Greatness is a word that stirs the soul. It speaks of dreams, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. The path to greatness can be challenging, but the wisdom of those who have walked it before can offer guidance and inspiration.
Quotes about greatness have the power to ignite our inner spark. They remind us of our potential and the extraordinary feats humans can achieve. Here is a selection of some of the best quotes on greatness to inspire and motivate you on your journey.
Quotes on Personal Greatness
“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The only journey is the one within.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” – Michael Jordan
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” – Vince Lombardi
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” – Booker T. Washington
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar
“Dream big and dare to fail.” – Norman Vaughan
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” – Isaac Newton
“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” – Alan Kay
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – William Butler Yeats
“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“Greatness is the dream of youth realized in old age.” – Alfred de Vigny
“The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be.” – Horace Bushnell
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'” – Mary Anne Radmacher
“Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.” – William Arthur Ward
Inspirational Quotes from Leaders
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it – but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
“To achieve greatness, start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” – Simon Sinek
“Great leaders are not defined by the absence of weakness, but rather by the presence of clear strengths.” – John Zenger
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” – Ralph Nader
“You don’t lead by hitting people over the head – that’s assault, not leadership.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John C. Maxwell
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” – Warren Bennis
“A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward
“True greatness consists in being great in little things.” – Charles Simmons
“Leaders think and talk about the solutions. Followers think and talk about the problems.” – Brian Tracy
“The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones.” – Brandon Sanderson
“Leadership is not a position or a title, it is action and example.” – Cory Booker
“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” – Henry Kissinger
“Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” – Peter Drucker
“A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.” – Jim Rohn
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy
“The courage of leadership is giving others the chance to succeed even though you bear the responsibility for getting things done.” – Simon Sinek
“True leadership stems from individuality that is honestly and sometimes imperfectly expressed. Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection.” – Sheryl Sandberg
“Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.” – William Arthur Ward
Quotes to Ignite Ambition
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare
“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.” – Plutarch
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – William Butler Yeats
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.” – Mark Twain
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
“The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.” – Charles Kingsleigh (Alice in Wonderland, 2010)
“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” – Roy T. Bennett
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis
“If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission.” – Anonymous
“Great things never come from comfort zones.” – Anonymous
“Little by little, one travels far.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn
“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare
“Dream big and dare to fail.” – Norman Vaughan
“I will not lose, for even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me.” – Jay-Z
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” – Bill Bradley
“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it—but sail we must, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” – Vince Lombardi
“Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” – George S. Patton
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
Wisdom Quotes for Greatness
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Greatness comes from humble beginnings; it comes from grunt work. It means you’re the least important person in the room—until you change that with results.” – Ryan Holiday
“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Success is not in what you have, but who you are.” – Bo Bennett
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein
“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” – Bob Marley
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
“You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.” – James A. Froude
“Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.” – William Arthur Ward
“The price of greatness is responsibility.” – Winston Churchill
“True greatness consists in being great in little things.” – Charles Simmons
“Greatness is not in what you do, but how you do it with love and respect.” – Unkown
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan
“You don’t have to be famous to be great.” – Judy Garland
“True greatness is when your name is like ampere, watt, and hertz—when it’s spelled with a small letter.” – Richard Hamming
“Great men are not born great, they grow great.” – Mario Puzo, ‘The Godfather’
“Greatness and madness are next-door neighbors and they borrow each other’s sugar.” – Joe Rogan
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare
“To achieve greatness, start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
“Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength.” – Henry Ward Beecher
“Your greatness is revealed not by the lights that shine upon you, but by the light that shines within you.” – Ray Davis
“True greatness comes when you’re able to overcome obstacles and move forward with grace and humility.” – Unknown
“Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.” – Dorothy Height
“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa
“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
“Greatness is maximizing your potential and using it for the benefit of others.” – Unknown
“The greatest achievement is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.” – Vince Lombardi
“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.” – Samuel Johnson
Quotes on Overcoming Obstacles
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston S. Churchill
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” – C.S. Lewis
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.” – Charles Kingsleigh, Alice in Wonderland (film)
“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” – Napoleon Hill
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.” – C.C. Scott
“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine
“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.” – Randy Pausch
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi
“Life is very interesting. some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths.” – Drew Barrymore
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but about learning to dance in the rain.” – Anonymous
“Out of difficulties grow miracles.” – Jean de La Bruyère
“The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” – Maya Angelou
“I am thankful for all of those who said NO to me. It’s because of them I’m doing it myself.” – Albert Einstein
