These life quotes are shortcuts to the wisdom of influencers. They are thought-provoking, encouraging, and inspiring.
Life quotes are life hacks.
Life Quotes
Life quotes offer us opportunities to examine our lives. I am not the one who will pepper my speeches with life quotes, but they helped me process my thinking. Reading life quotes is akin to conversing with people who encapsulate their wisdom in a few words.
May the following 20 life quotes inspire you to examine your life — and empower you to get what you really want.
1. Life is about making an impact.
Life is about making an impact, not making an income.
Kevin Kruse
This life quote resonates with me.
It is easy to believe that life is about income when you have no money.
When I was young, I was like almost everyone I knew. I aimed to finish school and find a job that offers a good salary.
Teaching high school students was my first job. I was assigned to teach eight classes spread over four different subjects. My first monthly salary was a little more than six thousand pesos. I had to rent a place for 2500 pesos. Yes, the income was not enough.
But I thought I had no choice. So, I applied for a part-time job in the college department of the same school. I was afraid, I was tired, but I was not satisfied.
Nine years after, my belief about work changed. Thanks to the help of someone who taught me about creating a good life by making an impact. He inspired me to adopt a growth mindset.
A growth mindset inspires me to find ways to help people and make an impact in their lives. This mindset increased my happiness. And here’s the good part, when I started focusing on impact, my income increased 10x too.
Most people sold their time for money. You may call that exchange for our hours a salary, a commission, or whatever. My Filipino education molded me to think that the ultimate prize of a college education is a high-paying job. Most Filipinos will miss this quote.
Many years ago, someone told me that the best way to increase my income is to shift my focus. Instead of trying my best to create more income streams, I must find more opportunities to help others and allow my work to impact their lives positively.
It was challenging to understand and hard to do. Some people rely on my ability to earn money. I could make more “meaning” when I already have the money.
But I can tell you now that it works. Make more impact.
2. Life goes on.
In three words I can sum up everything I learned about life: it goes on.
Robert Frost
Life goes on. Whatever I do, time will not wait for me. Earth will continue to move around its axis.
While I grow old, I can grow up because the choice is mine.
The pandemic may limit my space, but it cannot restrict my movements. I may not reach many places, but I still have opportunities to meet many people. I won’t allow my fear to turn my house into a cave. I won’t cave in.
Wherever you are, whatever happens to you, life goes on.
I don’t know how many years are left for me. But each day is a gift I must open and make use of.
There are days for failure. But each new day promises a day of success. I learn from my failures. And I celebrate my successes.
But whatever happens each day, I know that life goes on.
3. Life is about fighting for your truth.
May you walk a lighted path. May you fight for the truth. Your truth, not someone else’s.
Marisha Pessl
Fight for your truth even if you are young. Many people float like dead fishes. They go where the current goes. They think that it is safe to think like everyone else. But everyone else isn’t thinking.
Examine what matters in the greater scheme of things. Find your truth and fight for it. The world will never know what’s good for them if you refuse to speak your mind. Do not hide. Your truth may change the world.
In 2022, I decided to go out again and fight for what I believe is right. I was one of those who campaigned for Leni Robredo.
I am an eternal activist. I do not campaign for a personality. But I have principles. Leni Robredo has all the qualities we need from a leader after our experience with Duterte. For the first time in so many years, I voted again for a candidate whom I trust.
You have to fight for your truth even if everyone disagrees with you. Fight for your truth even if you think that you will not win the fight. Because the fight isn’t over until you win.
4. Commit your life to excellence.
Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal — a commitment to excellence — that will enable you to attain the success you seek.
MARIO ANDRETTI
I learned early in life that to succeed at something, I must commit. A journey to a thousand miles begins with the first step. But out of a thousand people who make the first step, only a few get to the thousandth mile. Most people change direction after a mile or go back. Ningas cogon is real.
Commitment is the key to achieving almost anything in life. You set your eyes on a goal, then do your best to achieve it every day. Not all days are equal, but your commitment stays the same.
