138 Opportunity Quotes for Work and Life

By Norbert Juma

Master quote curator and editor on a mission to inspire

Updated November 13, 2023

If you are waiting around for your life or career to improve, these opportunity quotes can help motivate and guide you.

Life is full of opportunities.

But it’s easy to miss those opportunities because they don’t often look like we think they are going to.

Or, we allow fear to stop us from grasping opportunity when it presents itself to us.

According to research from the Harvard Business Review, one key factor that separates successful people from those who struggle is their ability to recognize and act on opportunities.

This underscores the importance of developing this skill for anyone looking to create something new.

If you want to grow in life and work, you need to learn how to recognize opportunity when it arises and also to create new opportunities for yourself.

But you don’t want to stop there, as you keep growing you will learn how to help create opportunities for others as well.

To help motivate you, below is our collection of inspirational, wise, and thoughtful opportunity quotes and sayings, collected from a variety of sources over the years.

We also have a variety of motivational quotes for employees to power your day. Be sure to read that as well.

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

If you enjoy this collection, check out our inspirational quotes category page.

Failure and opportunity quotes

A study by the University of Chicago found that individuals exposed to diverse perspectives and ideas are more likely to recognize and act on opportunities than those not.

This suggests that seeking out diverse experiences and viewpoints can be an effective way to become better at recognizing opportunities.

1. “Failure is only the opportunity more intelligently to begin again.” – Henry Ford

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2. “When things do not go your way, remember that every challenge – every adversity – contains within it the seeds of opportunity and growth.” – Roy T. Bennett

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3. “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

4. “Every twist and turn in life is an opportunity to learn something new about yourself, your interests, your talents, and how to set and then achieve goals.” – Jameela Jamil

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5. “I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.” – John D. Rockefeller

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6. “In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” – Mark Zuckerberg

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7. “There are secret opportunities hidden inside every failure.” – Anonymous

8. “Decide what you want, and then act as if it were impossible to fail.” – Brian Tracy

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9. “The true measure of success is how many times you can bounce back from failure.” – Stephen Richards

10. “When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” – John F. Kennedy

11. “Turn your obstacles into opportunities and your problems into possibilities.” – Roy T. Bennett

12. “Every moment wasted looking back, keeps us from moving forward.” – Hillary Clinton

13. “There is no security on this earth; there is only opportunity.” – Douglas MacArthur

14. Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. – Victor Kiam

If you enjoy this article, check out our collection of missed opportunity quotes for life’s teachable moments.

Opportunity quotes to help you seize your chances

A study by the University of Virginia found that individuals who set specific goals and write them down are more likely to recognize and act on opportunities that can help them achieve those goals.

This suggests that having a clear sense of direction and purpose can effectively take advantage of new opportunities.

15. “If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade.” – Tom Peters

16. “When opportunity presents itself, don’t be afraid to go after it.” – Eddie Kennison

17. “Most people miss Opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas A. Edison

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18. “Expect change. Analyze the landscape. Take the opportunities. Stop being the chess piece; become the player. It’s your move.” – Tony Robbins

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19. “It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane and just. He gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth. It is an awesome opportunity.” – Cesar Chavez

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20. “When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder than the beating of your heart, and it is very easy to miss it.” ― Boris Pasternak

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21. “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later.” – Richard Branson

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22. “I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.” – John D. Rockefeller

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Opportunity quotes on thinking big

23. “As long as you are going to be thinking anyway, think big.” – Donald Trump

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24. “Ability is of little account without opportunity.” – Lucille Ball

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25. “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.” – Ann Landers

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26. “The sad truth is that opportunity doesn’t knock twice.” – Gloria Estefan

27. “Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them.” – William Arthur Ward

28. “Not knowing when the dawn will come I open every door.” – Emily Dickinson

29. “Excuses will always be there for you. Opportunity won’t.” – Anonymous

30. “What is the recipe for successful achievement? To my mind there are just four essential ingredients: Choose a career you love, give it the best there is in you, seize your opportunities, and be a member of the team.” – Benjamin Franklin

31. “Let me tell ya. You gotta pay attention to signs. When life reaches out with a moment like this it’s a sin if you don’t reach back…I’m telling you.” – Matthew Quick

Opportunity quotes on how to create them

32. “Don’t wait for the right opportunity: create it.” – George Bernard Shaw

33. “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle

34. “I speak not for myself but for those without voice… those who have fought for their rights… their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated.” – Malala Yousafzai

35. “To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.” – Bruce Lee

36. “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” – Edith Lovejoy Pierce

37. “Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems.” – Sun Tzu

38. “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” – Bobby Unser

39. “To stay ahead, you must have your next idea waiting in the wings.” – Rosabeth Moss Kanter

40. “America is another name for opportunity.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

41. “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffett

42. “I will prepare and some day my chance will come.” – Abraham Lincoln

43. “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” – Francis Bacon

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Opportunity quotes on creating chances for others

