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50 Best Success Quotes to Inspire and Motivate You

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What are your thoughts about success?

How do you define success? What makes for a successful life?

What would have to happen in order for you to feel successful?

These selected success quotes inspire us and we hope will inspire you too.

It is our sincere hope that you too will be the STAR of your own success story.

Success Thoughts: Top 10 Definitions of Success

So here they are; 50 of the most powerful thoughts on success from some of history’s most successful people.

These quotations, formulas, and principles provide one of the clearest pictures we know of a “Successful Mindset”.

Your Success Starts With A Success Mindset

#1 Winston Churchill:

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”

#2 Deepak Chopra:

“Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals.”

#3 Jim Rohn:

“Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

#4 Anita Roddick:

“I want to define success by redefining it. For me it isn’t that solely mythical definition – glamour, allure, power of wealth, and the privilege from care. Any definition of success should be personal because it’s so transitory. It’s about shaping my own destiny.”

#5 Richard Branson:

“It is the satisfaction of doing it for yourself and motivating others to work with you in bringing it about. It is about the fun, innovation, creativity with the rewards being far greater than purely financial.”

15 Lessons from Richard Branson

#6 Orison Swett Marden:

“When a man feels throbbing within him the power to do what he undertakes as well as it can possibly be done, this is happiness, this is success.”

#7 Zig Ziglar:

“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.”

Here are 11 Life-Changing Business Lessons from Zig Ziglar.

#8 George Sheehan:

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.”

#9 Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“Success:  To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded!”

#10 Wilfred Peterson:

“Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve.”

If you enjoy these quotes, you will want to check out these thoughts on success

~ 15 Success Quotes From Some Of The Worlds Greatest Entrepreneurs

~ Top 30 Quotes To Inspire Entrepreneurs.

Top 10 Quotes on Success

#1 Thomas Edison:

“Success is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

#2 Dorothea Brande:

“Act as though it is impossible to fail.”

#3 Woody Allen:

“Seventy percent of success in life is showing up.”

#4 Mark Victor Hansen:

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”

#5 Yoda:

“Do or do not. There is no try.”

#6 Taryn Rose:

“Fear regret more than failure.”

#7 Edward Simmons:

“The difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing a thing exactly right.”

#8 Abraham Lincoln:

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to success is more important than any other one thing.”

#9 George Bernard Shaw:

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

#10 Anonymous:

“God gave us two ends: one to sit on and one to think with. Success depends on which one you use. Heads you win; tails, you lose.”

Top 10 Formulas for Success

#1 Albert Einstein:

“If A equals success, then the formula is A equals X plus Y and Z, with X being work, Y play, and Z keeping your mouth shut.”

#2 Thomas J. Watson:

“Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.”

#3 Stanley Tang:

“Success comes down to hard work plus passion, over time.”

#4 Swami Vivekananda:

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life: think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.”

#5 Mark Twain:

“To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.”

#6 Napoleon Hill

“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”

#7 James Allen:

“For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?”

#8 Unknown:

“Success = an optimist in thought + a pessimist in action.”

#9 Anonymous:

“An Unfailing Success Plan: At each day’s end write down the six most important things to do tomorrow; number them in order of importance, and then do them.”

#10 Arnold H. Glasgow:

“Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.”

 

Top 10 Misconceptions about Success

#1 Success is Complicated

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

Steve Jobs

You can make success as complicated as you want, but it doesn’t have to be that way. As Jobs says, making success simple isn’t necessarily easy, but it is very powerful.

Take Google for example: their home page is one of the simplest on the web and that simplicity has allowed it to become the most popular site in the world.

#2 Success is a Destination

“There is no point at which you can say, “Well, I’m successful now. I might as well take a nap.”

Carrie Fisher

It’s tempting to think about success as some far-off point where you’ve accomplished everything we’ve ever wanted: “I’ll be successful when I have my dream job, make a million dollars a year, and spend all my time traveling the world with my soul mate.”

This type of thinking is flawed because the accomplishment of worthy goals only leads to the possibility of accomplishing more worthy goals. A successful person doesn’t stop once they achieve something; they’re inspired to achieve something even greater. Success is an ongoing path. As Ben Sweetland said, “Success is a journey, not a destination.”

#3 Success is the Key to Happiness

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”

Herman Cain

If you’re unhappy, don’t blame it on a lack of success. Happiness is all about perspective. If you’ve got a cheerful outlook, it doesn’t matter if you’re a success or failure.

#4 Failure is an Indicator that You Won’t Succeed

“The hardest part about being an entrepreneur is that you’ll fail ten times for every success.”

Adam Horwitz

Everybody fails. In fact, successful people fail more than failures because they take bigger chances. If you want proof, then check out the four biggest mistakes from the world’s four biggest entrepreneurs.

Failures are necessary on the path of success. Just learn from them and move on.

#5 Success Comes at the Expense of Others

Some people think that the only way you can move up in business is by stepping on people to get there.

The truth is actually the opposite: a business is successful because it provides value for people. As I’ve written about before, the more you give, the more you get.

