exam presentation quotes

71 Exam Motivation Quotes to Kindle Your Study Spirit

Leah Nguyen • 31 Aug 2023 • 7 min read

It’s very common to feel stressed and lacking in confidence during finals week.

Exams can induce fear in all of us.

In those pressured moments, giving up may seem like an easy option but it will only create future regrets.

Instead of surrendering to nerves, find inspiration to motivate yourself. Having motivation and believing in your abilities will lift your confidence enormously.

To help provide encouragement, here are the best exam motivation quotes crafted to inspire you young students!

Read through them when you need a boost💪

Table of Contents

Motivational quotes for studying, exam motivational quotes for students, good luck motivational quotes for exams, motivational quotes to study hard, frequently asked questions.

More Inspiration From AhaSlides

• Motivational Quotes for Work 
• AhaSlides Public Template Library
• Rest Day Quotes

Looking for More Fun?

Play fun quizzes, trivia and games on AhaSlides. Sign up to take free quiz from AhaSlides template library!

• “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb
• “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
• “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” – Mary Kay Ash
• “The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity.” – Amelia Earhart
• “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier
• “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.” – Steve Jobs
• “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” – Dale Carnegie
• “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.
• “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain
• “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison
• “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” – Les Brown
• “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
• “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.” – Tim Notke
• “When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.” – Helen Keller
• “What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.” – Plutarch
• “Be like a postage stamp – stick to it until you get there.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “Learning never exhausts the mind.” – Leonardo da Vinci
• “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” – Steve Jobs
• “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13

• “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
• “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin
• “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better.” – Jim Rohn
• “Exams don’t define your worth or intelligence. Take a breath and do your best.”
• “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge
• “Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda
• “Good things come to those who hustle.” – Ronnie Coleman
• “Focus on going the distance. Gold is where you find it.” – Jerry Rice
• “Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.” – Mark Twain
• “Don’t give up when you are so close to success. Success is right around the corner.”
• “Exam days don’t define who you are. Stay focused and believe in yourself.”
• “This too shall pass. Keep pushing through and doing your best.”
• “Leave no stone unturned. Give the exams your all through thorough preparation.”
• ” Learning isn’t about results, it’s about gaining knowledge and skills for life.”
• “Challenges are what make life interesting. Keep learning through every exam experience.”
• “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”
• “Don’t stop until you’re proud. Keep honing your understanding until exam day.”
• “Through continuous self-improvement all goals are achievable. Keep powering on.”
• “Your worth isn’t defined by any test score. Believe in the intelligent, capable person you are.”
• “Focus on the process, not the outcome. Steady work leads to lasting success.”

• “Go get ’em! You’ve prepared well, now it’s time to show what you know. Good luck!”
• “Wishing you all the courage and focus. You’ve got this – break a leg out there!”
• “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. You’re ready, now seize your chance. Kill it!”
• “Luck favours the prepared mind. You’ve done the work – now show the world your skill. You’ve got this in the bag!”
• “Performance is a function of preparation. You came ready to win. Go out there and nail it! Crush those exams!”
• “Remember your strengths, believe in yourself and the rest will follow. Sending you confidence and good vibes for success!”
• “Good things come to those who hustle. You’ve hustled hard – now it’s time to reap the rewards. You’ve got this in the bag. Go shine!”
• “Wishing you clarity and courage. Own your power and abilities. You were born for this. Crush it and shine!”
• “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies. You’ve so got this! Knock it out of the park!”
• “With preparation comes opportunity. Be bold, be brilliant. I can’t wait to celebrate your victories!”
• “It never hurts to keep trying, no matter how close to impossible your goal seems.

• “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” – Robin Williams
• “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” – Thomas Paine
• “Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.” – Vince Lombardi
• “There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.” – Roger Staubach
• “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson
• “It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice.” – Frank A. Clark
• “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vidal Sassoon
• “The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it.” – Zig Ziglar
• “My mother said to me, ‘If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.’ Instead I was a painter, and became Picasso.” – Pablo Picasso

• “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
• “Work while you work, play while you play.” – John Wooden
• “Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” – William Arthur Ward
• “A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.” – Bruce Lee
• “Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.” – Leonardo da Vinci
• “If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents— start charging for it.” – Kim Garst
• “The beginning is always today.” – Mary Wollstonecraft
• “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” – Horace
• “If you’re gonna try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start.” – Charles Bukowski
• “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – George Herman Ruth

How can I get motivated for exams?

Staying motivated to study for exams can be hard, but setting goals and taking breaks will help you power through. Focus on why the exam is important for your future goals, and visualise yourself achieving the grade you desire. Break your study time into manageable chunks with rewards after you complete each session. Be sure to get plenty of sleep, eat healthy and avoid junk food to fuel your brain, and take short breaks to exercise or relax. Studying with classmates is another great way to reinforce what you’re learning while holding yourself accountable. And if you get stuck, don’t be afraid to ask your teacher questions.

What is a motivational thought for students for exams?

Believe in your ability. You’ve put in the study hours for a reason – because you’re capable of achieving your goals. Trust your skills and knowledge.

What is the most powerful motivation for students to succeed?

In my view, one of the most powerful motivations for students to succeed is their desire to fulfil their potential and live up to their dreams/ambitions.

What is a positive quote for study motivation?

“The paradoxical thing is that when I stop doing it for results or praise or some future outcome, and simply do it for its own sake, the results are extraordinary.” – Elizabeth Gilbert

Leah Nguyen

Words that convert, stories that stick. I turn complex ideas into engaging narratives - helping audiences learn, remember, and take action.

More from AhaSlides

101 Exam Motivation Quotes to Inspire Students for Success

Exams can often feel overwhelming, but with the right mindset and motivation, you can conquer any challenge that comes your way. In this article, we have compiled a collection of 100 exam motivation quotes that will inspire and uplift you during your study journey.

These quotes, curated from both inspirational figures of the past and present generations, aim to provide you with the necessary encouragement and drive to excel in your exams. Let these words of wisdom resonate with you as you navigate the path to academic success.

Table of Contents

EXAM MOTIVATION QUOTES

• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
• “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
• “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
• “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
• “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs
• “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
• “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier
• “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson
• “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain
• “Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” – Roy T. Bennett
• “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis
• “Success is not in what you have, but who you are.” – Bo Bennett
• “The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” – Matty Mullins
• “The future depends on what you do today.” – Mahatma Gandhi
• “Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got this.” – Chantal Sutherland
• “Success is not just about making money. It’s about making a difference.” – Unknown
• “The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it.” – Unknown
• “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
• “Success is not the absence of failure; it’s the persistence through failure.” – Aisha Tyler
• “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker
• “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
• “Dream big and dare to fail.” – Norman Vaughan
• “You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.” – E.O. Wilson
• “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” – Jordan Belfort
• “You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honourably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.” – E.O. Wilson
• “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Confucius

This 100 exam motivation quotes from inspirational figures spanning different generations are meant to uplift and inspire you during your study journey.

Remember, exams may be challenging, but with determination, perseverance, and a positive mindset, you can achieve academic success. Harness the power of these quotes to stay motivated, overcome obstacles, and reach your full potential. Good luck on your exams!

INSPIRATIONAL STUDY QUOTES

You might also like.

5 Bad Study Habits To Stop Right Now!

The Best Daily Routine for Students: Boost Productivity and Success

The Ultimate Guide To Study In A Group

51 Best Inspirational Exam Quotes For Student Success

Like this post? Click the buttons below to share it on your socials!

Last Updated on November 10, 2023 by Alexandra Markin

This post is a selection of the best inspirational exam quotes every student should read before taking their exam.

Writing exams is one of the hardest and most stressful parts of being a student. Finding the inspiration to keep studying is tough.

The inspirational quotes in this post will help you prepare for your exam, boost your test taking confidence and overcome any exam fears.

As an online diploma graduate, I’ve written countless exams. Referring back to my favourite quotes always helps me do well on my exams.

Click in the table of contents below to jump to any section you need most for exam motivation!

Motivational Quotes To Help You Achieve Your Exam Goals

1. it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it, 2. establish a “you can do this” mindset, 3. learn while they party to live like they dream, 4. nothing is impossible, 5. do the work others are not willing to do, 6. make your dreams a reality, 7. don’t just dream of success, get up and make it happen, 8. your willingness determines the hight of your achievements, 9. be the one that’s hard to beat, some encouraging words for an exam, 10. show up and do your best, 11. don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do, 12. believe you can and you’re halfway there, 13. if writing an exam is not your strong point, 14. don’t compare your journey to others, 15. don’t stress, 16. you are capable of more than you know, 17. you are smarter than you think, 18. everyone has to work hard to achieve their goals, inspirational quotes to boost your confidence before taking an exam, 19. knowledge is your most valuable asset, 20. everyone starts at zero, 21. anything worth having has no shortcuts, 22. believe you can, 23. a successful tomorrow belongs to those who prepare today, 24. you don’t have to be great to start, 25. you can predict your future if you create it, 26. live for the experience of today, 27. you are going places, 28. believe in your dreams, inspirational exam quotes to help you overcome your fears, 29. to succeed, never give up, 30. know no excuses, 31. make the excitement of winning greater than the fear of losing, 32. greatness does not come from within your comfort zone, 33. failure is not fatal, nor is success final, 34. remove your doubts, 35. put down your fears and go forward, 36. trust your abilities, 37. the only person who can stop you from success is yourself, inspirational quotes to help you study for an exam, 38. habit is what keeps you moving forward, 39. learn to protect yourself with the pen, and not the gun, 40. hard work begets luck, 41. studying is all about having the right attitude, 42. overcome procrastination, 43. literally – do your homework genius lies within, 44. preparation is the key to success, 45. time waits for no one, 46. learn to rest, not quit, motivational quotes to help you do your best on an exam, 47. education is a privilege, 48. open doors are only yours to enter, 49. no one can take away your knowledge, 50. expect problems and crush them, 51. good luck on your exam.

Find inspiration with the quotes in this section to help you achieve whatever your exam goals may be. You can do this!

The late Mae West knew what it took to become a famous actress and singer – her career spanned over seven decades. Heed one of her most well-known quotes to help you achieve your exam goals:

“I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.” – Mae West, American actress and singer, 1893-1980

Henry Ford’s mindset was the primary reason that lead him to success when he invented the Model T, as demonstrated in the book Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill . If you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend that you do!

You will do well on your exam. Make this your primary mindset and you’ve won half the battle.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – Henry Ford, American inventor and businessman, 1863-1947

I found this inspirational quote on Pinterest years ago and its been one of my favourites ever since. Stay on track, work hard, crush your exams and be that person who actually lives a life others only dream of.

“Work while they sleep. Learn while they party. Save while they spend. Live like they dream.” – Pinterest, original author unknown

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” – Audrey Hepburn, actress 1929-1993

Getting a formal education is hard work. If getting a degree was easy, everyone would be doing it. The fact that you’re willing to take the exam is what will make you successful.

“ Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better. “ – Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur, 1930-2009

“ If you can dream it, you can do it. “ – Walt Disney

Time waits for no one, so make studying for exams a priority in your mornings.

If you need help setting yourself up for a productive day, check out The Best Morning Routine for Online College Students post.

“Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.” – Wayne Huizenga, American Businessman, 1937-2018

“The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.” – Michelle Obama, Former first lady of the United States

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth, former professional baseball player, 1895-1948

Worried about an upcoming test? These encouraging words will help calm your nerves before your next exam.

Showing up counts for more than you might think. Get yourself to the exam and do your best! Remember – you chose to make this opportunity for yourself while others did not.

“80% percent of success is showing up.”  – Woody Allen, American film director

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden , American Basketball coach, 1910-2010

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt , Former US President, 1858-1919

Not everyone is good at writing exams, even if they do well on all the course assignments. If this sounds like you, do your best and don’t beat yourself up if you get a lower grade than you wanted. Remember, your ability to do well on exams does not define your intelligence.

“Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Albert Einstein , Theoretical Physicist, 1879-1955

“Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.” – Jon Acuff, actor

This is another Pinterest quote I found long ago that I still live by, especially when writing exams! The original author is unknown.

“Don’t stress. Do your best. Forget the rest.” – Unknown

“You are capable of more than you know. Aim high. Behave honorably.” – E.O. Wilson, American biologist, 1929-2021

Take a cue from Winnie-the-Pooh, who always demonstrated the will to get through any situation.

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne, British author of Winnie-the-Pooh, 1882-1956

To conclude these encouraging words for an exam, even the most influential figures of history experienced hard times before they achieved their greatness.

“Genius is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration.” Thomas Edison, American inventor, 1847-1931

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King , American singer-songwriter, 1925-2015

“The expert in anything was once a beginner.” – Helen Hayes , actress, 1900-1993

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Stills , operatic soprano, 1929-2007

“In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can. “ – Nikos Kazantzakis, Greek writer, 1883-1957

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X, American minister, 1925-1965

 “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar, American author, 1926-2012

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln , 16th US President, 1809-1865

“Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.” – Albert Einstein, Theoretical Physicist, 1879-1955

We can’t get through a list of inspirational exam quotes without including some from the great Dr. Seuss. He’s spot on with this quote – reading (and textbooks count!) opens you up to a whole world of opportunity!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss, American author, 1904-1991

As a student, the would is your oyster. Dream big!

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt, Former first lady of the United States, 1884-1962

Save these inspirational exam quotes to help you overcome any exam fears. Recall these during an exam for an instant stress aid.

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison, American inventor, 1847-1931

“I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing, 1820-1919

“Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.” – Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad

“ All progress takes place outside the comfort zone. “ – Michael John Bobak , American contemporary artist

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister, 1874-1965

Don’t fear failure on an exam. Remind yourself you have the courage to continue through any outcome.

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. President, 1882-1945

Failing an exam or not getting the grade you want is always disappointing, but both success and failure are valuable learning experiences.

“All men have fears, but the brave put down their fears and go forward, sometimes to death, but always to victory.” Dale Carnegie, author of How To Win Friends And Influence People  

Sometimes, especially in an exam situation, we tend to be our own greatest enemy. Trust yourself and your abilities.

“Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do.” Benjamin Spock, American pediatrician, 1903-1998

“Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you. Only you can stop you.” Jeffrey Gitomer – author of the Little Red Book of Selling

The hardest part is often getting started. Find you favourite quote in this section to help you get motivated to study for your exam.

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun, Former US Representative

“You must get an education. You must go to school, and you must learn to protect yourself. And you must learn to protect yourself with the pen, and not the gun.” – Josephine Baker, dancer, singer and actress, 1906-1975

If you want to create more “luck” for yourself, you actually need to put in the work. Manifestation books such as The Secret, The Power and Think And Grow Rich are not just about believing your dreams can be reality, but putting your plans into action to make it happen.

Opportunities only present themselves through action.

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. – Thomas Jefferson, 3rd US President, 1743-1826

“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” – Augustine “Og” Mandino, American author, 1923-1996

“Never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.” Charles Dickens, British author, 1812-1870

If you’re struggling with procrastination or just getting started studying for your exam, read the post how to study when you don’t feel like it .

“A genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework.” – Thomas Edison, American inventor, 1847-1931

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” – Alexander Graham Bell, scientist and inventor, 1847-1922

This is my all-time favourite quote. Time waits for no one, no matter who you are. The time to achieve your exam goal is now.

“You may delay, but time will not.” Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father of the United States, 1706-1709

Even the allusive Banksy has valuable advice to aid in your study efforts. Breaks are important for memory retention when studying for an exam.

“When you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.” – Banksy, anonymous British-based street artist

Not everyone has the opportunity to get an education. In the moment, writing an exam may not seem like a privilege, but remind yourself that it is.

“The man who does not read books has no advantage over the one who cannot read them.” Mark Twain, American writer, 1835-1910

“Teachers can open the door, but you must enter it yourself.” – Chinese proverb

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King, American singer-songwriter, 1925-2015

Problems will always arise no matter how prepared you are. The exam conditions may be less than ideal – the room might be too cold or too hot, you might not have slept well the night before, etc. Find a way to overcome these small annoyances and do your best on the exam. Anticipating problems and finding a way to deal with them is part of having success.

“Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.” – Alfred A. Montapert, author, 1906-1997

I know exactly what you’re going through because I’m going through it too! We’re in this together. Best of luck on your exam!

“When you believe in yourself, anything is possible. Wishing you the best of luck on your exam!” – Online Student Life

I hope this roundup of inspirational exam quotes helps calm exam nerves, gives you a confidence boost to achieve your exam goals and gets you motivated to study and do your best!

Want even more inspirational quotes? Read the post Motivational Quotes For University Students to help you do your best throughout your education journey.

Share in the comments below what your favourite inspirational exam quote is!

About The Author

Alexandra Markin

Related posts.

How To Study When You Don’t Feel Like It

What to Bring to a Library Study Session

Do I Need A VPN As An Online Student?

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get our admissions insider tips in your inbox! Sign up .

75 Top Motivational Quotes for Exam Confidence and Focus

Achieve exam success with motivational quotes and proven study techniques. Be inspired by timeless words of wisdom to overcome fear, challenges and self-doubt as a student. Plus, learn how to strike a balance between hard work and self-care when you’re studying.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. We appreciate your support.

Feeling overwhelmed by upcoming exams? Struggling to stay motivated and focused while studying? 

You’re not alone.

Exams are, by far, the biggest source of stress for college students. In 2022, the American Addiction Center asked college students about the most stressful things in their lives. Over 89% said exams.

Tests are a reality of college life, and they’re not going away. I give exams to my students as one way for them to demonstrate learning and understanding. 

But I’m very aware of the anxiety that comes with those necessary exams. Around midterms and finals, the increased stress on campus is palpable.

So what can you do?

• Take care of yourself. Check out our list of science-backed self care strategies if you need some ideas.
• Ask for help if you need it. Check in with your professors, study with other students or hire a tutor if you need one.
• Find ways to stay motivated. Keeping some inspiring quotes visible is a small but effective way to boost your confidence. 

Motivational quotes can help you stay on track.

They can shift your mindset from self-doubt to determination and perseverance. The wisdom of others who found success through focus and dedication can encourage you to keep pushing forward.

The Power of Motivation

In a broad sense, motivation is the reason behind our behaviors. It’s what pushes us to achieve our goals and fulfill our dreams. 

Without motivation, moving forward and staying focused can be really difficult. When we lack the drive to succeed, it’s hard to achieve our goals.

You’ve heard of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. But how well do you understand your own motivation?

Some people are motivated intrinsically by personal things like values, interests, beliefs or enjoyment. Others are motivated extrinsically by rewards, recognition or support.

When you understand what motivates you, you can tap into that motivation and stay focused on your goals.

If you want to dig into this a little more, we recommend Gretchen Rubin’s The Four Tendencies. 

What if you understood why you respond to expectations in a certain way and what motivates you? The 4 tendencies framework can honestly be life-changing.

Role of Motivation in Exams

Motivation to prepare for exams plays a crucial role in your success as a college student. It can help you stay focused, overcome challenges and maintain a positive mindset.

Decades of research have identified different activities as evidence of academic motivation : 

• Persistence
• Learning challenging, difficult and novel tasks
• Paying attention
• Planning and monitoring

Having exam motivation means that you’re willing to put in the time and effort required to succeed. And the studies I just mentioned can help you understand what “staying motivated” really looks like.

Curiosity – Find something (anything!) interesting or fascinating about what you’re studying. 

Persistence – Remember times in your life when you felt like quitting and how accomplished you felt when you refused to give up.

Learning – Break things down into manageable chunks of information.

Paying attention – Do something that helps you focus. Listen to music, study in the library or a coffee shop, take short breaks and move your body.

Connection – Make specific connections between what you already know and what you’re trying to learn, memorize or understand.

Planning and monitoring – Set specific, achievable study goals. Celebrate when you meet each goal.

Imagine listening to music that is scientifically tested to help your brain focus or relax.

Brain.fm's science-first approach creates music that sounds different and affects your brain differently than any other music.

We listen to a variety of music genres and nature soundscapes!

The Impact of Motivational Quotes

There’s nothing like that boost of inspiration that comes from a great quote. And we know you’ll take all the inspiration you can get when you’re studying for a big exam.

#MondayMotivation on Instagram has over 32 MILLION posts.

(Just trust us on that massive number – no time to lose yourself in a black hole of social media scrolling. You have studying to do!)

Motivational sayings are effective because they’re short bits of wisdom. Research from Cornell University suggests that quotes are memorable when they’re distinctive (less common word choices) and general (can apply to new contexts).

The quotes we’re sharing won’t guarantee an A at exam time, but they can definitely encourage you to stay focused and positive. 

How to Maximize Your Favorite Quotes

One of the best ways to use motivational quotes is to keep them front and center. Reading them here and then forgetting them isn’t helpful for the long term.

Try these ideas to maximize the benefits of your favorite quote:

• Make it your laptop background or your phone’s lock screen
• Share it on social media
• Write it on a post-it note and put it near your study space or on your mirror
• Put the quote on a sticker, journal or coffee mug

The Importance of Hard Work

Hard work is foundational to achieving success. It’s not a guarantee, but you’re much more likely to achieve your goals when you put in the time and effort .

You’ve heard about the value of hard work for years from a parent or other family member, mentors, teachers, coaches, managers and more. And it’s obvious that you DO work hard or you wouldn’t be in college, studying for exams.

But hard work isn’t just about the number of hours and hustle. It’s also about working smart.

It’s discipline, focus and consistency.

The difference between successful and unsuccessful people isn’t talent or ability. The difference is willingness to do the work.

Motivational Quotes About Hard Work

Studying for exams is stressful and exhausting, but it’s a necessary evil to get the results you want. Need a little motivation to remind you that your hard work is worth it? 

These quotes can help. 

• The fruit of your own hard work is the sweetest. – Deepika Padukone
• The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. – Vince Lombardi
• You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. – E. O. Wilson

• I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. – Thomas Jefferson
• Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. – Thomas Edison
• I believe that fortitude is key. More than anything, be consistent. Go at it. Go at it. Go at it. – Antonia Novello

• If you want something you’ve never had before, you’ve got to do something you’ve never done before. – Coco Chanel
• The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph! – Marvin Phillips
• I’m always asked, ‘What’s the secret to success?’ But there are no secrets. Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room. – Dwayne Johnson

• 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
• Do. The. Work. Every day, you have to do something you don’t want to do. Every day. Challenge yourself to be uncomfortable, push past the apathy and laziness and fear. – Tim S. Grover
• The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. – Vidal Sassoon

• Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them. – Ann Landers
• Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all. – Sam Ewing
• The only way to enjoy anything in this life is to earn it first. – Ginger Rogers

Study Smarter, Not Harder

Yes, we just spent the previous section talking about the importance of hard work. But hard work alone isn’t going to get you closer to your goals.

You don’t have endless hours in the day and there’s so much more to life than studying! You need a plan or strategy.

With the right mindset and study techniques, you can master the art of studying and use your time well.

You can retain information and improve exam performance when you figure out the best study techniques for you.

The way you learn and study best may look very different from how your roommates or friends learn. That’s normal and expected.

You also may find that your go-to study techniques in high school just aren’t cutting it in college. 

I often tell my students to go back to basics like:

Use pen and paper. Research shows that writing the information by hand improves retention .

• Ditch the laptop for taking notes and try a notebook instead
• Make your own flashcards on actual, physical index cards instead of using an app

Practice active reading. Try these strategies from Princeton .

• Ask questions and make notes in the margins.
• Write brief summaries of what you read.
• Create charts or diagrams or concept maps.

Test yourself. Research shows that self-testing is significantly related to student achievement .

• Use your flashcards to test yourself. Don’t just read through them.
• Find practice quizzes or tests online or ask your professor.

Motivational Quotes About Studying Smarter

Here are some of the best quotes about studying:

• The best way to predict your future is to create it. – Abraham Lincoln
• We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment. – Jim Rohn
• If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing. – William Arthur Ward
• Study hard in the beginning so you can relax later. – Proverb
• You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working. – Anatole France

• Keep the flame of curiosity and wonderment alive, even when studying for boring exams. That is the well from which we scientists draw our nourishment and energy. And also, learn the math. Math is the language of nature, so we have to learn this language. – Michio Kaku
• The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. – Jimmy Johnson
• Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle. – Christian D. Larson

• You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you. – Brian Tracy
• If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. – Maya Angelou
• What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Always make the choice to learn. What Princeton taught me was whatever mess you are studying, pull a thread with great persistence ’til you have clarity of thought. Princeton taught me how to solve a problem. How to think – that’s what we pull out of this place. – Maria Ressa
• Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do. – Benjamin Spock
• Never regard study as a duty but as an enviable opportunity to learn to know the liberating influence of beauty in the realm of the spirit for your own personal joy and to the profit of the community to which your later works belong. – Albert Einstein

• Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. – Alexander Graham Bell
• Education is transformational. It changes lives. That is why people work so hard to become educated and why education has always been the key to the American Dream, the force that erases arbitrary divisions of race and class and culture and unlocks every person’s God-given potential. – Condoleezza Rice

Balance Exam Success & Self-Care

Studying for exams can be stressful, especially if it’s midterms or final exams. You may think you don’t have enough time for anything else, but you do.

This college prof is here to remind you to find a balance between studying and taking care of yourself. To ace your exams, you need to show up as the best version of yourself. 

Running on snacks and caffeine isn’t good for you, and it’s definitely not sustainable. 

Check out our list of self-care strategies .

Study Quotes About Success & Self-Care

Remember to keep these quotes where you can see them.

• 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
• The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. – Steve Jobs
• I don’t love studying. I hate studying. I like learning. Learning is beautiful. – Natalie Portman

• The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. – William James
• Stress is caused by being ‘here’ but wanting to be ‘there.’ – Eckhart Tolle
• Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. – Robert Collier

• The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well. – James D. Rockefeller
• Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world. – Roy T. Bennett
• If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things. – Albert Einstein

• It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. – Confucius
• When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things. – Joe Namath
• You are the only person on earth who can use your ability. – Zig Ziglar

Deal With Fear About Exams

You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t feel nervous before an exam. It’s normal. 

The trick is to harness that nervous energy to help you stay motivated and focused. Make a study schedule, use the study techniques we discussed above and take care of yourself.

The better prepared you are, the more confidence (and fewer nerves) you’ll have.

These quotes can help!

(Test anxiety is a different story. The Mayo Clinic offers some tips to overcome it. You should also consider talk therapy with a licensed counselor and/or find out what resources your school’s learning center offers.)

Exam Study Quotes About Fear

• Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right. – Henry Ford
• You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. – Zig Ziglar
• Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’! – Audrey Hepburn

• Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. – John D. Rockefeller
• Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. – Mother Teresa
• The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

• Don’t let your fear of what could happen make nothing happen. – Doe Zantamata
• Fear is only as deep as the mind allows. – Japanese Proverb
• Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart. – Roy T. Bennett

• Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision. – Winston Churchill
• Believe you can and you’re halfway there. – Theodore Roosevelt
• Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. – Helen Keller

• You have to believe in yourself when no one else does. – Serena Williams
• Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got this. – Chantal Sutherland
• Attitude determines the altitude of life. – Edwin Louis Cole

Overcome Fear of Failure

Failure is inevitable. If you can learn from it, failure can be motivating rather than debilitating.

Now here’s the hard part: learning from failure requires self-reflection and correction.

You have to be willing to reflect on your mistakes and understand what went wrong. Then you have to use that knowledge to correct and improve the next time.

If you’ve failed a recent exam or if you’re afraid of failing an exam or a class, it can be hard to push forward and stay motivated. Make sure you’re using healthy coping strategies ! 

Motivational Study Quotes About Overcoming Failure

Here are some motivational study quotes to help you overcome the fear of failure:

• 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
• There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. – Colin Powell
• I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. – Michael Jordan

• You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do. – Eleanor Roosevelt
• I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. – Thomas Edison
• Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. – Henry Ford

• Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. – Winston Churchill
• The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure. – John Maxwell
• Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory. – Mahatma Gandhi

• If you’re doing your best, you won’t have any time to worry about failure. – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
• You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. – Wayne Gretzsky
• The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall. – Oliver Goldsmith

• Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong. – Peter T. McIntyre
• My dad encouraged us to fail growing up. He would ask us what we failed at that week. If we didn’t have something, he would be disappointed. It changed my mindset at an early age that failure is not the outcome–failure is not trying. Don’t be afraid to fail. – Sara Blakely
• Giving up is the only sure way to fail. – Gena Showalter

Final Thoughts

When it comes to studying for exams, motivation is key.

By surrounding yourself with inspirational quotes for exam success, you can stay focused on your academic goals.

The quotes that resonate with you can encourage and motivate you to be disciplined and consistent. Keep them front and center.

Remember to take care of yourself! You’re far more important than good grades. 

Keep pushing forward and celebrate the small wins along the way. With the right mindset and strategies, you can achieve academic success and reach your full potential.

75. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. – Benjamin Franklin

Good luck on your exams. We’re cheering you on!

After years of teaching high school English, Kristie now educates college students on communication and life. She has two teenage sons, two dogs and a fairly serious obsession with sports. She also listens when the mountains call.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• ALL ARTICLES
• How To Study Effectively
• Motivation & Stress
• Smarter Study Habits
• Memorise Faster
• Ace The Exam
• Write Better Essays
• Easiest AP Classes Ranked
• Outsmart Your Exams
• Outsmart Your Studies
• Recommended Reads
• For Your Students: Revision Workshops
• For Your Teaching Staff: Memory Science CPD
• Our Research: The Revision Census
• All Courses & Resources
• For School Students and Their Parents
• For University Students
• For Professionals Taking Exams
• Study Smarter Network
• Testimonials

41 POWERFUL Study Motivation Quotes For Exam Success

by William Wadsworth | Mar 31, 2021

When you’re in the midst of exam revision, maintaining a mindset for SUCCESS can be tricky. If you’ve lost your motivation to study , you’re in the perfect place to give it a boost – these motivational quotes about exam success will remind you to stick to your goals and aim for the top!

You can boost your studies with this quick trick:

• Pick your favourite quote from the list below, and stick it up in large letters somewhere you’ll see every time you study!

And take comfort in one amazing fact: sure, these quotes were written or said by great and successful people – but they were all beginners once, in the midst of studying, just like you .

Is there a quote that always gives YOU motivation for studying? Let us know in the comments!

Quotes to motivate you to study consistently (even if you don’t feel like it!)

The great thing about successful people is that they know exactly what it takes to get there! Ready to hear some trade secrets? These motivational quotes will boost your exam success:

1. Love what you are learning to do

“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, Brazillian pro footballer

It may sound like a tall order to love what you are doing or learning to do for some of us. But, unfortunately, it’s not easy to find the motivation for that subject you don’t like to study, no matter how many quotes from iconic footballers you read!

Stick with it. Lean into the challenge.

Even a small improvement in your success could give you the motivational boost you need to study harder next time, kick-starting a virtual cycle of increasingly more success and motivation!

2. Hard work matters

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure .” ― General Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State

Prepare, work, and learn from failure if (well, when!) it happens.

3. Don’t give in

“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically… No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in .” ― Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks helped initiate the civil rights movement in the US when she refused to give up her seat, as was expected, to a white man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

She isn’t remembered as a brash and confrontational woman, but for carrying a quiet inner dignity and strength – formidable strength – that could ignite a revolution.

I particularly like to quote Rosa Parks because that sort of quiet and formidable strength fits very nicely with my self-image as a scholar. Maybe it will for you too.

So just think: what would happen to your study motivation if you got this tired of giving in?

When the moment finally came you said:

That’s IT.

It’s OVER – things are going to change and they’re going to start changing TODAY!

Rosa Parks had a powerful “why” – to end racial segregation – what’s your why? Check out our ideas for reasons to study to kick-start your study motivation today.

4. Find your “thing” – like Stephen Hawking

“However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.” ― Stephen Hawking

One of my favourite motivational study quotes comes from Stephen Hawking, the renowned theoretical physicist who spent most of his adult life wheelchair-bound with a form of motor neurone disease.

No matter what your apparent “limitations”, you can find an area to excel in.

5. Today’s studying plants the seeds for tomorrow’s exam success

“Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” ― David Bly, American politician

6. Stay consistent in your studying

“Success is the sum of small efforts , repeated day in and day out.” ―  Robert Collier, self-help autho r

Stay consistent: this motivational quote teaches us that success in studying comes from consistent effort.

Often, the daily routines of highly successful students look almost identical to those of average students. The only difference is a few extra minutes invested, perhaps in conquering some challenge questions at the end of a homework, or in reviewing the day’s material .

See also the advantages of spaced learning over cramming.

7. Make each day a little better than before

“Success isn’t overnight. It’s when every day you get a little better than the day before. It all adds up.” ― Dwayne Johnson, actor and former pro-wrestler

8. It’s the little things that matter

“The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well .” ― John D. Rockefeller, widely considered the richest man in modern history

Focus on the basics when you’re studying, like understanding how to memorise for exams .

Many of the strategies in my exam technique book Outsmart Your Exams boil down to doing the basics better than anyone else – and thereby earning a handy little advantage for your grade. Add lots of those nice little advantages up, and you’re looking at a healthy score boost in your tests!

9. Go get it!

“Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it .” ―  Marva Collins, American educator

It’s up to you: go get it!

10. Recipe for success

“Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping ; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” ― William A. Ward, motivational writer

This powerful study motivation quote comes from a professional motivator. While I like the sentiment about buckling down, I would add a note of caution about studying too much , especially “while others are sleeping”.

Sleep is really important for learning – don’t skip it!

Study smart during the day, and get a good night’s sleep.

11. Set your study goals; then realise them

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal .” ―  Earl Nightingale, author

Study motivation often starts with a clear goal : this quote beautifully summarises the drive that comes from working towards that goal.

12. Be the boss – like Beyoncé

“Power’s not given to you. You have to take it.” ― Beyoncé, 100 million record selling artist

YES, Beyoncé! Go claim the success you deserve in your studies.

Motivational study quotes for overcoming failure well

If you’re struggling with your mistakes, the most important thing is that you don’t let them defeat you . Learn from them, and stay inspired for your exams with these motivational quotes:

13. Success is forged in the fire of defeat

“You may encounter many defeats but you must not be defeated . In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” ― Maya Angelou, American civil rights activist and poet

14. Failure is an opportunity to try again (better)

“Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently .” ― Henry Ford, industrialist founder of the Ford Motor Company

Don’t let a temporary setback dint your self-esteem. You can do better next time!

15. What can you learn from your study / exam mistakes?

“Failure doesn’t mean the game is over, it means try again with experience .” ―  Len Schlesinger, Harvard Business School professor and author

And when you do go again, you’ll have the experience you need to succeed!

16. Pick yourself up – like Batman

“And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up .” ― Thomas Wayne, Batman’s Dad, in ‘Batman Begins’

Another of my favourite motivational quotes for study success, a great reminder of the cycle of falling and rising; success and failure.

P.S. Dozing off at your desk? I LOVE Hans Zimmer’s ‘ Rise ‘, composed for the Batman trilogy, to give you a sleepy brain a boost!

17. Stand tall, no matter what happened yesterday

“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today .” ― H.G. Wells, English writer and sci-fi author

Today is a new day. So stand tall – even if you don’t feel like it.

18. Keep going – you might be almost there

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ―  Thomas Edison, businessman and inventor of the phonograph and electric lamp

Edison knew more about it than most: he tested more than 6,000 plant-based options alone for electrical filament, before finally landing on the winning formula for the light bulb. (Carbonised bamboo, if you’re wondering).

19. Don’t quit yet!

“One of the most common causes of failure is quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat .” ― Napoleon Hill, self-help author

Edison saw each material that didn’t work not as a failure, but as a learning experience: learning yet another way not to make a light bulb.

Defeat is so often temporary, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.

20. Fail enthusiastically – like Churchill

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm .” ― Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Try and keep your enthusiasm up! Not always easy, but if you don’t feel like smiling, stand tall and smile anyway. It may make you feel a touch better!

21. Success is often a direct result of failure

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. ” ― Michael Jordan, former pro basketball player and businessman

Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time.

He didn’t make his high school basketball team at first. He was devastated, but used that to fuel a furious training effort that lasted a lifetime.

Study motivation quotes to build an unstoppable success mindset

Having a strong study mindset will get you a long way with your exam revision. Here are some great motivational quotes to remind you what you need to achieve SUCCESS in your exams:

22. Take complete responsibility

“The day you take complete responsibility for yourself , the day you stop making any excuses , that’s the day you start to the top.” ― O.J. Simpson, former American football running back

24. Believe you can

“ Nothing is impossible . The word itself says ‘I’m Possible’.” ― Audrey Hepburn, actress and humanitarian

Mind. BLOWN.

Good spot, Audrey!

25. The things that are possible beyond the safety of your comfort zone

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore .” ― William Faulkner, writer and Nobel Prize laureate

Or as a good friend and mentor, Alan Donegan , likes to say: “Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone… otherwise you’d have it already “.

(Little bonus quote there for you!)

26. You don’t need to be a perfect student. Just do your best for now.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better .” ―  Maya Angelou, American civil rights activist and poet

Such wisdom from Maya there – we couldn’t resist adding a second quote of hers!

I often tell students that even if you don’t feel like a top student, pretend that you are, and act accordingly. No-one will know the difference but you! And do it for long enough, and you’ll suddenly realise that you now do feel like a top student.

26. Short on time to study?

“ Don’t say you don’t have enough time . You have exactly the same amount of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Di Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr., author

What are you going to choose to do with the time given to you?

27. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

“There are two kinds of people in this world: those who want to get things done and those who don’t want to make mistakes.” ― John Maxwell, author and leadership expert

Go for it. It’s OK to make a mistake – provided you learn from it!

28. When to change the situation vs when to change yourself

“When we are no longer able to change a situation we are challenged to change ourselves .” ― Viktor Frankl, neurologist, philosopher and Holocaust survivor

Few of us can imagine what Frankl went through. If the situation is intolerable to you, either change the situation, or if that really is impossible, how can you yourself adapt to it?

29. The motivation to study comes from within according to this quote

“Make sure your own worst enemy doesn’t live between your two ears .” ― Laird Hamilton, surfer

Don’t hold yourself back!

30. Personal growth as a scholar

“Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better .” ― Jim Rohn, entrepreneur and motivational speaker

Jim Rohn encourages us to celebrate problems and challenges as opportunities to grow as a person. I love that: it’s perfect for supporting a growth mindset !

31. My favourite study motivation quote

“There are no limits !” ― The quote on the back of the flapjacks in our college canteen. My friends and I adopted it as something of an exam-term battle cry!

My personal absolute favourite of all motivational quotes for study success. This got me through some pretty tough times on the road to a First-Class degree from Cambridge.

If you can get your friends to adopt the same motivational quotes as you, it really helps as you can cheer each other on.

Motivational quotes for studying harder and smarter

Success depends on hard work, and these motivational quotes will get you fired up to get down to your books, put in that hard graft and beat your exams:

32. Don’t expect the results without the work

“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary .” ― Vidal Sassoon, hairstylist and philanthropist

33. It will be worth it in the end

“I’m not telling you it is going to be easy — I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it .” ― Art Williams, insurance billionaire

Stay the course: remember why it matters as often as you need.

34. Out of luck?

“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” ― Thomas Jefferson, 3rd US president

Don’t leave exam success to chance. Instead, study well, and the “luck” will be on your side!

35. No-one’s born with it…

“If people only knew how hard I’ve worked to gain my mastery , it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” ― Michelangelo, master sculpture, painter, architect and poet

I love this quote – it goes such a long way to showing us how even truly exceptional “talent” so often is something we work for, not something we’re born with. See Malcolm Gladwell’s fabulously readable Outliers for more on this powerful idea.

36. Courage + work = success

“All happiness depends on courage and work .” ― Honore de Balzac, French author

37. Hard work matters

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” ― Beverly Sills, operatic soprano

Singers like Beverly have a tough climb to the top. So again, remind yourself why the destination matters!

38. Hard work matters

“Good things come to people who wait, but better things come to those who go out and get them .” ― Unknown

Go out and get what you deserve!

39. Succeed on purpose

“Successful people are not gifted. They just work hard, then succeed on purpose .” ―   Unknown

I love the idea of succeeding on purpose! (Remember Michelangelo from #35?)

I wish we could have found who to attribute this study motivation quote to – if you know, let us know in the comments..!

40. Keep going

“There is no substitute for hard work.” ― Thomas Edison, businessman and inventor of the phonograph and electric lamp

Broadly agree 😉

Though when it comes to motivational quotes for students, make sure you’re studying effectively , i.e. working smart and using your time well, not just working hard on low-value tasks.

41. Go the extra mile

“There are no traffic jams on the extra mile .” ― Zig Ziglar, ace salesman and motivational speaker

Ah, WHAT a great motivational quote to leave you on for study success!

Remember, when it comes to preparing for your exams, the extra mile doesn’t always mean doing all that much more. It can often come down to small things!

Looking for MORE inspirational quotes for exam success?

Enjoyed this article? Hungry for a little more?

Then head over and check out the other half of this list: there are 49 more inspirational quotes ready and waiting for you!

And if you’re looking for even more quotes to inspire your studies or encourage your students, we’ve also gathered up the best quotes all about: overcoming procrastination , making progress , and growth mindset !

Feeling motivated for success in your exams and studies?

If studying SMARTER (not just harder!) sounds like the ideal way to boost your grades and ace your exams – you’re not alone!

Join thousands of students learning Exam Study Expert’s ULTIMATE secrets for exam success, simply by signing up below and claiming your free cheat sheet now.

Wishing you every success in your studies!

The Science Of Studying Smart

Download my free exam success cheat sheet: all my #1 must-know strategies to supercharge your learning today.

Your privacy protected. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.

• Latest Posts

• [PODCAST] Peps McCrea: Hacking Study Motivation With Psychology - 27 Jan 2024
• Your Word Of The Year – Setting You Up For Success [PODCAST] - 2 Jan 2024
• Holiday Season Study Tips [PODCAST] - 21 Dec 2023

12 Comments

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

best one in my opinion, keep it up 👆 , from Kurdistan <3

#26 is cringe, have a great day though

Ha, I guess different quotes speak to different people in different ways! Thanks for stopping by, wishing you a wonderful day too 🙂

thank you so much for those wonderful quotes and hope to see a more greater change in my studies.

I’m really inspired with the motivation qoutes and I can’t wait to go through again because there are nice thank you to the leads.

Best motivation Quotes for Study

All Quotes are super, thank you.

Maybe the Bill Cosby quote should be removed- considering the kind of person that he has turned out to be. Can be looked at in a different light…

Yes, fair enough. How do you like the new quote in at #3? I think it’s might well be my new favourite entry on the whole list – so thank you for prompting the switch!

I love your tips. Thank you very much.

Thanks a lot. I love your tips and it has really kept me “keep going I’m almost there.

I am inspired byt the quotes you shared here and this one in particular drew my attention “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, Brazillian pro footballer”

A lot of times students want to attain success without really working towards it.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Read My Test-Taking Technique Book For More Marks In Exams

Top Picks: Recommended Reading From The Blog

How To Study Effectively : Ultimate Guide [READER FAVOURITE]

Exam Memorization Secrets

Inspirational Exam Quotes

Finding The Perfect Study Routine

Pomodoro Method : 9-Step Guide

Best Books About Studying

Listen To The Podcast

• Motivation2Study
• Motivation2Study en Espanol
• Motivation2Study Shorts
• Speakers - Work With Us
• Partnerships & Sponsorships

Top 25 Motivational Quotes To Help You Succeed In Your Exams

May 2th, 2023.

Exams can be a daunting experience for students, but the good news is that there are ways to stay motivated and succeed. One great way to get motivated is to read inspirational quotes from successful people. 

Here are the top 25 motivational quotes that can help you succeed in your exams:

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs

Related: Top 20 Powerful Quotes to Keep You Moving Forward

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius

“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.” – Zig Ziglar

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

“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

“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson

“Your only limit is the amount of action you take.” – Tony Robbins

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

“Chase your dreams until you catch them…and then dream bigger.” – Unknown

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson

“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

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” – Vince Lombardi

“It’s not what you achieve, it’s what you overcome. That’s what defines your career.” – Carlton Fisk

“The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.” – Vince Lombardi

“Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got this.” – Chantal Sutherland

“Success is not about how much you know, but how much you are willing to learn.” – Unknown

These quotes remind us that success is not always about being the best or getting the highest grades, but it’s about having the courage to keep going and never giving up on our dreams. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or discouraged during exam season, take a deep breath, read some of these inspiring quotes, and remember that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and stay motivated.

Whether you are studying for a test, writing a paper, or preparing for a presentation, these quotes can help you stay focused and determined to succeed. Remember, success is not just about getting good grades or achieving academic excellence. It’s about becoming the best version of yourself and achieving your goals. With the right mindset and motivation, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Good luck!

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list and receive many more inspiring posts like this via email. Simply enter your name and email address below to get started. It’s free, so why not!

Sources : 

https://quotefancy.com/quote/93125/Wayne-Gretzky-You-miss-100-of-the-shots-you-don-t-take

https://www.stoodnt.com/blog/best-tips-study-effectively/

https://quotefancy.com/quote/2013259/Roy-Bennett-Success-is-not-how-high-you-have-climbed-but-how-you-make-a-positive

Join our social media community for motivational content and tips and tricks on how to achieve your goals and follow your dreams!

If you know someone who could use this article, share it with them!! 

Let us know in the comments what you would like to see next and for more powerful motivational articles, check out our Motivation2Study Blog !

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit

Our mission is to inspire, educate and help students of all ages with both lack of motivation and

Lorem ipsum dolor sit aempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Our.news blockquotehelp students of al.news blockquote.news blockquote.news blockquote.news blockquotel ages with both lack of motivation and

Our mission is to inspire, educate and help studentseducate and help studentseducate and help students educate and help students of all ages with both lack of motivation and

Similar news

Top 8 Ways To Help Students With Low Motivation

How to Be an Extraordinary Student Leader!

How To Create A Roadmap To Success!

8 Ways To Turn Your Dreams Into Reality!

100 Best Motivational Quotes for Students to Help You Ace Your Exams

As students, we often face numerous challenges and obstacles in our academic journey. From managing our time effectively to understanding complex concepts, the path toward success can seem daunting at times. However, one thing that can help us stay motivated and focused is the power of words.

Motivational quotes have the ability to inspire us, uplift our spirits, and remind us of our goals when we need it the most. In this article, we will explore some of the most powerful and inspiring motivational quotes for students to help them ace their exams and achieve academic success. So, if you are looking for a boost of motivation and inspiration, keep reading!

Table of Contents

The Importance of Motivation for Students

Motivation is a critical factor in the success of students. Many students struggle with staying motivated throughout the course of their academic journey. It can be difficult to stay focused and driven when faced with challenging coursework, long hours of studying, and other obstacles.

However, it is essential for students to find ways to stay motivated in order to achieve their goals and reach their full potential. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of motivation for students and provide some tips and strategies for staying motivated.

Firstly, motivation is crucial for academic success. Students who are motivated are more likely to engage in their studies and perform better academically. Motivation helps students to set goals, stay focused, and persevere through difficult tasks. Additionally, when students are motivated, they are more likely to seek out resources and support to help them achieve their goals.

Motivation also plays a critical role in personal growth and development. When students are motivated, they are more likely to engage in extracurricular activities, take on leadership roles, and pursue their passions. These experiences can help students to develop important skills such as time management, communication, and decision-making.

Furthermore, motivation can have a positive impact on mental health and well-being. Students who are motivated tend to have a more positive outlook on life and are less likely to experience anxiety and depression. Motivation can also help students to manage stress and cope with difficult situations.

How to Stay Motivated as a Student

So, how can students stay motivated ? Here are some tips and strategies:

• Set clear goals : Set specific, achievable goals. This can help to provide direction and focus.
• Break tasks into smaller , manageable steps: Large tasks can be overwhelming and discouraging. Breaking them into smaller, manageable steps can make them more achievable.
• Find a support system : Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you. This can include peers, mentors, and family members.
• Celebrate successes : Celebrating small successes along the way can help you to stay motivated and feel accomplished.
• Take breaks : It is important to take breaks and recharge when needed. This can help to prevent burnout and maintain motivation.

Best Motivational Quotes for Students to Study Hard

Here are some of the best motivational quotes for students to study hard and achieve their academic goals. Remember, hard work and dedication are key to achieving success in academics and beyond. These quotes can help inspire and motivate students to keep pushing themselves toward their goals.

1. “True education is about getting the best out of oneself.” – Mahatma Gandhi

2. “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” – Thomas Jefferson

3. “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

4. “ If people knew how hard I worked to achieve my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.”– Michelangelo

5. “The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss

6. “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” – David Bly

7. “If you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires.” – Malcolm Gladwell

8. “Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable.” – Theodore N. Vail

9. “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” – Stephen King

10. “Today a reader. Tomorrow a leader.” – Anonymous

You May Also Like: The Top 105 Inspirational Mountain Quotes to Reach New Heights 

11. “You can always be better.” – Tiger Woods

12. “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” — Abraham Lincoln

13. “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” – Thomas Edison

14. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier

15. “I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it should get you pretty near.” – Margaret Thatcher

16. “Working hard is important, but there is something that matters even more: Believing in yourself.” — Harry Potter

17. “Winners embrace hard work. They love the discipline of it, the trade-off they’re making to win. Losers, on the other hand, see it as punishment. And that’s the difference.”– Lou Holtz

18. “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” — Jimmy Johnson

19. “All progress takes place outside of your comfort zone.” – Michael John Bobak

20. “If you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires.” – Malcolm Gladwell

21. “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” – Aristotle

You May Also Like: Sleep Well With the 31 Best Inspirational Good Night Poems

Inspirational Exam Quotes to Help You Study

Studying for exams can be a daunting task, but inspirational quotes can help you stay motivated and focused. Remember that success is not just about talent, but also about perseverance and effort. Keep pushing forward, even when the going gets tough, and you’ll be sure to achieve great things.

22. “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” — Benjamin Franklin

23. “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” — Leonardo da Vinci

24. “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.

25. “The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.” – Brian Herbert

26. “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” — Chinese Proverb

27. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

28. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela

29. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden

30. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun

31. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela

32. “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all.” – Dale Carnegie

33. “There are no traffic jams on the extra mile.” – Zig Ziglar

You May Also Like: Pump Up Your Energy With These 55 Upbeat Motivational Songs

34. “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” — Helen Hayes

35. “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” — Gail Devers

36. “Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets.” – Leonardo da Vinci

37. “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” — B.B. King

38. “That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

39. “A genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework.” – Thomas Edison

40. “Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.” – Jon Acuff

41. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

42. “The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.” – Michelle Obama

43. ‘You cannot change your future, but you can change your habits, and surely your habits will change your future.’ – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

You May Also Like: 40 Songs to Inspire Change: Top Picks for a Motivated Mindset

Exam Motivation Quotes to Achieve Your Goals

Here are some inspirational exam motivation quotes to help you achieve your goals and excel in your studies.

44. “Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude.” — Ralph Marston

45. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that count.” – Winston Churchill

46. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein

47. “Successful people begin where failures leave off. Never settle for ‘just getting the job done.’ Excel!” – Tom Hopkins

48. “However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.” – Stephen Hawking

49. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer

50. “I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs, but by how high he bounces when he hits the bottom. “– George S. Patton

51. “There are two kinds of people in this world: those who want to get things done and those who don’t want to make mistakes.” – John Maxwell

52. “There is no secret to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – General Colin Powell

53. “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” — Alexander Graham Bell

You May Also Like: 100 Best Inspirational Good Morning Smile Quotes to Start Your Day

54. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” — Beverly Stills

55. “There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” – Zig Ziglar

56. “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” – John Quincy Adams

57. “Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, and dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going.” – Chantal Sutherland

58. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer

59. “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” — C.S. Lewis

60. “When you get to the end of the rope, tie a knot and hang on.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

61. “The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.” — Walter Bagehot

62. “In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.” – Nikos Kazantzakis

63. “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.” — Abraham Lincoln

You May Also Like: 110 Best Inspirational Art Quotes to Spark Creativity

Top Motivational Quotes to Help Students Avoid Procrastination

Here are a few motivational quotes to help you avoid procrastination when studying for exams.

64. “Never put off till tomorrow the book you can read today.” ― Holbrook Jackson

65. Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin. – Victor Kiam

66. “Procrastination makes easy things hard and hard things harder.” — Mason Cooley

67. “Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.” – Don Marquis

68. “Procrastination is like a credit card: it’s a lot of fun until you get the bill.” – Christopher Parker

69. “My biggest regret could be summed up in one word, and that’s procrastination.” – Ron Cooper

70. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

71. “My advice is, never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.” – Charles Dickens 

72. “Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” – George Washington Carver

You May Also Like: 100 Inspirational Sunset Quotes to Light up Your Day

73. “You may delay, but time will not.” ― Benjamin Franklin

74. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar

75. “There are those who work all day. Those who dream all day. And those who spend an hour dreaming before setting to work to fulfill those dreams. Go into the third category because there’s virtually no competition.” – Steven J. Ross

76. “Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.” – Wayne Huizenga

77. “I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale

78. “The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action.” – Alexander Graham Bell

79. “Nothing will work unless you do.” – Maya Angelou

80. “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” ― Karen Lamb

81. “A day can really slip by when you’re deliberately avoiding what you’re supposed to do.” ― Bill Watterson

You May Also Like: 80 Uplifting and Inspirational Inner Strength Quotes

Top Inspirational Quotes for Exam Success

Exam time can be stressful and overwhelming. But don’t let fear and anxiety get the better of you. Stay motivated and inspired with these top inspirational quotes for exam success.

82. “Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do” – Benjamin Spock

83. “Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t pretend that you do and, at some point, you will.” — Venus Williams

84. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison

85. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou

86. “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” — Vince Lombardi

87. “The road to success is always under construction.” — Lily Tomlin

88. “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

89. ”Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success.” – Virat Kohli

90. “The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Work is the key to success, and hard work can help you accomplish anything.” – Vince Lombardi

You May Also Like: 101 Inspirational Happy Weekend Quotes for a Perfect Weekend

91. “Learning is never done without errors and defeat.” – Vladimir Lenin

92. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X

93. “Never let the fear of striking out stop you from playing the game.” — Babe Ruth

94. “Instead of looking at the hundred reasons to quit, look at the thousand reasons not to give up.” – Unknown

95. “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – Henry Ford

96. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

97. “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” – Jim Rohn

98. “There are no gains without pains.” – Benjamin Franklin

99. “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” — Albert Einstein

100. ‘Learning has to be digested. You don’t just have to know, you have to comprehend.’ – Terry Pratchett

Subscribe and get more posts fresh off the press!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

What’s Your Favorite Motivational Quote to Study for an Exam?

Examinations can be a daunting task for students, but with the right mindset and attitude, anything is possible. Motivational quotes can serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration, helping students to stay focused, motivated, and determined to achieve their academic goals. 

By incorporating these quotes into their daily routine, students can harness the power of positive thinking and approach their exams with confidence and a positive attitude. Remember, success is not just about talent, it’s also about hard work, determination, and a willingness to never give up. So, keep these quotes in mind and stay motivated to achieve academic success.

Related Posts

60 good morning thursday inspirational quotes to brighten your day, 75 incredible sexy inspirational quotes that will fire you up, inspirational birthday quotes for son – 95 ideas, leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Read More

Sharing is Caring

Help spread the word. You're awesome for doing it!

55 Powerful Motivational Quotes That Will Inspire You to Ace an Exam

By Jesse Long

Updated on: February 26, 2020

Education is essential as it is the only intangible and priceless inheritance you can receive from your parents or yourself. It is a tool to break through the barrier of ... Read more

Education is essential as it is the only intangible and priceless inheritance you can receive from your parents or yourself. It is a tool to break through the barrier of ignorance and poverty .

Why is it important?

Later in life, you will eventually have a family of your own. And when that time comes, you can use what you have learned to support yourself and your family financially.

Your parent’s financial support will never last forever, and sooner or later, you need to become INDEPENDENT .

Embracing the concept of learning plays a vital role in your survival in the long run.

You never know what tomorrow’s battle will bring, so preparing yourself with the right ammunition will make you take off from your current situation.

We live in harsh times where nothing is free, so enhancing your knowledge and skills are your only defense mechanism in a demanding, expensive world.

That’s why you should never let your hardships and struggles define your circumstance but rather, let your determination and spirit be your nickname to anchor in growth and attain success .

With that said, education involves examinations; these are tests that assess how much you have learned.

Your grade, however, will never define your character and capabilities in life, but having a good mark on your exam helps!

Here are 55 Motivational Quotes that will guide and help you to pass an exam:

“ If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill “ Don’t let your victories go to your head or your failures go to your heart.” – Anonymous “ Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford “ You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.” – Ed Cole “ There are two kinds of people in this world: those who want to get things done and those who don’t want to make mistakes.” – John Maxwell “ Your positive action, combined with positive thinking, results in success.” – Shiv Khera “ I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” – Thomas Jefferson “ Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier “ Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill “ Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine “ Life has two rules: 1) Never quit. 2) Always remember Rule #1.” – Anonymous “ If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill “ Procrastination is the thief of time.” – Edward Young “ Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe “ I don’t regret the things I’ve done. I regret the things I didn’t do when I had the chance.” —Anonymous “There are two kinds of people in this world: those who want to get things done and those who don’t want to make mistakes.” – John Maxwell “ I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan “ I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs, but how high he bounces when he hits the bottom.” – George S. Patton “ It’s very easy to be number one: find the guy who is number one and score one point higher than he does.”― Paul Kalanithi “ The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.” – Paul Halmos “ The journey is the reward.” — Chinese Proverb “ The best way to predict your future is to create it.” — Abraham Lincoln “ Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill “ 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.” – Pele “ Studying whether there’s life on Mars or studying how the universe began, there’s something magical about pushing back the frontiers of knowledge. That’s something that is almost part of being human, and I’m certain that will continue.” – Sally Ride “ Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable.” – Theodore N. Vail “ People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” – Tony Robbins “ Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” – Wayne Dyer “ You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer “ You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” – Margaret Thatcher “ Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers.” – Shakuntala Devi “ When it’s finals week, and you’ve been studying for five hours straight, you need three things to get you through the night. The biggest Slurpee you can find, half cherry half Coke. Pajama pants, the kind that have been washed so many times they are tissue-paper thin. And finally, dance breaks. Lots of dance breaks.” ― Jenny Han “ People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar “ Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan “ Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” – Pablo Picasso “ No profit grows where no pleasure is taken. In brief, sir, study what you most affect.” ― William Shakespeare “ In my experience, there is only one motivation, and that is desire. No reasons or principles contain it or stand against it.” – Jane Smiley “ If you want to make a permanent change, stop focusing on the size of your problems, and start focusing on the size of you!” – T. Harv Eker “ If you have a dream, you can spend a lifetime studying, planning, and getting ready for it. What you should be doing is getting started.” – Drew Houston “ If education were the same as information, the encyclopedias would be the greatest sages in the world.” ― Abhijit Naskar “ I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” – Thomas Jefferson “ Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.” – C.S. Lewis “ Education enables humans to achieve their fullest mental and physical potential in both personal and social life.”― Abhijit Naskar “ Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Anonymous “ Do not wait to strike until the iron is hot but make it hot by striking.” —William Butler Yeats “ Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” – Jim Rohn “ The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.” – John D. Rockefeller “ Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” – John Maxwell “ We exceeded expectations just by turning up for the exams.” ― George Weasley “ They say life is a test, and this is a ridiculous idea! There is neither examination nor examinant! You encounter problems in life either because you are stupid, or your path just crosses with the problem’s path by luck! Nobody is sending you problems to test you! Stay loose and chuck out the irrational idea of ‘test’ at once!”― Mehmet Murat “ To acquire knowledge, one must study, but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”― Marilyn Vos Savant “ The successful warrior is the average man with laser-like focus.” – Bruce Lee “ The study of mathematics, like the Nile, begins in minutes but ends in magnificence.” – Charles Caleb Colton “ The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.” – Denis Waitley “ The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.”— Mortimer Adler

Tips to help you study

Try to avoid distractions.

It is not wrong to engage in activities or relationships that will boost your morale; however, if you notice that it hinders you from performing well in school or prioritizing your goals, then it is best if you distance yourself from it as it may be a distraction. Keep your eye on the prize!

There is a time for everything.

Always make time

Time management is crucial because you also have other responsibilities to attend to. Managing your time is vital for you to focus on your studies. Try to own a planner or download applications that would assist you in managing your time.

Make reading a habit

Reading is essential as it will not only expand your vocabulary and make you gain knowledge, but it will also enhance your writing, speaking/explaining skills. Consider reading things that have substance and relevance.

Take a break from time to time

It is essential to have a balance in your life. You can’t just live and breathe school, so it is optimal to have a break, so you don’t burn out. Go and enjoy yourself but make it to the point that you compensate; this means that if you party hard, then you should study harder.

Your future depends on it

To be honest, exams are not that hard if you are really prepared for it.

Be that as it may, education is not only the most significant aspect you should focus on. You should also concentrate on being gritty, resourceful, persistent, and resilient; these are traits successful people possess. In this life, you have to become the greatest version of yourself by directly investing.

Invest in what?

Invest in yourself because the world will never be on your side, and life will always be unfair because, at the end of the day, the only person that can ever help you is YOU.

Related Posts

Sorry, no posts were found.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Motivational And Inspirational Blog

80 Most Inspirational Quotes For Exam Success

• December 4, 2023
• Inspirational Quotes

Students always dread the moment when they need to study and prepare for their exams.

You will start to study right away, and here are motivational quotes to help you focus on your new goal. Stay motivated in during your exam time by reading inspirational quotes and sayings to constantly encourage yourself to work hard and prepare for the tests.

Don’t Miss to Read: “ Motivating Hard Work Quotes “

Top 10 Exam Quotes

• “There is no substitute for hard work.” — Thomas Edison
• “You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.” — Ed Cole
• “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier
• “Forget all the reasons it won’t work and believe the one reason that it will.” — Unknown
• “The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.” — John D. Rockefeller
• “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” — Bill Cosby
• “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work learning from failure.” — General Colin Powell
• “When you say ‘It’s hard’, it actually means ‘I’m not strong enough to fight for it. Stop saying its hard. Think positive!!” — Unknown
• “Fear, inherently, is not meant to limit you. Fear is the brain’s way of saying that there is something important for you to overcome.” — Yvan Byeajee
• “Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going.” — Chantal Sutherland

Motivational Quotes For Tests

• “To earn more, you must learn more.” — Brian Tracy
• “When the student is ready, the master appears.” — Buddhist proverb
• “Don’t practice until you get it right, practice until you never get it wrong.” — John Flanagan
• “Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard, then succeed on purpose.” — G.K. Nielson
• “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill
• “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X
• “I failed in some subjects in exam, but my friend passed in all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the owner of Microsoft.” — Bill Gates
• “Life is the most difficult exam. Many people fail because they try to copy others, not realizing that everyone has a different question paper.” — Unknown
• “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.

Encouraging Quotes About Exams

• “Luck is for the lazy… success is for those who work hard.” — Unknown
• “Focus on your goal. Don’t look in any direction but ahead.” — Unknown
• “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” ― John F. Kennedy
• “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” — John Dewey
• “Pray as if you haven’t studied. Study as though there is no God.” — Unknown
• “Hey! To reach the Top… You Don’t have to be BOOK WORM, Just stay cool ‘n’ give your Best.” — Unknown
• “Work as hard as you can and then be happy in the knowledge you couldn’t have done anymore.” — Unknown
• “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” — Thomas A. Edison
• “Every morning you have two options. Continue to sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger
• “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” — Christian D. Larson

Top 10 Motivational Quotes for Student’s Success

• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
• “Work hard in silence, let your success be the noise.” — Frank Ocean
• “Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.” — Anonymous
• “All the studying you are doing will be worth it in the end! Good luck!” — Unknown
• “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” — David Bly
• “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” — Thomas Edison
• “Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.” — Jules Renard
• “Study while others are sleeping; Work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” — William Arthur Ward
• “Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” — William A. Ward

Exam Motivational Quotes For Students

• “Your success and happiness lie in you.” — Helen Keller
• “Stay positive, work hard, make it happen.” — Unknown
• “You may see me struggle but you will never see me quit.” —  Tom Coleman
• “Trust yourself; you know more than you think you do.” — Benjamin Spock
• “Whatever you do, do well, and may success attend your efforts.” — Unknown
• “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” — Theodore Roosevelt
• “The world of the future is in our making. Tomorrow is now.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
• “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” — Alexander Graham Bell
• “Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.” — Wayne Huizenga
• “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed, is more important than any other one thing.” — Abraham Lincoln

Inspirational Quotes For Success In Exams

• “No gains without pains.” — Benjamin Franklin
• “Nothing will work unless you do.” — Maya Angelou
• “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.” — Bruce Lee
• “The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action.” — Alexander Graham Bell
• “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” — William Faulkner
• “There are two days in the year that we can not do anything, yesterday and tomorrow.” — Mahatma Gandhi
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston S. Churchill
• “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” — Alexander Graham Bell
• “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” — Vince Lombardi

Encouraging Quotes For Students In Exams

Motivational Images, Pictures & Wishes for Students

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

90 Greatness Quotes To Unlock Your True Potential Within

70 funny friday quotes to kickstart a happy weekend.

150 Most Powerful Quotes That You’ll Love To Read

40 Best Warren Miller Quotes By The Skiing Pioneer

55 Norman Vincent Peale Quotes About Positive Thinking

145 Positive Mindset Quotes For Optimistic Thinking And Attitude

AnQuotes.com

75 Motivational Quotes For Exams To Help you Study Harder

Have you blamed your poor grades on a lack of enthusiasm for studying harder? If you have, you definitely need the following motivational quotes for exams to motivate yourself.

Life as a student is tough. There is tremendous pressure to succeed because your family and friends exert some pressure on your to do well. And hopefully you have decided to  study hard  but sometimes social media, Netflix or video games steal a big amount of your time. And sometimes by the time you realize you have run out the clock on preparation time for your exams, it may be too late.

Does this sound like you?

Then read on. Here, we have compiled these motivational quotes for exams that will raise your spirits as a student.

Use These Quotes to Motivate You to Study Harder

1.“Don’t stop until you’re proud.” – Unknown

2.“Be ready to fail ’cause only then you are ready to succeed.” – Unknown

3.“Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and think of what could go right.” – Unknown

4.”It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Unknown

5.”Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Unknown

6.”What comes easy won’t last. What lasts won’t come easy.” – Unknown

7.”You are so close to the victory; don’t you dare give up now.” – Unknown

8.“You are capable of amazing things.” – Unknown

9.”Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” – Unknown

10.“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

11.“Don’t stress. Do your best. Forget the rest.” – Unknown

12.“The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.” – Unknown

13.“Dream big and dare to fail.” – Norman Vaughan

14.“Work until your idols become your rivals.” – Unknown

15.“There is no substitute for hard work.” -Thomas Edison

16.“Work in silence. Let success make the noise.” – Unknown

17.“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” – Unknown

18.“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison

19.“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work learning from failure.” – General Colin Powell

20.“Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” – David Bly

21.“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier

22.“A lot of us would like to move mountains, but few of us are willing to practice on small hills.” – Unknown

23.“The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” – Chinese Proverb

24.“Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” – William A. Ward

25.“Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.” – Jules Renard

26.“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” – Nora Roberts

27.“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller

28.“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison

29.”I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale

30.”Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher stowe

31.”Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.” –  Alfred Montapert

32.”Either I will find a way, or I will make one.” – Philip Sydney

33.”Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” – Samuel Beckett

34.“I am not going to wish you good luck. Awesome students like you never need luck to be by their sides -they create their own destiny. Go for it.” – Unknown

35.“You have the sharpest memory anyone has ever got, so ace your exams by giving it your best shot.” – Unknown

36.“Stop feigning nervousness before exams just so that you can get your friends to pamper you and reassure you that you are brilliant.” – Unknown

37.“N.B.–Do not on any account attempt to write on both sides of the paper at once.?” – W.C. Sellar

38.“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.” – Mahatma Gandhi

39.“Make the most of your exams because it is the only time your parents won’t mind if you stay up all night at the pretext of studying. Enjoy and good luck.” – Unknown

40.“The real motive of exams is not to test your knowledge, but a way to remind you how brilliant and intelligent you really are. Ace your exams and prove your worth.” – Unknown

41.“Do you worry about losing before you start playing ball with your friends? Then why worry about failing before you even start giving your exams?” – Unknown

42.“In life, it is impossible to be 100% sure of whether you will pass or fail. But working hard is a sure shot way to increase your chances of doing well.” – Unknown

43.“Well, tests ain’t fair. Those that study has an unfair advantage. It’s always been that way.?” – Allan Dare Pearce

44.“During the engineering exams we only need ink in our pen, nothing else is needed to answer the question paper.” – Prashant Gupta

45.“Exams test your memory, life tests your learning; others will test your patience.?” – Fennel Hudson

46.“Being successful in exams and tests is a simple two-step process -believe in yourself and back it up with plain old hard work.” – Unknown

47.“Good grades are life’s way of saying that there is a bright future in store for you. Good luck.” – Unknown

48.“Nothing is impossible. the word itself says I’m possible.” – Unknown

49.“Believe you can. you are halfway through.” – Unknown

Related: Quotes for Students

50.“Winners from all walks of life have their own strategies and plans but they all have one thing in common -they try. keep trying.” – Unknown

51.“Education is the anchor that holds life together through choppy waters. study hard.” – Unknown

52.“Dream, Dream Dream, Dreams transform into thoughts. And thoughts result in action.” – Unknown

53.“I believe that every person is born with a talent, you only need to find your talent, and prove it with something unexpected” – Unknown

54.“The difference between ORDINARY and EXTRAORDINARY is that LITTLE EXTRA.” – Unknown

55.“You can look for inspirational quotes about success, but that won’t do you any good until you try to be an inspiration yourself.” – Unknown

56.“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs -one small step at a time.” – Unknown

57.“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.

