147 Very Inspirational Quotes on Self-Improvement

Here are 147 personal development quotes to give you your daily dose of motivation

This blog post talks about some of the best quotes on self-improvement.

I think, one way or another, we’re all on some kind of self-discovery journey. Self-discovery means different things to different people, but all these ideas have one thing in common – they help us become a better version of ourselves.

There are a lot of things I do as part of my self-discovery journey, starting from journaling to getting rid of bad mental habits. One of the things I really love doing is reading quotations on self-development that help me stay inspired.

Reading inspirational quotes can help you feel more confident, stay motivated, and remind yourself of your potential. These quotes may also help put things into perspective and inspire you to act.

Reading growth and development quotes can also keep you hopeful while reminding you to be grateful for what you have.

That’s why I decided to come up with this blog post – to give you your daily dose of motivation, to help you keep going and not give up. So, whenever you’re feeling low, read these inspirational quotes about self-improvement.

It’s well-known that reading helps your mental health, so there’s literally no reason not to read quotes, right? Let’s get started!

a colorful pin for a blog post that talks about self-development quotes. Here's one saying "Be happy with what you have while working for what you want."

What is self-development?

Self-improvement is like giving yourself a makeover from the inside out. It’s all about growing and becoming a better version of yourself, kind of like upgrading to a cooler and more awesome you!

It’s not about comparing yourself to others or trying to be perfect, but rather focusing on your own personal growth journey.

Think of it as taking small steps every day to become the best possible version of yourself. It’s about developing new skills, gaining knowledge, and nurturing positive habits that make you feel happy and fulfilled.

Self-improvement is like a journey of self-discovery, where you uncover your strengths, passions, and values.

You might start by setting goals for yourself, like learning a new hobby, improving your communication skills, or working on your confidence. It’s all about taking action and making positive changes in your life.

Self-improvement also involves taking care of your physical and mental well-being. That means eating nutritious food, getting enough rest, and exercising regularly.

Taking care of your mind is just as important. You can do that by practicing mindfulness, managing stress, and nurturing a positive mindset.

Awesome self-development quotes to motivate you to become a better version of yourself

  1. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — Confucius
  2. “Our greatest fear should not be of failure… but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” — Francis Chan
  3. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” — Mahatma Gandhi
  4. “Every struggle in your life has shaped you into the person you are today. Be thankful for the hard times; they can only make you stronger.”
  5. “Never underestimate yourself.” —​ Unknown
  6. “Be strong enough to let go and wise enough to wait for what you deserve.” — Anonymous
  7. “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation, there is sure to be failure.” — Confucius
  8. “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” — Lao Tzu
  9. “Seventy percent of success in life is showing up.” — Woody Allen
  10. “One small crack does not mean you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn’t fall apart.” — Linda Poindexter
  11. “Don’t get mad. Don’t get even. Do better. Much better. Rise above. Become so engulfed in your own success that you forget it ever happened.” — Anita Room
  12. “The worst thing you can do is to do nothing.”
  13. “There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that, once unleashed, can make any vision, dream, or desire a reality.” — Anthony Robbins
  14. “Enjoy your sweat because hard work doesn’t guarantee success, but without it, you don’t have a chance.” — Alex Rodriguez
  15. “It takes a lot of courage to push through hard times. Never give up. Good things are coming your way.” — Robert Tew
  16. “This is the part where you find out who you are.” — Arty Fischel
  17. “On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it.” “Raise your sail and begin.” — Gregory S. Williams
  18. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” Vivian Greene
  19. “Reminder: Baby steps deserve applause.” — Unknown
  20. “Success does not consist of never making mistakes but of never making the same one a second time.” — George Bernard Shaw
  21. “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened.” — Helen Keller
  22. “A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action becomes reality.” — Unknown
  23. “Hard times are like thunder. They make a lot of noise but do little harm. Don’t fear hard times.” — Debasish Mridha
  24. “Life is too short to start your day with broken pieces of yesterday, it will definitely destroy your wonderful today and ruin your great tomorrow.” — Unknown
  25. “Why should we build our happiness on the opinions of others, when we can find it in our own hearts?” — John-Jacques Rousseau
  26. “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” — Jim Rohn
  27. “Do something every day that brings you closer to your goals.” — Unknown
  28. “I used to hope that you’d bring me flowers. Now I plant my own.” — Rachel Wolchin
  29. “Reminder: You are strong. You are capable. You are enough.” — Unknown
  30. “​Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” — Zig Ziglar
a quote saying "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

