141 Motivational Quotes To Inspire Your Employees In 2023

Motivational quotes for employees

Employees need some motivation to move forward from time to time. We do have some quotes from famous philosophers to respected motivational speakers. Find the one you connect better, share it with friends or coworkers, and why not add it to your personal signature or out of office message.

“To do good, you actually have to do something.” ~ Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia founder

1. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ― Aristotle
2. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — R. Collier
3. “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz
4. “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” – Zig Ziglar
5. “Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.” — Lucius Seneca
6. “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” – Helen Hayes
7. “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.” – Bruce Lee
8. "Coming together is a beginning... Keeping together is progress... Working together is a success." — Henry Ford
9. "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." — Winston Churchill
10. "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." — Einstein
11. "I am a great believer in luck, and the harder I work the more I have of it." — Thomas Jefferson
12. "The distance between dreams and reality is called action." — Unknown
13. "You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight." — Jim Rohn
14. "Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known." — Carl Sagan
15. "Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do." - Pelé

Motivational quotes for work

There are moments when you're low on energy, or maybe lack some inspiration, or you're blocked with some hard decisions. We have selected some famous quotes to get you going regardless on the day of the week you're looking to strengthen your motivation.

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” — Steve Jobs, co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc.

1. “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr
2. “The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.” ― Oscar Wilde
3. “Unsuccessful people make their decisions based on their current situations. Successful people make their decisions based on where they want to be.” ―Benjamin Hardy
4. “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” ― Henry Ford
5. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” ― Maya Angelou
6. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” ― Walt Disney Company
7. “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” ― Steve Jobs
8. “Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.” — Jamie Paolinetti
9. "Ordinary people can choose to be extraordinary." — Elon Musk
10. "Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection." — Mark Twain
11. "It's not about ideas. It's about making ideas happen." — Scott Belsky
12. "You don't have to be great at something to start, but you have to start to be great at something." — Zig Ziglar
13. "It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn't." ― Martin Van Buren
14. "Success isn't always about 'greatness' it's about consistency. Consistent hard work gains success. Greatness will come." ― Dwayne Johnson
15. "We must all learn not only not to fear change but to embrace it enthusiastically and, perhaps even more important, encourage and drive it." — Tony Hsieh

Quote of the day for work

Monday, we need a bit of inspiration. Tuesday is about energy. Wednesday, we lack some personal care. Thursday is about time management, and Friday is about celebrating our results. As a manager, you might post a daily quote in your Slack or Teams channel to revigorate your pears and start the day with a positive vibe.

Tip: We have a set of more than 100+ inspirational quotes to boost your week.

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” ~ Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft

1. "Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." — Lou Holtz
2. "If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship don't ask what seat! Just get on." — Sheryl Sandberg
3. "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." — Socrates
4. “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” — Winston Churchill
5. "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." — Zig Ziglar
6. “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration. The rest of us get up and go to work.“ — Stephen King
7. “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.“ — John F. Kennedy
8. “It may be difficult at first but everything is difficult at first.“ — Miyamoto Musashi
9. "Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them." — Les Brown
10. "Results happen over time, not overnight. Work hard, stay consistent and be" — Germany Kent.
11. "Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen." — Michael Jordan
12. "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." — Martin Luther King Jr.
13. “First principle: never to let one’s self be beaten down by persons or by events.” — Marie Curie
14. “I could either watch it happen or be a part of it." — Elon Musk
15. "If something is wrong, fix it now. But train yourself not to worry, worry fixes nothing.” — Ernest Hemingway

Short motivational quotes

We don't know anyone who doesn't like short messages. Therefore, we have a particular category for powerful quotes to motivate your peers and colleagues with a simple line that can encourage them to strive for better, not give up, or advance with their work more effectively.

“Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” ~ John D. Rockefeller

1. “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” — Henry Ford
2. “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” — Dr. Robert Schuller
3. “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be” — Lao Tzu
4. "Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better.” — Jim Rohn
5. “Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” — Benjamin Franklin
6. “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” — Jim Rohn
7. “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” — Helen Hayes
8. “Treat employees like partners, and they act like partners.” — Fred Allen
9. “Make each day your masterpiece.” — John Wooden
10. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt

Business motivational quotes

As a founder or entrepreneur, you have ups and downs. You might need some motivation during difficult days or just some particular words from some of the most successful businesspersons that have ever existed. Yes, these wise words can move mountains and have helped us dream bigger.

“Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” ~ Madam C.J. Walker

1. “Play by the rules, but be ferocious.” ― Phil Knight
2. "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." ― Winston S. Churchill.
3. “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
4. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ― Albert Einstein
5. “Life is fragile. We’re not guaranteed a tomorrow so give it everything you’ve got.” ― Tim Cook
6. “I didn’t get there by wishing for it, but by working for it.” ― Estée Lauder
7. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” ― Walt Disney
8. “Don’t worry about being successful but work toward being significant and the success will naturally follow.” ― Oprah Winfrey
9. “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred with dust and sweat; who strives valiantly, who errs and may fall again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
10. "No man can become rich without himself enriching others." ― Andrew Carnegie
11. "Our industry does not respect tradition - it only respects innovation." ― Satya Nadella
12. "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." ― John Quincy Adams

Inspirational motivational quotes

Need some inspiration? Look no further. We have a set of ten hand-picked quotes that will help you to boost your mood and provide the much-needed ideas to advance with your work. Whether it's about energy, goals, roadmap, focus, or determination, we have a set of inspirational sayings from successful people that you know but didn't know where the authors of these quotes are.

“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day”~ Dalai Lama

1. “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” — Aristotle
3.  “All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.” — Earl Nightingale
4. “Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” — Coco Chanel
5. "Your focus determines your reality." — George Lucas
6. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
7. "Energy and persistence conquer all things." — Benjamin Franklin
8. "Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you." — George Whitefield
9. “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” — Zig Ziglar
10. "Every now and then it’s good to stop climbing and appreciate the view from right where you are." — Lori Deschene

Famous motivational quotes

Who doesn't like Disney Movies or Picasso paintings, or Thoreau books? They are masterpieces, and their authors are artists that dedicated their life to their art. They also share some quotes for future generations of entrepreneurs. They speak about advantages, dreams, habits, time, hard work, failure, development, evolution, and courage. Be brave, start with baby steps, and accelerate until no one can stop you.

“Don't let anyone speak for you, and don't rely on others to fight for you.”~ Michelle Obama

1. “If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” ― Jack Welch
2. "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." ― Walt Disney
3. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ― Aristotle
4. "Always keep your eyes open. Keep watching. Because whatever you see can inspire you.” ― Grace Coddington
5. “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” ― Earl Nightingale
6. "It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see." ― Henry David Thoreau
7. "Action is the foundational key to all success." ― Pablo Picasso
8. "Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn." ― John C. Maxwell
9. "The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday." ― Matty Mullens
10. "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ― Eleanor Roosevelt

Motivational Quotes On Success

Success is a personal journey, and these quotes serve as reminders and inspiration along the way.

"Success is not about being the best. It's about always getting better." - Behance

1. "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill
2. "Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world." - Roy T. Bennett
3. "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Albert Schweitzer
4. "Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds." - Orison Swett Marden
5. "Success is not a destination, but the road that you're on. Being successful means that you're working hard and walking your walk every day. You can only live your dream by working hard towards it. That's living your dream." - Marlon Wayans
6. "Success is not for the chosen few, but for the few who choose it." - Unknown
7. "Success is not the absence of failure; it's the persistence through failure." - Aisha Tyler
8. "Success is not what you have, but who you are." - Bo Bennet
9. "Success is not a one-time event. It's a continuous journey." - Tony Robbins
10. "Success is not just what you accomplish in your life, it's about what you inspire others to do." - Unknown
11. "Success is not always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come." - Dwayne Johnson
12. "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill
13. "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Herman Cain
14. "Success is not a destination, it's a journey. The happiest people I know are those who are always working toward specific goals." - Zig Ziglar
15. "Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire." - Arnold H. Glasow
16. "The true measure of success is how many times you can bounce back from failure." - Stephen Richards
17. "Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it." - Henry David Thoreau
18. "Success is not in what you have, but who you are." - Bo Bennett
19. "Success is not just about making money. It's about making a difference." - Unknown
20. "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it." - Maya Angelou

Motivational quotes from books

Books that make us think when we flip every 2-3 pages are the manuscripts that define who we are, how we act, and why we approach a situation in a specific way. We have a selection of quotes from books that can be motivational for a wide selection of situations: Focus, happiness, control, perspective, mindfulness, determination, aspiration, skills, and philosophy. We like them, and we're inspired every time we see them again.

