Quotes on success
As we grow up, we try to make sense of the world around us, often by observing the people in our lives. The adults who were present during our childhood play a huge role in this process, and looking back, I realize now how deeply their influence has shaped my understanding of life and how I approach the world now.
The classroom, for example, is the perfect place for teachers to teach us how to behave, how to be respectful, and what it takes to be a good student. At home, our parents demonstrate their way of loving and caring, teaching us not only the basics—like how to tie our shoes or do our homework—but also how to handle life’s setbacks, challenges, and connect with others. In sports, a coach can teach us discipline and how to push for our limits. Through these early experiences, we begin to form our own ideas of success and what a fulfilling life might look like.
But I’ve also learned a lot from those who were a bit further outside my inner circle. I still remember how I watched people like Louis Theroux, Barbara Walters or Oprah Winfrey on television, asking thoughtful questions to their guests. I couldn’t believe someone got paid for asking questions like that, while spending time with these interesting people. So caregivers, teachers, and even those we see on television all offer us different lessons on what is possible. If you can see it, you can be it.
I have now developed my own view of success, one that is not primarily about material success, but one that is strictly personal and about making your dreams, your ambitions and your own development come true. As I’ve learned over time, adults are often still figuring things out for themselves. Their paths are unique to them, and what worked for them doesn’t necessarily have to work for us. Ultimately, success is deeply personal, shaped by each individual’s own journey and aspirations.
In the upcoming post, I’ve gathered some wonderful quotes on success from respectable scientists and other wise people who, over the years, have explained success better than I do. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to collect useful wisdom that I could share in short, inspiring phrases. I hope you enjoy these quotes on success. Under each inspirational quote, you can find the source of the quote. Scroll down to browse them all.
Quotes on success
I’ve collected 10 inspirational quotes on success for now. I’ll continue to publish one motivational quote in my newsletter each month.
I.
An American motivational speaker Denis Waitley on enjoying the process:
‘Winners take time to relish their work, knowing that scaling the mountain is what makes the view from the top so exhilarating.’
Source: Denis Waitley
II.
British politician Winston S. Churchill on one of the essential personality traits for achieving success:
Author E.B. White, the famous author of Charlotte’s Web, about the value of consistently practicing even in less-than-ideal circumstances:
“I never listen to music when I’m working. I haven’t that kind of attentiveness, and I wouldn’t like it at all. On the other hand, I’m able to work fairly well among ordinary distractions. My house has a living room that is at the core of everything that goes on: it is a passageway to the cellar, to the kitchen, to the closet where the phone lives. There’s a lot of traffic. But it’s a bright, cheerful room, and I often use it as a room to write in, despite the carnival that is going on all around me.
In consequence, the members of my household never pay the slightest attention to my being a writing man — they make all the noise and fuss they want to. If I get sick of it, I have places I can go. A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”
Source: E.B. White in The Paris Review. Also cited in the Tiny Bits newsletter.
Last note on this list with quotes on success
In this post, I’ve collected the quotes that reflect most what I think success should be about. Many brilliant minds implied, including Einstein and many other scientists, it’s not about being considered as the one who gets more out of life than you put in, but about being a person of value who will give more than you take, and who elevates others along the way. To me, this approach to success feels real and meaningful, because it prioritizes service to humanity over personal gain or recognition.
Browse more thought-provoking quotes on:
