100 Inspirational Quotes To Motivate You (2024)

When the going gets tough, the tough get . . . inspired! Give yourself the motivation to tackle challenging projects and to confront difficult situations with these 20 inspirational quote ideas. Sometimes a few, brief words is all it takes to reframe your mindset and give you that critical push forward.

If you love any of the inspirational quote templates we’re sharing below, know this: You can customize any design and download it for free! So, why not fill your life with a little inspiration?

Let’s get to it!

1. Inspirational Quotes for Work

“Don’t wish for it. Work for it.”

Not all inspirational quote ideas are warm and fuzzy. Sometimes, a little tough love is just what the doctor (or your inner boss) ordered. Save this quote to your desktop or as your smartphone background to put a little pep in your step at the top of your work day.

Inspirational Quote Ideas for Work

Set monthly goals. Small? Big? Simple? Doesn’t matter. Write them down. –Unknown
Define your goals. Define your business. –Unknown
Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them. –Madam CJ Walker
Work hard in silence. Let success be your noise. –Unknown

2. Quotes That Motivate

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb

No matter your age, it’s never too late to make a positive change in your life! Whether you’re embarking on a new year’s resolution or are just looking to kickstart some personal growth, this inspirational quote will help you get there.

Share it as an Instagram story to spread the encouragement, too.

Inspirational Quote Ideas for Motivation

There is space for me to grow. –Unknown
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. –John Wooden
If someone else can do it, there’s no reason you cannot do it. –Unknown
Focus on do-ing, not don’t-ing. –Unknown

3. Short Inspirational Quotes

100 Inspirational Quotes To Motivate You (3)

“Smile at others.”

Sometimes we just need a short quote or mantra to help it stick. Share your light with the world and watch what happens. Plus, it simply feels good to be kind.

Short Inspirational Quote Ideas

Create your own reality. –Unknown
Don’t try. Do. –Yoda
Yes, you can. –Unknown
Life is short. Do stuff that matters. –Unknown

4. Poetic Inspirational Quotes

“We all dream. We do not understand our dreams, yet we act as if nothing strange goes on in our sleep minds, strange at least by comparison with the logical, purposeful doings of our minds when we are awake.”

Here’s one of the best inspirational quote ideas for those of us who are inspired by foggy woods, gothic florals, doomed poets, and haunted cottagecore. The takeaway: Leverage your (actual) dreams to make your (life) dreams come true.

Poetic Inspirational Quote Ideas

If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams. –Les Brown
When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. –Ansel Adams
Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force. –Lao Tzu
Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. –Abigail Adams

5. Inspirational Quotes for Growth

“You do not just wake up and become a butterfly. Growth is a process.”

Whether you’re starting your own business or learning a new skill, one thing’s for sure: It takes time. Give yourself grace to become that butterfly!

Inspirational Quote Ideas for Growth

Learn as if you were going to live forever. –Gandhi
Grow beautiful feelings in your heart’s garden. –Unknown
Feeling strange just means that you’re beginning to grow. –Unknown
Make a plan about how you are going to get there and follow that plan. –Unknown

6. Inspirational Quotes on Life

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Inspirational Quote Ideas on Life

If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor. –Eleanor Roosevelt
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. –Albert Einstein
Life is tough darlin’ but so are you. –Stephanie Bennett Henry
This is the life you’ve wanted. –Unknown

7. Inspirational Quotes on Reframing Failure

“Understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.” – Arianna Huffington

Reframing failure as a learning opportunity is one of the most important life skills anyone can master. With this daily reminder, you’ll be well on your way.

Inspirational Quote Ideas for Reframing Failure

It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up. –Babe Ruth
You never fail until you stop trying. –Albert Einstein
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. –Thomas Edison
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. –Alexander the Great

8. Inspirational Quotes on Teamwork

“Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

Oliver Wendell Holmes had it right, it’s all about teamwork. Give yourself the courage to share your ideas and get feedback from others. Who knows what growth and transformation you could achieve?

Inspirational Quote Ideas on Teamwork

There’s room for all of us to win. If you don’t live by that, prepare to lose. –Boss Babe
Kinda people are my kinda people. –Unknown
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. –Helen Keller
There is nothing impossible to they who will try. –Alexander the Great

9. Inspirational Quotes on Nature

“Flowers are the music of the ground. From earth’s lips spoken without sound.” – Edwin Curran

Mother Nature is the universe’s original source of inspiration, and Edward Curran expresses this sentiment better than anyone.

Download this inspirational quote template as is, or make it your own by uploading a photo of your favorite flowers! (If you aren’t an expert in floral photography, you can choose from Shutterstock’s gorgeous stock assets instead.)

Inspirational Quote Ideas on Nature

Colors are the smiles of nature. –Unknown
Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience. –Ralph Waldo Emerson
The mountains are calling and I must go. –John Muir
So plant your own gardens and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. –Jorge Luis Borges

10. Inspirational Quotes on Resilience

“You will have bad times, but they will always wake you up to the stuff you weren’t paying attention to.” -Robin Williams

As much a speaker of wisdom as a beloved comedian, Robin Williams reminds us to look for the positive amidst difficulty. Some days are bad and some are good, but all are precious opportunities.

Inspirational Quote Ideas on Resilience

Whatever obstacle you may be facing, it’s not permanent. –Unknown
Don’t look back. You’re not going that way. –Unknown
Just because you’re different doesn’t mean you don’t belong. –Unknown
The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. –Nelson Mandela

11. Inspirational Quotes on Being Present

“All we have is now.”

Like all the most memorable inspirational quote ideas, this one is short and sweet with an undeniable ring to it.

Inspirational Quote Ideas on Being Present

The timing is now. –Unknown
I ask myself every day, If not now, then when? And I get after it. –Jazmine K.
Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time. –Stephen Wright
Live in the moment. –Unknown

12. Funny Inspirational Quotes

“Better days are coming. They are called Saturday and Sunday.”

Sometimes, the best motivation is a little tongue in cheek. Why not take a way-too-common trope—like “Better days are coming” or “Everything happens for a reason”—and turn it on its head?

Equal parts humor and truth make for a great inspirational quote idea.

Funny Inspirational Quote Ideas

I can already say with 100% confidence this weekend will not be long enough, but I will get through. –Unknown
We are going to do some great things. Don’t know what they are yet, but watch out. –Unknown
Social media notifications are good. Payment notifications are great. –Boss Babe
People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading. –Logan Pearsall Smith

13. Inspirational Quotes on Mindset

“99% of failures come from people who make excuses.” – George Washington

No matter who you are or where you are in life, there will always be someone who has it easier. But, these kinds of excuses won’t get you where you want to be! As George Washington said so well, excuses are a common path to failure.

Inspirational Quote Ideas on Mindset

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become. –Buddha
Be creative. Get inspired. Think outside the box. –Unknown
Set a goal that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning. –Unknown
Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ”I’m possible!’ –Audrey Hepburn

14. Inspirational Quotes for Women

“I have never worked a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it and I sell it hard.” – Estée Lauder

It’s pretty hard to argue with an icon like Estée Lauder, founder of one of the most successful cosmetic brands in the world. Especially for cost-conscious solopreneurs, these words are gold—and just might be your ticket to the big time.

Inspirational Quote Ideas for Women

You can tell how much a woman loves her business by how much she relaxes on a Sunday. –Natalie Designs
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. –Mae West
Hey you. You’re gorgeous. –Unknown
Be fearless in pursuit of your dreams. –Unknown

15. Inspirational Quotes for Facebook

“Yes, you can. Don’t quit your daydream.”

Some inspirational quote ideas come from famous people. Others, like this one, are no less powerful for being anonymous.

This quote takes the much more cynical quip, “Don’t quit your day job,” and transforms it cleverly into a real inspiration.

Inspirational Quote Ideas for Facebook

Your limitation—it’s only your imagination. –Unknown
It’s a slow process, but quitting won’t speed it up. –Unknown
Don’t tell people your plans. Show them your results. –Unknown
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. –Robert Brault

16. Inspirational Quotes on Joy

“Cling to joy. Audacious, unbridled joy, that looks for light in everything. Even while you’re waiting.” – Morgan Harper Nichols

Most of us can manage to stay motivated long enough to kickstart an exciting project or to finally get it over the homestretch . . . but what about that oh-so-difficult middle period of waiting, waiting, and more waiting?

These poetic words will come to the rescue, encouraging you to seek joy at all times.

Joyous Inspirational Quote Ideas

Find ecstasy in life: the mere sense of joy is living enough. –Emily Dickinson
Choose joy every day. –Unknown
The most wasted of days is one without laughter. –E.E. Cummings
You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and attention. –Buddha

17. Simple Inspirational Quotes

“Be silly. Be honest. Be kind.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tap into your inner child vibes with this vibrant inspirational quote template! It’s the perfect reminder that we don’t need to take life so seriously and to live more simply. Plus, this one’s ideally sized to share on Facebook, Instagram, or any other social platform.

Simple Inspirational Quote Ideas

You have the power to create great changes for yourself. –Unknown
Work on you, for you. –Unknown
Choose yourself, focus on improving your life, and get committed to your goals. You are in control here. –Boss Babe
Life is good because I decided to make it that way. –Boss Babe

18. Seasonal Inspirational Quotes

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus

Famed existential author Albert Camus may not be known for his motivational quotes, but this one certainly does fit the bill.

As the seasons of life change, there is opportunity to seek out growth and find new buds of hope.

Seasonal Inspirational Quote Ideas

If winter comes, can spring be far behind? –Percy Bysshe Shelley
In the midst of winter I found there was / within me / an invincible summer. –Albert Camus
No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. –Unknown
The most wonderful time of the year. –Unknown

19. Inspirational Quotes That Foster Strength

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.” – Abraham Lincoln

Even when it feels like the universe is against you, you’ll always have yourself. And, according to President Lincoln (who knew a thing or two about tough times), your own persistence and beliefs are what matters most.

Inspirational Quote Ideas for Strength

Be yourself, everyone is already taken. –Oscar Wilde
Wherever you go, go with all of your heart. –Confucius
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. –Eleanor Roosevelt
On my own I will just create, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn’t, I’ll create something else. I don’t have any limitations about what I think I could do or be. –Unknown

20. Inspirational Quotes on Fitness

“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides a champion from someone who is not a champion.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Now we’re in the home stretch and, as Arnold Schwarzenegger points out, this is where excellence is built. Make good things happen by pushing yourself just enough, no matter how impossible it may feel.

Inspirational Quote Ideas on Fitness

Harder, better, faster, stronger. –Barbell Vitality Fit
One step at a time. –Unknown
Believe you can and you’re halfway there. –Theodore Roosevelt
All limitations are self-imposed. –Oliver Wendell Holmes

Want even more inspirational quote ideas? Shutterstock has tons of stylishly designed words to encourage, uplift, and inspire—and they’re all free to customize and download, print, or share on social media! Take a look at these inspirational quote templates and find your path forward.

Plus, learn all the ins and outs of how to make an inspirational quote poster:

How to Make an Inspirational Quote Poster [+ Free Templates]

License this cover image mockup via Ljupco Smokovski and Veja.

DesignerPrint ProjectsShutterstock Create