Ready to get your classroom pumped for the day? Instead of struggling to find the right words, check out these motivational quotes for students. We put together this list that’s perfect for sharing with kids. You can even use these motivational quotes in your own journal or vision board. These motivational quotes are great for when your students need a little boost.

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Plus, click the button below to receive five of our favorite motivational quotes in poster form to print and hang anywhere you may need some motivation.

Motivational Quotes by Scientists, Inventors, and Innovators

1. That is the way to learn the most, that when you are doing something with such enjoyment that you don’t notice that the time passes. —Albert Einstein

2. There is no substitute for hard work. —Thomas Edison

3. Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. —Henry Ford

4. No one of us is as smart as all of us. —Ken Blanchard

5. Rule no. 1 is, don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule no. 2 is, it’s all small stuff. —Robert Eliot

6. In a world where you can be anything, be kind. —Jennifer Dukes Lee

7. The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. —Walt Disney

8. There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs. —Zig Ziglar

9. The power of imagination makes us infinite. —John Muir

10. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. —Albert Einstein

11. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. —Joseph Addison

12. Work gives you meaning and purpose, and life is empty without it. —Stephen Hawking

13. Try not to become a man of success, but a man of value. —Albert Einstein

14. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out. —Robert Collier

15. Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. —John Wooden

16. You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time. —Charles F. Kettering

17. 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

18. One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done. —Marie Curie

19. We should begin at the very root from which we spring, we should effect a radical reform in the character of the food. —Nikola Tesla

20. What’s the use of doing all this work if we don’t get some fun out of this? —Rosalind Franklin

21. Inspiration is never at variance with information; in fact the more information one has, the greater will be the inspiration. —George Washington Carver

22. Anyone who has lost track of time when using a computer knows the propensity to dream, the urge to make dreams come true and the tendency to miss lunch. —Tim Berners-Lee

23. Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if we help shall they be saved. —Jane Goodall

24. I believe that the more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction. —Rachel Carson

25. Space belongs to all of us. There is science in dance and art in science. —Mae Jemison

Motivational Quotes by Authors, Writers, and Philosophers

26. The secret to success can be found in people’s daily agendas. —John C. Maxwell

27. Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. —Margaret Fuller

28. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. —Howard Zinn

29. I’ve noticed when I fear something, if I just end up doing it, I’m grateful in the end. —Colleen Hoover

30. Man’s mind, stretched to a new idea, never goes back to its original dimension. —Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

31. There is always time to make right what is wrong. —Susan Griffin

32. Begin while others are procrastinating. Work while others are wishing. —William Arthur Ward

33. Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking. —William Butler Yeats

34. Procrastination is the thief of time. —Edward Young

35. Youth is the time to study wisdom; old age is the time to practice it. —Jean-Baptiste Rousseau

36. If you put off everything till you’re sure of it, you’ll get nothing done. —Norman Vincent Peale

37. What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. —Henry Stanley Haskins

38. What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. —Zig Ziglar

39. Change your thoughts and you can change the world. —Norman Vincent Peale

40. You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there. —Edwin Louis Cole

41. If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. —Roald Dahl

42. The mind is not a vessel that needs filling, but wood that needs igniting. —Plutarch

43. There are no traffic jams on the extra mile. —Zig Ziglar

44. We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. —Joseph Campbell

45. I’m not going to continue knocking on that old door that doesn’t open for me. I’m going to create my own door and walk through that. —Ava DuVernay

46. Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined. —Toni Morrison

47. You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible. —Deepak Chopra

48. How wild it was, to let it be. —Cheryl Strayed

49. Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better. —Jim Rohn

50. You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. —A.A. Milne

51. If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. —Henry David Thoreau

52. Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you are withholding from the world. —Eckhart Tolle

Motivational Quotes by Artists, Musicians, and Creatives

53. If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one! —Dolly Parton

54. Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put some sunglasses on. —Lady Gaga

