As an entrepreneur, I love reading motivational quotes to give me a kick in the pants, particularly when things are tough. My 10 favorite quotes are as follows (the sentence after each quote is my quick take on it):
Uplifting Quotes For Entrepreneurs
1. “If you’re going through hell,
keep going.” -Winston Churchill
We all face tough times, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to press on.
2. “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” -Epicurus
Always
be grateful for what you have, and appreciate how far you’ve come.
3. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” -JK Rowling
4. “If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.” -Thomas Aquinas
5. “Nothing in the world can take the place of
Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and
determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” -Coolidge
Don’t give up. Keep on pushing forward and outlast the things trying to bring you down.
6. “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” -Jim Valvano
As a sports fan, this quote has always stuck with me. It comes from the famous coach Jimmy V who was in the midst of battling cancer but fought valiantly and with class the whole time.
7. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a
habit.” -Aristotle
It’s a variation on the old “you reap what you sow.” If you do the work, you usually get the reward. If you don’t, you don’t.
Preach! You can have all the talent in the world, but you’ll waste it if you have no work ethic.
9. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” -Dr. Seuss
10. “The only man who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew every time he sees me, while all the rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them” -George Bernard Shaw
We’re always changing and evolving, and that’s usually a pretty good thing.
Which was your favorite quotes for entrepreneurs? What other entrepreneurial quotes would you add to the list?