Motivation Quotes To Keep You Going

There can be many different sources of motivation for a given individual, and many reasons someone might lack motivation for a certain task or goal. It’s a complex and unique concept for each person, so spending some time figuring out what helps you personally feel motivated to start or to continue in the face of obstacles can be helpful. Below, you’ll find a few tips for keeping yourself on track toward your goals along with a selection of motivational quotes from successful people to inspire you on your way.

Tips for achieving your goals

In addition to considering the motivation quotes below, there are other techniques you can try to help yourself move toward your goals in life, work, and relationships. A few of these include:

• Set the right kind of goals. Motivation to get started or keep going may be harder to come by if your goals are unrealistic in some way. That’s why success often starts with setting the “right” type of goals. One way to do this is to use the SMART goals framework, which encourages you to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
• Surround yourself with support. Spending time with people who are also goal-oriented, who can hold you accountable, who can help you troubleshoot problems, or who can provide emotional support along the way can all be helpful when you’re on the road to achieving your dreams.
• Speak to yourself like you would a friend. If someone you cared about was working toward an important goal or struggling with a setback, you’d likely have kind, understanding, and encouraging words for them. Having the same for yourself can help too; research suggests that positive self-talk can actually help improve your performance.

Following tips like these doesn’t mean that the road to achieving your goals will be easy, but it may give you strength and encouragement along the way. If you’re looking for more of this type of inspiration, reading through the motivational quotes below from famous authors, athletes, and others who have achieved big dreams may be helpful.

Motivation quotes to give you inspiration

Quotes on starting out

In the process of setting your goals, or still dreaming about the possibilities? These quotes can give you guidance.

• "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new." –Socrates
• "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." –James Dean
• “Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up.” –Isabelle Lafleche
• "It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." –Eleanor Roosevelt
• "To dream by night is to escape your life. To dream by day is to make it happen." –Stephen Richards
• "Set your goals high, and don't stop until you get there." –Bo Jackson
• “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of, 'Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,' and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” –Marissa Mayer 
• "With drive and a bit of talent, you can move mountains." –Dwayne Johnson
• “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” –Anne Frank

Quotes on mindset

It’s true about many things in life and the mindset you have may help dictate the outcome. Here are some quotes about believing in your capabilities and staying positive.

• "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without humble but reasonable confidence in your powers, you cannot be successful or happy." –Norman Vincent Peale
• "It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome." –William James
• "You must expect great things from yourself before you can do them." –Michael Jordan
• "Stop being afraid of what can go wrong and start being positive about what can go right." –Unknown
• “It takes a dream to get started, desire to keep going, and determination to finish.” –Eddie Harris, Jr.
• "Hold fast to your dreams, for without them life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly." –Langston Hughes
• “Courage doesn’t always roar; sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering, ‘I will try again tomorrow’.” –Mary Anne Radmacher
• "You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." –A. A. Milne

Quotes on facing obstacles

On the road to any goal, there’s likely to be obstacles, setbacks, doubt, and uncertainty. The set of quotes below may offer you wisdom to help you persevere. 

• "Sometimes you don't realize your strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness." –Susan Gale
• "If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you." –Fred DeVito
• “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” –Vincent van Gogh
• "Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don't fight them. Find a new way to stand." –Oprah Winfrey
• "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." –Jimmy Dean
• “Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing. That’s the Law of Consistency. It doesn’t matter how talented you are. It doesn’t matter how many opportunities you receive. If you want to grow, consistency is key.” –John C. Maxwell
• “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” –Japanese Proverb
• "Your victory is right around the corner. Never give up.” –Nicki Minaj
• "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." –Albert Einstein
• “There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. We are all different. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there’s life, there is hope.” –Stephen Hawking
• "Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong." –Ella Fitzgerald
• “Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.” –James A. Michener
• “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” –Nelson Mandela

Achieving your goals with the help of a therapist

If you’re looking for support in finding motivation or facing setbacks, seeking therapy is one option to consider. A therapist may be able to help you devise techniques to stay focused that work for you. They can also help you improve your self-talk in order to promote better outcomes or analyze past mistakes so you can learn from them going forward. 

It’s also worth noting that some mental health conditions may make it more difficult for a person to find motivation. For instance, depression may make it hard for a person to find energy to accomplish tasks or to be interested in things they once were. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or some anxiety disorders may make concentrating difficult, which may impact motivation. A therapist can help you identify and address any such symptoms.

Getting the motivation to find and travel to meet with a therapist in person can be a challenge in some cases, which is where online therapy can come in. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist who you can speak with via phone, video call, and/or online chat from the comfort of home or anywhere you have an internet connection. Research suggests that online therapy can be a “viable alternative” to in-person sessions in many cases, so you can typically feel confident in whichever format feels right for you.