55. Wake up determined, go to bed satisfied. —Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

56. If you don’t know what your passion is, realize that one reason for your existence on earth is to find it. —Oprah Winfrey

57. Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen—that stillness becomes a radiance. —Morgan Freeman

58. Not having the best situation but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness. —Marie Forleo

59. Embrace the glorious mess that you are. —Elizabeth Gilbert

60. You define your own life. Don’t let other people write your script. —Oprah Winfrey

61. Nobody built like you, you designed yourself. —Jay-Z

62. I care about decency and humanity and kindness. Kindness today is an act of rebellion. —Pink

63. Our lives are stories in which we write, direct, and star in the leading role. Some chapters are happy while others bring lessons to learn, but we always have the power to be the heroes of our own adventures. —Joelle Speranza

64. When it comes to luck, you make your own. —Bruce Springsteen

65. A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want. —Madonna

66. Being vulnerable is a strength, not a weakness. —Selena Gomez

67. Trying to grow up is hurting. You make mistakes. You try to learn from them, and when you don’t, it hurts even more. —Aretha Franklin

68. I believe that if you’ll just stand up and go, life will open up for you. Something just motivates you to keep moving. —Tina Turner

69. I’m realizing how much I’ve diminished my own power. I’m not doing that no more. —Alicia Keys

70. All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination. —Earl Nightingale

71. We are not our best intentions. We are what we do. —Amy Dickinson

72. We have to let go of who we think we should be and embrace what is. —Achea Redd

73. The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people. —Vincent van Gogh

74. Pain, pleasure, and death are no more than a process for existence. The revolutionary struggle in this process is a doorway open to intelligence. —Frida Kahlo

75. Don’t gain the world and lose your soul. Wisdom is better than silver and gold. —Bob Marley

Motivational Quotes by Athletes and Other Sports Figures

76. Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there. —Bo Jackson

77. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. —Arthur Ashe

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

79. The successful warrior is the average man with laser-like focus. —Bruce Lee

80. It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. —Sir Edmund Hillary

81. The road to success is always under construction. —Arnold Palmer

82. I tell myself, “You’ve been through so much, you’ve endured so much, time will allow me to heal, and soon this will be just another memory that made me the strong woman, athlete, and mother I am today.” —Serena Williams

83. Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. —Jim Ryun

84. We have to be better. We have to love more, hate less. We’ve gotta listen more and talk less. We’ve gotta know that this is everybody’s responsibility. —Megan Rapinoe

85. The one thing that’s common to all successful people: They make a habit of doing things that unsuccessful people don’t like to do. —Michael Phelps

86. I loved the feeling of freedom in running, the fresh air, the feeling that the only person I’m competing with is me. —Wilma Rudolph

87. I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles. —Simone Biles

88. A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives. —Jackie Robinson

89. I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music. —Pelé

90. Take your victories, whatever they may be, cherish them, use them, but don’t settle for them. —Mia Hamm

91. Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. —Babe Ruth

92. The main thing is not a matter of wanting to win; the main thing is being scared to lose. —Billie Jean King

93. For a time, at least, I was the most famous person in the entire world. —Jesse Owens

94. Once you’ve been number one, you can never be satisfied with less. —Chris Evert

95. What I’m doing right now, I’m chasing perfection … and if I don’t get it, I’m going to get this close. —Kobe Bryant

96. When you first get a hill in sight, look at the top of it only once. Then imagine yourself at the bottom of the other side. —Florence Griffith Joyner

97. You’re the only one who can make the difference. Whatever your dream is, go for it. —Magic Johnson

98. Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you. —Mary Lou Retton

99. I’ve done it before. It won’t be the last time. You’re going to go years where you just don’t win. That’s okay, as long as you keep trying to improve. —Tiger Woods

