You can write these business quotes down in your book, print them out to use as a mantra, put them on a presentation, or make a post for your team. These quotes will help you on your way as a person, business owner, boss, or entrepreneur.
There are a few more at the end to remind you that in business, a little humor can go a long way.
Affirmations used every day have been used for a long time to boost self-esteem. People have to get their days off to a good start. Letting a smile be your cover might make you feel better, but it won’t help you come up with new business ideas.
Many of us see our jobs as more than just a way to make money; they give us a chance to express ourselves and make the world a better place. People who are ambitious and like to get things done often feel like they have the weight of an entire business on their shoulders. Because of this, they could always use a little extra motivation.
These 30 motivational business quotes are for all you professionals and people who like to get things done. Now go make the world a better place, one job at a time!
Now, without further ado, here are the best business quotes that will inspire you to do better.
1. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” (Winston Churchill)
Churchill was in charge of Britain during one of its worst times. The pressure to stay alive was very high because enemies were threatening to cross the English Channel and bomb London every day. Churchill, like any good businessperson, knew that failure was a part of the process. Everyone learned something from their mistakes. The most important thing they learned was that they could fight again tomorrow.
2. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” (Arthur Ashe)
Arthur Ashe knows how to deal with a problem. The tennis champion is the only black person to have won Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open all on his own. He was world number one, but it wasn’t easy for him to get there. Besides being good at the sport and putting in a lot of mental and physical work to get there, he also had to deal with bias, which made his saying even more powerful and humble.
3. “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” (Conrad Hilton)
When someone has a last name that is known all over the world, you should pay attention to what they have to say. This hospitality king and hotel owner knows how to run a business successfully in a crowded market. Things you do, though, say louder than words, and you’ll always make mistakes. But giving up won’t help solve the problem.
4. “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new” (Socrates)
It was known that the great Greek philosopher would question the way things were and get killed for it. However, Plato wrote Socrates’ talks soon after he died, and his ideas are still important in the West today. Even something as practical as a business can be learned from him. Move forward and don’t look back.
5. “Every problem is a gift—without problems we would not grow.” (Anthony Robbins)
The thought that life can go by without any problems or conflicts is not realistic. It might be the dream of some that life is a smooth ride, but growth is impossible without some kind of resistance. We grow as people, become more creative, and become more humble when we face problems.
6. “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” (Richard Branson)
Every business, from record companies to airlines, has shown that if someone wants to do something, they can. Sometimes the door is open, but not all the time. The key is on the floor, or the door is hinged. Just take it out and turn the lock. In general, the best conditions for success come and go, but a smart businessperson is never idle.
7. “You only have to do a few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.” (Warren Buffett)
Of course, the idea of right and wrong is made up, and it might seem too simple to say that making the right decisions will make things easier. But the famous investor is only saying in this business quote that it’s just as important to not make a choice as to make the right one. Of course, careful planning can help you avoid making bad choices.
8. “Play by the rules, but be ferocious.” (Phil Knight)
The company that gave us the slogan “Just do it!” adds limits to what it means. Because it always seemed too broad. Knight makes it clear that you can’t “just do it” without following the rules. Those rules make sure that everyone has the same chances and protect fair competition. The way you play with emotion, on the other hand, has nothing to do with the rules.
9. “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” (Anaïs Nin)
Nin was used to coming up with new ideas. For her to write, she had to put pen to paper or her stories would just stay in her head. It’s better to keep these thoughts to yourself. That way, you won’t get rejected or criticized, but you also won’t be able to improve your skills or make something useful.
10. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” (Henry David Thoreau)
Thinker, naturalist, writer, and so on—Thoreau was very good at getting things done. He knew very well that people who want to be successful are probably just dreaming about it and not putting in the hard, real work that is needed to get there.
11. “I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite.” (G.K. Chesterton)
Chesterton is the rebel on our list. He writes stories with paradoxes. He talks for both stubborn people and people with big dreams. Sometimes you have to go against what most people think. It’s hard to tell if you’re acting because you believe in your ideas or because your ego is getting in the way.
12. “There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them.” (Seth Godin)
Godin, a writer and former dotcom businessman, says that words don’t cost much but they mean a lot. There are a lot of ideas out there, but the real meat on the bones comes from trying to make them happen. That’s when the problems appear and the real work of fixing them begins.
13. “Almost everything worthwhile carries with it some sort of risk, whether it’s starting a new business, whether it’s leaving home, whether it’s getting married, or whether it’s flying into space.” (Chris Hadfield)
That’s true, but not all chances are the same. It seems more dangerous to go into space than to start a business. That does, however, put things in perspective and recognize that there are risks in everything, so don’t try to totally protect your business. Of course, be safe, but don’t be so careful that you stop moving.
14. “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
People focus on the end result and forget how important the steps are that lead to it. No matter what happens, what matters is that you gave it your all to do the best you could at something you think is important. Just that makes it worth it.
15. “If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.” (Steve Jobs)
Success is something we only see after it’s happened. Like the roots of a tree that grows to the sky, the tree’s height makes the roots opaque. They’re buried because they dug through the hard ground for years to keep the tree stable and feed its growth. It’s the same in business.
