform