Jana Field
Nov 21, 20226 min
Updated: Oct 19, 2023
Do you find yourself struggling to stay inspired when life seems to be conspiring against you? Everyone I speak to at the moment is facing numerous challenges and the current global events aren't helping either. It also doesn’t help that we’re hitting the “end of the year” sprint with low levels of endurance!
How do you find the energy to stay motivated and inspired to achieve your goals and dreams when your zest for life is zapped? It certainly helps to get a good night’s sleep, get in some exercise, and eat a healthy diet.
But, what I find inspires me is to read inspirational quotes from people who have been “there” and know what it’s like to hit a slump when life gets overwhelming.
Here’s my list of 21 motivational quotes that inspire me to keep going when life gets tough. I use them to remind me why I want to push through the challenges. They also help me to up my zest for life so I can sustain myself on the days when all I want to do is call it quits!
Professional Basketball Player, considered one of the greatest all-around players in the history of basketball.
At the age of two years old, Helen Keller became blind and deaf. She could have given up on life. Instead, she chose to fight and as a result, has achieved many amazing things.
The author of the famous book, “The Alchemist”, Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian writer who continues to inspire others with his spiritual messages and writings.
An American software engineer and businesswoman, Marissa Mayer played an instrumental role in developing Google Inc. in its early years. After a stint as CEO of Yahoo!, she’s recently launched a consumer apps start-up called Sunshine.
Wayne Dyer was well-known self-help and spiritual writer who became an inspiring motivational speaker. His first book, “Your Erroneous Zones”, has sold over 100 million copies making it one of the best-selling books ever. He became known as the “Father of the modern self-help movement” and spent his first 10 years as a child living in various orphanages and children's homes.
An American attorney who served alongside President Barack Obama as First Lady for the United States from 2009 to 2017, Michelle Obama also wrote the inspiring book, “Becoming”, in 2018.
Recognized as one of the pioneers in the era of personal computers, Steve Jobs was a visionary who was raised by adoptive parents. He was passionate about Buddhism and raised his own funds to take a pilgrimage to India as a youngster. He was famous for launching groundbreaking products such as the iPhone and iPod.
Short and sweet but so thrilling at the same time!
The author of the fantasy series “Throne of Glass”, Sarah J. Maas has also written “A Court of Thrones” and “Roses” series. Her latest books are the “Crescent Cities” series. The author has sold over 12 million copies of her books to date.
Born in 1975, Germany Kent went on to become an American print and broadcast journalist. She’s authored 10 non-fiction books including “You Are What You Tweet.”
A Chilean writer, Isabel Allende became well-known for her books that contain the magical realms genre. Her books, “The House of the Spirits” and “The City of the Beasts” have both been successful.
Mentor to Anthony Robbins, Jim Rohn was a self-made millionaire by the time he was 31 years old. He was an author and motivational speaker who believed in self-discipline being the key to success.
Known for her radical and innovative approach to life, Cindy Gallop is a coach, business consultant, and keynote speaker. She’s all about changing the world for the better and was the founder of IfWeRanTheWorld and MakeLoveNotPorn.
While Carl Sagan contributed to the research of planetary atmospheres, he was well-known for popularizing astronomy. His interest in the possibility of life beyond Earth caused controversy in his circle. He was responsible for selecting the Mars landing sites for the Viking probes.
Read my article and learn more about what it takes to be vulnerable. Only then can you learn to embrace your own vulnerability while realizing it's your strength and NOT your weakness.
One of the shamanic principles is “NOW is the moment of power” and this message is reinforced constantly by the author of “The Power of Now”, Eckhart Tolle. Born in Germany, he is a spiritual teacher and author whose self-help books have inspired millions to grow themselves for the better.
After spending a long time alone in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, John Kehoe began to teach people the power of the mind. He developed his Mind Power program in 1978 and has also authored books such as “Mind Power into the 21st Century.”
An inspiring woman, Oprah Winfrey needs very little introduction. But, she continues to set an example for many women (and men) with her inspiring and motivational TV shows.
I’ve always believed life is an adventure and instead of getting mired down in the muck, we can choose to rise above it all and have fun. This is what I keep reminding myself every day when the muck does threaten to swallow me up.
And, then I remember all those who have gone before me and those who are never giving up today and I say to myself, over and over again, “Life is an adventure so you may as well have fun while you’re at it!”
This post was originally published on October 26th, 2021 and updated on November 21st, 2022.