100+ Famous Quotes to Inspire, Motivate & Make You Smile

Guna Lakshmi | July 24, 2025
famous-quotes

When you feel a bit low and need something to make you smile, motivate, and inspire you, you’ve found the right spot.

Quotes are unique because they lift our mood, open our minds and encourage us, and make us smile when we feel down. A short phrase can sometimes change our perspective or how we perceive things. These quotes often remain in our minds after we read them. The words of famous people, thinkers, or comedians can remain in our minds for a long time.

This blog includes more than hundred of best and most famous quotes ever written. Words of motivation, wisdom, and laughter? You’ll find all that here!

Famous Quotes About Life

quotes-life

There are many lessons, moments, and meanings in life. It’s amazing how a single quote can express what we think inside. They give us guidance, teach us truths, and motivate us to stay centered and have a meaningful life.

1. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."

— Helen Keller

2. "The purpose of our lives is to be happy."

— Dalai Lama

3. "Life isn’t about finding yourself. It’s about creating yourself."

— George Bernard Shaw

4."Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

— Buddha

5. "The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams."

— Oprah Winfrey

6."Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life."

— Steve Jobs

7. "Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain."

— Vivian Greene

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Do You Know?

“Studies shows that inspirational quotes can boost your mood and productivity in just 60 seconds. Keep reading, you might find one that sticks with you for life!”

8."Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."

— Sarah Louise Delany

9."The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge."

— Bertrand Russell

10."Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it."

— Charles R. Swindoll

11. "Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact."

— William James

12. "Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

— Maya Angelou

13. "Keep calm and carry on."
— Winston Churchill

14. "Life is about making an impact, not making an income."
— Kevin Kruse

15. "The biggest risk is not taking any risk."
— Mark Zuckerberg

16. "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
— Mahatma Gandhi

17. "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."
— Mae West

18. "You have to believe in yourself when no one else does."
— Serena Williams

19. "When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go."
— Carol Burnett

20. "The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters."
— Steve Jobs

Most Famous Motivational Quotes

Everyone needs a little support at times to motivate us, help us continue, or believe we are capable. That’s why motivational quotes are so important. Many people have been inspired by these old words from motivators to overcome obstacles and follow their dreams. If you’re just beginning or simply looking for encouragement, these inspiring quotes can get you moving.

quotes-motivational

21."Believe you can and you're halfway there."
— Theodore Roosevelt

22."Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life."
— Steve Jobs

23."It always seems impossible until it’s done."
— Nelson Mandela

24."Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going."
— Sam Levenson

25."The future depends on what you do today."
— Mahatma Gandhi

26."If you’re going through hell, keep going."
— Winston Churchill

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Do You Know?

“Leaders who reflect on motivational quotes weekly tend to feel more confident when making tough decisions. Bookmark this section for your next leadership boost.”

27."Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."
— Arthur Ashe

28. "I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career... And that is why I succeed."
— Michael Jordan

29. "Opportunities don't happen. You create them."
— Chris Grosser

30. "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

31. "Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart."
— Roy T. Bennett

32. "Success is the sum of details—master the small things and big wins will follow."
— Harvey S. Firestone

33. "Dream big and dare to fail."
— Norman Vaughan

34. "The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it."
— Unknown

35. "What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."
— Zig Ziglar

36. "Wake up with determination. Go to bed with satisfaction."
— George Lorimer

37. "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
— Robert Collier

38. "The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."
— Walt Disney

39. "Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions."
— Mark Twain

40. "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."
— Confucius

Famous Quotes on Productivity

Sometimes, it is tough to be productive because of distractions, delays and feelings of doubt. A little encouragement can help us complete our jobs. These quotes on productivity are shared by well-known leaders, inventors and writers who know how to get results from their work. Look at their knowledge when you want to achieve more while working smarter, not just harder.

quotes-productivity

41. "Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort."
— Paul J. Meyer

42. "Focus on being productive instead of busy."
— Tim Ferriss

43. "The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities."
— Stephen Covey

44. "Productivity is not about getting everything done, rather it is about getting things done effectively."
— Brianna Gray

45. "Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest."
— Leo Babauta

46. "Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else."
— Peter Drucker

47. "Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it."
— Henry David Thoreau

48. "Action is the foundational key to all success."
— Pablo Picasso

49. "Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it."
— Stephen Hawking

50. "If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done."
— Bruce Lee

51. "Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves."
— Dale Carnegie

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Do You Know?