100. The only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet. —Nadia Comăneci

Motivational Quotes by Leaders, Activists, and Politicians

101. We will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. —Martin Luther King Jr.

102. Spread love everywhere you go. —Mother Teresa

103. You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. —Les Brown

104. If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines from within. —Maya Angelou

105. Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye. —Helen Keller

106. For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end. —Michelle Obama

107. Once you learn to read, you will be forever free. —Frederick Douglass

108. If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. —Marcus Garvey

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

110. In a gentle way, you can shake the world. —Mahatma Gandhi

111. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. —Maya Angelou

112. Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time. —Ruth Bader Ginsburg

113. I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear. —Rosa Parks

114. It’s not what happens to us that sets us apart. It’s the decisions that we make, it’s the choices that we make—the way we decide to lead our lives—that decides what we truly are. —Elizabeth Smart

115. I have spent many years of my life in opposition, and I rather like the role. —Eleanor Roosevelt

116. Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished. —Nelson Mandela

117. We are never assured of justice without a fight. —Angela Davis

118. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. —Mahatma Gandhi

119. I started with this idea in my head, “There’s two things I’ve got a right to … death or liberty.” —Harriet Tubman

120. I hope if I am remembered it will finally be for what I have done, not for what I happen to be. —Shirley Chisholm

121. We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure. —Cesar Chavez

122. We may not have chosen the time, but the time has chosen us. —John Lewis

123. There is no greater weapon than knowledge and no greater source of knowledge than the written word. —Malala Yousafzai

124. I isn’t goin’ to die, honey, Ise goin’ home like a shootin’ star. —Sojourner Truth

125. We shall have to learn again to be one nation, or one day we shall be no nation. —Margaret Thatcher

Motivational Quotes for Overcoming Challenges

126. You do not notice changes in what is always before you. —Colette

127. Grief knits two hearts in closer bonds than happiness ever can; and common sufferings are far stronger links than common joys. —Alphonse de Lamartine

128. Much of your pain is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self. —Kahlil Gibran

129. We’re all trying to experiment to find a way to live, to solve problems, to fend off madness and chaos. —David Cronenberg

130. The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering. —Ben Okri

131. Do not look upon this world with fear and loathing. Bravely face whatever the gods offer. —Morihei Ueshiba

132. To solve a problem or to reach a goal, you don’t need to know all the answers in advance. But you must have a clear idea of the problem or the goal you want to reach. —W. Clement Stone

133. The changes in our life must come from the impossibility to live otherwise than according to the demands of our conscience, not from our mental resolution to try a new form of life. —Leo Tolstoy

134. Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. —Paulo Coelho

135. All we are asked to bear we can bear. That is a law of the spiritual life. The only hindrance to the working of this law, as of all benign laws, is fear. —Elizabeth Goudge

136. Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul—and sings the tunes without the words—and never stops at all. —Emily Dickinson

137. You learnt that, whatever you are doing in life, obstacles don’t matter very much. Pain or other circumstances can be there, but if you want to do a job bad enough, you’ll find a way to get it done. —Jack Youngblood

138. Too often, people think that solving the world’s problems is based on conquering the earth, rather than touching the earth, touching ground. —Chögyam Trungpa

139. Shining through tears, like April suns in showers, that labor to overcome the cloud that loads em. —Thomas Otway

140. An irrational fear should never be simply let alone, but should be gradually overcome by familiarity with its fainter forms. —Bertrand Russell

141. Your life is not a problem to be solved, but an adventure to be enjoyed. You are doing better than you think. —Alan Cohen

142. A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love. —Stendhal

143. The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem. —Theodore Isaac Rubin

144. There is no doubt that life is given us, not to be enjoyed, but to be overcome—to be got over. —Arthur Schopenhauer

145. If a problem has no solution, it may not be a problem, but a fact, not to be solved, but to be coped with over time. —Shimon Peres

146. Art begins with resistance—at the point where resistance is overcome. No human masterpiece has ever been created without great labor. —André Gide

