Kindness
“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.”
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
First Inaugural Address (1861)
Motivational Quotes
Find motivational quotes from writers and thinkers of the past, one at a time. Press Next for a new quote, or pick a theme that fits your day.
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247 quotes match your filters · Press Space for the next one
Motivational quotes 247
- Hope
“'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)
In Memoriam A. H. H.
- Wisdom
“Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)
Locksley Hall
- Success
“Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?”
Robert Browning (1812–1889)
Andrea del Sarto
- Hope
“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.”
Robert Browning (1812–1889)
Rabbi Ben Ezra
- Success
“Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)
A Psalm of Life
- Work
“Let us, then, be up and doing, with a heart for any fate; still achieving, still pursuing, learn to labor and to wait.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)
A Psalm of Life
- Perseverance
“The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)
The Ladder of Saint Augustine
- Perseverance
“Into each life some rain must fall.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)
The Rainy Day
- Hope
“Be still, sad heart! and cease repining; behind the clouds is the sun still shining.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)
The Rainy Day
- Happiness
“I exist as I am, that is enough.”
Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
Song of Myself
- Change
“Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.)”
Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
Song of Myself
- Hope
“"Hope" is the thing with feathers – that perches in the soul – and sings the tune without the words – and never stops – at all –”
Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
"Hope" is the thing with feathers
- Kindness
“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain.”
Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
If I can stop one heart from breaking
- Happiness
“Forever – is composed of Nows –”
Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
Forever – is composed of Nows –
- Hope
“To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, one clover, and a bee, and revery. The revery alone will do, if bees are few.”
Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee
- Hope
“I dwell in Possibility –”
Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
I dwell in Possibility
- Success
“To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour.”
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)
El Dorado
- Happiness
“There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.”
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)
An Apology for Idlers
- Happiness
“The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.”
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)
Happy Thought
- Happiness
“Reflect upon your present blessings—of which every man has many—not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
Charles Dickens (1812–1870)
Sketches by Boz
- Happiness
“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”
Charles Dickens (1812–1870)
A Christmas Carol
- Kindness
“What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult to each other?”
George Eliot (1819–1880)
Middlemarch
- Kindness
“There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.”
Jane Austen (1775–1817)
Emma
- Wisdom
“We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.”
Jane Austen (1775–1817)
Mansfield Park
- Courage
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
Charlotte Brontë (1816–1855)
Jane Eyre
- Success
“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”
Francis Bacon (1561–1626)
Essays: Of Ceremonies and Respects
- Learning
“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.”
Francis Bacon (1561–1626)
Essays: Of Studies
- Learning
“Knowledge itself is power.”
Francis Bacon (1561–1626)
Meditationes Sacrae
- Work
“Blessed is he who has found his work; let him ask no other blessedness.”
Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881)
Past and Present
- Happiness
“There is no wealth but life.”
John Ruskin (1819–1900)
Unto This Last
What this page does
Press Next and a new quote appears, with its author shown underneath. Every quote comes from classic, public-domain writing – words from philosophers, poets, scientists and leaders of the past that have lasted for generations.
Pick a theme to narrow things down, and copy any quote you want to keep. Short, wise and often surprisingly modern, these lines have helped readers through hard days for a very long time.
How to use it
- Pick a theme to see quotes on a topic that fits your mood, or leave it open for a mix.
- Press Next (or the Space bar) for a new quote.
- Read the author's name under each quote.
- Copy the quote to paste it into a note, card, message or presentation.
Ways to use a motivational quote
Start your morning
Read one quote before you check your messages. Write it at the top of your journal or planner and come back to it at the end of the day.
Quote of the day in class
Put a quote on the board and ask students what they think it means, whether they agree, and how it might apply to their week. Old words often start lively discussions.
Team meetings
Open a meeting or a training session with a short quote. It sets the tone in a few seconds and gives people something to think about.
Cards and notes
Graduations, new jobs, tough weeks and big exams all call for a few encouraging words. A classic quote says a lot in one line.
Speeches and essays
A well-chosen quote makes a strong opening or closing line. Credit the author when you use it.
Reflection and journaling
Ask yourself why a quote rings true, or where you disagree with it. Our writing prompts include journaling ideas if you want to go further.
Goals and fresh starts
New year, new job, new training plan? Pick a quote that matches what you're working toward and keep it where you'll see it every day – on your mirror, your desk or your lock screen.
Tips
- Read it twice. Some older quotes use old-fashioned wording, and the meaning often lands on the second read.
- Credit the author when you share a quote in writing or on social media.
- Collect your favorites. Copy quotes you love into a notebook or a note on your phone.
- Keep it visible. A quote on a sticky note by your desk does more than one you read once and forget.
- Make it beautiful. Turn a short quote into decorative script with cursive letters.
Questions
Where do these motivational quotes come from?
They come from classic writing that is in the public domain – words by authors, thinkers and leaders who lived long ago. The author is shown with every quote.
Why only quotes from the past?
Classic public-domain quotes can be shared freely, and they have stood the test of time. Many still feel surprisingly modern.
Can I share these quotes?
Yes. Copy any quote and share it in a card, message, post or presentation. Please include the author's name.
Are the quotes correctly attributed?
We show the author for every quote and stick to classic sources. Famous lines are often credited to the wrong person online, so if you spot a mistake, please let us know.
Can I choose quotes on a certain topic?
Yes. Pick a theme and the quotes will match it. Press Next to move through them.
Can I use a quote in a speech or an essay?
Yes. Classic quotes make strong openings and closings. Put the words in quotation marks and name the author.
Is it free to use?
Completely free, with no sign-up. The site sets no cookies and doesn't track you.
Last updated October 2, 2026