These are my favorite quotes on self-improvement

  1. “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” — Norman Vincent Peale
  2. “Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.” — Robert Kiyosaki
  3. “Good things come to those who hustle.” — Unknown
  4. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” — George Bernard Shaw
  5. “The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.” — Confucius
  6. “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.” — the Dalai Lama
  7. “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” —​ Maya Angelou
  8. “Going through challenging things can teach you a lot, and they also make you appreciate the times that aren’t so challenging.” — Carrie Fisher
  9. “When it comes to patience, we don’t have to change old habits; we can build better ones.” — Sue Bender
  10. “Starting today, I need to forget what’s gone, appreciate what still remains, and look forward to what’s coming next.” — Iona Mink
  1. “Life has no remote; get up and change it yourself.” — Al E. Gater
  2. “Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.” — Joseph Campbell
  3. “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.” — Aristotle
  4. “There will be many chapters in your life. Don’t get lost in the one you’re in now.” — Joe King
  5. “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” — Nicolas Chamfort
  6. “Sometimes painful things can teach us lessons that we didn’t think we needed to know.” — Amy Poehler
  7. “No amount of anxiety makes any difference to anything that is going to happen.” — Alan Watts
  8. “There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” — Aristotle
  9. “Life is like a camera. Focus on what’s important. Capture the good times. And if things don’t work out, just take another shot.” — Ziad K. Abdelnour
  10. “There are so many people out there who will tell you you can’t. What you’ve got to do is turn around and say ‘watch me’.” — Unknown
  11. “Success is achieved and maintained by those who try and keep trying.” — W. Clement Stone
  12. “​It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.” — Doe Zantamata
  13. “There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.” — Plato
  14. “Never be afraid to try something new, because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know.” —​ Unknown
  15. “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Addair
  16. “You’re not going to master the rest of your life in one day. Just relax. Master the day. Then just keep doing that every day.” — Unknown
  17. “The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human can alter his life by altering his attitude.” — William James
  18. “You can learn a lot from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.” — Drew A. Head
  19. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” — Thomas Edison
  20. “Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.” — Unknown
a phone case with a quote
a phone case with a quote
a phone case with a quote

Great quotes about development for when you’re feeling uninspired

  1. “Don’t ignore your own potential.” — Unknown
  2. “All great achievements require time.” — Maya Angelou
  3. “Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.” — Confucius
  4. “Don’t be afraid to break things. Keep exploring, making mistakes, learning, growing. All these are essentials for a successful life.”
  5. “The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do.”
  6. “Falling down is an accident, staying down is a choice.” — Unknown
  7. “After every difficulty, ask yourself two questions: “What did I do right?” and “What would I do differently?” — Brian Tracy
  8. “When anger arises, think of the consequences.” — Confucius
  9. “Value what you know and start charging for it.” — Kim Garst
  10. “I’ve learned that anything in life worth having comes from patience and hard work.” — Greg Behrendt
  11. “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein
  12. “Don’t tell people your plans. Show them your results.” — Unknown
  13. “When life puts you in tough situations, don’t say ‘why me’ say ‘try me’.” — Unknown
  14. “If you hate a person, then you’re defeated by them.“ — Confucius
  15. “Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion.” — Tony Hsieh
  16. “If you are willing to work hard and fail, you are one step closer to success.”
  17. “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” — Robert H Schuller
  18. “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” — Jim Rohn
  19. “When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.” — Unknown
  20. “If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.” — Jim Rohn
  1. “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” — Henry Ford
  2. “Scared? Good. We don’t grow when we stay inside our comfort zone.” — Unknown
  3. “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” — Brené Brown
  4. “For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
  5. “Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember–the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.” — Zig Ziglar
  6. “You learn more from failure than from successes. Don’t let it stop you. Failure builds character.”
  7. “The secret to success is to know something nobody else knows.” — Aristotle Onassis
  8. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Unknown
  9. “The fact that you’re not where you want to be should be enough motivation.” — Shirley U. Care
  10. “Don’t forget that you’re human. It’s okay to have a meltdown. Just don’t unpack and live there. Cry it out and then refocus on where you are headed.” —​ Unknown