58.“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vidal Sassoon

59.“There are no traffic jams on the extra mile.” – Zig Ziglar

60.“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills

61.“If people only knew how hard I’ve worked to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” – Michelangelo

62.“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” – Gail Devers

63.“My biggest regret could be summed up in one word, and that’s procrastination.” – Ron Cooper

64.“Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

65.“You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.” – Ed Cole

66.“I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs, but how high he bounces when he hits the bottom.” – George S. Patton

67.“Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going.” – Chantal Sutherland

68.“To excel at the highest level -or any level, really – you need to believe in yourself, and hands down, one of the biggest contributors to my self-confidence has been private coaching.” – Stephen Curry

69.“80 percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen

70.“In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.” – Nikos Kazantzakis

71.“Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton

72.“One of the most important keys to Success is having the discipline to do what you know you should do, even when you don’t feel like doing it.” – Unknown

73.“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

74.“Nobody ever wrote down a plan to be broke, lazy, or stupid. Those things are what happen when you don’t have a plan.” – Larry Winget

75.“The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making any excuses, that’s the day you start to the top.” – O.J. Simpson

Use these quotes to motivation yourself to study harder this week

As a student, you are eager to succeed academically.  But lack of drive may make preparing for your exams harder than it is. It’s important to get the motivation and drive to study more, so you can be successful.

Inspiration is a big thing. It makes you believe in yourself, removes excuses and creates a positive mindset. it also helps you to overcome laziness and makes you work hard. Finding your purpose and chasing your dreams with patience are key to the success.

Time is a gift – Time is worth money basically and we all should use it wisely.

We hope that above motivational quotes for exams will encourage you to cultivate  good study habits .

I’m Alice Judy and AnQuotes is a fun hobby for me. We know that everyone loves a great quote and our mission here is simple – to be the best and most interesting quote site in the world! If you have quotes you would like us to cover, please contact us.

Related posts:

• Congratulations and Best Wishes Quotes (198 and counting!)
• 75 Quotes to Motivate you to Study Harder
• 79 Smart School Life Quotes To Motivate You To Study Hard
• 68 Motivational Medical Student Quotes To Help You Become a Great Doctor

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Crush Your Exams with these Empowering and Motivational Quotes

Preparing for exams can be a stressful and overwhelming experience. It is common for students to experience feelings of anxiety, self-doubt, and lack of motivation during this period. That is why having a source of inspiration and motivation, such as empowering and motivational quotes for passing exams, can be incredibly helpful. These Inspirational Exam Quotes for passing exams can help you shift your mindset, boost your confidence , and provide the motivation needed to persevere through challenging times. By incorporating these quotes for passing exams into your daily routine, you can develop a positive and proactive mindset that will help you to overcome any obstacles that come your way and succeed in your exams.

Top 59 Inspiring quotes for passing exams

1. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” -Robert Collier

2. “Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going.” –Chantal Sutherland

3. “Fear is the brain’s way of saying that there is something important for you to overcome.” -Unknown

4. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work learning from failure.” -General Colin Powell

5. “The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.” -John D. Rockefeller

5 Inspiring Quotes to Help You Pass Your Exams with Flying Colors

6. “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” -Bill Cosby

7. “Forget all the reasons it won’t work and believe the one reason that it will.” -Unknown

8. “When you say ‘It’s hard’, it actually means ‘I’m not strong enough to fight for it. Stop saying its hard. Think positive!!” -Unknown

9. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work learning from failure.” -General Colin Powell

10. “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” -David Bly

11. “Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.” -Unknown

12. “Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” –William A. Ward

13. “Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.” –Jules Renard

14. “I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.” -Mae West

15. “Work while they sleep. Learn while they party. Save while they spend. Live like they dream.” -Unknown

16. “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” -Audrey Hepburn

17. “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.”  -Jim Rohn

18. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” -Walt Disney

19. “Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.” -Wayne Huizenga

20. “The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.” -Michelle Obama

Inspirational exams quotes for students to Fuel Your Drive to Succeed

21. “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” -Babe Ruth

22. “80% percent of success is showing up.” -Woody Allen

23. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” -John Wooden

24. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” -Theodore Roosevelt

25. “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein

26. “Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.” -Jon Acuff

27. “Don’t stress. Do your best. Forget the rest.” -Unknown

28. “You are capable of more than you know. Aim high. Behave honorably.” -E.O. Wilson

29. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” -A.A. Milne

30. “Genius is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration.” -Thomas Edison

31. “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” -B.B. King

Dream Big, Study Hard, Pass with Ease: Inspiring Quotes to Help You Crush Your Exams

32. ” In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.” -Nikos Kazantzakis

33. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” -Beverly Stills

34. ” The expert in anything was once a beginner.” -Helen Hayes

35. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” -Malcolm X

36. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” -Zig Ziglar

37. “Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.” -Albert Einstein

38. “The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss

39. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

40. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” -Thomas Edison

Ace Your Exams with the Power of Inspiration: Top 10 Quotes to Boost Your Exam Confidence

41. “I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse.” -Florence Nightingale

42. “Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.” -Robert Kiyosaki

43. “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” -Michael John Bobak

44. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” -Winston Churchill

45. “Don’t fear failure on an exam. Remind yourself you have the courage to continue through any outcome.” -Unknown

46. “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt

47. “All men have fears, but the brave put down their fears and go forward, sometimes to death, but always to victory.” -Dale Carnegie

48. “Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do.” -Benjamin Spock

49. “Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you. Only you can stop you.” -Jeffrey Gitomer

50. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” -Jim Ryun

Don’t Just Pass, Excel: Motivational and Inspirational Quotes to Propel Your Exam Success

51. “You must get an education. You must go to school, and you must learn to protect yourself. And you must learn to protect yourself with the pen, and not the gun.” -Josephine Baker

52. “Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” –Augustine “Og” Mandino

53. “Never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.” -Charles Dickens

54. “A genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework.” -Thomas Edison

55. “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” -Alexander Graham Bell

56. “When you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.” -Banksy

57. “The man who does not read books has no advantage over the one who cannot read them.” -Mark Twain

58. “Teachers can open the door, but you must enter it yourself.” -Chinese proverb

59. “Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.” -Alfred A. Montapert

In conclusion, incorporating empowering and motivational quotes into your daily routine can be an effective way to stay motivated and inspired as you prepare for your exams. By using these quotes to shift your mindset and boost your confidence, you can overcome any self-doubt or anxiety that may be holding you back and perform at your best. So, take some time to find the quotes that resonate with you, and make them a part of your daily routine. Remember, with the right mindset and attitude, you can crush your exams and achieve your academic goals. Read more about passing exams

Read more about;

• Inspiring Quotes on Confidence
• Inspiring Short Quotes on Happiness to brighten your day.
• 30 All Time Best Motivational Quotes about Staying Strong Through Failures.
• 30 LIFE LESSONS TO LEARN BEFORE AGE 30 (Positive)!!!!
• 250+ Powerful Motivational Quotes (Succeed in life)

Related Articles

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Mind Blowing Quotes
• How to Succeed in Life

Blog > Powerful Quotes for your PowerPoint Presentations

Powerful Quotes for your PowerPoint Presentations

07.24.20   •  #powerpointtips.

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a influential and morable quote that relates to the message of your talk. This can loosen up the beginning, consciously encourage important things while speaking or end the presentation with a meaningful conclusion and underline the main topic again.

This will bring liveliness and power to your presentation and create a more pleasant environment for your audience!

Quotes can be funny, inspirational, profound, successful, motivational, meaningless or basically everything! The most important thing is that they fit the today´s topic, correspond to the situation. This means, that they are appropriate and reinforce the actual theme.

If you are looking for great lines you can use in your PowerPoint or other presentations, you are perfectly right here! Read the following article to get inspired and to find a suitable citation you can use for your speech in school, work, business or anywhere and to leave an unforgettable impression on your presentation.

To save time, we have already created PowerPoint Templates below, which you can download for free!

According to time:

Quotes for Beginning

Quotes while presenting, quotes for ending.

According to category:

In case you need more specific citations, have a look at different sections of quotes:

Inspirational / Motivational

With quotations to open your presentation you can represent yourself in a great authentic and relaxed way. The audience gets an exciting insight into the upcoming topic and in the best case can relate with the citation and thus build a sympathetic bond to you as the presenter. And all this is achieved by just one simple sentence.

Powerful quotes to start your presentation

• "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Mark Twain
• "If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough." – Albert Einstein
• "Words may inspire but action creates change." – Simon Sinek
• "Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet." - Bob Marley
• "A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." – David Brinkley
• "Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games." - Babe Ruth | Baseball Legend
• "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." - Bill Gates
• "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently." - Warren Buffett
• "The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place." - Orison Swett Marden
• "You can't blame gravity for falling in love." - Albert Einstein

Using powerful citations while speaking makes your presentation much more exciting and memorable. A meaningful quotation gives your words much more power and emphasis and can additionally emphasize important things. Furthermore, if a listener hears a mentioned citation of your presentation one more time, he will most likely remember you.

Powerful quotes to reinforce essential topics

• "Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But a better way is to think how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come." - Richard Branson
• "When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse?’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked." - Elon Musk
• "Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day." – Gary Vaynerchuck
• "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid." - Albert Einstein
• "When you find an idea that you can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue." – Josh James
• "Don’t worry about failure, you only have to be right once." – Drew Houston
• "You just have to pay attention to what people need and what has not been done." - Russel Simmmons
• "If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you." – Zig Ziglar
• "Don’t build links. Build relationships." – Rand Fishkin
• "There is no great genius without some touch of madness." – Seneca

With citations you have the opportunity to clarify the topic just dealt with in one sentence and it is highly recommended to use this chance. Your audience will remember the end best, as it is the shortest, so it should be well chosen and memorable. It should also match your personality as well as the theme and be catchy.

Powerful quotes to close your presentation

• "100 percent of the shots you don’t take, don’t go in." – Wayne Gretzky | Hockey Legend
• "When I’m old and dying. I plan to look back on my life and say ‘Wow, an adventure’ not, ‘Wow, I sure felt safe.’" – Tom Preston Werner
• "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been." – Wayne Gretzy
• "It isn’t what we say or think that denies us, but what we do." – Jane Austen
• "Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be someone; get action." – Theodore Roosevelt
• "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." – Barack Obama
• "You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having." – Frank Lloyd Wright
• "It always seems impossible until it’s done." – Nelson Mandela
• "I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work." – Thomas Edison
• "If you think you are too small to make an impact try going to bed with a mosquito in the room." - Ekaterina Walter

Best citations by category

• "Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value." - Albert Einstein
• "Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion." - Tony Hsieh
• "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - Walt Disney
• "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." - Albert Einstein
• "He who only does what he can will always remain what he is." - Henry Ford

• "Success is like being pregnant, everybody congratulates you, but nobody knows how many times you got fucked." - Author unknown
• "If you want your children to listen, try talking softly to someone else." - Ann Landers
• "The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
• "Anger is a hot coal that you hold in your hand while waiting to throw it at someone else." - Buddha

• "Either you run the day or the day runs you." - Jim Rohn
• "It's the will not the skill." - Jim Tunney
• "Happiness is the real sense of fulfillment that comes from hard work." - Joseph Barbara
• "I have never done that before so I should definitely be able to do it!" - Pippi Longstocking
• "The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work." - Harry Golden

• "Paying attention to simple little things that most men neglect makes a few men rich." - Henry Ford
• "The prize for success is that it unlocks harder challenges with more at stake for next time." - Author unknown
• "The opposite to good design is always bad design. There is no such thing as no design." - Adam Judge

• "A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do." - Bob Dylan
• "The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it." - Henry Ford
• "If you want to be happy, be happy." - Leo Tolstoy
• "So far you have survived 100% of your worst days." - Author unknown
• "Great Lessons are only learned when the stakes are high." - Georgina Hobart

• "When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." - John F. Kennedy
• "When in doubt, don't." - Benjamin Franklin
• "The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk." - Marcus Tullius Cicero
• "Easy choises, hard life. Hard choices easy life." - Jerzy Gregorek
• "What you begrudge others will be withheld from yourself." - Author unknown

Now you have 60 quotes you can incorporate into your presentation to stand out from the everyday, all-too-familiar phrases that everyone knows.

But remember: Under no circumstances should they be discriminatory, racist or offensive, so you need to make yourself known in advance through your audience.

Leave your personal impression and convince your audience with simple but incredibly strong lines!

Free PowerPoint Templates

In addition, we have already created some PowerPoint templates for you, which you can download for free. Simply replace the existing quotes or image if you want and adapt the slides to your presentation!

What are good quotes for starting a presentation?

By opening your presentation with a quote you can represent yourself in an authentic way. The audience gets an exciting insight into the upcoming topic and in the best case can relate with the quote and thus build a sympathetic bond to you as the presenter. And all this is achieved by just one simple sentence. Here is a list of good quotes to begin a presentation .

What are good quotes for ending a presentation?

With citations you have the opportunity to clarify the topic just dealt with in one sentence and it is highly recommended to use this chance. Your audience will remember the end best, so it should be well chosen and memorable. It should also match your personality as well as the theme and be catchy. Here is a list of good quotes to finish a presentation .

What are powerful quotes for a PowerPoint presentation?

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a influential and memorable quote that relates to the message of your talk. This can loosen up the beginning, consciously encourage important things while speaking or end the presentation with a meaningful conclusion and underline the main topic again. We have collected 60 powerful quotes for your PowerPoint presentation .

Related articles

About the author.

Philipp Angerer

Philipp is a creative supporter at SlideLizard in marketing and design. There he uses his imagination and provides creative freshness, also in blog articles.

Get 1 Month for free!

Do you want to make your presentations more interactive.

With SlideLizard you can engage your audience with live polls, questions and feedback . Directly within your PowerPoint Presentation. Learn more

Top blog articles More posts

Create Venn diagram + free PowerPoint template

Corporate Design in Presentations - the Key to Strengthening Corporate Identity

Get started with Live Polls, Q&A and slides

for your PowerPoint Presentations

The big SlideLizard presentation glossary

Virtual audience.

A virtual audience consist of people who join an event / a meeting / a presentation via an electronic device (computer or smartphone) over the Internet. Each member may be located in a different place while an event takes place. Virtual audiences are becoming increasingly important as the amount of events held online is rising.

Vocalized pause

A vocalized pause means the pause when the silence between words is filled by the speaker with vocalizations like "um", "uh" and "er".

External Communication

External communication is the exchange of information between two organisations. For example, it can be an exchange with customers, clients or traders. Feedback from a customer also counts as external communication.

Body language

Body language is communication through movements, hand gestures and body posture.

Be the first to know!

The latest SlideLizard news, articles, and resources, sent straight to your inbox.

- or follow us on -

We use cookies to personalize content and analyze traffic to our website. You can choose to accept only cookies that are necessary for the website to function or to also allow tracking cookies. For more information, please see our privacy policy .

Cookie Settings

Necessary cookies are required for the proper functioning of the website. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information about the number of visitors, etc.

Ace the Presentation

55 Powerful and Inspiring Quotes to Start Your Presentation

Have you ever stopped to think about the best strategies to start a presentation and gain the audience’s attention or interlocutor? Did you know that using motivational phrases to create a presentation is a great alternative?

It doesn’t matter if you’re a student and you’re presenting a paper, or if you’re a renowned speaker. Knowing how to speak well in public implies several factors, and at any moment of your speech is a crucial moment to ensure that the presentation is successful.

According to businessman and filmmaker Peter Davies,

“Motivation is like food for the brain; you can’t have enough at a meal. Motivation needs continuous and regular recharges to nurture deep and transform a human being into a winner.”

Among the techniques you can and should use, the citation should undoubtedly be among the main in your list.

A relevant quote, which is aligned with the theme of its presentation, tied to the purpose and objective, creates a strong connection with the audience, often arousing interest and attention.

An unforgettable introduction is the first step in starting a presentation or speech. Often, we are focused only on the content presented, completely forgetting that, for the public to pay attention, it is necessary to arrest them from the beginning.