“Problems are not stop signs; they are guidelines.” – Robert H. Schuller
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeve
“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.” – Henry Ford
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
“There is no education like adversity.” – Benjamin Disraeli
“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” – Booker T. Washington
“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” – Thomas Carlyle
“Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.” – Edwin Markham
“You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.” – Edwin Louis Cole
“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.” – Steve Jobs
“Difficulties in life are intended to make us better, not bitter.” – Dan Reeves
“When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm is all about.” – Haruki Murakami
“Resilience is the ability to attack while running away.” – Wes Fessler
Quotes to Boost Confidence
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“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” — Marilyn Monroe
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford
“You are enough just as you are.” — Meghan Markle
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston S. Churchill
“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” — Peter T. McIntyre
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” — Steve Jobs
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” — Oprah Winfrey
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — C.S. Lewis
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Confidence is the most beautiful thing you can possess.” — Sabrina Carpenter
“Believe in your infinite potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself.” — Roy T. Bennett
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.” — Samuel Johnson
“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles, and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident, and more and more successful.” — Mark Victor Hansen
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” — Buddha
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” — William James
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude.” — Michelle Obama
“I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.” — Louisa May Alcott
“It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.” — Unknown
“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” — Michael Jordan
“With confidence, you have won before you have started.” — Marcus Garvey
“The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do.” — Swati Sharma
“When you have a lot of confidence and you feel like nobody can beat you, it’s game over for everyone else.” — Jason Day
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” — Helen Keller
“Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.” — Vince Lombardi
“You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.” — Charles Buxton
“Your potential is endless. Go do what you were created to do.” — Unknown
“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” — Will Rogers
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Quotes for Achieving Dreams
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
“Dream big and dare to fail.” – Norman Vaughan
“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.” – Harriet Tubman
“What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” – Langston Hughes
“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” – Les Brown
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer
“Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream.” – Debby Boone
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Dreams don’t work unless you do.” – John C. Maxwell
“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” – Anatole France
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – Les Brown
“Believe in your dreams, no matter how impossible they seem.” – Walt Disney
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
“In dreams begins responsibility.” – William Butler Yeats
“Dare to dream big. The bigger the dream, the greater the reward.” – Anonymous
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
“Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.” – James Dean
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X
“Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.” – Gloria Steinem
“Dreams are the touchstones of our character.” – Henry David Thoreau
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
“The power of imagination makes us infinite.” – John Muir
“Dreams are illustrations… from the book your soul is writing about you.” – Marsha Norman
Philosophical Quotes on Greatness
“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” – Bob Marley
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare, “Twelfth Night”
“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa
“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” – Anatole France
“The greatness of humanity is not in being human, but in being humane.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.” – William Arthur Ward
“Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right use of strength.” – Henry Ward Beecher
“The measure of a man is what he does with power.” – Plato
“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare
“Man’s greatness lies in his power of thought.” – Blaise Pascal
“To be great is to be misunderstood.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“True greatness consists in being great in little things.” – Charles Simmons
“Greatness is a road leading towards the unknown.” – Charles de Gaulle
“Great men are not always wise.” – The Bible, Job 32:9
“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.” – Mark Twain
“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
“One of the greatest values of life is going through the life process. The great learners are great earners.” – Jim Rohn
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.” – Samuel Johnson
“Greatness is not something one discovers. It is something one finds in the process of achieving a significant moral act.” – John C. Maxwell
“Greatness springs not from the ego, but from the soul.” – David Goggins
“The roots of true achievement lie in the will to become the best that you can become.” – Harold Taylor
“Peace is not the absence of war; it is a virtue; a state of mind; a disposition for benevolence; confidence; and justice.” – Baruch Spinoza
“If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission.” – Anonymous
“Greatness is a spiritual condition worthy to excite love, interest, and admiration; and the outward proof of possessing greatness is that we excite love, interest, and admiration.” – Matthew Arnold
“Greatness, whether athletic or otherwise, doesn’t come from those content on just being but from those who seek being the difference.” – Kirk Mango
“The moments when you’re alone are the moments that make you feel lonely, but it’s also when you realize your greatness.” – Anonymous
“A truly great person does not make others feel small.” – Anonymous
“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it – but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
To Wrap It Up
Greatness comes in many forms, and the quotes we’ve explored show just how varied and inspiring it can be. These words from great minds encourage us to strive for better, face challenges with courage, and believe in our potential. They remind us that the path to greatness is open to anyone willing to take the first step.
As you revisit these quotes, let them serve as small sparks of motivation in your daily life. Whenever you feel stuck or doubtful, a quick glance at these powerful lines can lift your spirits and renew your sense of purpose. Greatness isn’t just for a select few; it’s for anyone ready to work for it.