“It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”~ The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

1. “Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
2. “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” ― Zig Ziglar
3. “Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.” ― Steve Maraboli
4. “Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
5. “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” ― Confucius, Confucius: The Analects
6. “Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
7. “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” ― Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice
8. “I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't, I would die.” ― Isaac Asimov
9. “Don't wish it were easier. Wish you were better.” ― Jim Rohn
10. “Don't fear failure. — Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.” ― Bruce Lee, Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee's Wisdom for Daily Living

Motivational quotes for women

Women are powerful. Women are respected. Women are strong. However, from time to time, they need a bit of encouragement to remind them about their confidence, how special they are and how much they matter in the success of a business daily.

In the following lines, ten sayings of highly successful women about their learnings on the subject covering quotes on accomplishments, leadership, confidence, creativity, strengths, mindset, vision, and hard work for women.

“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”~ Margaret Thatcher

1. “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” — Michelle Obama
2. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Especially not yourself.” — Mindy Kaling
3. “You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.” — Serena Williams
4. “Let your creativity be a river, not a destination.” — Elizabeth Gilbert
5. “Don’t be like the rest of them darling.” — Coco Chanel
6. “My best successes came on the heels of failure.” — Barbara Corcoran
7. “Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” — Sarah Blakely
8. “Without an open-minded mind, you can never be a great success.” — Martha Stewart
9. “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible!'” — Audrey Hepburn
10. “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” — Estée Lauder

Best motivational quotes

The best motivational quotes are excellent statements that can lift your mood, no matter the situation. They are both helpful and inspiring. Some of them became personal mottos, others permanent statuses on slack or good ideas for the bio on social media.

Discover some great sayings to succeed and fail, from tiny beginning to successful results, from pessimism to optimism, from impossible to possible, from lazy to determined, from inaction to constant, focused action. Discover your favorite quote and share it with your friends. Remember these can be also used as great motivational quotes for employees from managers.

“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines. ”~ Robert Schuller

1. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started” — Mark Twain
2. "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." — Samuel Beckett
3. "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." — Helen Keller
4. "It always seems impossible until it's done." — Nelson Mandela
5. "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." — Charles R. Swindoll
6. "When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor." — Elon Musk
7. “You will succeed because most people are lazy.” — Shahir Zag
8. “The two most important days in your life are the day you’re born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain
9. “Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use.” — Ruth Gordo
10. “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” ― Abraham Lincoln

Deep meaning motivational quotes

If you're looking for meaningful sayings, we have some highly inspiring quotes at work and in your private life. They have stranded the test of time. They are signed by entrepreneurs, philosophers, statists, presidents, or famous people. They offer the motivation vitamin to move on, take risks, work harder, and go beyond your limits. Yes! Such words might not feel like something extraordinary. However, they significantly impact your or your employee's professional life. And if you find one that you particularly enjoy, don't hesitate to share them.

“You can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will.” ~ Stephen King

1. “Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.” — Thomas Edison
2. "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." — Confucius
3. “Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” — Seth Godin
4. "We can see through others only when we can see through ourselves." ― Bruce Lee
5. “If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” — Seth Godin
6. “Take action. An inch of movement will bring you closer to your goals than a mile of intention” — Steve Maraboli
7. “Don’t be afraid to give up the good for the great” — John D. Rockefeller
8. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” — Wayne Gretzky
9. "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 
10. "The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible." — Arthur C. Clarke

Employee motivation is not always straightforward. You can't grasp it instantly. However, suppose you are writing an email, drafting an appreciation message, preparing a presentation, or want to have a speech for your employees. In that case, we believe that these quotes can have an uplifting impact on your peers.

If you care about your employees, sending such motivating quotes will boost engagement and help you improve your relationships with your team members. Try implementing such habits of sharing weekly mood quotes, and you will observe a long-lasting positive impact within your work environment.