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115 Motivational Quotes about Success & 3 Exciting Facts

Success is something that a lot of people strive for, and it is needed to get to where you want to be in the world. If you also need a little push to continue pursuing your goals on the road to success, then you’ve come to the right place. We have motivational quotes around the subject of success for you right here.

Lack of success can sometimes make you very sad and make you feel inadequate. Align your goals to your best abilities, so as not to be disappointed, and also not to take on too much at once.

Motivational Quotes about Success

Motivational Quotes about Success

In the following, you will find over 100 aphorisms and sayings about success. You can choose just the right saying for you from a wide variety of different categories.

No matter if you are looking for funny quotes, wisdoms, or motivational sayings – you are guaranteed to find them here.

Here you’ll find more inspirational quotes.

Motivational Quotes for Success

Motivational Quotes for Success

In this category, we have collected a number of motivational quotes about success. The sayings deal with the challenges that life has in store for you and bring new ideas for overcoming difficulties and approaches to success. Let the quotes in this category motivate you or share them with your friends.

We can all do with a little extra motivation at times, so we keep focused on our goals and achieve them one by one. If you want to inspire others, you can also share your favorites on social media. They also make a clear statement that you are a motivationally driven person.

  1. If you want to achieve something, you have to devote your whole person to it.
    (Sully Prudhomme, French writer, 1839-1907)
  2. In all things, the right moment is decisive for success.
    (Menander, Greek comedy poet, 342/341 B.C.-291/290 B.C.)
  3. No opponent can withstand hard work in the long run.
    (Peter Rosegger, Austrian writer, 1843-1918)
  4. If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
    (Henry David Thoreau, US philosopher, 1817-1862)
  5. The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it.
    (Ralph Waldo Emerson, US philosopher, 1803-1882)
  6. Part of success is not being frightened by failure.
    (Josef Ponten, German writer, 1883-1940)
  7. All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.
    (Mark Twain, US writer, 1835-1910)

Famous Quotes about Success

Famous Quotes about Success

Here, we have compiled famous quotes about success for you. Most of the authors of the sayings on the topic listed here should be familiar to you. Use one of these quotes and write it on a sticky note to remember, if you can identify with any of the statements.

This is about trying to get ahead in life and the requirements for doing so. Get inspired by the authors and their history, and the aphorisms themselves. You can also share them with fellow success driven friends or family members.

  1. We rise to great heights by a winding staircase of small steps.
    (Francis Bacon, English philosopher, 1561-1626)
  2. Everything could be settled very well,
    If one could do things twice.
    (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, 1749-1832)
  3. Everyone places his good where he can and has as much of it as he can, in his own way.
    (Voltaire, French philosopher, 1694-1778)
  4. Success in the majority of circumstances depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed.
    (Charles de Secondat, French writer, 1689-1755)
  5. Luck is false, success uncertain.
    (Friedrich von Schiller, German playwright, 1759-1805)
  6. Good success is nothing small, but it starts with small things.
    (Socrates, Greek philosopher, 469-399 B.C.)
  7. Success for the most part attends those who act boldly, not those who weigh everything, and are slack to venture.
    (Herodotus, Greek historian, 490/480 B.C.-430/420 B.C.)

Inspirational Quotes on Success for Women and Men

Inspirational Quotes on Success for Women and Men

In this section, we have compiled 17 inspirational quotations on the subject of success which are valid for women and men alike. Do you lack inspiration to meet your fitness goals? Not doing those evening online classes you signed up for?

Then these aphorisms by inspiring authors are for you, and we hope they inspire you to pursue success and meet your goals.

You can pick your favorite and have it framed for your office desk and let it inspire you. It also looks good on your bed stand, where you can see it first thing in the morning and read it before turning off the lights at night.

  1. I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.
    (John D. Rockefeller, American business magnate, philanthropist, 1839-1937)
  2. Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.
    (Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, 1809-1865)
  3. Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.
    (William Jennings Bryan, American lawyer, politician, 1860-1925)
  4. Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
    (Thomas A. Edison, American inventor, businessman, 1847-1931)
  5. Success is a science; if you have the conditions, you get the result.
    (Oscar Wilde, Irish poet & playwright, 1854-1900)
  6. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.
    (William Edward Hickson, British educational writer, 1803-1870)
  7. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.
    (George Smith Patton Jr., United States Army General, 1885-1945)
  8. To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.
    (Anatole France, French poet, novelist, journalist, 1844-1924)
  9. One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.
    (Benjamin Disraeli, British statesman, Conservative politician, 1804-1881)
  10. Well done is better than well said.
    (Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father of the United States, 1706-1790)
  11. Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.
    (George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright, political activist, 1856-1950)
  12. Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambition.
    (Mark Twain, American writer, 1835-1910)
  13. Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
    (Confucius, Chinese philosopher, politician, 551-479 BCE)
  14. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
    (Ralph Waldo Emerson, US philosopher, 1803-1882)
  15. The harder I work the more I live.
    (George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright, political activist, 1856-1950)
  16. Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.
    (Henry Ford, American business magnate, industrialist, 1863-1947)
  17. Believe you can and you’re halfway there.
    (Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, 1858-1919)

Quotes for Success at Work

Quotes for Success at Work

Here you will find quotes that deal with success at work. If you want to address the topic of success in your career, choose your quote from this category. Besides collegiality and teamwork, these sayings are about determination and ambition.