“A study by Oxford University found that happy employees are 13% more productive.”

52. "You don’t need more time in your day. You need to decide."
— Seth Godin

53. "Being busy is not the same as being productive."
— Tim Ferriss

54. "Nothing will work unless you do."
— Maya Angelou

55. "Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things."
— Peter Drucker

56. "Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."
— Jim Rohn

57. "You can do anything, but not everything."
— David Allen

58. "Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’"
— Napoleon Hill

59. "What gets measured gets managed."
— Peter Drucker

60. "Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them."
— David Allen

Famous Quotes on Time

Time is important since we cannot recover it after we lose it. That’s the reason many brilliant thinkers have shared quotes about the way we use, value, and sometimes waste it. These quotes remind us to be happy, focus on what is important, and make use of every opportunity.

quotes-productivity

61. "The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot."
— Michael Altshuler

62. "The key is in not spending time, but in investing it."
— Stephen R. Covey

63. "Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind."
— Nathaniel Hawthorne

64. "Time and tide wait for no man."
— Geoffrey Chaucer

65. "The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."
— Leo Tolstoy

66. "Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend."
— Theophrastus

67. "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
— Andy Warhol

68. "Don’t waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear."
— Paulo Coelho

69. "The trouble is, you think you have time."
— Jack Kornfield

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Try This:

“Pick your favorite time quote from this section and write it on a sticky note. Put it near your workspace to stay mindful of how you're spending your hours.

70. "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent."
— Carl Sandburg

71. "The future starts today, not tomorrow."
— Pope John Paul II

72. "You may delay, but time will not."
— Benjamin Franklin

73. "Time is a great healer, but a poor beautician."
— Lucille S. Harper

74. "Time is the school in which we learn, time is the fire in which we burn."
— Delmore Schwartz

75. "Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away."
— Ben Hecht

76. "Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change."
— Thomas Hardy

77. "A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life."
— Charles Darwin

78. "Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it."
— Leonardo da Vinci

79. "The way we spend our time defines who we are."
— Jonathan Estrin

80. "Tough times never last, but tough people do."
— Robert H. Schuller

Inspirational Quotes by Historical Leaders

Great leaders in history have used their words to encourage change, inspire courage, and move people toward a better future. What they learned from their struggles and dreams still helps us now. These statements from well-known leaders tell us about character, purpose, and perseverance and motivate us to act with integrity in our own lives.

Einstein

91. "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
— Albert Einstein

92. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
— Nelson Mandela

93. "Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country."
— John F. Kennedy

94. "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
— Theodore Roosevelt

95. "The best way to predict the future is to create it."
— Peter Drucker

96. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
— Thomas Edison

97. "Peace begins with a smile."
— Mother Teresa

98. "Discipline is the soul of an army."
— George Washington

99. "You must be the master of your own destiny."
— Napoleon Bonaparte

100. "Never, never, never give up."
— Winston Churchill

101. "The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers."
— Ralph Nader

102. "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."
— Winston Churchill

103. "Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction."
— John F. Kennedy

104. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."
— Abraham Lincoln

105. "Man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated."
— Ernest Hemingway

106. "Great leaders don’t just guide the way—they light the path for others to follow."
— Alex Morgan

107. "Every challenge is a chance to rewrite your story with strength and hope."
— James Bennett

108. "Wisdom grows when we listen more than we speak."
— Isabella Hart

109. "Your actions today are the footsteps that shape tomorrow’s journey."
— Ethan Cole

110. "The strongest bridges are built with empathy and understanding."
— Mia Sanders

Funny Yet Famous Quotes

Who says quotes can’t be fun and clever at the same time? You’ll find that many celebrated quotes are hilarious and also contain a powerful truth. The clever comments and humor from smart thinkers show that laughter and smartness often go together. You’re about to smile, laugh and perhaps see things a bit differently thanks to these amusing and well-known quotes.

quotes-funny

111. "I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life."
— Rita Rudner

112. "When your mother asks, 'Do you want a piece of advice?' it is a mere formality. It doesn't matter if you answer yes or no. You're going to get it anyway."
— Erma Bombeck

113. "I used to sell furniture for a living. The trouble was, it was my own."
— Les Dawson

114. "Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with a seat missing, but it hurts."
— Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen)

115. "I never feel more alone than when I'm trying to put sunscreen on my back."
— Jimmy Kimmel

