Oprah Winfrey Quotes: Inspiration from a Modern Day Icon

Television host, philanthropist, actress, producer and, according to many, the most influential woman in the world. She is a truly inspirational figure in every sense. Here are some of Oprah's most inspirational quotes.

Oprah Winfrey has had many ’firsts’ to her name. These include being the first woman in history to own and produce her own talk show and also the first African-American woman in American history to become a billionaire.

By her own remarkable life story to date, Oprah has shown others that they too have the potential to turn around their lives no matter what their circumstances.

I don’t think of myself as a poor deprived ghetto girl who made good. I think of myself as somebody who from an early age knew I was responsible for myself, and I had to make good.”

Born on 29 January 1954 in Mississippi to a teenage single mother, Oprah was to be brought up in rural poverty on her grandmother’s farm while her mother looked for work in the north. Despite her surroundings, Oprah received loving support from her grandmother who taught her to read from an early age.

All this changed when she was 6 years old and sent to live with her mother. While her mother was out working Oprah was sexually abused by male relatives and another visitor from the ages of 9 to 13. She became pregnant at 14 but unfortunately her son died in infancy.

Turn your wounds into wisdom.”

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Oprah used the tragedy and the hardship she endured as a young girl to realize that she had a second chance at life, that she could turn her wounds into wisdom.

Shortly after this traumatic period in her life she went to live with her father in Tennessee. Her father was a disciplinarian and it was here that she got back on track, focused on what she was good at and did well at school.

The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.”

And Oprah Winfrey knew all about dreams.

She landed a job in radio when she was still at High School and co-anchored on a local evening news show at the age of 19. From here she eventually landed a job on a daytime talk show, went on to launch her own production company and became internationally syndicated. The rest as they say is history.

I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that’s how I operate my life.”

There is no doubt that life was not a bed of roses for Oprah and she worked hard to create the life she wanted. She was ambitious and determined and even though there were failures along the way, Oprah just got back up and carried on.

At the time Oprah was making her mark in the media world, there were no African American women who hosted their own television shows and so Winfrey was to pave the way for others.

I like this quote because it is applicable to many of the challenges we face in life and the best deterrent to those who put you down, is to be the best person you can be. Your excellence and success is the best answer to other people’s criticism and bigotry.

I have a lot of things to prove to myself. One is that I can live my life fearlessly.”

Oprah created a more confessional type of chat show, people entrusted her with their deepest problems and her style and approach was to revolutionize other talk shows in this genre.

At first Oprah focused on women’s issues but soon went on to cover a diverse range of topics such as equal rights, gender issues and racism. Not one to be afraid of change and trying out on new things, Oprah’s show was later reinvented with a focus on self-improvement, spirituality and literature. Oprah is also credited with inspiring pro-social behavior because the topics her show covered were uplifting and inspirational which encourages viewers to act more altruistically.

Oprah is a good example of someone who continues to live her life fearlessly.

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

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In 1986 Oprah was nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film The Color Purple. Twenty years later she went on to produce the show on Broadway.

Just like many successful people, Oprah only ever gets involved in projects which fire her up. Once we have a passion for something we find ourselves with boundless energy and enthusiasm and this is the force behind the success. The message here is to find something you are passionate about, and go for it.

I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”

In 1998 Oprah set up the Angel Network, a charity aimed at encouraging people to make a difference in the lives of those less privileged. The Angel Network supports charitable projects around the world and since it was established has raised millions. Winfrey herself covers all administration costs meaning that all the funds raised go directly to the charitable projects the network supports.

Oprah Winfrey has often been reported as the most philanthropic celebrity in the US and in 2002 she was awarded with the first ever Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.

Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have.”

After Hurricane Katrina, Oprah’s viewers raised $11 million for the Angel Network and Winfrey gave $10 million of her own money to the cause which meant that homes could be built in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.

In 2008 Winfrey highlighted the plight of dogs in puppy mills which resulted in new legislation being passed in Pennsylvania which set ethical requirements and standards when breeding dogs. Winfrey herself was to adopt a dog from a no kill shelter in Chicago which further promoted the cause.

Winfrey is aware of the influence she holds and uses it to advance her humanitarian causes. Winfrey understands that it’s not what we have, but what we do with what we have which is important at the end of the day. What’s the point of hoarding money and things and not sharing it with the world? Giving of ourselves is one of the greatest and most rewarding things we can do.

What you really want is to be surrounded by people you trust and treasure and by people who cherish you. That’s when you’re really rich.”

If we surround ourselves with negative people who constantly belittle our efforts or make us feel we are unworthy, then this will rub off on us and affect our self-esteem. Although it is true that we are in charge of our own feelings and reactions, we should at least give ourselves every opportunity to live a positive and rewarding life, which means letting go of those who are not adding anything but negativity.

Life is about constant change; some people come and some people go from our lives, it’s all part of the journey. To be your best, surround yourself with those who care and want to see you succeed. When we have people who love and cherish us, this is when we are truly wealthy.

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

There is always something to be thankful for in life, the fact that we are alive and breathing is a miracle in itself. The more we are thankful for what we have, the more we will have to be thankful for. Life is a miracle and we are blessed to be alive, regardless of what might be going on at the present moment, the more we can celebrate life the better we will feel.

We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”

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If we continue doing the same thing then we will continue to attract the same results. We all need to change and evolve, we can’t become a better person by staying the same. We need to constantly examine our lives to ensure we are living the best life we can, with an open heart and an open mind so we can continue to learn on life’s great journey.

Oprah herself is constantly learning and working to improve areas of her own life.

Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”

If we do our best in everything we do we are being the best person we can be. With these ‘right actions’ the energy of the universe will be on our side, forever creating the next moment, in which we have the opportunity to do and be our best.

Oprah Winfrey continues to inspire people around the world, she truly believes in doing the best she can in each moment.

And on that life affirming note I will leave you with the most relevant quote of all for all you Queens.

Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”

Never be afraid to fail, it’s all part of the process. We learn something from every situation we find ourselves in, and if you are afraid to fail, then you will also be afraid to succeed.

So go ahead, and think like a Queen.

Source: Wikipedia.org

Cover photo: www.modernsocialite.com

About the author

Eleanor Goold

As well as being an avid reader, Eleanor is also a big time animal lover; especially of dogs. If you have a tail, four legs and you bark…. you’re in! In her spare time she enjoys swimming, and vegetable gardening… but not at the same time (it can get a bit messy).

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