5 Best Techniques to start a Presentation or Speech

• Quote someone else

Opening your presentation with a relevant quote can help set the whole tone for the rest of your speech. However, when making the quote, you need to remember two essential things: a) Quote the source of the sentence and b) “Tie it” to the central theme of the presentation.

However, an important point to consider when speaking in public: Citations will depend on the style of the audience, and the moment the presenter lives. Do not push too hard or adopt a tone of voice or language that does not suit the public.

• Don’t be afraid to use humor.

A touch of humor is a great way to break the ice with the audience, relieve tension and connect with everyone. As the example given above quote, the key to success is making the joke related to the topic being discussed.

If this tip is not your style, you can address the other information in this article.

During the presentation, telling a story is another very clever way to start a speech.  After all, stories compellingly connect people.

But, as in the case of jokes, your story needs to bridge or contain a message that can link the introduction to the presentation

‘s content.

An excellent way to use storytelling is by using an “imaginary” scenario, but that is your life story; this will leave the participants interested and can identify better with you.

• Be bold and use a striking phrase.

This technique consists of giving a brief thought-provoking statement, which will set the tone of the presentation theme, especially if this is said with a strong voice, which draws attention and leaves the group ready to hear what’s next.

Therefore, when you start the speech, you can speak a bold and striking phrase and use the silence technique later, increasing the effect of the phrase.

In this sense, an example of an excellent way to catch the public’s attention is to say the sentence and pause, up to 10 seconds. 

This plan will make the audience anxious and attentive.

• Cite notable statistics

Using surprising statistics will show the public an immediate value in their knowledge, leaving them more interested throughout their presentation. 

It also helps stimulate the audience’s thoughts; this technique works very well when the facts reported are not common knowledge but are nevertheless relevant and stimulating.

Please make sure to be brief in the opening statement, so your opening won’t get too many easy-to-forget details.

1. “Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” Coco Chanel

We are often afraid to start a project no matter how much we have ideas that are outside the box, and when compared to other people, we thought that this would not be successful. 

This phrase from Coco Chanel helps us understand that to be successful, and we need to subject ourselves to error sometimes.

2.  “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt

We have here a phrase from one of the strong women of history known as the defender of human rights unless we identify ourselves with what people think of us; none has power over what we are and want to be.

3. “Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” Oprah Winfrey

With the illustrious phrase of another inspiring woman Oprah Winfrey, it became clear how error always has a positive side; getting it right is not always what we need from error comes the improvement of an idea that can continuously be improved.

4. “The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.” Henry Ford

If we discover what makes us happy, we can always succeed because happiness is the path of inspiration that leads us to unimaginable ways.

5. “A belief is only a thought you keep thinking.” Abraham Hicks

Beliefs are socialized since we were born, depending on the socio-cultural context and the people around us. Anything is possible if you think so.

6. If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Maya Angelou

Often we can criticize something or behavior when we think we can do better; Angelou encourages us to get up and do it. If we still can’t change, maybe we have to change our attitude towards the situation that bothers us.

7. If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. Napoleon Hill

Sometimes we think that success comes from great attitudes, and from thinking so much about an idea that surpasses all the others, we stand by and do nothing. Napoleon Hill encourages us to start step-by-step and what matters here is how we make it small or big.

8. Innovation, as I understand it, is both about doing different things as well as doing things differently.” Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Sometimes we need to get out of our comfort zone, and for that, we need not only to experience things we’ve never done before, but the way can also lead us to new paths.

9. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.” Steve Jobs

When we choose the course we want to take in college, we often choose a course that our parents choose, and that doesn’t make us happy, which we shouldn’t do because we are supposed to live for ourselves and our happiness.

10. “Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.” Margaret Mead

Every human being is unique in its way, and our particular way of being cannot be compared to any other. Hence we need not be afraid when we do something new, even if someone else has already done it.

Have you ever stopped to think about the best strategies to start a presentation and gain the audience’s attention or interlocutor? Did you know that using motivational phrases to create a presentation is a great alternative? It doesn’t matter if you’re a student and you’re presenting a paper, or if you’re a renowned speaker. Knowing…

Click Here to Read More…

5 QUICK TIPS ON HOW TO GIVE AN EFFECTIVE MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH

This post is part 3 of a series of posts that where we will be sharing with you quick tips on how to deliver all types of speech that we mentioned in our most-read post on this blog, 10 Types of Speeches. Instead of just telling you that there is a motivational speech or an…

26 Motivational and Inspirational Quotes on Life, Success, and Positive Thinking to Make Your Day

If you came here looking for short, but powerful motivational and inspirational quotes that will lift you up when you are feeling discouraged, or share a pearl of wisdom and help you achieve success in your endeavors, then you have come to the right place. Motivational and Inspirational Quotes have a great effect on us….

11. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson

This means that sometimes we will have bad days and things will be difficult, but this does not mean that we will not have good days, so we must always be kind and cheerful.

12. “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s much easier to follow the path that many people have taken may seem safer. Yet, here Emerson suggests that choosing a direction is knowledge, adventure, or whatever it is we decided to learn new things and share with other people that would be the trail.

13. “People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.” Edmund Hillary

People aren’t born brilliant. They make decisions and make choices that push outside the box and are exceptional.

14. “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don’t bother to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” William Faulkner

Faulkner encourages us to be our competence, neither that of descendants or ascenders nor anyone but ourselves. Hold your hand and go hard.

15. “Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it ‘to whom it may concern.” Ken Haemer

You have got to prepare yourself for whichever situations or people you’re going to come across in different environments and conditions so that you don’t do things that don’t make sense.

16. Some people feel the rain. Others get wet.” Bob Marley

We can interpret this Bob Marley phrase as when faced with a chaotic situation, some people will despair, and others will calm down, focus, and look at the problem as an opportunity. Who the hell are you?

17. “When I’m old and dying. I plan to look back on my life and say ‘Wow, an adventure’ not, ‘Wow, I sure felt safe.’” Tom Preston Werner

Werner means to live your life without fears and live your life intensely because you never know how it will be tomorrow.

18. Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take place wherever you are and be someone; get action.” Theodore Roosevelt

Roosevelt encourages us to get better lives by doing something, turning into reality our dreams by consistently taking action.

19. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Barack Obama

It’s for no one but ourselves that we need to improve or reinvent ourselves.

20. You have to go wholeheartedly into anything to achieve anything worth having.” Frank Lloyd Wright

Wright tells us that following our heart is the best way to reach out to more incredible things in life; anything we put, our real feelings and natural energy will glow.

21. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Nelson Mandela

With this simple phrase, Mandela brings us a crucial message to live an extraordinary life; when we start by somewhere and are not there yet, it seems unreachable but never is if we don’t give up trying.

22. “There are only two days of the year when you can do nothing: one is called yesterday and the other tomorrow” Dalai Lama

Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today; live each day as if it were your last.

23. “In the end, everything works out, and if it didn’t work, it’s because it hasn’t come to an end” Fernando Sabino

What Sabino means is you have to be patient because someday, our time to shine will come.

24. “The pessimist sees difficulty at every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity at every difficulty” Winston Churchill

When we sync our minds to positive thinking, anything we face is reachable, and we get things done because everything turns into an opportunity to learn and grow.

26. “You have to be a protagonist. You can’t just listen to the band play, and you have to be part of the band” Sonia Hess

In life, we face many situations that we work and live with people, but we don’t need to be ordinary because we are not; we have to show and give our best in anything we do.

27. Our failures are sometimes more fruitful than our successes” Henry Ford

With mistakes, we learn, we improve, and one day we reach perfection.

28. “Change your mind and change your world” Norman Vincent Peale

If we have an open mind, we will find that our way of thinking is not always the right one, and when we change our review, we will be able to put it into practice in our lives.

29. “One day you must stop dreaming, take the plans out of the drawer and somehow start” Amyr Klink

Klink encourages us to materialize any ideas or dreams we may have and not spend days only daydreaming about them.

30. “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change, simply by changing his attitude” Oprah Winfrey

Sometimes the attitude we face in certain realities is the ones that prevent us from enjoying more extraordinary things in life. So you may want to think about some philosophy or way of thinking that you could use a change.

31. “Keep in mind that your desire to achieve success is more important than anything” Abraham Lincoln

What Lincoln means is that we must work hard to achieve our goals and put them as priorities in life if we want to achieve them.

32. “Be content to act. Leave the speech to others” Baltasar Gracián

This means to live your life no matter what other people think; if you are happy with it, be gentle with yourself.

33. “To achieve success, you need to accept all the challenges that lie ahead of you. You can’t just accept the ones you prefer” Mike Gafka

Gafka means that Challenges turn us better if we submit to the lesson they have to teach us.

34. “A successful warrior is an average man, but with a sharp focus like a laser beam” Bruce Lee

Lee means that even though a warrior is seen with prestige, he is a regular man. Still, the difference between them and what he is, is how he put attention to what he wants, and we can compare that analogy with daily situations such us when we see some people more successful than others.

35. “Logic can lead from point A to point B. Imagination can lead anywhere” Albert Einstein

Things go far beyond what they seem to be, don’t focus on the obvious, and also see subtexts.

36. “The task is not so much to see what no one has seen, but to think what no one has thought about what everyone sees.” Arthur Schopenhauer

Schopenhauer gives us a lesson about creativity; most of the time, we look for new ideas that no one ever thought about; however, imagination can recreate helpfully something that already exists.

37. “It is much better to set out in search of great conquests, even exposing oneself to failure, than to align oneself with the poor in spirit, who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a grey gloom, where they know neither victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt

Living adventurously and risky is much more satisfying and rewarding than having a monotonous and safe life.

38. “What we predict rarely occurs; what we least expect usually happens.” Benjamin Disraeli

This means always to expect the unexpected.

39. “Unless we change our way of thinking, we will not be able to solve the problems caused by the way we get used to seeing the world.” Albert Einstein

Einstein encourages us to see situations more dynamically because we socialized in a certain way with ease; our thoughts can become a cycle of ignorance.

40. “Persistence is the least path to success.” Charles Chaplin

Chaplin means that we insist and don’t give up on what we want to do. Indeed, we are going to make it no matter how much time it takes.

7 Steps for Writing an Inspiring Graduation Speech 

You were chosen to make the graduation speech of your class, you were pleased by the trust placed by your colleagues, but now you face a problem: the blank page of Word waits to be filled with inspirational words. First thing, breathe out and relax; everyone who has ever made a graduation speech has faced…

3 KEY Things For Delivering a Successful Speech

Have you ever had to give a speech and have no idea how to direct their thoughts or start talking? In this article, we will discuss in a straightforward way how to work the oratory to develop the ability to speak well with different audiences, arousing their attention, respect, and provoking reflections. Speeches are moments…

41. “To discover consists in looking at what everyone is seeing and thinking something different.” Roger von Oech

This means that we have to think like no one ever thought or even imagined to discover something.

42. “Sometimes we feel that what we do is only a drop of water in the sea. But the sea would be smaller if it lacked a drop”. Mother Teresa de Calcuta

We all make a difference in this world; every soul counts, and every opinion counts either. Please don’t give up on sharing what you got because it is critical.

43. “The more our knowledge increases, the more evident is our ignorance.” John F. Kennedy

The more things you learn, the more things you need to learn because no one can know anything about anything.

44. When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the plane takes off against the wind, not in his favor.” Henry Ford

Remember that Henry Ford suggested the car model we use today back in his time, and nobody but him believed it was possible, he had nobody but himself to hold hands. Don’t give up.

45. “No matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop.” Confucius

Do things in your time and never give up.

46. “An entrepreneur sees opportunities where others see only problems.” Michael Gerber

Someone who sees a chance to grow in any situation is a winner, and he has nothing to lose because, in any position of life, we can get something that could be what we didn’t expect.

47. Choose a job you like, and you won’t have to work a single day of your life.” Confucius

If you choose a job that you love, you don’t feel like you’re working; you’re doing a leisure activity.

48. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you do, you will succeed.” Albert Schweitzer

As Nga, a rapper, says, there is no way to happiness because happiness is when we vibrate good feelings, especially do things we love, life becomes more accessible.

49. “Don’t play games you don’t understand, even if you see many other people making money with them.” Tony Hsieh

Don’t do things through other people’s influence to make your life easier.

50. “Nothing great has ever been achieved without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

When we do things without good energy, they can easily be ruined.

51. “The thoughts we choose to have are the tools we use to paint the picture of our lives.” Louise Hay

Your way of thinking will determine the course of our lives, which means always be open to new forms of thinking so you can live in a more inclusive World.

52. “Success is born of wanting, determination, and persistence in reaching a goal. Even not reaching the target, who seeks and overcomes obstacles, at least will do admirable things.” José de Alencar

What Alencar means is that when we want something, even if we don’t get what we were thinking at first, we always get something.

53. “To act, that is the true intelligence. I will be whatever I want. But I have to want whatever it is. Success lies in being successful, not in being able to succeed. Palace conditions have any wide land, but where will the palace be if they don’t do it there?” Fernando Pessoa

Pessoa says that when we want something, conditions don’t determine if we thrive or not, but our vibration towards it and that will makes us anything we desire.

54. “You can get anything you want in life if you help other people get what they want.”  Zig Ziglar

If you are kind to other people, they will give back in the future.

55. I like the impossible because there is less competition.” Walt Disney

Walt means that the unthinkable doesn’t exist; most people can’t perseverance, so he does because few people can.

How you open your presentation determines how interested the public will be in what will be said afterward. So, when thinking about how to start a speech or presentation, evaluate if your introduction is completely bland; this will be the initial message that the audience will get from the speaker and the display itself.

Reference and Further Reading

Ace The Presentation. Amadebai, E. 11 Best Body Language Tips for Engaging Presentations.

Ace The Presentation. Amadebai, E. 120 Persuasive Speech Topics.

Ace The Presentation. Amadebai, E. 8 Awesome Persuasive Speech Techniques.

Ezine Articles. Toney, B (2011). Key Elements of a Persuasive Speech.

Similar Posts

The Purpose of Speech Explained

If you ever find it unnecessary, out of fashion, dull, or even have no idea what speeches are for, this article is undoubtedly for you. With each word of this article, you will understand the real purpose of the speeches, how they arose, and what usefulness they bring to our day-to-day lives. What is a…

The 7 Best Apps For Developing Communication Skills

Whether you’re a verbose social butterfly or a quiet social observer, we can all afford to improve our communication skills. Having the ability to convey a message or meaning directly in a way that will be immediately understood is an underrated talent.  Fortunately, there are great tools and apps at your disposal to help improve…

15 Ideas To Make A Speech Unique, Memorable & Inspiring

Are you often called to speak in front of others? If yes, then the art of making your speech unique, memorable, and inspiring is something you should be able to do with little or no effort. This is important because listening to a yawn-inducing and lifeless speech is one of the worst things your audience…

How to Prepare and Deliver a Great Memorized Speech

A memorized speech can be a real nightmare; We easily forget most things even setting schedules and alarms, or asking a friend to remind us about important things to do proves to be a challenge sometimes – now imagine memorizing an entire speech. Today we will learn a bit about how to prepare ourselves and…

How to Outline A Speech – Easy 4-stage Strategy

INTRODUCTION The art of speech outlining is such that anybody trying to make a public presentation should give strict adherence to. If you came here asking ‘how to outline a speech?’, then rest assured, you will learn how to craft an effective speech outline by the time you finish reading this article. When you organize…

Eulogy Guide: How to Write and Give a Heartfelt Funeral Speech (with 4 Eulogy examples)

Eulogy Definition According to the dictionary a eulogy is simply a formal expression of praise for the deceased. It is a way of saying good bye while telling some of the most vivid memories and deeds of the deceased, as well as what he/she meant to the speaker or those in attendance. Death can come…

50 quotes to enhance your presentations

• Written by: Shay O’Donnell
• Categories: Sales presentations , Visual communication
• Comments: 6

Whether you’re looking to inspire your audience, need a strong presentation starter, or want a concise soundbite to end your presentation with, using a quote in your presentation can be a great way to support your slides’ story and enhance your presentation’s flow. Presentation quotes give you – as the presenter – a moment to breathe, while the audience is reading the slide ( a reminder of why you shouldn’t be reading your quotes aloud is here ). They enable your audience to quickly and concisely understand your presentation’s key message, and give you an extra boost of credibility to boot.

The struggle comes when you have to find presentation quotes that fit your story, come from a reputable source, and have an attribution to get you through legal and compliance checks. But worry not: BrightCarbon have done the hard work for you!

We have compiled 50 presentation quotes and categorized them into 10 themes so that you can easily find a quote that resonates with your message, be it in a sales presentation, keynote speech, or training deck. All the quotes include references and attributions, so that you can sail through compliance and get on with creating a stunning presentation!

