120 Hard Work Quotes To Succeed In Life, Business, Sports, and More

By Nia Simone McLeod

Writer, Video Editor & Pop Culture Enthusiast

Published August 30, 2023

If you are striving for success, hard work has to be an essential part of your strategy.

The hard work quotes below will help you stay focused.

Who’s the hardest worker you know?

The importance of hard work has probably been reiterated to you throughout your life, whether it was from parents, bosses, or teachers.

Although, when you are faced with life’s difficulties, it can be hard to stay consistent.

Below are tidbits of knowledge from successful people who have learned the importance of hard work by putting it into practice.

These insightful quotes are from famous athletes, actors, entrepreneurs, and more.

Check out the quotes below and get motivated; it’s time to put in work!

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration.

Our inspirational quote category page has even more inspirational and educational quotes.

Motivational hard work quotes

1. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

You will also enjoy our article on Tyler the Creator quotes.

2. “Winners embrace hard work. They love the discipline of it, the trade-off they’re making to win. Losers, on the other hand, see it as punishment. And that’s the difference.” – Lou Holtz

3. “The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work.” – Thomas A. Edison

You will also enjoy our article on hard work beats talent.

4. “If four things are followed – having a great aim, acquiring knowledge, hard work, and perseverance – then anything can be achieved.” – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

5. “You can’t get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you’re doing. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.” – Alan Alda

6. “Hard work opens doors and shows the world that you are serious about being one of those rare – and special – human beings who use the fullness of their talents to do their very best.” – Robin S. Sharma

You will also enjoy our article on metals quotes.

7. “Work harder than you think you did yesterday.” – Alex Elle

hard work quotes on work harder than you think you did yesterday

You will also enjoy our article on go the extra mile quotes.

8. “When you live for a strong purpose, then hard work isn’t an option. It’s a necessity.” – Steve Pavlina

9. “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” – Newt Gingrich

10. “Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.” – Unknown

Don’t forget to also check out these Wednesday quotes for hump day motivation & inspiration.

Hard work quotes for business

11. “Overcoming fear is the first step to success for entrepreneurs. The winners all exemplify that, and the hard work and commitment they have shown underlines what is needed to set up a business.” – Richard Branson

12. “If you love your work, you’ll be out there every day trying to do it the best you possibly can, and pretty soon everybody around will catch the passion from you – like a fever. – Sam Walton

13. “Great companies are built in the office, with hard work put in by a team.” – Emily Chang

14. “Without hard work and discipline it is difficult to be a top professional.” – Jahangir Khan

15. “Have the end in mind and every day make sure you’re working towards it.” – Ryan Allis

16. “You are not your resume, you are your work.” – Seth Godin

hard work quotes on you are not your resume, you are your work

17. “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” – Theodore Roosevelt

18. “There’s no lotion or potion that will make sales faster and easier for you – unless your potion is hard work.” – Jeffrey Gitomer

You will also enjoy our article on motivational work quotes.

Hard work quotes from celebrities

19. “Power means happiness; power means hard work and sacrifice.” – Beyonce Knowles

20. “It’s definitely a dream come true to be recognized and to be able to sign autographs. But, it’s also a lot of hard work and can be draining. If you don’t know already, you will quickly learn who your real friends are.” – Christina Aguilera

21. “I always feel like it’s two key ingredients when it comes to following your dreams, making something happen that the average person deems difficult. If you truly believe it, that’s step one. Step two, is, you know, the hard work that goes along with it.” – J. Cole

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of J. Cole quotes and lyrics on life & love.

22. “I have achieved everything through either hard work or luck.” – Sandra Bullock

23. “Touring is a tough plane to get off the ground, and it takes a lot of hard work and a lot of investments.” – G-Eazy

24. “Comedy is not funny. Comedy is hard work and timing and lots and lots of rehearsals.” – Larry Hagman

25. “I believe in hard work. I think that everything flows out of that.” – Aisha Tyler

hard work quotes on i believe in hard work. I think that everything flows out of that

26. “The one thing I’ve learned in the last ten years is that successful artists don’t get paid to write and sing songs, they get paid for the psychological roller coaster they’re going to have to ride. That’s the hard work.” – Enrique Iglesias

27. “People from all walks of life and all over the world look at me and know my humble beginnings and know that everything I’ve done has been through hard work. People respect me as a marketer and brand builder.” – Sean Combs

28. “I believe destiny and hard work go hand in hand. I was studying to be an engineer when my mom and my brother sent my pictures for the Miss India contest. I didn’t even know about it. If that isn’t destiny, what is?” – Priyanka Chopra

29. “It feels like my hard work has paid off, but at the same time, I still have the impostor, you know, syndrome. I still feel like I’m going to wake up, and everybody’s going to see me for the hack I am.” – Viola Davis

30. “How long you can continue to be good at something is how much you believe in yourself and how much hard work you do with the training.” – Jason Statham

31. “Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” – Oprah Winfrey

32. “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is hard work.” – Stephen King

33. “Everyone’s like, ‘overnight sensation.’ It’s not overnight. It’s years of hard work.” – Margot Robbie

Also, read these inspirational soccer quotes that will motivate you to work hard for your dreams.

