13 Motivational Quotes to Help You Achieve Your Goals

We have all known the feeling, we wake up one morning inspired to get fit, lose weight, speak a foreign language, do that charity run or some other long held goal and before we know it time has passed we have talked about it, but nothing has happened or we gave up half way through.

Well, now you have some motivational quotes to get you back on track. Enjoy.

#1: You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do. – Henry Ford

We can all talk a big fight, but the magic of achieving any goal is in the doing. We can sit around and talk about it, plan it meticulously, set up spreadsheets and charts, but unless we actually do something, nothing is going to happen.

So take note from Mr. Ford, and whatever you set out to do, give yourself a chance… and start it now.

#2: If you want to succeed in the world you must make your own opportunities as you go on. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on dry land will find that the seventh wave is a long time a-coming.

You can commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside until someone comes along and invites you to ride with him to wealth or influence. – John B Gough

Some people believe they can just tag on to somebody else’s shirt tail to success, or wait until success just miraculously lands on their plate. Well, I am afraid that this just isn’t the case.

If you want to succeed it is imperative you do so on your own merit rather than wait for someone else to do it for you. It is up to you to forge your own way in the world, to make your own opportunities.

#3: Challenge yourself with something you know you could never do, and what you’ll find is that you can overcome anything. – Anon

None of us really know what we are capable of until we try. It may be that we think we cannot do something as we have always been told we cannot, that we are not good enough.

There is only one sure way to find out, and that is to try. I bet you will be amazed at what you can do if you put your heart and mind to it. And you will soon realize that you really can achieve anything.

#4: Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. –  John Wooden

Following on nicely from the previous quote this is quite self-explanatory. Once you know what you cannot do, then make sure you focus on what you can do, all your other strengths and virtues.

#5: Many of life’s failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. – Thomas Edison

Most people who have experienced success will be able to recount a story of how they were just about to give up, but forged ahead regardless.

This is because getting back up from disappointment is how success is achieved.

Thomas Edison himself had more than his fair share of ’failures’ when he was in the process of inventing, but he just carried on until he found the ’right way’ of doing things.

#6: 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

I love this quote because it is so true. We usually regret the things we didn’t do or try, not the things we did. Because in every experience there is a lesson.

Twenty years goes by quite fast and the last thing any of us want to be is full of regret for the opportunities we didn’t take.

If you look back on your life now, over the last 10 years, is there anything you regret not doing? If so remember, this will be amplified as the years pass.

So go on, it’s a big world out there, and it’s yours for the taking.

#7: I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.

I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. – Michael Jordan

Failure is part of success, it is all part of the journey, so don’t feel despondent and give up the minute you hit an obstacle or fail in a task, just get back up and carry on.

It is the only way to truly be successful and master your unique path. As Winston Churchill was quoted as saying; ’Never ever ever give up’.

#8: When the need to succeed is as bad as the need to breathe, then you’ll be successful. – Eric Thomas

Let’s face it, if you set your goals high enough, then reaching them can be tough. But all goals are achievable if you really want something badly enough.

That’s the difference between those who reach their goals and those that do not. If you want something badly enough, you will prevail.

#9: To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. – Anon

Well ain’t that the truth!

Seriously, if you never want to be criticized then don’t do anything with your life, because believe me whatever you do will be criticized by someone, somewhere. So don’t let what other people think determine your success.

Walk your own path. 

#10: Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. – Napoleon Hill

The message here is to never lose sight of your goals or give up on your dreams as they are part of you.

They are the blueprints of your future. Having dreams and goals is very important in life and can make the difference between a life well lived or one where you drifted aimlessly along.

The choice is yours.

#11: Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. – Stephen R. Covey

Your motivation is personal to you and you only.

No one else can motivate you. They can help you to find your motivation, but at the end of the day it is down to you to find your own fire and keep it burning as fuel to power you on.

#12: Losers visualize the penalties of failure. Winners visualize the rewards of success. – Anon

Visualization is an incredibly important part of any goal setting exercise and any coach, sports or otherwise will attest to that. If you can see yourself winning that race, landing your dream job, losing weight, then you have a very powerful tool at your disposal.

The mind is incredibly powerful and once you set the winning formula in your head, the subconscious will process this to enable you to succeed.

Never see yourself failing or have any negative chatter in your head. Believe that you will succeed.

#13: In between goals is a thing called life, that has to be lived and enjoyed. – Sid Ceaser

This is an important quote to remember because sometimes when we are striving to meet our goals, we may miss the small things in life, which are the important things. We can forget about loved ones and miss precious moments.

So sure, go ahead and follow your dreams, but make sure they include other people, and most of all, enjoy your life. Every beating minute of it.