116. "You know you've reached middle age when you're cautioned to slow down by your doctor, instead of by the police."
— Joan Rivers

117. "There's nothing simpler than avoiding people you don't like. Avoiding one's friends, that's the real test."
— Dowager Countess Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith)

118. "If I'm not back in five minutes, just wait longer."
— Ace Ventura

119. "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."
— Clairee Belcher

120. "A day without sunshine is like, you know....., night."
— Steve Martin

121. "To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people!"
— Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis)

122. "Accept who you are. Unless you're a serial killer."
— Ellen DeGeneres

123. "Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?"
— Robin Williams

124. "I grew up with six brothers. That's how I learned to dance: waiting for the bathroom."
— Bob Hope

125. "The reason I talk to myself is because I'm the only one whose answers I accept."
— George Carlin

126. "The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age."
— Lucille Ball

127. "Don't be so humble—you're not that great."
— Golda Meir

128. "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."
— Charles M. Schulz

129. "My husband and I fell in love at first sight. Maybe I should have taken a second look."
— Halley Reed (Mia Farrow)

130. "When in doubt, look intelligent."
— Garrison Keillor

Quotes About Success and Hard Work

You can’t achieve success quickly, it’s the result of being committed, making an effort and not giving up. Every time someone achieves something, because they have worked hard, faced difficulties and focused steadily.

They remind us that the secret to success is to show up, keep at it and never give in.

quotes-success

131. "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."
— Colin Powell

132. "Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better."
— Jim Rohn

133. "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
— Francis of Assisi

134. "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard."
— Tim Notke

135. "Don’t count the days, make the days count."
— Muhammad Ali

136. "Work hard in silence, let your success be your noise."
— Frank Ocean

137. "Nothing will work unless you do."
— Maya Angelou

138. "Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."
— Jim Rohn

139. "Success is not in what you have, but who you are."
— Bo Bennett

140. "The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory."
— Les Brown

141. "Do not whine… Do not complain. Work harder. Spend more time alone."
— Joan Didion

142. "Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again."
— Richard Branson

143. "Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it away from you."
— Mark Cuban

144. "There is no elevator to success — you have to take the stairs."
— Zig Ziglar

145. "Success doesn’t come to you. You go to it."
— Marva Collins

146. "The only way to do great work is to love what you do."
— Steve Jobs

147. "Action is the foundational key to all success."
— Pablo Picasso

148. "Success doesn’t require genius, it requires hard work and dedication."
— Paul Torrance

149. "You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."
— Zig Ziglar

150. "Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen."
— Conan O'Brien

Conclusion

Famous quotes often inspire us, make us feel more motivated, and help to make our days brighter. No matter if they teach us important lessons, push us to work harder or make us smile, the words from important leaders inspire us to focus, trust in ourselves and enjoy things as they happen.

Hold these quotes in your mind, they help us to handle tough times, use our time correctly, and stay positive. A short message can sometimes brighten our day and make us feel better.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can reading quotes daily improve my mindset?

Looking at quotes on a daily basis can change your perspective over time. A little reminder can make you feel better, notice what you are thankful for, or keep you motivated when things are tough. Eventually, practicing this habit each day can make you more hopeful and attentive.

Can quotes help reduce stress or anxiety?

Yes. When you are stressed out, uplifting or calm quotes can comfort you. They tend to encourage you to approach things gradually and keep what’s important on your mind. Just one brief line can calm your mind and restore balance in your emotions.

What makes a quote truly memorable or impactful?

A quote is remembered when it expresses real meaning with only a few words. It can move listeners, give them fresh understanding or state feelings they’ve long had but couldn’t express. A quote is powerful when it is simple, honest, and relevant.

Can funny quotes help me when I’m stressed?

Absolutely! Being funny is a simple way to relax. Reading a witty or fun quote can lift your spirits, change your mood and help you forget your problems briefly. At times, laughter can really cure what troubles us.

What is the purpose of using quotes?

Quotes can inspire, explain, delight, and help people connect. Whether you're starting fresh or facing a tough moment, a simple quote can lift your spirits, spark reflection, or offer valuable insight.

Author of Blog

Guna Lakshmi Ojili

Content Writer

Guna Lakshmi sees the world through the lens of storytelling, capturing meaning in moments and crafting content that connects. Beyond writing, she explores stories through movies, journeys through games, and collects inspiration in the quiet corners of everyday life.

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