#6 Moderate Success is Easier to Get than “Only in Your Wildest Dreams” Success

“Ninety-nine percent of people believe they can’t do great things, so they aim for mediocrity.”

Tim Ferriss

Many of us are taught from an early age to have practical goals. We shouldn’t try to be a rock star, supermodel, or astronaut because the chances of success are so slim.

But it’s time to challenge those self-imposed restraints. As Ben Nemtin, from “The Buried Life”, pointed out: “The level of competition is highest for realistic goals because most people don’t set high enough goals for themselves.”

Don’t be afraid to go for your wildest dream. It may take more effort, but you’ll also be more energized.

#7 You Need to Wait Until the Time is Right

“Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.”

Samuel Johnson

There’s no such thing as the “perfect time” to act. There will always be a problem. But successful people don’t let that deter them.

#8 Success has to be Traditional

“The fastest way to succeed is to look as if you’re playing by somebody else’s rules, while quietly playing by your own.”

Michael Konda

Don’t get caught up with how other people define success. Traditional success includes a six-figure income, a happy family, and a house with a white picket fence. But your success doesn’t have to include any of these things.

#9 Success is Easy

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

David Bly

When people become very successful very quickly it almost looks like it just fell into their lap. But it only looks easy to us because we can’t see the whole picture. Success is earned. As the old saying goes, “The only place you’ll find success before work is in the dictionary.”

#10 Success = Money

“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor kind of business.”

Henry Ford

This is a tired point, but it’s true: money is not that important. Personally, I would rather make a modest living doing something that matters than get rich trading stocks on Wall Street.

Steve Jobs was one of the richest people in the world, but he once said “being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”

Success Articles:

=> Blogging – lucrative side-hustle or substantial full time income? You Decide!

=> 15 Success Habits You Should Implement For The Best Life Ever

=> The 21 Key Principles For Success

=> 21 Ways Successful Entrepreneurs Think Differently

Top 10 Principles of Success

#1 Success Starts Within

“If you want to change the world, first change your heart.”

Confucius

Success comes from the way you act. The way you act comes from the way you think and feel. Therefore, to become more successful, you must first change something within yourself.

#2 Success is a Habit

“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.”

Aristotle

The little things that you do every day build on top of one another. Make a little progress towards your goals every day.

#3 Success is Only Obtainable in the Now

“The present moment is the only moment available to us and it is the door to all moments.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

We can’t experience the past or the future. So the only time a person is truly able to experience success is when they’re appreciating success in the present moment. Take time to enjoy the success of the present or you’ll never know the true meaning of the word.

There’s another reason why the present is so important, as Mahatma Gandhi points out: “The future depends on what we do in the present.”

#4 Success is in Motion

“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.”

Steve Jobs

Have a sip of success and it’s easy to get intoxicated. When you get so pleased with your success that all you want to do is reflect on it fondly, you’re guaranteeing that your success will be short-lived.

The only way to have permanent success is to always be moving forward. This anonymous quotation says it better than I can: “A successful man continues to look for work after he has found a job.”

#5 Success Requires Faith

“Leap and the net will appear.”

Zen saying

Pursuing success is challenging and risky, but your chances increase greatly when you simply believe you will succeed.

#6 Success Means Helping Others

“It’s not that successful people are givers; it is that givers are successful people.”

Patti Thor

While it’s enjoyable to help yourself, there’s nothing more satisfying than helping others. Any true definition of success involves giving back as much as you get.

#7 Success is a Choice

“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”

Mark Caine

Your life is in your hands. So if you don’t like your situation, change it.

Each of us has the resources and the opportunity to create a better life. But we each must make the decision to do this. As an old Swedish proverb says, “God gives every bird a worm, but he does not throw it into the nest.”

#8 Perseverance is Required For Success

“Life’s real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up.”

Anonymous

Colonel Harlan Sanders made 1008 sales call before a restaurant agreed to buy his recipe for fried chicken. If Sanders hadn’t persisted through over 1000 rejections, then KFC (a restaurant franchise with that earns about a half-billion dollars in revenue per year) wouldn’t exist.

Success is a long-term game. Be ready for the long haul.

#9 Visualization is Key

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up some place else.”

Yogi Berra

When teaching my class to shoot basketball, our gym teacher told us to imagine the basketball going through the hoop. Surprisingly, this worked: visualizing a successful shot actually helped us achieve it.

It’s not magic. Visualization makes our goals more real and reminds us of the beauty of our dreams.

#10 Success Starts Today

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

Robert Louis Stevenson

No matter what your situation is, you can become a successful person today. You may not be able to reap the rewards yet, but you can start planting the seeds.

Read more: ‘21 Life Lessons From Steve Jobs’

Smart people keep going when everyone else gives up!

A Closing Thought On The Subject Of Success:

Success is really nothing more than the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. This means that any person who knows what they are doing and where they are going is a success. Any person with a goal towards which they are working is a successful person.

Earl Nightingale.

We like that a lot:

Any person with a goal they are working towards is a successful person!