16. “I don’t know the word ‘quit.’ Either I never did, or I have abolished it.” (Susan Butcher)
She’s not telling the truth; she’s stretching to make a point. At some point, everyone feels like giving up. You’re worn out. The problems seem impossible to solve. But people who can turn down the idea of giving up and find a source of strength they didn’t know they had are usually the ones who cross the finish line.
17. “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” (Will Rodgers)
The American minister of happiness did more in his life than just spread happiness. He gave useful business tips, like “laziness is death.” People are in trouble even if they are doing the right thing. They are stuck if they don’t keep going forward and pushing themselves out of their comfort zone. You will lose to the race.
18. “Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it.” (William Durant)
People who are wise tell us that there is only the present and that we shouldn’t get caught up in the past or the future. The present moment is all there is. We need to do something about that. It doesn’t say that we shouldn’t learn from the past or make plans for the future, but it does say that we only have this time, so make the most of it.
19. “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” (Albert Einstein)
You may have noticed that many motivational quotes, business quotes are at odds with each other. That’s because paradoxes are where real knowledge grows. There is always more than one way to look at something, and each new view opens up new possibilities. It’s possible that ideas are useless without action, but action is useless without those ideas.
20. “The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.” (Barack Obama)
The president has been through a lot of ups and downs. The president didn’t give up on the Affordable Care Act, even when it looked like it would never pass. Even though he gave in, persuaded, and worked hard, he never let himself get angry.
Also Read This: AI in Business: From Automation to Augmentation – Unleashing the Power of Artificial Intelligence
21. “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and success achieved.” (Helen Keller)
Giving up should be seen as a sign of pride. Because it burns things down to their core, it shows us what we’re really made of. If it were easy to be successful, everyone would do it, and it wouldn’t mean anything.
22. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” (Thomas Edison)
Edison and the incandescent lightbulb: it took him thousands of tries to find a wire that would burn but not go out. This is proof that what he said was true. You have no idea what’s around the next turn until you get there.
23. “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” (Estée Lauder)
People can think too much and lose track of time. In their minds, they can see themselves succeeding. It seems like they’re already there. You can be creative by daydreaming, but you have to work at being creative. You won’t get anywhere if you stay where you are.
24. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” (Walt Disney)
The more business quotes from these business and history greats you read, the more you’ll notice a link between them. They do similar things in various ways. To use another old saying, that should make it clear that deeds speak louder than words.
25. “Success is often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” (Coco Chanel)
Being aware of what could go wrong will cause it to happen. People who are successful want to move on. They know that loss is possible, but it doesn’t stop them. Failure is just a bump in the road for them; it’s not the end. Is that what failure is?
26. “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right!” (Henry Ford)
This sentence may seem hard to understand at first, but once you do, it makes perfect sense, like a Zen koan. According to the man who invented automated cars, this saying means that success is a mind game as well as a matter of luck. You can do almost anything if you make up your mind to.
27. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” (Colin Powell)
It’s great to be inspired, but don’t try to make the same thing happen again. The general is right. As many others have said, success comes from being ready, working hard, and learning from your mistakes. We’d add luck to the plan for success if we could change the quote a little. There’s always something unknown in the mix.
28. “The first one gets the oyster, the second gets the shell.” (Andrew Carnegie)
You have to have steel nerves to become a steel lord, so this statement sounds harsh. However, it is harshly true. Businesses use resources to help them reach their goals. Their wealth isn’t shared by everyone, so like the early bird, you have to get up early to get the worm.
29. “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)
Lots of people have it backward; they need to be successful in order to feel good about themselves. The funny thing is, though, that happiness is in the doing, not the goal. You’ll be happy with your business even if it fails if you enjoy the process.
30. “I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.” (Oprah Winfrey)
We talked about how luck is an important part of success. There are always forces that we can’t control, but there are also forces that we can. There aren’t many chances to do something, so you have to be ready for them when they come up. Even though that might not be what luck is, it feels like good success.
Benefit Quote: “The best investment is in the tools of one’s own trade.” (Benjamin Franklin)
Benjamin Franklin was one of the people who helped start the United States of America. But he was also an engineer and businessman who knew how important it was to have the right tools for the job.
If our founder, the man with the beard, were still alive today, he would definitely have Creavitech. It has more features than any other online project management software, so you can keep track of every part of a job.
Five more business quotes to make you laugh.
Of course, we all know that laughter can help you feel better or make your talk or poster stand out. We added these quotes as a fun bonus to this piece to show the fun side of the business:
- “Don’t take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.”
(Elbert Hubbard) Writer and publisher - “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”
(Douglas Adams) Writer, screenwriter and humorist - “Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.”
(Mallory Hopkins) Writer and author - “I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because, a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.”
(Bill Gates) Former CEO of Microsoft - “Please note that I am self-employed. If you see me talking to myself, please do not disturb. I am having a staff meeting.”
(Unknown)
The word that ties them all together
We’ve looked at business words that will inspire, motivate, and help your team do their job. What’s the link between them? Your mind needs to be in the right place, and you should try to be:
- Innovative
- Positive
- Tenacious
- Diligent
To bring skills and resources together, you also need to be around people who think like you do. Nexomos knows all about that.
We’ve been named the Best Place to Work for four years in a row because we work hard to make the workplace a good place to be. It encourages creativity, new ideas, and dedication, all of which help our clients get the best results.
Want to know more about how we give our team the tools they need to get things done for our clients? Check out our POSITIVE company values to get a feel for the Nexomos way of life!