It’s not always easy to give it your all at work every day. Whilst everyone has an off day, don’t lose pursuit of your career goals. Let these aphorisms inspire you to keep focused on your goals and dreams.

  1. To achieve success in a beloved profession is probably one of the purest and highest forms of happiness on this earth.
    (Johannes von Dewall, Prussian officer, 1829-1883)
  2. It is difficult to move forward and only to only see oneself.
    (Ernst Rietschel, German sculptor, 1804-1861)
  3. The common denominator for success is work.
    (John D. Rockefeller, American business magnate, philanthropist, 1839-1937)
  4. Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.
    (Louis Pasteur, French chemist, microbiologist, 1822-1895)
  5. There is no substitute for hard work.
    (Thomas A. Edison, American inventor, businessman, 1847-1931)
  6. I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.
    (Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States, 1743-1826)
  7. Enthusiasm… the sustaining power of all great action.
    (Samuel Smiles, Scottish writer, 1812-1904)

Bible Verses about Success

Bible Verses about Success

The bible has a lot to teach us about success, and this is what this chapter is all about. Having faith can help us achieve success, by remaining resilient and not losing hope. In today’s world, this is not always easy.

We have collected a number of aphorisms from the bible that deal with the subject of success, and all that comes with it. Write your favorites in your notebook to look back on a rainy day, and you might find new strength in them.

You can also share them with your Bestie or sister, to remind them to keep focused on their goals and to never give up.

  1. Be strong and courageous.
    (Joshua 1:9)
  2. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
    (Philippians 4:13)
  3. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desire of your heart.
    (Psalms 37:4)
  4. But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
    (Deuteronomy 8:18)
  5. But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
    (Jeremiah 17:7)
  6. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
    (Genesis 39:2)
  7. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
    (Proverbs 16:3)
  8. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
    (Ephesians 3:20)
  9. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
    (Corinthians 15:58)
  10. My child, stand by your agreement and attend to it, grow old while doing your work. Do not marvel at the works of a sinner, but trust in the Lord and wait for his light; For it is easy in the eyes of the Lord suddenly, in an instant, to make the poor rich.
    (Sirach 11:20-21)
  11. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
    (Matthew 6:33)
  12. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
    (Matthew 7:7-8)
  13. Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
    (Ecclesiastes 11:6)
  14. Commit your works to the Lord, And your plans will be established.
    (Proverbs 16:3)

“Being Successful”: Quotes for Students

“Being Successful”: Quotes for Students

Are you currently studying? Sometimes it can be really difficult to keep up with studies, with so many distractions and some students taking on jobs to support themselves. But it is a crucial part of our live and will shape the future we are heading for.

Therefore, we should give our studies our absolute best shot and try to ace them as best we can. This can help you land that dream job or a scholarship for further studies at a prestige college.

So, go through these aphorisms and let them motivate you to focus on your education and succeed, after all, your future depends on it.

  1. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.
    (Robert Collier, American author, 1885-1950)
  2. If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
    (Vincent van Gogh, Dutch Post-Impressionist painter, 1853-1890)
  3. We are what we do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.
    (Aristotle, Greek Philosopher, Polymath, 384 BC-322 BC)
  4. I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.
    (Thomas A. Edison, American inventor, businessman, 1847-1931)
  5. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.
    (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, playwright, novelist, 1749-1832)
  6. Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.
    (Mark Twain, US writer, 1835-1910)
  7. To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first.
    (William Shakespeare, English playwright, poet, 1564-1616)
  8. Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.
    (Thomas A. Edison, American inventor, businessman, 1847-1931)
  9. The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.
    (Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, 1858-1919)
  10. All things come to those who wait.
    (Violet Fane, (Lady Mary Montgomerie Currie), poet, writer, 1843-1905)
  11. Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
    (William Butler Yeats, Former Senator of the Irish Free State, 1865-1939)
  12. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
    (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer, political ethicist, 1869-1948)
  13. It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.
    (Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, 1858-1919)

Short Quotes on Being Successful

Short Quotes on Being Successful

In this section of our article, you will find short sayings about success. These quotes deal with ambition, patience, and self-confidence. Due to their brevity, they are particularly suitable for sending to friends and family, for example, via a quick WhatsApp.

