There’s nothing quite like starting your day with a fresh mindset and a surge of motivation. Morning inspirational quotes give you an energizing jolt, reawakening your drive and reminding you of your greater goals and purpose. They also provide perspective by encouraging you to look at obstacles in a new light and maintain an optimistic outlook no matter the challenges headed your way. By exposing yourself to empowering messages right off the bat, you’re instilling expectations for how you’ll approach the hours ahead. These inner pep talks make it harder to get derailed by petty frustrations or give any less than your full effort for the day.
Start Your Day the Right Way with These Inspiring Quotes
So let’s dive into 21 powerful quotes that are sure to help you wake up on the right side of the bed:
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” —Thomas Edison
Let’s be real: very few successful people landed their dream lives through sheer luck. More often than not, taking advantage of opportunities requires rolling up your sleeves and putting in some hard work. This quote from the brilliant inventor serves as a wake-up call to stop waiting for overnight success and start putting in the labor required to turn your visions into reality.
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
While all of us would love to make monumental, world-changing differences, this quote is a reassuring reminder that there is greatness in whatever endeavors we pursue, no matter how “small” they may seem. Approaching each task and interaction with passion and excellence creates loads of value in itself.
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” —Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs’ iconic words celebrate those visionary individuals who dare to dream bigger than society tells them is possible. If you’ve been second-guessing your goals because others don’t understand your ambition, take this quote as motivation to never underestimate your ability to shape and improve the world around you.
“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look at the world straight in the eye.” —Helen Keller
In the face of major disabilities that easily could have defeated her, Helen Keller managed to develop an empowering, unbreakable spirit, as evidenced by this bold quote. Let it inspire you to carry yourself with confidence and self-assurance no matter what obstacles you’re up against.
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.” —Walt Whitman
This poetic line paints a beautiful visualization of what it means to maintain a sunny, optimistic outlook. When we make an intentional effort to focus on the bright, opportunistic side of circumstances, we deny any metaphorical “shadows” of negativity the chance to dim our days.
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” —Winston Churchill
Talk about words to live by. This essential quote reminds us that success and failure are temporary stops on the bigger journey; the part that truly matters is your grit and determination to keep chugging along despite setbacks. Developing an unshakable sense of persistence is what leads to great achievements.
“You define your own life. Don’t let other people write your script.” —Oprah Winfrey
You are the author of your life story. This empowering mantra from Oprah inspires us to seize control of our narratives and resist letting others’ opinions and doubts inhibit the plot we want to create for ourselves. Remain faithful to your own dreams.
“Don’t stop when you’re tired; stop when you’re done.” —David Goggins
As a former Navy SEAL, David Goggins knows a thing or two about pushing through discomfort to reach major goals. This quote urges us to raise our tolerance for difficult efforts and fight past the temptation to quit when the going gets tough. Persist until you’ve accomplished your mission.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” —Nelson Mandela
Having achieved what seemed like the “impossible” dream of ending apartheid in South Africa, Nelson Mandela spoke from experience with this motivating quote. Let it remind you that even your most far-fetched ambitions are potential realities; the seemingly “impossible” only appears that way until you prove it’s very much possible.
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” — Aristotle
This classic line from Aristotle gets at the heart of resilience and making it through our toughest times. When you’re eclipsed by major struggles or setbacks, searching for glimmers of hope and opportunity is what will ultimately guide you towards the metaphorical “light” at the end of the tunnel.
“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” —Theodore Roosevelt
Having an unshakable belief in your abilities to realize your goals is arguably the most essential first step to achieving them. As Teddy Roosevelt wisely stated, arming yourself with full confidence provides so much motivational momentum that you’re already halfway to manifesting what you’ve envisioned for yourself.
“I tell myself, ‘You’ve been through so much; you’ve endured so much; time will allow me to heal, and soon this will be just another memory that made me the strong woman, athlete, and mother I am today.'” —Serena Williams
For moments when the adversities you face seem insurmountable, look to this empowering strategy from Serena Williams herself. Putting your struggles into perspective as mere temporary trials that will only wind up fortifying your strength, resilience, and overall character is an incredibly uplifting mindset to adopt.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” —Albert Einstein
What a brilliant metaphor for cultivating forward momentum in life. This visual quote reminds us that becoming stagnant increases our chances of falling, while perpetually striving towards our goals stabilizes us and allows us to gracefully navigate whatever topples come our way.
“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” —Estée Lauder
There’s a harsh truth to this quote from the founder of her iconic beauty brand: Success doesn’t manifest from wishful thinking alone; it takes real, vigorous effort. These words should inspire us to stop fantasizing and start actively working towards turning our visions into tangible accomplishments.
“Either you run the day or the day runs you.” —Jim Rohn
How we approach and utilize our mornings often sets the tone for the rest of our waking hours. This straightforward quote challenges us to be intentional self-leaders right from the start, so we don’t find ourselves reactively chasing after our days in a frazzled mess.
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” —Walt Disney
These imaginative words come straight from someone who revolutionized the world of animated storytelling. Walt Disney’s iconic line serves as a sublime reminder that the creativity, authenticity, and boldness we tap into while dreaming big are the same tools we require to actually materialize those visions.
“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” —Paulo Coelho
Not only is self-improvement valuable for our own growth, but as this inspiring quote highlights, it also uplifts and enhances all of our circumstances and communities. By continually working on elevating ourselves, we create compound positive effects.
“Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working.” —Pablo Picasso
For creative types who anxiously await inspiration to strike, Picasso’s advice provides us all with a motivating nudge. While we certainly can’t force inspiration, this quote reminds us that we’re most likely to have flashes of brilliance and visionary thinking when we’ve first put in the labor.
“I have stood on a mountain of no’s for one yes.” —Barbara Elaine Smith
Long-lasting dreams require persistence through tons of setbacks and rejection. This quote articulates the grit and determination it takes to keep climbing that “mountain,” chipping away at any obstacles until you at last arrive at your pinnacle success. The struggle really does make the victory that much sweeter.
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” —Warren Buffet
While many inspirational quotes instill us with motivation for instant gratification, this one from Warren Buffet provides us with a long-term, big-picture mentality. It reminds us that by consistently putting in the work right now, we’re creating wonderful future rewards that we (and others!) will eventually get to revel in.
“He who can have patience can have what he will.” —Benjamin Franklin
As one of America’s founding patriarchs promoted, patience is an absolutely essential virtue for making our biggest dreams a reality. This quote encourages us to stay steady, persistent, and exercise lasting restraint and discipline—qualities that will ultimately allow us to shape our lives as we desire.
Exposing your mind to motivational words first thing in the morning is like giving your mentality a healthy breakfast before taking on the day. By incorporating inspirational quotes into your morning ritual, you prime yourself to approach any obstacles with renewed energy, perspective, and determination to keep pushing forward. Start your day by feasting on these uplifting reminders, and you’ll be unstoppable.