Pop this in your bookmarks tab (you’ll thank us later!), then dig in and find the perfect presentation quotes below:

Innovation quotes for presentations

• “Innovation, as I understand it, is both about doing different things as well as doing things differently.” Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Biotech Entrepreneur From an interview with Dr. Bhavana Weidman on nature.com (January 04, 2014)
• “Innovation is more than having new ideas: it includes the process of successfully introducing them or making things happen in a new way. It turns ideas into useful, practicable and commercial products or services.” John Adair, Writer on Business Leadership. Effective Innovation (2009), Revised Edition ch. 11
• “Every new thing creates two new questions and two new opportunities.” Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon From ‘The electricity metaphor for the web’s future’, presented at TED2003 (February 2003)
• “Innovation is fostered by information gathered from new connections; from insights gained by journeys into other disciplines or places; from active, collegial networks and fluid, open boundaries. “Innovation arises from ongoing circles of exchange, where information is not just accumulated or stored, but created. Knowledge is generated anew from connections that weren’t there before.” Meg Wheatley, Author and Management Consultant Leadership and the New Science (2001)
• “We are all looking for the magic formula. Well, here you go: Creativity + Iterative Development = Innovation.” James Dyson, Founder of Dyson ‘James Dyson on Innovation’,  Ingenia , Issue 24 (September 2005)

Design quotes for presentations

• “Good design begins with honesty, asks tough questions, comes from collaboration and from trusting your intuition.” Freeman Thomas, Automobile and Industrial Designer Reviving Professional Learning Communities: Strength Through Diversity, Conflict, Teamwork, and Structure (2012) p. 63
• “The urge for good design is the same as the urge to go on living. The assumption is that somewhere, hidden, is a better way of doing things.” Harry Bertoia, Artist and Designer As quoted in 1000 Chairs , Carlotte and Peter Fiell (2005) p. 66
• “People think it’s this veneer — that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs, Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. As quoted in ‘The Guts of a New Machine’, Rob Walker, The New York Times Magazine (November 30, 2003)
• “Design is redesign.” Jan Michl, Professor Emeritus, Phdr. History and Theories of Design ‘On seeing design as redesign’,  Scandinavian Journal of Design History , Issue 12 (2002) p. 7-23
• “Design is not about products, design is about relationships.” Hella Jongerius, Industrial Designer ‘Beyond the New: a search for ideals in design’, a manifesto by Hella Jongerius and Louise Schouwenberg (2015) 

Education and learning quotes for presentations

• “We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet.” Margaret Mead, Anthropologist and Author As quoted in How They Work In Indiana : Business-Education Partnerships , Andrew L. Zehner (1994)
• “The most important thing any teacher has to learn, not to be learned in any school of education I ever heard of, can be expressed in seven words: Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.” John Holt, Author and Educator Growing Without Schooling , Issue   40 (1984)
• “True education means fostering the ability to be interested in something.” Sumio Iijima, Physicist ‘About myself, To the younger generation’,  Innovative Engine  (September 25, 2007)
• “If you think education is expensive — try ignorance.” ‘Ask Ann Landers’ Syndicated Advice Column (October 4, 1975)
• “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” Plutarch, Greek Historian, Biographer, and Essayist On Listening to Lectures

Success quotes for presentations

• “Success is fucking up on your own terms.” Guillermo del Toro, Director and Producer From Portland Mercury Q&A (September 29, 2010)
• “We cannot say what brings us success. We can only pin down what blocks or obliterates success. Eliminate the downside, the thinking errors, and the upside will take care of itself. This is all we need to know.” Rolf Dobelli, Author and Businessman The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013)
• “The secret to success is the willingness to serve without aspiring for rewards.” Cham Joof, Gambian Historian Gambia, Land of our heritage,  p IV
• “Failure and success are not episodes, they are trajectories. They are tendencies, directions, pathways. Each decision, each time at bat, each tennis serve, each business quarter, each school year seems like a new event, but the next performance is shaped by what happened last time out, unless something breaks the streak. The meaning of any particular event is shaped by what’s come before.” Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Author and Management Consultant Confidence (2006)
• “Success is more than a good idea. It is timing.” Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop From an interview on bookbrowse.com

Creativity quotes for presentations

• “Relaxed, playful and harmonious moments are the birth place of creativity.” Amit Ray, Author and Spiritual Master Meditation: Insights and Inspiration (2010) p. 58
• “Originality is going back to the origin and finding an empty chair. Would you gladly sit on it? No thank you. It is empty for a reason. That’s where my ass was. Not where my head is now.” Giannina Braschi, Puerto Rican Poet, Novelist, and Essayist World Literature Today (2012)
• “Creativity isn’t about the advantage or disadvantage of a specific time or culture. Creativity is something that comes internally from a human being having a genuine mistrust of rules. And that may be the constant. It’s almost like there’s some rebellion in it.” Paula Scher, Graphic Designer From an interview conducted by Neal Shaffer (2006)
• “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple of them and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” John Steinbeck, Author Conversations with John Steinbeck , ed. Thomas Fensch (1988)
• “Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations, the latter (like the river banks) forcing the spontaneity into the various forms which are essential to the work of art or poem.” Rollo May, Psychologist and Author The Courage to Create (1975) p. 115

Teamwork and collaboration quotes for presentations

• “In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles, and positions.” Margaret Wheatley, Management Consultant As quoted in 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself , Steve Chandler (2004) p. 123
• “Life is not a solo act. It’s a huge collaboration.” Tim Gunn, Fashion Consultant and Author ‘Postings | Recent Entries From Our Blogs’, Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times (December 21, 2010)
• “Collaboration is important not just because it’s a better way to learn. The spirit of collaboration is penetrating every institution and all of our lives. So learning to collaborate is part of equipping yourself for effectiveness, problem solving, innovation and life-long learning in an ever-changing networked economy.” Don Tapscott, Business Executive and Consultant ‘The spirit of collaboration is touching all of our lives’, The Globe and Mail (June 7, 2013)
• “As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people’s ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” Amy Poehler, Actress, Comedian, Director and Producer From The Joy of Success: What It Means to Transform Success Into Excellence,  Tochukwu O. Okafor MPA (2013) p. 53
• “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” Michael Jordan, Basketball Hall of Fame Player and Businessman As quoted in The Victory Letters : Inspiration for the Human Race , Cheri Ruskus (2003) p. 68.

Knowledge quotes for presentations

• “While knowledge is increasingly being viewed as a commodity or intellectual asset, there are some paradoxical characteristics of knowledge that are radically different from other valuable commodities. These knowledge characteristics include the following: Using knowledge does not consume it. Transferring knowledge does not result in losing it. Knowledge is abundant, but the ability to use it is scarce. Much of an organization’s valuable knowledge walks out the door at the end of the day.” Kimiz Dalkir, Director at McGill School of Information Studies Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice, 2nd ed . (2011)
• “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Carl Sagan, Astronomer and Popular Science Writer From That’s Weird!: Awesome Science Mysteries , Kendall F. Haven (2001)
• “Investing in people is the single most important thing in the knowledge economy. Traditionally, wealth was defined by land and natural resources. Today the most important resources is between our ears.” Barack Obama Remarks by President Obama at Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Town Hall, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (April 27, 2014)
• “You can’t manage knowledge – nobody can. What you can do is to manage the environment in which knowledge can be created, discovered, captured, shared, distilled, validated, transferred, adopted, adapted and applied.” Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell Learning to Fly – Practical Knowledge Management from Leading and Learning Organizations (2005) p. 24-25
• “The Information Age offers much to mankind, and I would like to think that we will rise to the challenges it presents. But it is vital to remember that information — in the sense of raw data — is not knowledge, that knowledge is not wisdom, and that wisdom is not foresight. But information is the first essential step to all of these.” Arthur C. Clarke, Science Fiction Writer, Inventor, Futurist As quoted in ‘Humanity will survive information deluge — Sir Arthur C Clarke’, OneWorld South Asia (December 5, 2003)

Leadership quotes for presentations

• “Successful people become great leaders when they learn to shift the focus from themselves to others.” Marshall Goldsmith, Leadership Coach What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (2010) p. 72
• “Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.” Martin Luther King, Jr. From an address at the Episcopal National Cathedral, Washington D.C. (March 31, 1968)
• “You can’t lead from behind your desk, you’ve got to get out in front, be visible, for your customers as well as for your employees. During a crisis, you’ve got to be calm and confident. You’ve got to always tell the truth. And you’ve got to be willing to face a crisis, not shy away from it, embrace it.” Geisha Williams, Fortune 500 Businesswoman ‘Geisha Williams: Set Your Sights High, Take Charge and Keep the Lights On’, Leadership California , Carol Caley (February 17, 2014)
• “Courage is the main quality of leadership, in my opinion, no matter where it is exercised. Usually it implies some risk — especially in new undertakings. Courage to initiate something and to keep it going, pioneering and adventurous spirit to blaze new ways, often, in our land of opportunity.” Walt Disney As quoted in The Disney Way Fieldbook,  Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson (2000) p. 147
• “Embrace what you don’t know. What you don’t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things different from everyone else.” Sarah Blakely, Founder of Spanx ’10 Lessons I Learned from Sara Blakely That You Won’t Hear in Business School,’ Forbes , Kathy Caprino (May 23, 2012)

Mistakes and failure quotes for presentations

• “We tell our young managers: ‘Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don’t make the same mistake twice’” Akio Morita, Co-Founder of Sony Corporation As quoted in The Sony Vision , Nick Lyons (1976) p. 101
• “There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.” Oprah Winfrey Commencement address at Harvard University (30 May 2013)
• “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” Suzy Kassem, Author Rise Up And Salute The Sun (2010)
• “Don’t put limitations on yourself. Other people will do that for you. Don’t do that to yourself. Don’t bet against yourself. And take risk. NASA has this phrase that they like, “Failure is not an option.” But failure has to be an option. In art and exploration, failure has to be an option. Because it is a leap of faith. And no important endeavor that required innovation was done without risk. You have to be willing to take those risks. … In whatever you are doing, failure is an option. But fear is not.” James Cameron, Film Director From ‘Before Avatar … a curious boy’, presented at TED2010 (February 13, 2010)
• “I view this year’s failure as next year’s opportunity to try it again. Failures are not something to be avoided. You want to have them happen as quickly as you can so you can make progress rapidly.” Gordon Moore, Engineer and Co-Founder of Intel Corporation ‘An Interview with Gordon Moore’, Ingenuity 5 (2), Laura Schmitt (May 2000)

Planning and strategy quotes for presentations

• “Chance favours the prepared mind.” Louis Pasteur, Microbiologist, Chemist and Inventor Lecture, University of Lille (December 7, 1854)
• “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. ” Michael Porter, Economist, Researcher, Author ‘What is strategy?’ Harvard Business Review  (November 1996) p. 70
• “Business strategy is the battleplan for a better future.” Patrick Dixon, Author and Business Consultant Building a Better Business (2005)
• “Managers who extensively plan the future get the timing wrong. Sometimes they arrive to market too early and so must wait for the demand to catch up. Sometimes they are too late and so must accelerate to rejoin the future.” Shona L. Brown and Kathleen M. Eisenhardt Competing on the Edge: Strategy as Structured Chaos (1998) p.135
• “Strategy is about stretching limited resources to fit ambitious aspirations.” K. Prahalad, Organizational Theorist As quoted in The Wal-Mart Way , Don Soderquist (2005) p. 178

We hope you found what you needed from our list of presentation quotes! If you’re about to paste that quote onto your deck, but want to know how to format it to perfection, check out our guide to advanced typography in PowerPoint .

Have an idea for a quote we should add to the list? Is there a key theme you want some presentation quotes for? Let us know in the comments below!

Shay O’Donnell

Managing design consultant, related articles, making accessible elearning content.

• Effective eLearning / Visual communication

When done well, eLearning can be a truly effective and engaging learning tool. An eLearning module that works for some learners, but leaves others unable to access the content, isn’t doing its job. This is why accessibility in eLearning is so important. Let's discuss...

Review: Storyboard That

• Presentation technology / Visual communication

Storyboarding is useful when creating visual content. We review Storyboard That, a website that enables users to create their own cartoon storyboards.

Review: Visme

Visual content – infographics, images and animations – can be a much more engaging way of presenting information than text. We at BrightCarbon believe in and share this kind of philosophy with Visme...

Thanks for this post.It’s a helpful quotes for enhance slides.

Glad it was useful Amit! Thank you for your feedback.

it helped me a lot… thanks!

Amazing Quotes. Really Good. These quotes help me making my presentation perfect Thanks & Regard vinita

Thanks for this post

thanks for information

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

Join the BrightCarbon mailing list for monthly invites and resources

BrightCarbon provided us with a fantastic service ... and left us with a presentation that secured us a £4 million contract. BrightCarbon is our first choice for presentations in the future. Matthew Mitchell NHS

NOW AVAILABLE! The Presentation Playbook Series

• Trade Show Presenter
• Testimonials
• Trade Show Staffing
• Sample Videos
• Seminar Speaker

Spark's Presentation & Public Speaking Blog

Public speaking quotes: funny, inspiring insights for your presentation.

June 2, 2014

by Andy Saks

Over many years as a professional presenter and speaker, I’ve accumulated a treasure trove of funny, inspiring, insightful public speaking quotes.

These quotes are near and dear to my heart. They’ve helped me immensely, and helped me help others.

Some date back to biblical times. Others are hot off the Twitter press.

Sometimes I show them in a looping slideshow to warm up an audience before a keynote speech or presentation skills training program.

Other times I peek at them when I need some inspiration myself.

And here they are, for the first time, categorized and alphabetized for your presentation pleasure.

Which quotes make you laugh? Which inspire you? Which rub you the wrong way? Which of your favorites should I add? Which did you use in your presentation? Tell me by sharing your comment at the bottom of the page.

QUOTES FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY / FEAR

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than delivering the eulogy.” – Jerry Seinfeld

“All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears, of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, or speaking before the Rotary Club, or the words ‘some assembly required.’” – Dave Barry

“…and from the first moment that I ever walked on stage in front of a darkened auditorium with a couple of hundred people sitting there, I was never afraid, I was never fearful, I didn’t suffer from stage fright, because I felt so safe on that stage. I wasn’t Patrick Stewart, I wasn’t in the environment that frightened me, I was pretending to be someone else, and I liked the other people I pretended to be. So I felt nothing but security for being on stage. And I think that’s what drew me to this strange job of playing make-believe.” — Patrick Stewart

“Feel the fear of public speaking and do it anyway.” – Arvee Robinson

“I was dreading winning. I didn’t even prepare an acceptance speech. I was worried that I would slip up or do something horrible. I was shaking in my seat, putting on a posed smile. Inside I was petrified.” – Leonardo DiCaprio (at the 1998 Academy Awards)

“It’s all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation.” – Rob Gilbert

“The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.” – George Jessel

“There are two types of speakers: Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” – Mark Twain

QUOTES ON ASKING QUESTIONS & LISTENING

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, and to sit down and listen.”  – Winston Churchill

“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” – Jimi Hendrix

“Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.” – fortune cookie Andy got (really!)

“Nothing calms a person faster than hearing his own ideas repeated back.” – Sandra DeLozier

“One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears, by listening to them.” – Dean Rusk

“Open your ears before you open your mouth; it may surprise your eyes!” – Earl Nightingale

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

“The finest art of communication is not learning how to express your thoughts. It is learning how to draw out the thoughts of another.” – Ted Tripp

“Two monologues do not make a dialogue.” – Jeff Daly

“You can tell if a man is clever by his answers. You can tell if a man is wise by his questions.” – unknown

QUOTES ON HAVING A GREAT ATTITUDE

“Our attitude towards others determines their attitude towards us.” -Earl Nightingale

“Say what you mean, mean what you say, just don’t say it mean.” – Nguyen Van Tho

“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you’ll ever regret.” – Laurence Peter

“The words you speak today should be soft and tender, for tomorrow you may have to eat them.” – unknown

“Think lovingly, speak lovingly, act lovingly, and every need shall be supplied.” – James Allen

“You have to smile, if you expect anybody to smile back.” – Jonathan Evison

QUOTES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR AUDIENCE

“Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern.” – Ken Haemer

“In the preaching moment, there is a liminal moment in which is dawns on you standing there that yes, there is something more going on here that I did not anticipate…You feed of the congregation, because black preaching is so dialogical. The affirmation in that dialogue is the place where you locate revelation.” – Dale Andrews (professor, Boston University, and occasional preacher)

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!” – @mediatraining

“The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?'” – Jim Rohn

“The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most.” – Dale Carnegie

“To communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins

“To sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak.” – C. Kent Wright

“When are you going to understand that if it doesn’t pertain to me, I’m not interested?” – Candace Bergen as Murphy Brown

QUOTES ON CLARITY, SIMPLICITY AND WORD CHOICE IN SPEAKING

“Eloquence is the essential thing in a speech, not information.” – Mark Twain

“I understand a fury in your words, but not your words.” – William Shakespeare, Othello

“If we use common words on a great occasion, they are the more striking because they are felt at once to have a particular meaning, like old banners, or everyday clothes, hung up in a sacred place.” – George Eliot

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” – Dianna Booher

“If you can’t state your position in eight words, you don’t have a position. “ – Seth Godin

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” – Jack Kerouac

“Precision of communication is important, more important than ever, in our era of hair-trigger balances, when a false or misunderstood word may create as much disaster as a sudden thoughtless act.” – James Thurber

“Speak clearly, if you speak at all. Carve every word before you let it fall.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” – Hans Hoffman

“The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter–’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” — Mark Twain

“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like cuttlefish squirting out ink.” – George Orwell

“The way something is presented will define the way you react to it.” – Neville Brody

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” – William Butler Yeats

“Those who run to long words are mainly the unskillful and tasteless; they confuse pomposity with dignity, flaccidity with ease, and bulk with force.” – H.W. Fowler

QUOTES DEFINING PUBLIC SPEAKING AND PRESENTATIONS

“A presentation is a chance to share, not an oral exam.” – M.F. Fensholt

“All speaking is public speaking, whether it’s to one person or a thousand.” – Roger Love

“Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Proper words in proper places make the true definition of a style.” – Jonathan Swift

“Speech is power. Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Through the picture, I see reality. Through the word, I understand it.” – Sven Lidman

“To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.” – Ben Jonson

“Words do two major things: they provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” – Jim Rohn

“Words. Words, when spoken out loud for the sake of performance, are music. They have rhythm, and pitch, and timbre, and volume. These are the properties of music, and music has the ability to find us and move us and lift us up in ways that literal meaning can’t.” – Martin Sheen as President Bartlet, The West Wing

FUNNY QUOTES ON PUBLIC SPEAKING & PRESENTATIONS

“Don’t be afraid to talk to yourself. It’s the only way you can be sure somebody’s listening.” – F.P. Jones

“Every speaker has a mouth, an arrangement rather neat. Sometimes it’s filled with wisdom, sometimes it’s filled with feet.” – Robert Orben

“Light travels faster than sound. That’s why certain people appear bright until you hear them speak.” – Albert Einstein

“Look your audience straight in the eyes, and begin to talk as if every one of them owed you money.” – Dale Carnegie

“My job is to talk; your job is to listen. If you finish first, please let me know.”  – Harry Herschfield

“Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” – Mark Twain

“Public speaking is very easy.” – Dan Quayle

“Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.” – Slovenian proverb

“The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it’s taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

QUOTES ON HONESTY IN SPEAKING

“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.” – Mark Twain

“I didn’t lie. I was writing fiction in my mouth.” – Homer Simpson

“Speech is a mirror of the soul. As a man speaks, so is he.” – Publilius Syrus

“Teach the tongue to say ‘I do not know.’” – Maimonides

“When the eyes say one thing, and the tongue another, a practiced man relies on the language of the first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

QUOTES ON HUMOR IN PRESENTATIONS & PUBLIC SPEAKING

“Humor is a rubber sword – it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.” – Mary Hirsch

“Humor is treacherous. It can charm, coax, and persuade, but it can also distract, baffle or alienate the audience.” – Eugene Finerman

“I learned at an early age that when I made people laugh, they liked me. This is a lesson I never forgot.” – Art Buchwald

“If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.” – Oscar Wilde

“Once you get people laughing, they’re listening and you can tell them almost anything.” – Herbert Gardner

“The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.” -Mark Twain

QUOTES ON THE POWER AND IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING

“Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.” – Charles Dickens

“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half of people who have nothing to say and keep saying it.” – Robert Frost

“I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

“If all my talents were to be taken from me by some inscrutable providence, and I had to make a choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to keep the power of speaking, because through it, I would quickly recover all the rest.” – Daniel Webster

“The newest computer can merely compound, at speed, the oldest problem in the relations between human beings, and in the end the communicator will be confronted with the old problem, of what to say and how to say it.” – Edward R. Murrow

“The tongue has the power of life and death.” – Solomon

“The tongue is like a sharp knife. It kills without drawing blood.” – Buddha

“When nobody speaks your name, or even knows it, you, knowing it, must be the first to speak it.” – Marlon Riggs

“Improve your communication skills and you will earn fifty percent more money over your lifetime…In my office you’ll not see the degree I got from the University of Nebraska. You’ll not see the master’s degree I got from Columbia. But you’ll see the award certificate I got from the [public] speaking course.” – Warren Buffett

INSPIRING PUBLIC SPEAKING QUOTES

“Between your brain and your mouth (or your fingers) is magic: your power to choose what you say next. Use that magic.” – Chris Brogan

“Oratory should raise your heart rate. Oratory should blow the doors off the place.” – Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn, The West Wing

“The difference between a good speech and a great speech is the energy with which the audience comes to their feet at the end. Is it polite? Is it a chore? Are they standing up because their boss just stood up? No. You want it to come from their socks.” – Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn, The West Wing

“The world is made up of words. And if you know the words that the world is made of, you can make of it whatever you wish.” – Terence McKenna

“The world is waiting for your words.” – Arvee Robinson

“Your words can make you rich” – Dr. Donald Moine

QUOTES ON OPENING LINES IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“He who fails to please in his salutation and address is at once rejected, and never obtains an opportunity of showing his latest excellences or essential qualities.” – Samuel Johnson

“You had me at ‘Hello.’” – Renee Zellweger as Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maguire

QUOTES ON PASSION IN PUBLIC SPEAKING & PRESENTATIONS

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss

“Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” – Jim Rohn 

“I don’t like to hear cut-and-dried sermons. When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees!” – Abraham Lincoln

“It doesn’t matter how elegant the argument or inspiring the prose, a presentation won’t move anyone if the presenter isn’t visibly feeling what they are saying.” – John Neffinger, KNP Communications

“Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion. Technique alone is just an embroidered pot holder.” – Raymond Chandler

“The best speeches come from the heart and reflect your passion. Speak as if your life depended on it.” – Arvee Robinson

“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Carol Buchner

“When genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” – D.H. Lawrence

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” – John Ford

“You cannot speak that which you do not know. You cannot share that which you do not feel.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

“A designer knows he or she has achieved perfection, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Nolan Haims

“If God is in the details, then the Devil is in PowerPoint.” – @AngryPaulRand

“The more strikingly visual your presentation is, the more people will remember it. And more importantly, they will remember you.” – Paul Arden

QUOTES ON PREPARATION IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“All Abe Lincoln needed was a pencil and paper to make his speech at Gettysburg.” – @TipsForSpeakers

“All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Communication works for those who work at it.” – John Powell

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

“If you wing it when speaking, you’ll get wing it results.” – Arvee Robinson

“It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain

“Let he who would be moved to convince others be first moved to convince himself.” – T. Carlyle

“Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills, so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON SALES PRESENTATIONS

“Good listeners generally make more sales than good talkers.” – B.C. Holwick

“He that has no silver in his purse should have silver on his tongue.” – Thomas Fuller

“If you can’t say it, you can’t sell it!” – Arvee Robinson

“Samson killed a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass. That many sales are killed every day with exactly the same weapon.” – unknown

“The single most important tool in selling is being able to communicate effectively.” – Dan Brent Burt

QUOTES ON SILENCE IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“It’s the space you put between the notes that make the music.” – Massimo Vignelli

“Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.” – Dionysius of Halicarnassus

“Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.” – cowboy saying

“Speak only if you can improve upon silence.” – unknown

“Talking is like playing the harp; there is as much in laying the hand on the strings to stop their vibrations as in twanging them to bring out their music.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

“The most precious things in speech are pauses.” – Ralph Richardson

“Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” – Abraham Lincoln

QUOTES ON SMILING IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“So much is said with the electricity of the eyes, the intensity of a whisper. Less is more.” – Elizabeth Taylor

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the  smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia

“Your smile is a messenger of your goodwill.” – Dale Carnegie

QUOTES ON SPEED AND BREVITY IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“A fool uttereth all his mind.” – Proverbs 29:11

“A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” – William Strunk, Jr.

“A speech is like a love affair. Any fool can start one, but it requires considerable skill to end it.” – unknown

“Be sincere, be brief, be seated.” – Franklin Roosevelt

“Blessed is the man who, having nothing [more] to say, refrains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.” – George Eliot

“For effective communication, use brevity. Jesus said, ‘Follow me.’ Now that’s brief!” – Jim Rohn

“He who talks more is sooner exhausted.” – Lao Tzu

“If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought.” – Dennis Roth

“If you want me to speak for an hour, I am ready today. If you want me to speak for just a few minutes, it will take me a few weeks to prepare.” – Mark Twain

“It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what other men say in whole books.” – Nietzsche

“It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.” – Robert Southey

“It’s better to say nothing than spend 1,000 words or an hour speech saying nothing. Get to the point.” – Richard Branson

“It’s quite simple: say what you have to say and when you come to a sentence with a grammatical ending, sit down.” – Winston Churchill

“Make sure you have stopped speaking before your audience has stopped listening.” – Dorothy Sarnoff

“Never write if you can speak; never speak if you can nod; never nod if you can wink.” – Martin Lomasney

“Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary.” – Evan Esar

“The best speech has a good beginning and a good ending – and has them close together.” – unknown

“The best way to make a good speech is to have a good beginning and a good ending – and have them close together.” – unknown

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” – Thomas Jefferson

“The secret of being a bore is to tell everything.” – Voltaire

“Think all you speak, but speak not all you think. Thoughts are your own; your words are so no more.” – Patrick Delany

“To make a speech immortal, you don’t have to make it everlasting.” – unknown

“What is powerful is when what you say is just the tip of the iceberg of what you know.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON STORYTELLING IN PRESENTATIONS

“Every story has its time to be told.” – Sekou Sundiata

“Stories open the hearts of your listeners, and then their wallets.” – Arvee Robinson

QUOTES ON WORDS VERSUS ACTIONS

“Be content to act, and leave the talking to others.” – Baltasa

“One deed is worth a thousand speeches.” – American proverb

“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” – unknown

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

“Words may show a man’s wit, but actions, his meaning. “ – Benjamin Franklin

ABOUT SPARK PRESENTATIONS

Spark owner and speaking quote compiler Andy Saks

Spark Presentations is a private company founded in 1998 that provides presentation skills training and speech coaching for executives, salespeople, marketers and other businesspeople, plus booth staff training for trade show exhibitors.

Spark also books professional presenters and public speakers to represent its clients at high-profile events, in roles like keynote speaker, trade show booth presenter, master of ceremonies (emcee) and auctioneer, as well as on camera talent and voice talent.

Spark’s client list includes large corporations like AT&T, Best Buy, Covidien, FedEx, Hyundai, Intel, Kimberly-Clark, Owens-Corning, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Volvo; high-tech industry players like AMD, Atrion, Citrix, Gigamon, and Symantec; service organizations like Vistage, 1nService and NERCOMP; and New England institutions like Community Rowing and the Boston Jewish Film Festival.

Spark’s owner, Andy Saks, is also the author of The Presentation Playbook Series: Be a Most Valuable Presenter (MVP) , a three-volume series of books that help businesspeople master common presentation situations by building and running speaking “plays” like a coach or player calls a key play in a game. Volume 1 is available now in print and PDF formats on Spark’s website and at these online retailers and formats:  Amazon print , Amazon Kindle , Apple iBooks and Barnes & Noble print and Nook .

For questions, quotes or orders, contact Andy Saks at 781-454-7600, email or Spark’s Contact page .

Posted in: Sparky Says: Presentation & Public Speaking Tips | 1 Comment

Tags: public speaking tips

One comment

by Melissa Johnson | August 2, 2017 at 9:45 am

Good stuff!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Search Spark’s Blog

Spark news: coming (& recent) attractions.

• Spark booth presenter shines at Las Vegas tech show
• Navy SEAL fundraiser books charity auctioneer Andy Saks
• Boston awards event books Spark master of ceremonies
• Read all Coming (& Recent) Attractions

Sparky Says: Presentation & Public Speaking Tips

• 10 Tips to Boost Donations at Your Fund the Need / Paddle Raise
• 7 Tips to Encourage Audience Questions in Your Presentation Q&A
• 10 PowerPoint Alternatives That Make Your Presentation Memorable
• Read all Sparky Says (Speaking Tips)

Presentation Frequently Asked Questions

• Trade show presenter 101: Your guide to booking a booth presenter (Part 1)
• Sales presentation skills: How much is your pitch actually worth?
• How do I hire the right trade show presenter?
• Read all Presentation FAQ

Spark's Client Success Stories

• Emcee tips: How Spark’s master of ceremonies made AT&T’s awards dinner fun
• Trade show booth ideas: How to get the most value from your presenter
• Trade show booth ideas: Recycle your presentation script
• Read all Spark Success Stories

Spark Presentations

Andy Saks, Owner & Lead Speaker

781-454-7600 | Email | Contact page

Don't miss exclusive Spark deals! Sign up for your Spark e-newsletter today.

Resources | Storytelling | Strategy

50 powerful quotes to start your presentation.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

When was the last time you attended a conference where the speaker didn’t just say: “Oh hi, my name is XYZ and today, I’ll be speaking to you about Topic X”?

Great stories possess riveting narrative arcs that begin strong and end strong. We’ve written at length about some of the best ways to end your presentation , but how does one design a presentation to start without sounding too cliche?

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a powerful and memorable quote that relates to the message of your talk.

Powerful quotes have so much power on your presentation. Not only does it help reinforce your message, it also helps boost your credibility since it implied the quote is ‘agreeing’ with your statement.

Take this TED talk by Andrew Solomon for example. Notice how he skilfully uses a quote from a book by Emily Dickinson to set the stage for his numerous anecdotes regarding the topic on Depression in his presentation:

Hence, if you’re looking to follow suit and start your next presentation strong with a powerful quote, we’ve got you covered. Here, we compiled a list of 50 quotes that you can use to boost your next presentation.

50 Powerful Quotes To Start Your Presentation:

1)   “ The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” –  Mark Twain

2) “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.” –  Babe Ruth

3) “ If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” –  Albert Einstein

4) “ If you’re too comfortable, it’s time to move on. Terrified of what’s next? You’re on the right track.” –  Susan Fales Hill

5) “ Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” –  Bill Gates

6) “ You can’t look at the competition and say you’re going to do it better. You have to look at the competition and say you’re going to do it differently.” –  Steve Jobs

7) “ Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.” –  Jack Dorsey

8) “ Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.” –  Oprah Winfrey

9) “ Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.” –  Jay Danzie

10)  “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” –  Warren Buffett

11)  “Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But a better way is to think how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come.” –  Richard Branson

12)  “When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse? ’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked.” –  Elon Musk

13)  “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

14)   “Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.” –  Charles F. Kettering

15)  “People rarely buy what they need. They buy what they want.”   – Seth Godin

16)  “Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day.”   – Gary Vaynerchuck

17)  “The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place.” –  Orison Swett Marden

18)  “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”   –  David Brinkley

19)  “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid.”   –  Einstein

20)  “The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”   –  Lilly Tomlin

21)  “ When you run a part of the relay and pass on the baton, there is no sense of unfinished business in your mind. There is just the sense of having done your part to the best of your ability. That is it. The hope is to pass on the baton to somebody who will run faster and run a better marathon.”   – N. R. Narayana Murthy

22)  “Whatever you’re thinking, think bigger.” – Tony Hsieh

23)  “When you find an idea that you can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue.”   – Josh James

24)  “What would you do if you’re not afraid?” –  Sheryl Sandberg

25)  “Don’t worry about failure, you only have to be right once.”   – Drew Houston

26)  “When I’m old and dying. I plan to look back on my life and say ‘Wow, an adventure’ not, ‘Wow, I sure felt safe’” – Tom Preston Werner

27)  “80% of your sales comes from 20% of your clients.”   – Vilfredo Pareto

28)  “You just have to pay attention to what people need and what has not been done.”   – Russell Simmons

29)  “We are really competing against ourselves, we have no control over how other people perform.”   – Pete Cashmore

30)  “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”   – Wayne Gretzy

31)  “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”   – George Lucas

32)  “If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you.”   – Zig Ziglar

33)  “Words may inspire but action creates change.”   – Simon Sinek

34)  “It isn’t what we say or think that denies us, but what we do.”   – Jane Austen

35)  “Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be someone; get action.”   – Theodore Roosevelt

36)  “There is only one boss. The customer.” – Sam Walton

37)  “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – Barack Obama

38)  “You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having.” –  Frank Lloyd Wright

39)  “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

40)  “Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” – Bob Marley

41)  “There is no great genius without some touch of madness.”    – Seneca

42)  “If you think you are too small to make an impact try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” – Ekaterina Walter

43)   “If you just work on stuff that you like and you’re passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.” – Mark Zuckerberg

44)   “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” –  Thomas Edison

45)  “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”  – Abraham Lincoln

46)  “Don’t build links. Build relationships.”   – Rand Fishkin

47)   “100 percent of the shots you don’t take, don’t go in.”   –  Wayne Gretzky, Hockey Legend

48)  “If you’ve got an idea, start today. There’s no better time than now to get going. That doesn’t mean quit your job and jump into your idea 100 percent from day one, but there’s always small progress that can be made to start the movement.” – Kevin Systrom, Founder of Instagram

49)   “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.”   –  Jack Welch, Former CEO of GE

50)    “You must be very patient, very persistent. The world isn’t going to shower gold coins on you just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work like crazy to bring that idea to the attention of people. They’re not going to buy it unless they know about it.”  –   Herb Kelleher, Founder of Southwest Airlines.

There you have it!

Phew! – now you have an additional 50 powerful quotes that you can add in your presentation arsenal. Leave an unforgettable impression on your presentation with these quotes starting today!

Comment down your favourite quote. And let us know if you have any that we didn’t add to the list!

Article Written By: Kai Xin Koh

You may also like….

Val Yap: Delivering Success Through Effective Communication

by Kai Xin Koh

Success is not dictated by the hard work of one person alone. A great leader is also a great story-teller because effective communication is the foundation of any successful organisation.

Infographic Template Editor Site Review: Venngage

Introduction If you’re...

How to Compress PowerPoint Presentations in 2023 : Complete Guide For Mac and Windows

by Eugene Cheng

Imagine this - it’s late at night and you’re finishing up your last few slides for your big presentation tomorrow. You’ve done your final check and...

Sign Up for Winning With Stories!

• First Name *
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.