Hard work quotes for sports

34. “Skill is only developed by hours and hours of work.” – Usain Bolt

35. “Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Liane Cardes

36. “There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you.” – Derek Jeter

37. “Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.” – Dan Gable

38. Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.” — Jerry Rice

39. “Irrespective of whether you have the talent or not, one has to work hard. Just being talented doesn’t mean anything; you can end up wasting it before you realize.” — Virat Kohli

40. “I am no genius; I just worked hard like my other teammates, and I believe all my teammates can win the title as they work hard, too.” — Lin Dan

You might also like these pain quotes will help you channel your warrior within.

41. “A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.” — Larry Bird

42. “Nothing good comes in life or athletics unless a lot of hard work has preceded the effort. Only temporary success is achieved by taking shortcuts.” – Roger Staubach

43. “You need three things to win: discipline, hard work and, before everything maybe, commitment. No one will make it without those three. Sport teaches you that.” – Haile Gebrselassie

You will also enjoy our article on business motivational quotes.

Hard work quotes about success

44. “What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain sense of purpose.” – Margaret Thatcher

45. “Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” – Dwayne Johnson

46. “The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” – Joshua Waitzkin

47. “Most of the time you will fail, but you will also occasionally succeed. Those occasional successes make all the hard work and sacrifice worthwhile.” – Dean Kamen

48. “To succeed, work hard, never give up and above all, cherish a magnificent obsession.” – Walt Disney

If you’re enjoying this article, make sure to check out our collection of Thursday quotes to inspire the end of your week.

49. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau

50. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vidal Sassoon

51. “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.” – Arnold Palmer

52. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali

You might also like these Colin Powell quotes that will inspire and motivate you to work hard for your dreams.

More hard work quotes and sayings

53. “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory.” – Mahatma Gandhi

54. “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.” – Thomas A. Edison

55. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.” – Steve Jobs

56. “Win or lose you will never regret working hard, making sacrifices, being disciplined or focusing too much. Success is measured by what we have done to prepare for competition.” – John Smith

57. “Give your dreams all you’ve got, and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.” – William James

58. “If you really want something, and really work hard, and take advantage of opportunities, and never give up, you will find a way.. Follow your Dreams.” – Jane Goodall

59. “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

60. “If you work hard, whatever you want, it will come to you. I know that’s easier said than done, but keep trying.” – Beyonce Knowles

Check out our collection of workaholic quotes if you enjoy this article.

Hard Work Quotes To Inspire You To Give More At Whatever You Do

61. “With hard work and effort, you can achieve anything.” — Antoine Griezmann

62. “Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.” — Gordon B. Hinckley

63. Hard work is an essential element in tracking down and perfecting a strategy or in executing it.” — Charlie Munger

64. “Luck is great, but most of life is hard work.” — Iain Duncan Smith

65. “Work and you’ll get what you need; work harder and you’ll get what you want.” — Prabakaran Thirumalai

66. “Hard work compounds like interest, and the earlier you do it, the more time you have for the benefits to pay off.” — Sam Altman

67. “It’s not about money or connections – it’s the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone.” — Mark Cuban

68. “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” Thomas Jefferson

69. “Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work” — Peter F. Drucker

70. “A lot of hard work is hidden behind nice things.” — Ralph Lauren

Hard Work Quotes To Inspire You To Put In More Effort

71. “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” ― David Bly

72. “Through hard work, perseverance and a faith in God, you can live your dreams.” ― Ben Carson

73. “Inspiration is the windfall from hard work and focus.” ― Helen Hanson

74. “Believe in yourself, work hard, work smart and passionately present your best self to the world.” ― Hill Harper

75. “Stay positive and happy. Work hard and don’t give up hope. Be open to criticism and keep learning. Surround yourself with happy, warm, and genuine people.” ― Tena Desae

76. “There is no substitute for hard work. There is no such thing as an overnight success or easy money.” ― Henry Sy

77. “I think that my biggest attribute to any success that I have had is hard work. There really is no substitute for working hard.” ― Maria Bartiromo

78. “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.” ― Simon Sinek

79. “Every beautiful mind has great dreams, but rarely is anyone ever ready to work hard for their dreams.” ― Terry Mark

80. “There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.” ― Michael Phelps

You might also like these hustle quotes to motivate and inspire you.

