Success means different things to different people. For some, it means climbing to the top of the corporate ladder, or creating a brand(opens in a new tab or window) or product that changes the world. For others, it’s getting paid to do what they love, or having the freedom to work on their own terms. But no matter what success looks like for you, one thing is certain—having the right mindset is the key to getting you there.
That said, we all have those days where our goals feel out of reach or downright impossible. The good news is, many of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs(opens in a new tab or window), creatives and leaders have shared their words of wisdom to remind you of what’s possible and get your head back in the game.
To help reignite your motivation(opens in a new tab or window), we’ve selected 50 of these best success quotes and turned them into professionally designed graphics.
You can customize these with your own branding, or use them as is. Make them your desktop or phone wallpaper or post them to your social media feeds(opens in a new tab or window) to inspire your audience. Just like your goals, the sky’s the limit! Alternatively, you can put your own design skills to the test by using Canva’s Quote poster maker(opens in a new tab or window), or creating your own quote graphics(opens in a new tab or window).
The cornerstone of success is understanding your brand and the problem you want to solve for others. Before we dive in, discover your purpose below:
1. Perseverance goes a long way
Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.
— Winston S. Churchill
2. Don’t let your circumstances hold you back
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
3. Obstacles are inevitable, but quitting isn’t
It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.
– Vince Lombardi
4. You don’t need to wait for permission to succeed
The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.
– Ayn Rand
5. Sometimes, success means being the first to fail
It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.
— Herman Melville
6. It’s all about daily, consistent action
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.
— Robert Collier
7. Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices to succeed
Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.
— John D. Rockefeller
8. Isn’t it funny how that works?
I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.
— Thomas Jefferson
9. Your mindset is everything
Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.
– Henry Ford
10. Only listen to those who are already where you want to be
There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.
— Ray Goforth
11. There’s no deadline for success
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
— C.S. Lewis
12. You’ve got to give it your all
Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve.
– Wilfred Peterson
13. They’re not always the same thing
Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.
– Albert Einstein
14. Because it was easy, everyone would do it
Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.
— Jim Rohn
15. It’s rarely a smooth journey
The road to success is always under construction.
– Lily Tomlin
16. It’s the perfect formula
Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.
– Napoleon Hill
17. Tune out the naysayers
Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember, the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.
— Zig Ziglar
18. Don’t let it keep you down for long
Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.
– Og Mandino
19. A great reminder to not get too caught up in the pursuit of success
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.
– Henry David Thoreau
20. The perfect time to begin is now
You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.
– Zig Ziglar
21. It’s all about the learning process
Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.
– George Bernard Shaw
22. You’ve got to put in the hard yards
The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.
— Vidal Sassoon
23. Because it always seems impossible until it’s done
Today’s accomplishments were yesterday’s impossibilities.
– Robert H. Schuller
24. Resilience is the key
Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.
– George S. Patton
25. Look for evidence why you can do it, not for why you shouldn’t
For every reason it’s not possible, there are hundreds of people who have faced the same circumstances and succeeded.
– Jack Canfield
26. A simple yet effective mantra for success
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.
– Samuel Beckett
27. A great sign you’re on the right track
You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job, and not be paid for it.
— Oprah Winfrey
28. Because e all have limitless potential for success
There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that, once unleashed, can make any vision, dream, or desire a reality.
— Anthony Robbins
29. That goes for women too!
The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.
– Bruce Lee
30. Extraordinary results call for extraordinary effort
Do today what others won’t and achieve tomorrow what others can’t.
— Jerry Rice
31. They’re not so different after all!
The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success.
– Bruce Feirstein
32. There’s no substitute for taking action
I never dreamed about success, I worked for it.
— Estee Lauder
33. Be bigger than your excuses
I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.
– Florence Nightingale
34. Feel the fear, and do it anyway
Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.
— Robert Kiyosaki
35. Whatever you are, be a good one
The secret of success is to do the common thing uncommonly well.
— John D. Rockefeller Jr.
36. It’s okay not to have it all figured out
You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
37. Willpower will get you everywhere
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of will.
— Vince Lombardi Jr.
38. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it
There’s no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.
— Zig Ziglar
39. You just have to keep going
Success is not the absence of failure, it’s persistence through failure.
— Aisha Tyler
40. It takes far more than just luck
Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration and inspiration.
— Evan Esar
41. Sometimes in order to get, you need to first give
Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.
— Napoleon Hill
42. Don’t underestimate its power
For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.
– Harry F. Banks
43. What you don’t know can be just as valuable as what you do
To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.
– Mark Twain
44. The early bird gets the worm
Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.
– Abraham Lincoln
45. Don’t be afraid to try and fail
The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.
— Stephen McCranie
46. Getting started is the most important part
Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try.
— John F. Kennedy
47. You can’t have one without the other
Positive action combined with positive thinking results in success.
— Shiv Khera
48. A great reminder to set lofty goals
If it doesn’t scare you, you’re probably not dreaming big enough.
— Tory Burch
49. Each ‘failure’ can get you one step closer to success
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.
— Thomas Edison
50. Be prepared to take good luck when it comes
Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.
— Bobby Unser
Success is never just one, straight line, but rather a bumpy journey filled with ups, downs and detours. Unfortunately, this means there’s no one clear journey—we all need to forge our own path by making plenty of mistakes and learning from them. But while nobody else can tell you the way, these 50 inspiring success quotes can help guide you and give you the motivation to keep moving forward, even when times feel tough.