Comments

  1. Chris Wheeler says

    There’s a nice video with some relevant quotes from the founder of Pagani – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz4KBh5I4WE

    • Nick Scheidies says

      Thanks – that’s a long video. I’ll have to check it out some other time.

  2. Pat Thomas says

    Thank you-Great Reminders-especially Winston Churchill’s.
    Here are some quotes that I use-especially now that I am a first time blogger:

    “Just Start” German proverb
    “Failure is not an option” NASA proverb
    “Time is Life” Simon Gordon
    “Next?” Stephen King (really works for writing)

    • Nick Scheidies says

      Those are some great quotes for blogging. Though I think that bloggers have a little more leeway to fail than an engineer at NASA (and as Winston Churchill points out, failing enthusiastically is critical to success).

  3. Here’s one from Kenneth Hagin – Preparation time is no loss time.
    Nice work Nick

    • Nick Scheidies says

      Yes – the more prepared we are, the better work we can do (and faster too!)

  4. Eric Williams says

    I memorized that quote from Aristotle when I was 10. It’s made such a profound impact on my life in business and on a personal level.

    • Nick Scheidies says

      I wish I had discovered that quote when I was 10! It’s been a favorite of mine since I first read it a couple of years ago. I’m glad to hear it’s had such an impact on your life.

  5. The best article I have read on the web in a long time. Simple yet powerful. Keep up the excellent writing.

  6. Usman Gulzari says

    I am really excited to read your post. Its really wonderful. You compiled everything on success and gave us it in a plate. Wonderful work again. God Bless You

    • Nick Scheidies says

      I’m glad you enjoyed it. Truly, all the wonderful parts of the article are from the great leaders and business people who I’ve quoted.

  7. Sean King says

    awesome way to start my morning. thanks for the inspiration nick! just even the first quote worked for me… but you really went over the top on your delivery. appreciate it man.

    • Nick Scheidies says

      Yes, it’s a lot too take in all of those perspectives on success in one sitting!

  8. ntathu allen says

    uplifting and such a simple, successful idea

    • Nick Scheidies says

      Yes, I found just researching this article to be an uplifting experience. Thanks for reading.

  9. Warren Kuan says

    Shared this post, awesome job Nick!

  10. Hamza Siddiqui says

    A great post ..After reading it I want to make a video on this wisdom…can I use these words for the video?

  11. keeya rogers says

    really the post is so superb and inspiration right from tip to top the words of conficius have changed my mind on the view of success

  12. Hi,

    This is a wonderful article. Michael Konda’s quote is very interesting. Its the first time I have read it and I think I feel like I may be on the right track.

    Thanks.

  13. Hey Nick this is another awesome post by you, I love inspirational post, they give me that extra edge to keep pushing even when it seems like all my efforts are not taking me anywhere.

  14. Abigail Johnson Akingbade says

    Very informative will return often to look at it and be inspired to succeed.

  15. All inspiring quote on a single page…amazing, I loved Einstein’s quote the most. Nice collection

  16. Sune Swanepoel says

    Great collection of quotes – they are all so inspirational! I especially liked the part about Colonel Sanders – wow, 1008 sales calls?! I’m pretty sure I would have given up at about 108! It just shows, persistence is everything, never give up!

  17. Nice post! Quotes are very motivating.

    Thanks.

  18. Super Collection Nick.
    Really awesome. I am going to print out this 🙂
    Thanks

  19. Chong Kok Lin says

    Thanks for the inspired quote. I learn a lot on the meaning of success. 🙂

  20. Matt Hayes says

    Thank you Nick. Really inspirational and motivation.
    Cheers

  21. Louise Woodcock says

    Imagine going to a thousand banks like the KFC Colonel did! I can’t imagine it! But we know he did persist because we eat at KFC. So the key to success is to have big picture vision about your project and be able to clearly visualize it as a vital part of people’s lives in the future even though it doesn’t yet exist and people are scorning your dream.

    You have to passionately believe in the validity of your dream project so much you will go through anything to achieve it. Of course, hindsight always shows us there may have been shortcuts so it’s a wise idea to visualize the obstacles and figure a way around those before you even begin! I wouldn’t fancy visiting 1000 banks myself.

    But I do persist towards the achievement of every dream I have – I think that is key, too: if you scorn your dreams, who else can believe in you? Expect success in everything you do – failure is a milestone on your journey!

  22. Alihan Yildirim says

    Imagine if Thomas Edison had listened to the haters? “You cant do it, electricty?? Whats that? Forget about it” Success is what you make of it guys! Giving up shouldn’t be an option and you might be feeling pain now, but pain is only temporary. Pain will turn into a lifetime of pride dont forget that! And I love the quote from Thomas Edison. Great Articles Nick, I really enjoy coming back from time to time to see what you have written. Good stuff!

  23. kelvin kells says

    Hey Nick. This article is just too loaded.

    The quotes here are just the finest among quotes. I love this one from Steve Jobs: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying you’ve done something wonderful… thats’s what matters to me.”
    Thanks pals and thanks Nick.

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