44. “The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.” – Peter Drucker

45. “As we enjoy great adventures from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by an invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.” – Benjamin Franklin

46. “What’s important for my daughter to know is that… if you are fortunate to have opportunity, it is your duty to make sure other people have those opportunities as well.” – Kamala Harris

47. “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill

48. “Pursuing your passions makes you more interesting, and interesting people are enchanting.” – Guy Kawasaki

49. “… one opportunity leads directly to another, just as risk leads to more risk, life to more life, and death to more death.” – Markus Zusak

50. “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” ― Alexander Graham Bell

51. “Life opens up opportunities to you, and you either take them or you stay afraid of taking them.” – Jim Carrey

More opportunity quotes and sayings

52. “Problems can become opportunities when the right people come together.” – Robert Redford

53. “To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.” – Benjamin Franklin

54. “One can present people with opportunities. One cannot make them equal to them.” – Rosamond Lehmann

55. The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.” – Jonas Salk

56. Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” – Betty Friedan

57. “If you have the opportunity to play this game of life you need to appreciate every moment. a lot of people don’t appreciate the moment until it’s passed.” – Kanye West

58. “Everyone has something to contribute to this world. It’s just a matter of being given that opportunity to do so.” – Grace Hightower

59. “One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.” – Benjamin Disraeli

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Powerful opportunity quotes to ponder on

60. “Always find opportunities to make someone smile, and to offer random acts of kindness in everyday life.” ― Roy T. Bennett

61. “It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;—it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others.” ― Jane Austen

62. “I believe that every single event in life happens in an opportunity to choose love over fear.” ― Oprah Winfrey

63. “Opportunity does not waste time with those who are unprepared.” ― Idowu Koyenikan

64. “Single” is an opportunity to live life on your own terms and not apologize.” ― Mandy Hale

65. “Our most significant opportunities will be found in times of greatest difficulty.” ― Thomas S. Monson

66. “Remember the two benefits of failure. First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn’t work; and second, the failure gives you the opportunity to try a new approach.” ― Roger Von Oech

67. “Remember that things are not always as they appear to be… Curiosity creates possibilities and opportunities.” ― Roy T. Bennett

68. “It is not often that a man can make opportunities for himself. But he can put himself in such shape that when or if the opportunities come he is ready.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

69. “Unfortunately, there seems to be far more opportunity out there than ability…. We should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.” ― Thomas A. Edison

Opportunity Quotes To Help You Make Decisions

70. “In every adversity, there is a hidden opportunity.” ― Debasish Mridha

71. “The excitement of opportunity and challenge inspires us to push for greatness.” ― Lorii Myers

72. “Imagine that the impossible is an opportunity.” ― Rajesh Walecha

73. “Opportunities in life are meant to be utilized and invested in.” ― Sunday Adelaja

74. “Sometimes opportunities float right past your nose. Work hard, apply yourself, and be ready. When an opportunity comes you can grab it.” ― Julie Andrews

75. “Failure is an opportunity to rise higher than before.” ― Edwin Dearborn

76. “The opportunity you are looking for someone is already out there wasting it.” ― Prince el fati

77. “Deep within every crisis is an opportunity for something beautiful.” ― Kate McGahan

78. “Every new day is an opportunity to grow your love.”― Debasish Mridha

79. “The opportunity to do what is right is available at all times.” ― Jim George

Opportunity Quotes To Help You Take Chances in Life

80. “Opportunities are presented to us each and every day, but do we see them. To see an opportunity we must be open to all thoughts.” — Catherine Pulsifer

81. “When we spend our time looking at what other people do or what they have, we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to see our own value.” — Les Brown

82. “Stop being a victim and waiting for somebody else to open up an opportunity for you!” — Eric Thomas

83. “Always seize opportunity when it comes your way. Get everything out of it that you want. No matter what the cost.” — Katrinka Blickle

84. “Life is made up of a series of tests, trials, and great opportunities. Some are momentary, but most take endurance.” — Michael K. Simpson

85. “We all have the opportunity to create the life we want with the choices we make.” — Ria Barna

86. “While opportunity lies within each Source, big opportunity comes when we connect them.” — Pam Henderson

87. “Great opportunities come to all, and the secret of success in life is to be ready to grasp them when they arrive.” — L. Charley

88. “The good news is that the opportunity for success lies within your own hands.” — Ian R. Mackintosh

89. “Once you have come to a realization of your own limits will find that your life can be full of mind-blowing opportunities.” — Sam Rivers

Opportunity Quotes for Self Benefit

90. “My place is in the sunlight of opportunity.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

91. “The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one’s opportunities and make the most of one’s resources.” — Luc de Clapiers

92. “Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door.” — Kyle Chandler

93. “Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity. From discord find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein

94. “Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.” — Fred Rogers

95. “Opportunities do not come with their values stamped upon them.” — Maltbie Davenport Babcock