If you want a tattoo on being successful, these short aphorisms are ideal. You can also have them printed on a T-Shirt or a cup. Why not surprise your Bestie with one also?

  1. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
    (Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, 1858-1919)
  2. Success is a consequence and must not be a goal.
    (Gustave Flaubert, French writer, 1821-1880)
  3. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.
    (Mark Twain, US writer, 1835-1910)
  4. Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
    (Confucius, Chinese philosopher, politician, 551-479 BCE)
  5. He who does not strive forward is not serious about himself.
    (Johann Caspar Lavater, Swiss pastor, 1741-1801)
  6. The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
    (Mark Twain, US writer, 1835-1910)
  7. He who moves not forward, goes backward.
    (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, 1749-1832)
  8. One of the worst enemies of success is conceit.
    (Hermann Fischer, German theologian, 1867-1945)
  9. Do what you can, with what you have and do it now!
    (George Washington Carver, American agricultural scientist, 1864-1943)

Inspirational Wisdoms about Success

athletic man standing towards a staircase

Inspirational Wisdoms about Success

This category contains wisdoms about success. You will find proverbs and sayings from all over the world that describe successful actions and put success in different perspectives. They also highlight, how different countries perceive success.

Use them to gain insight into how to achieve your goals and keep you motivated. You can also post them on your favorite social media platform, to make a statement and encourage friends to also strive for success.

  1. If you would like to do things well, ask advice from three old men.
    (From China)
  2. Reculer pour mieux sauter. Move backwards in order to jump better.
    (From France)
  3. A man of determination will surely succeed.
    (From China)
  4. Every man is the son of his own works
    (From Spain)
  5. All beginnings are hard.
    (German proverb)
  6. Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
    (From China)
  7. If you have no failure in life, you will fail in life.
    (From Japan)
  8. Under the lying stone, water does not flow.
    (From Ukraine)
  9. I don’t lose. Either I win, or I learn.
    (German proverb)
  10. If you succeed once, it may be chance. If you succeed twice, it may be luck. If you succeed three times, it is diligence and prowess.
    (From Normandy)

Funny Quotes about Success

Funny Quotes about Success

Below you will find funny quotes about success and sayings about successful people with a touch of humor. Use one of these quotes to take the seriousness out of being successful and point out that being successful alone is not a determinant of good character.

Share them with a colleague to put a smile on their face or send them on to your friends and family, after all, we can all do with a little more humor in our lives in these trying times.

If one aphorism particularly appeals to you, you can have it embossed on a coin, which you can carry along with you as a reminder. Alternatively, have your quote printed on a wooden stand, which could hold your business cards, for example.

  1. He is so successful because he has a wife who tells him what to do and a secretary who does it.
    (Unknown)
  2. There are only two ways by which to rise in this world, either by one’s own industry or by the stupidity of others.
    (Jean de La Bruyère, French writer, 1645-1696)
  3. Don’t find fault, find a remedy.
    (Henry Ford, American industrialist, business magnate, 1863-1947)
  4. Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.
    (Oscar Wilde, Irish writer, 1854-1900)
  5. Success is the one unpardonable sin against our fellows.
    (Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce, U.S. writer, 1842-1914)
  6. Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed.
    (Mark Twain, US writer, 1835-1910)
  7. It’s pretty hard to be efficient without being obnoxious.
    (Kin Hubbard, US humorist, 1868-1930)
  8. Success is making more money to pay the taxes you wouldn’t have to pay if you didn’t make so much money.
    (Unknown)

"Good Luck": Quotes to Send for Wishing Success

"Good Luck": Quotes to Send for Wishing Success

This category lists sayings that you can send to your loved ones, for example, for upcoming exams or high school graduation as wishes for the future.

Perhaps they are nervously awaiting the interview for their dream job or admission to a prestige college and could do with a bit of positive encouragement.

Choose your favorite and send them a greeting card, a nice message on social media or simply a quick WhatsApp, to let them know you are thinking of them. Knowing someone believes in you can boost your confidence, and you can never go wrong with one of the below aphorisms.

  1. Good luck with your upcoming exams and all the best for your future life.
    (Unknown)
  2. Success or failure in business is caused more by mental attitude even than by mental capacity.
    (Walter Scott, Scottish poet, 1771-1832)
  3. The future is not a gift, but a success.
    (John Dryden, English poet, 1631-1700)
  4. For the future, we wish you much success, and all of us are keeping our fingers crossed for your A-levels.
    (Unknown)
  5. Chance favors the prepared mind.
    (Louis Pasteur, French chemist, microbiologist, 1822-1895)
  6. Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.
    (Henry Ford, US-American automobile pioneer, 1863-1947)
  7. I wish you success in overcoming your challenges. Have faith in your ability, and you will triumph.
    (Unknown)

Here you’ll find quotes about new beginnings.