Excellence to me means that I must keep improving each day. There are days that I will not do things right, but that’s okay because morrow is another day. If I fail today, I can learn from it. I may fail a hundred times in a row, but life goes on, and I am not defeated until I stop.
5. Keep excellence a habit.
Excellence is not an act, it is a habit.
ARISTOTLE
Excellence is a choice; so is mediocrity. Those who choose to do excellent work every day turn excellence into a habit. Unlike mediocrity, excellence is a conscious and deliberate habit.
Excellence is a big word. You can replace it with words like awesome, extraordinary, or superb. Or whatever words challenge you to do great things.
One way to turn excellence into a habit is to identify the behaviors that demonstrate excellence. You can observe and measure behaviors. You can turn behaviors into a habit.
I also think that excellence is a discipline. It is something that you’ve got to do every day whether you like to work or not. This is what I tell students who want to get motivated to study.
6. Believe you can.
They conquer who believe they can. He has not learned the first lesson of life who does not everyday surmount a fear.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Bahala Na is a beautiful phrase, a statement of both faith and boldness. You will hear “bahala na” when a person has considered all the options and risks in the Filipino context.
But even if the odds are against me, when something is too important to me, I take the chance. It is as if I say, “I have done everything, and I fear uncertainty, but God is with me.” Bahala na means “Let God works in me.”
I know that I cannot do everything. I have limits. But some things I ought to do, and I will not know unless I try. Often, once the deed is done, I am amazed to find how easy, enjoyable, and rewarding the action is.
There are many things I can do. I ought to do them to know that I can.
7. Dare to dream it.
If you can dream it, you can achieve it.
Walt Disney
I read this life quote when I was in the fifth grade from one of the old books sent to me by a relative.
I knew that not everyone dares to dream. We are not born equal. No amount of international declaration can make us equal. For most of us, life is a struggle from birth to death.
I won’t be surprised if people stop dreaming. Yes, people wished to win in a lottery, but even they know that the chance of winning is next to none. They won’t part with their 22 pesos. Playing pitch-and-toss has at least a 50 percent chance of winning.
Many Filipinos won’t be able to finish primary education. Not for the lack of effort. Not for the lack of motivation. But mainly because their environment discourages them from dreaming.
When I was young, I shared with my friends my dreams. But, unfortunately, they thought I was too arrogant to believe that I can enter high school.
Yes, education is free. But students have to spend money every day on food and transportation. In addition, we have to spend money on school materials and “projects”. And we did not have money to spend.
I was one of those who topped the entrance exam. But our neighbors made fun of me when they found out that my section was Sampaguita. The sections were arranged in alphabetical order. But they were not aware the first sections were national symbols. Sampaguita was section 1.
I felt that nobody believed in me. It was a struggle.
Those who say that dreaming is free don’t much about dreaming. Dreaming will keep you awake at night. Dreaming, even when everyone around you has given up, keeps you going. Dreaming won’t allow you to rest until you win.
So I say, dare to dream. Work hard until you have exhausted everything that you can give for a day. Getting tired will help you sleep. It helps you also to look forward to the next day.
8. Write your story.
We get to write the story we want others to believe.
Lewis Howes
We tell ourselves stories we want to believe. Yet, as each day passes us by, very few can remember what happened yesterday, last week, or last year. I’ve been in this world for more than four decades, but I can only remember a few, most of which are struggles.
Yes, there were many victories too. But people don’t remember them.
As leaders, we have opportunities to inspire people and paint our vision. We can change our script and tell them our future story. We can tell stories of hope, inspiration, love, and prosperity.
We can watch things happen to us. We can be like a passenger to a bullet train that though we can reach far and wide, we won’t remember much of what’s in the journey. You don’t need to be in that bullet train.
We can live our lives to the fullest. We can create the future we care about. We can be aware. We can be present. We can be the authors of our stories.
9. Tomorrow is page 1.
Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.
Braid Paisley
One day, I will share this life quote with my son. If her mother can read this, I hope she’ll share it with him. If you are reading this, I am happy for you. I have long accepted that most of my relatives won’t be interested to read my blog. And I am not the only one who writes for one.