96. “Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor.” — H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

97. “There is something remarkable about each one of us. Seize the opportunity to look within and rediscover yourself.” ― Roopleen

98. “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that: it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” — Rahm Emanuel

99. “Most people spend their whole lives looking for the right job. There are others who never get an opportunity to do work that fulfils them.” — Zhang Ziyi

Opportunity Quotes To Make You Take Chances When They Show Up

100. “To be a great man it is necessary to turn to account all opportunities.” ― La Rochefoucauld

101. “To improve the golden moment of opportunity and catch the good that is within our reach is the great art of life.” ― Samuel Johnson

102. “Every opportunity presents an obligation.” ― John D. Rockefeller Jr.

103. “He who refuses to embrace a unique opportunity loses the prize as surely as if he had failed.” ― William James

104. “The wise will make more opportunities than they find.” ― Sir Francis Bacon

105. “The sure way to miss success is to miss the opportunity.” ― Philarete Chaskes

106. “For the highest task of intelligence is to grasp and recognize genuine opportunity, possibility.” ― John Dewey

107. “Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forego an advantage.” ― Disraeli

108. “Take advantage of every opportunity; where there is none, make it for yourself.” ― Marcus Garvey

109. “He is a good time-server that finds out the fittest opportunity of every action.” ― Thomas Fuller

Opportunity Quotes on How to Utilize Every Available Chance

110. “Do you know the opportunity you get when you fail? It is starting again – an opportunity to perform better.” ― Ogwo David Emenike

111. “Every reaction is an opportunity to cultivate a pearl – a beautiful truth that will illuminate the way forwards.” ― Pollyanna Darling

112. “‎Every opportunity missed is an opportunity for regret” ― Karl Kloppenborg

113. “In the ashes of adversity, lies opportunity.” ― S.L. Coelho

114. “Do you see a problem in every opportunity or an opportunity in every problem?” ― Orrin Woodward

115. “An opportunity, no matter how small it is, is still worth a golden chance. So take it or have regrets for the rest of your life.” ― Francisca Olivia

116. “Every day we’re given opportunities, some of us see them and some are too busy to notice.” ― Rachael Bermingham

117. “In between yesterday’s regret and tomorrow’s dream is today’s opportunity. Seize the chance!” ― Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha

118. “Do not wait for an opportunity to be all that you want to be.” ― Wallace Wattles

119. “That was the one thing she knew now. Some chances came and went, and if you missed them, you could spend the rest of your life standing alone, waiting for an opportunity that had already passed you by.” ― Kristin Hannah

Opportunity Quotes Reminding You to Think Outside the Box

120. “Wherever there is danger, there lurks opportunity; wherever there is opportunity, there lurks danger. The two are inseparable.” ― Earl Nightingale

121. “Freedom means the opportunity to be what we never thought we would be.” ― Daniel J. Boorstin

122. “Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.” ― Anthony Robbins

123. “Forget seizing the moment. Seize the opportunity.” ― Tim Fargo

124. “The only sane response to change is to find the opportunity in it.” ― Jeff Jarvis

125. “Never pass up a valuable opportunity, because regret can last a lifetime.” ― Kim Yannayon

126. “Every day is a new opportunity to earn the lost values, but not for an apathetic.” ― M.F. Moonzajer

127. “Don’t just dream of success; create a plan and act upon it! Your momentum creates the door upon which opportunity knocks.” ― Steve Maraboli

128. “Too often, we miss out on opportunities in this life because we were too busy waiting for them to fall into our lap that we missed them tapping on our shoulder.” ― Daniel Willey

129. “Positive types see opportunities, for each day is a new beginning with new possibilities and new experiences.” ― Sullins Stuart

130. “Look at every change as an opportunity to learn something new.” ― Hanif Raah

131. “Financial generosity is one of the most challenging expressions, and perhaps holds the most opportunity to make a difference in the world and our own well-being.” ― Mark V. Ewert

132. “Your life is rich with possibility, and you are the only one who can discover the opportunities that will allow you to live your dreams.” ― Jason Harvey

133. “A Fresh Start is an opportunity to look in a different direction for a better outcome.” ― Vivian Jokotade

134. “A new day is dawning. As the sun rises, so do new opportunities to grow, develop, and improve.” ― Dr Rob Carter

135. “Adapting is not mere reconciling. Adapting brings with it the opportunity for far greater benisons and for brightening the later decades with a light not yet visible to the young.” ― Sherwin B. Nuland

136. “One of the pleasant by-products of publication in paperbacks is the opportunity it provides for second thoughts.” ― Margaret Mead

137. “Sunday is another opportunity to give hope, encouragement and comfort to those we meet.” ― Byron Pulsifer

138. “Effective leaders today must develop the skills for turning these differences into opportunities – or they simply won’t succeed.” ― Mark Gerzon