147. The game of life is a lot like football. You have to tackle your problems, block your fears, and score your points when you get the opportunity. —Lewis Grizzard

148. In a higher world it is otherwise, but here below to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often. —John Henry Newman

149. Change means that what was before wasn’t perfect. People want things to be better. —Esther Dyson

150. To every problem there is already a solution whether you know it or not. —Grenville Kleiser

Motivational Quotes by Educators

152. The development of the individual can be described as a succession of new births at consecutively higher levels. —Maria Montessori

153. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. —John Dewey

154. There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, pure, simple, and useful life. —Booker T. Washington

155. Every addition to true knowledge is an addition to human power. —Horace Mann

156. To study is not to consume ideas, but to create and re-create them. —Paulo Freire

157. The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality. —Jean Piaget

158. The student is infinitely more important than the subject matter. —Nel Noddings

159. We all have need to be trained to see, and to have our eyes opened before we can take in the joy that is meant for us in this beautiful life. —Charlotte Mason

160. Stories are the single most powerful weapon in a leader’s arsenal. —Howard Gardner

161. You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. —Rabindranath Tagore

162. Feeling good about ourselves is essential in our being able to love others. —Fred Rogers

163. If I do not speak in a language that can be understood there is little chance for a dialogue. —bell hooks

164. Sometimes getting away from school is the best thing that can happen to a great mind. —Ken Robinson

165. Good schools, like good societies and good families, celebrate and cherish diversity. —Deborah Meier

166. The task of organizing human happiness needs the active cooperation of man and woman: it cannot be relegated to one half of the world. —Lillian Wald

167. Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered … just one kind word to another person. —Fred Rogers

168. I have a vision of the world as a global village, a world without boundaries. Imagine a history teacher making history! —Christa McAuliffe

169. Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough. —Mary McLeod Bethune

170. In the development of intelligence, nothing can be more “basic” than learning how to ask productive questions. —Neil Postman

171. Let a man be stimulated by poetry, established by the rules of propriety, and perfected by music. —Confucius

172. I encourage you to look at the world around you and think about how it works. My friends, you can go forth and make this world a better place. —Bill Nye

173. Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood. —Fred Rogers

174. The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action. —John Dewey

175. Freedom in intellectual work is found to be the basis of internal discipline. —Maria Montessori

176. Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it. —Marva Collins

177. The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. —Sydney J. Harris

178. Be a student as long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life. —Henry L. Doherty

200. No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world. —John Keating in Dead Poets Society

More Motivational Quotes

201. If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. —Unknown

202. You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. —Unknown

203. True education is about getting the best out of oneself. —Unknown

204. The best way to predict your future is to create it. —Unknown

205. A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. —Unknown

206. Good things come to people who wait, but better things come to those who go out and get them. —Unknown

207. The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them. —Mark Twain

208. I’m a big believer that success is never final and failure is never fatal. —Jackie Speier

209. Believe you can and you’re halfway there. —Unknown

210. The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. —Unknown

211. If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it. —Unknown

212. It is only necessary to have courage, for strength without self-confidence is useless. —Giacomo Casanova

213. You learn more from failure than from success. Don’t let it stop you. Failure builds character. —Unknown

214. The strongest actions for a woman is to love herself, be herself and shine amongst those who never believed she could. —Unknown

215. Work until your bank account looks like a phone number. —Unknown

216. Do not wait for the perfect time and place to enter, for you are already onstage. —Unknown

217. Worry is a misuse of imagination. —Unknown

218. A year from now you will wish you had started today. —Unknown

219. Resilience is when you address uncertainty with flexibility. —Unknown

220. True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. —Unknown

221. Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. —Unknown

222. When you feel like quitting, think about why you started. —Unknown

223. Strive for progress, not perfection. —Unknown

224. Starve your distractions, feed your focus. —Unknown

225. If you don’t sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice. —Unknown

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