Jefferson Carlos often expresses disappointment when he fails to do something in a day. Usually, I tell him not to worry because there is always a tomorrow.
Well, there will always be a tomorrow. But no one promised us that we would be there when it comes. But JC is just six years old. He won’t understand.
There is another way.
If you are thinking of changing your life and creating the life you deserve, there is another way of looking into a new tomorrow.
Tomorrow is page 1 of your new life. There is always an opportunity to change your story. And this is why we must be grateful to rise from our bed when new tomorrow comes.
We have the chance to change the script. We have the opportunity to write a new story.
So went tomorrow comes, do not hesitate. Do not procrastinate. Finish your page number 1. Give it your best shot because giving your best shot ensures that you write your page 2 the next day.
10. Never quit.
You can never quit. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.
Ted Turner
Okay. I am ready to quit a lot of things in my life. One of the reasons people do not get what they want is that they don’t know when to stop. So it is okay to quit.
It is okay to quit watching Netflix four, six, or twelve hours a day. None of the TV series can help me fulfill my dreams. I will be able to get a good life for my family if I did produce those series – or I was the star. But no, I am spending hours on something that will give me zero centavos and make me pay dearly.
It is okay to quit spending hours on Facebook. It is nice to know what’s happening to people. But today, FB is the arena of scammers, propagandists, trolls, and liars. You won’t know what’s real and what’s not. People want to earn more money and attention. If you are not in that game, it is okay to quit Facebook and social media at all.
Of course, I want to help people. I can do that without having to waste my time with fanatics and minions. So, I spend time each day meeting real people.
It is okay to quit vices that turn our opportunities into ashes.
It is okay to quit on subscriptions you are not using. You don’t have to hear or see or know everything. It is okay to miss out on many things in this life. That means that I will have more room for things that matter to me.
But I won’t quit on my principles and my values. I won’t quit on my dreams. I won’t quit on my family. I won’t quit on my country. These are non-negotiable.
Never quit on the good life.
11. Throw your best punch.
You throw your best punch. Otherwise, don’t do it.
Dan Rickles
I tell myself that I must give my best every time I am speaking. A lot of people are looking for opportunities to learn something. So, I summoned all my energy to give everything I’ve got.
But throwing your best punch, I later realized is not something that you do only when you are in the ring trying to win a prize.
I’ve got to get myself in the best shape and prepare myself to give my best punch. I must practice before each speaking engagement. I need enough sleep. I need to enjoy life with my family. I need friends. I need them all if I were to give my best punch.
We cannot be half-hearted about life. We cannot second-guess ourselves. Whatever we do, we must give out our best punch.
12. Timing is everything.
Think of your priorities not in terms of what activities you do, but when you do them. Timing is everything.
Dan Millman
There is a time for everything. That’s what I got from the Bible. We can also observe it all around us.
I talk about doing one thing at a time. But not just one thing; one must do the most important thing. And this can be subject to many interpretations.
A workaholic, for example, may think that work is the most important thing to do. A religious person may consider spiritual activities to be the most important. Our station in life influences what we think is essential.
On the other hand, someone may interpret this as a reason for dilly-dallying. I know of many people who have to wait for the right time forever. Someone I know said that timing is everything.
It says we don’t set priorities on the activities but when to do them. And I don’t see it from the eyes of people who “wait for the right time.”
Today is the right time. But I must choose what I must do for this time.
When you are with the family and go out for family time, that is the right time for family, not work. Of course, a million pesos is valuable, but so is resting.
There is a time for everything. So we set priorities based on what’s most important to do at this very time.
May this life quote teach you how to manage your time.
13. Box.
Some think out of the box. Others think inside the box. I say you can think as if there is no box.
Jef Menguin
14. Practice it.
Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.
Anton Chechov
15. Only I can.
Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.
Carol Burnett
16. Morning brings new potential.
Every morning brings new potential, but if you dwell on the misfortunes of the day before, you tend to overlook tremendous opportunities.