Motivational Quotes about the Way to Success

Motivational Quotes about the Way to Success

The following are quotes about the way to success. What you have to pay attention to, and what you should do to be more successful, is what these aphorisms are all about. Take them to heart yourself, or pass them on as small pieces of advice to loved ones.

Rome was not built in a day, and sometimes it takes time to succeed. You also have to employ the right strategy to get where you want to be in life. These aphorisms share some hints on how to reach success.

  1. The road to success leads uphill. Therefore, do not try to set speed records.
    (Arthur Phelps, British civil engineer, 1837-1920)
  2. All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.
    (Mark Twain, US writer, 1835-1910)
  3. The very first step towards success in any occupation is to become interested in it.
    (William Osler, Canadian physician, 1849-1919)
  4. Having fun at work is the way to success.
    (Unknown)
  5. Perhaps, for worldly success, we need virtues that make us loved And faults that make us feared.
    (Joseph Joubert, French moralist, 1754-1824)
  6. If you wish to be popular in society consent to be taught many things you already know.
    (Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, French diplomat, 1754-1838)
  7. A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
    (Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States, 1882-1945)

Quotes on Success to Think about

Quotes on Success to Think about

To conclude, you will find sayings about success that will encourage you to think about the essence and potentially negative effects of constantly striving for success. This is about the downside and shadow side of success, about failures and human quest.

Read through the sayings if you want to look at success from a critical point of view. If you have critical thinkers amongst your friends and family, you can share a thought evoking one of the below aphorisms with them and discuss it when you next meet.

  1. Success comes from within, not from without.
    (Ralph Waldo Emerson, US philosopher, 1803-1882)
  2. Wise people are foolish if they cannot adapt to foolish people.
    (Michael de Montaigne, French philosopher, 1533-1592)
  3. In every field there are successes less honorable than failures.
    (Rosalie Perles, German writer, 1839-1932)
  4. When a man succeeds, it is the envious who congratulate him most eagerly.
    (Sully Prudhomme, French writer, 1839-1907)
  5. Success is the last rung on the ladder to failure.
    (Unknown)
  6. The delusion of those who succeed is to think they are clever.
    (Luc de Clapiers, French philosopher, 1715-1747)
  7. One can perish not only from failure, but also from success.
    (Peter Rosegger, Austrian writer, 1843-1918)
  8. We all worship success, however little we can stand with it before our conscience.
    (Gerhard von Mutius, German diplomat, 1872-1934)
  9. Success is the child of audacity.
    (Benjamin Disraeli, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1804-1881)

Things to Know about Success: Interesting Facts

Things to Know about Success: Interesting Facts

In the following, you will learn some interesting facts about the phenomenon of success. In addition to the factors by which success is measured, you will learn what types of success exist and how we distinguish them.

Success as a Phenomenon

Today’s research describes success as a phenomenon where the focus lies on skills and competencies and not on personality traits, intelligence or certain motives.

Since different goals have to be defined depending on the profession, the respective skills are therefore crucial for success.

A therapist must be empathic to be successful in their profession. A pathologist can be empathic, but this does not give him a higher chance of success in his or her profession.

This Is How Success Is Measured

This Is How Success Is Measured

Once personal goals or organizational goals are achieved, success is generally referred to as success. Personal goals concern self-fulfillment and corporate goals mean the promotion of the company’s purpose through, for example, profit maximization or general cost recovery.

The higher the achievement of objectives, i.e., effectiveness, the greater the success. Effectiveness stands for the quality of success. Effectiveness is calculated from the quotient of the achieved result and the targeted goal.

Types of Success

Types of Success

In general, types of success are differentiated according to what the success is aimed at (according to the direction of the goal) and to whom it is related (according to the relationship to people). Within these categories, there are further types of success. These are explained below.

Types of success according to goal direction

  • The partial success: The goal is not completely, but partially achieved.
  • Success through respect: The primary goal is not achieved, but the absolute level of performance is perceived by a subset of the population as above average and respectable.
  • A successful cure: the intended result in a medical therapy is achieved.
  • The pseudo-success: The result is initially perceived as a success, but later turns out to be a failure.
    Types of success according to the relation to people
  • Personal success: The positive result of the activities of the person in relation to the fulfillment of his or her personal goals.
  • Leadership success: the personal success of a leader, which is visible through a career jump or advancement.
  • Goal-setting success: The implementation of goals jointly agreed upon by supervisors and employees.
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