Great quotes about improvement for when you’re feeling stuck

  1. “Belief in oneself is one of the most important bricks in building any successful venture.” — Lydia M. Child
  2. “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” — Michael John Bobak
  3. “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” — Unknown
  4. “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
  5. “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” — Rumi
  6. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” — Vidal Sassoon
  7. “Nothing is particularly hard if you break it down into small jobs.” — Henry Ford
  8. “When you encounter various trials, big or small, be full of joy. They’re opportunities to learn patience.” — Scott Curran
  9. “A man who masters patience masters everything else.” — Anonymous
  10. “Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall.” — Oliver Goldsmith
  11. “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” — Confucius
  12. “Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.” — George Herbert
  13. “Be strong now because things will get better. It might be stormy now, but it can’t rain forever.”
  14. “​Sometimes you don’t realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness.” — Susan Gale
  15. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” — Mahatma Gandhi
  16. “​The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”
  17. “Believe in yourself & you will be unstoppable.” — Unknown
  18. “A reminder: Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing the best you can.” —​ Unknown
  19. “We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” — Joseph Campbell
  20. “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.” — Bob Riley
  21. “If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you still do it.” —​ Elon Musk
  22. “If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents.”
  23. “Always remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think and twice as beautiful as you’ve ever imagined.” — Dr. Seuss
  24. “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my ax.” — Abraham Lincoln
  25. “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” — the Dalai Lama
  26. “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.” — Bethany Hamilton
  27. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” — Martin Luther King
  28. “Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.” — Robert Schuller
  29. “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient. Steve Maraboli
  30. “Hard times may have held you down, but they will not last forever. When all is said and done, you will be increased.” — Joel Osteen
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Good personal growth quotes to motivate you to keep going

  1. “The past has no power over the present moment.” — Eckhart Tolle
  2. “Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace.” — Unknown
  3. “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” — Unknown
  4. “We all have two lives. The second one starts when we realize we only have one.” — Tom Hiddleston
  5. “Every adversity, every failure, and every heartache, carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.” — Napoleon Hill
  6. “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” — Unknown
  7. “It is better to try and fail than to fail to try.”
  8. “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” — David Bly
  9. “It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.” — René Descartes
  10. “It’s a slow process, but quitting won’t speed it up.” — Unknown
  11. “Everybody has gone through something that changed them in a way that they could never go back to the person they once were.” — Imma Hog
  12. “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.” — Lao Tzu
  13. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” — George Lorimer
  14. “The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The future is your motivation.” — Unknown
  15. “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” — Maya Angelou
  16. “Patience is the road to wisdom.” — Kao Kalia Yang
  17. “You’ve got to stay strong to be strong in tough times.” — Tilman J. Fertitta
  18. “Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you play it.” — Albert Einstein
  19. “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up.” — Robert Tew
  20. “Failure is not the opposite of success. It is part of success.” — Unknown
  21. “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” — Bob Marley
  22. “Addicted to bettering myself.” — Unknown
  23. “I never knew how strong I was until I had to forgive someone who wasn’t sorry and accept an apology I never received.” — Frank N. Stein
  24. “In one minute, you can change your attitude, and in that minute, you can change your entire day.” — Spencer Johnson
  25. “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger
  26. “A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it, is committing another mistake.” — Confucius
  27. “You are never too old to reinvent yourself.” — Steve Harvey

These were my favorite quotes on self-improvement

That’s it for this blog post about the best self-improvement quotes. Tell me, how do you improve yourself? What does becoming a better version of yourself mean to you? I would love to hear your thoughts!

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