10 Quotes for Motivation

Sometimes you just need a little push to feel inspired and motivated again. Here are 10 of my fave quotes that get me going when I need that little bit of encouragement. Print them out, save them for later, share them with that loved one <3 

I love a good quote. I understand some quotes might sound too simplistic, but others do have a power in them, that might help you to change your attitude, mood, and understanding. If you think you might need just a little push to do whatever task you have ahead, have a look at the list below. I hope you find them inspiring!

1. You are the only person in the world who can effectively persecute yourself” David D Burns, MD. from Feeling Good.

What stories have you been writing and telling yourself? What do you say to yourself in the mirror? Are you your most enthusiastic cheerleader, or do you find yourself constantly doubting your own capabilities?

You can have everything, but it means nothing if you don’t believe in yourself.

    2. Instead of saying “I don’t have time”, try saying “it’s not a priority”, and see how that feels”. Anonymous.

If you are not your own priority, how can you expect from anyone (from life!) to prioritize you?

I have done this, and I swear by it. We might not be able to do it all. We don’t have the energy, time, or resources to focus on everything. But we CAN create space for, and start working on, what matters the most. And you know what? Usually, this attitude helps you check more boxes in the process!

    4. “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities”. Stephen Covey.

Focus on one thing at a time. Tackle what matters the most. When you are there, be really there.

    5. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do”. John Wooden.

No one can do all things at once. You need to what you always look up to and pursue that. You can aim high and take calculated steps at the same time. You can be driven while taking one step at a time. The alternative is staying motionless, not making a dent, due to your perfectionism.

    6. Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today”. Will Rogers. 

Ugh. The worries. Do you realize that we tend to either think about the past, or worry about the future? The very nature of our existence is fragility, uncertainty, ups and downs. It might be unfortunate, but it won’t help to dwell on the past. I don’t mean to say we should not try to understand, resolve, and talk about the past- we should. What I mean is we should prevent these thoughts from reproducing an unhealthy mental cycle, so that we can undo the past, by creating a different future.

    7. “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus”. Alexander Graham Bell.

Another way to define mindfulness. We might that think mindfulness is about meditation, gongs, or yoga, but can be in every moment, of every day. Life is not only more pleasurable when we pay full attention to where we are, what we are doing, at the moment. It is also much more productive that way 🙂

     8. “It is never too late to be what you might have been”. George Elliot.

I know of a medical doctor who decided to study medicine in their 50s. They could have agreed with people who thought it was too late. Instead, they ended up doing what they loved, and gaining the appreciation of hundreds of patients for 30+ years.

    9. “Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality”. Les Brown.

I wasted years doing this. People love to talk, and they have all kinds of ideas, based on your family, your race, ethnicity, education, religion, etc, etc. They might not even be aware of the effect they have on you- it might not be intentional. Either way, don’t create a world around their stories!

10. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. Will Durant. 

What is life by what we do, day to day, even moment to moment? It’s SUPER hard to change the way we live, the way we look at things, the way we communicate, eat, and move our bodies. Still, this all means that with one small change, made and repeated daily, we have the capacity to create a dent- to break the cycle, to create a different reality for ourselves.

No, I don’t think life is simplistic as some viral quotes might make it seem to be. Life is complex, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. I hope these quotes are inspiring for you, as they are to me, and you feel encouraged to make that small change today. Not tomorrow- today.