Uplifting Perspectives and Insights from Hard Work Quotes

81. “All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.” — Calvin Coolidge

82. “Hard work doesn’t guarantee success, but improves its chances.” — B. J. Gupta

83. “Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy.” — Robert Half

84. “I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.” — Pearl S. Buck

85. “Don’t tell me how hard you work. Tell me how much you get done.” — James Ling

86. “There is no royal flower-strewn path to success. And if there is, I have not found it for if I have accomplished anything in life it is because I have been willing to work hard.” — Madam C.J. Walker

87. “I believe in work, hard work, and long hours of work. Men do not breakdown from overwork, but from worry and dissipation.” — Charles Evans Hughes

88. “Do not let your good ideas to spend your brain energy, do it with all the effort because the shadow of the success can become a reality only with hard work.” — Isra

89. “If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.” — Michelangelo Buonarroti

90. “We all have a path to take; sometimes it’s hidden under the weeds, so you might have to work a little.” — Mike Dolan

Hard Work Quotes to Harness the Power of Diligence

91. “Life grants nothing to us mortals without hard work.” — Horace

92. “Hard work pays off – hard work beats talent any day, but if you’re talented and work hard, it’s hard to be beat.” — Robert Griffin III

93. “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” — Sam Ewing

94. “Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.” — Booker T. Washington

95. “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” — Vince Lombardi

96. “Hard work is painful when life is devoid of purpose. But when you live for something greater than yourself and the gratification of your own ego, then hard work becomes a labor of love.” — Steve Pavlina

97. “If you want to achieve some really big and interesting goals, you have to learn to fall in love with hard work.” — Steve Pavlina

98. “If the power to do hard work is not a skill, it’s the best possible substitute for it.” — James A. Garfield

99. “I do not know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it will get you pretty near.” — Margaret Thatcher

100. “Nothing will work unless you do.” — Maya Angelou

Navigating the Path to Achievement through Hard Work Quotes

101. When you stop making excuses and you work hard and go hard you will be very successful.” — DJ Khaled

102. “You can’t be afraid of hard work or long hours. Sacrifice is important.” — Jerry Bruckheimer

103. “Dreams do come true. But it will involve a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication, a lot of studying.” — Gabriel Campisi

104. “I am always a big believer that if you work hard enough and you work out of passion, a person can do anything.” — Kelly Blatz

105. “Definitely people like Kanye, inspired me to work hard. He’s somebody who I’ve seen put that grind in over the years.” — Big Sean

106. “Be persistent. Understand the ways in which your hard work is going to be necessary to achieve the goals that you want.” — Risa J. Lavizzo-Mourey

107. “A true measure of success is just to work hard and get my music out there and just be myself and be real.” — William Beckett

108. “The best and easiest lesson for me was to learn that writing is mostly hard work.” — Bonnie Jo Campbell

109. “I’ve always had the mentality of: work hard, get to bed early, focus – and let your work speak for itself.” — Olivia Palermo

110. “You can always work harder and we are capable of extraordinary things.” — Sally Fitzgibbons

Hard Work Quotes to Illuminate the Journey

111. “I am inspired when I see goodness in other people. I am inspired by hard work and honesty. And I am inspired by nature.” — Tricia Helfer

112. “Very few things which are really worth achieving come easily. Sometimes they do, but most of the time you really have to work hard and cleverly.” — Lewis Pugh

113. “I would describe myself as a hard worker, very humble and focused on whatever it is that I put my mind to.” — Rahki

114. “There’s positive attention and there’s negative attention – negative attention is easy, positive attention requires actual hard work.” — Zachary Cole Smith

115. “You have to love what you do because it’s really, really hard work to get to top and it’s even harder to stay there.” — Casey Stoney

116. “I believe in magic, and having a vision. The tough times made me a warrior. I work hard.” — Neon Hitch

117. “Think clearly, act sensibly, commit yourself to caring and work hard in order to discover joy. Then give the images back to the world from which they were taken.” — Bill Jay

118. “It’s not the ideas; it’s design, implementation and hard work that make the difference.” — Michael Abrash

119. “I wanna work harder & let myself bear the wound. even though it hurt a lot but the meaning is I can use this to help me grow up.” — Seungri

120. “People know that I have adopted four principles in living my life: simple living, punctuality, hard work and prudence.” — Abdul Sattar Edhi