Harvey Mackay
Do you greet each morning with joy?
Every morning is an opportunity to do what you have not done before. Many of us regret things we have not done. That’s because we procrastinate. We feel that there’s always tomorrow.
We know that’s not true. Tomorrow is not promised to everyone. But every morning, we are given the second chance to do what we have not done before. We must take every chance we get to do things we have not done before.
Or we can also take every morning as a new chance to start something we have not thought about before. Today is not the same as yesterday. We have grown. We are actually different people, whether we know it or not.
Every morning is an opportunity to do better than yesterday’s best. We can make breakthroughs through follow-through. That is what personal excellence is all about, right? You can create your super-duper life by doing what’s better than best.
You can choose to do all these every morning.
17. Once is enough.
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
Mae West
I think we can live thousands of lives. No, this has nothing to do with religion. It is more philosophical than anything. But I do agree with Mae West. We must live our life right.
I have procrastinated a lot. That’s my biggest regret. There were things I wished I have done, but I won’t be able to bring back the time. So, I won’t waste any moment on regrets.
I will pay attention to what I have now. I want to do what I’ve got to do today.
This life quote is powerful. So, please stay with me.
Living only once, I feel does not really mean, one lifetime. Most people live until 50, and very few go above a century. Some people die at 15, others at 10. So, there is no way we can measure a full life.
Each day can be a measure of life. We can live thousands of days, and thousands of lives.
Though I might live a thousand more days, now is the only life I have. I must live right, now.
18. I live life my way.
If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.
Rick Riordan
I won’t tell you how to live your life. Whatever you do is your choice.
In truth, none of us know how others must live their lives. Some parents of course want their children to take a particular course, or live in a way that won’t embarrass them. They tell you how to do this and how to do that.
But even the best of us are often lost.
When I was learning how to drive a car, I remember my instructor had to dictate every move I must make. I felt like an idiot. But he loves shouting at me how to drive even when we’re at full stop.
The only for you to experience the fullness of life is to live it your way.
Make no mistake about this. I am not telling you not to listen to anyone. Often, people have good intentions when they tell us how to live our lives. Listen to them. But don’t allow their voices to confuse you. At the end of the day, you have to make the choice.
Keep driving your life your way.
19. Life is worth living.
Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.
Henry James
I know that life is worth living. Being with my family is a God’s gift that I enjoy each day. But it wasn’t always like this.
When I was in Camotes, I didn’t know much about life. I play non-stop. I got home only when I was hungry or when it was getting dark. I was eight.
When my mother brought me to Quezon City, I learned that life was a day-to-day existence. Life was a struggle. I could not understand everything. I only knew that we were poor, and a few people were rich.
I am not sure at what age I learned to dream of a better life. But at a very young age, I decided to live a life worth living.
Wherever you are and whatever you do, believe that your life is worth living. Believe that you can create the life that you want.
20. Life is the flower.
Life is the flower for which love is the honey.
Victor Hugo
Love makes the world go round. I keep on hearing this line and every time I get the sense that the only reason why we exist is love.
Victor Hugo must have seen something in the flowers that I didn’t see.
I do admire the flower for its colors and fragrance. I planted flowering plants in my front yard not only for their beauty but because they attract butterflies too. Butterflies taught me valuable lessons about life.
Butterflies go for the honey.
We can also live for love.
It is easy to find what’s wrong with the world. Two persons who talk about politics and religion, even though they like each other, will soon find disagreements. Because what brings us together is neither of these.
Life is worth living because we love.
Why I Write About Life Quotes
These 20 life quotes are my personal favorite. Notice that most of them are short but meaningful.
Number 13 came from me. I realized that a lot of consultants talk about thinking out of the box. They encourage us to be creative and imagine new possibilities. I imagined that there is no box. I imagine that we can create limitless possibilities.
I hope these life quotes opened your eyes to the idea that we can create and design the life that we want. Though not everything is in our control, there are things that we can control – and that is more important.
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