150+ Quotes of the Day For Work to Motivate & Inspire You

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Humans like motivation, whether they admit it or not. Everyone has something that gets them going in today’s workplace. 

For you, motivation may come from quotes. A few words from Bill Gates, Maya Angelou, or Michael Jordan can change your perspective on work and life. Studies show that motivational quotes may be a good thing^{1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6224439/} for your self-esteem. Often when you uplift yourself, you also find ways to motivate others. 

Use a quote of the day for work from this list of 151 motivators, spanning humor, leadership, motivation, Teamwork, inspiration, and more.

Monday’s Short Quote of the Day for Work

Mondays can be a challenge for everybody, not just those named Garfield. But this day represents a new beginning. It’s time to gain a fresh outlook on your job and what you can accomplish this week. Mondays only need a little speaking, especially if you haven’t had your coffee. Use a short quote of the day for work to get you going.

1. “Make each day your masterpiece.” ―John Wooden

2. “You are enough just as you are.” ―Meghan Markle

3. “Dream big and dare to fail.” ―Norman Vaughan

4. “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” ―Oscar Wilde

5. “Happiness is not by chance but by choice.” ―Jim Rohn

6. “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” ―Oprah Winfrey

7. “A little progress each day adds up to big results.” ―Satya Nani

8. “The most wasted of days is one without laughter.” ―E.E. Cummings

9. “Definers belong to the definers, not the defined.” ―Toni Morrison

10. “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” ―President John F. Kennedy

11. “None but ourselves can free our minds.” ―Bob Marley

12. “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” ―Eleanor Roosevelt

13. “Skill is only developed by hours and hours of work.” ―Usain Bolt

14. “Procrastination makes easy things hard and hard things harder.” ―Mason Cooley

15. “Perfect is boring. Human is beautiful.” ―Tyra Banks

16. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” ―Jennifer Dukes Lee

17. “Whatever you are, be a good one.” ―Abraham Lincoln

18. “To be an overachiever, you have to be an over-believer.” ―Dabo Swinney

19. “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” ―Milton Berle

20. “Self-discipline is self-caring.” ―M. Scott Peck

21. “Impossible is for the unwilling.” ―John Keats

22. “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” ―Gail Devers

23. “There is no substitute for hard work.” ―Thomas Edison

24. “Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” ―Elbert Hubbard

25. “Every moment is a fresh beginning.” ―T.S. Eliot

26. “The future depends on what you do today.” ―Mahatma Gandhi

Watch our video below to learn 10 tips to improve your self-motivation:

Tuesday’s Quote of the Day for Work Motivation

What motivates you at work? Some people thrive on making an impact with their job, learning processes, and meeting new people. Everyone has a different way of shifting their brains into gear and boosting themselves to the next level. Finding motivation within yourself is integral to your growth as an employee and a human.

27. “You can’t have a million dollar dream with a minimum wage work ethic.” ―Zig Ziglar

28. “The sun himself is weak when he first rises and gathers strength and courage as the day gets on.” ―Charles Dickens

29. “The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.” ―Charles Kingsleigh

30. “The tragedy in life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.” ―Benjamin E. Mays

31. “Success only comes to those who dare to attempt.” ―Mallika Tripathi

32. “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” ―Walt Disney

33. “We have a strategic plan. It’s called doing things.” ―Herb Kelleher

34. “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” ―Charles R. Swindoll

35. “Magic is believing in yourself. If you can make that happen, you can make anything happen.” ―Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

36. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” ―Wayne Gretzky

37. “Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it away from you.”―Mark Cuban 

38. “Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star.” ―W. Clement Stone

39. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” ―Michael Jordan

40. “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” ―Anne Frank

41. “The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of, not the circumstances.” ―Unknown

42. “Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin. But you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” ―Harper Lee

43. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.” ―Dr. Seuss

44. “Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” —Wayne Dyer

45. “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” ―Jack London

46. “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” ―George Addai

47. “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” ―Stephen Covey

48. “We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” ―Marie Curie

49. “You will never plow a field if you only turn it over in your mind.” ―Unknown

50. “Strength shows not only in the ability to persist but in the ability to start over.” ―F. Scott Fitzgerald

51. “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” ―Dr. Robert Schuller

Wednesday Positive Quote of the Day for Work

Positivity in the workplace is essential—it keeps employees motivated and helps them enjoy their jobs more. Saying hello to everyone, putting a smile on your face, and making friendly gestures go a long way in improving morale around the office. Use these 25 positive quotes to uplift yourself and your coworkers.

52. “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” ―Michael Altshuler

53. “Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.” ―Walt Whitman

54. “Spread love wherever you go.” ―Mother Teresa

55. “You can be everything. You can be the infinite amount of things that people are.” ―Kesha

56. “I am experienced enough to do this. I am knowledgeable enough to do this. I am prepared enough to do this. I am mature enough to do this. I am brave enough to do this.” ―Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

57. Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put sunglasses on.” ―Lady Gaga

58. “If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely.” —Unknown 

59. “Be thankful for what you have, and you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ―Oprah Winfrey

60. “The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” ―Mark Twain

61. “There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” ―Amanda Gorman

62. “Rise above the storm, and you will find the sunshine.” ―Mario Fernandez

63. “The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind.” ―Ella Wheeler Wilcox

64. “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” ―President Theodore Roosevelt

65. “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” ―John Lennon

66. “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” —Marcus Aurelius

67. “Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it.” ―Albert Schweitzer

68. “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” ―Maya Angelou

69. “If you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining.” ―Guy Finley

70. “Your destiny is to fulfill those things upon which you focus most intently. So choose to keep your focus on that which is truly magnificent, beautiful, uplifting, and joyful. Your life is always moving toward something.” ―Ralph Marston

71. “A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour.” ―Unknown

72. “Not having the best situation but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness.” ―Marie Forleo

73. “When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It’s very simple.” ―Paulo Coehlo

74. “Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.” ―Alice Walker

75. “Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” ―Anthony J. D’Angelo

76. “Faith is love taking the form of aspiration.” ―William Ellery Channing

Quotes About Teamwork for Thursday

Teamwork makes the dream work. You’ve likely heard this phrase before, but it’s worth repeating. Michael Jordan didn’t win six championships alone—he did it with Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, and his other Chicago Bulls teammates.   

Use an inspirational quote of the day for work to motivate yourself and your colleagues. Building a team requires selflessness and chemistry, so read these 25 quotes about Teamwork for your organization. Check out our article: How to Build a Team and Promote Teamwork: 10 Essential Skills.

77. “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” ―Michael Jordan

78. “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” ―Phil Jackson

79. “You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.” ―Jim Stovall

80. “It takes two flints to make a fire.” ―Louisa May Alcott

81. “A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.” ―Simon Sinek

82. If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” ―Isaac Newton

83. “Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” ―Vince Lombardi

84. “The way to achieve your own success is to be willing to help somebody else get it first.” ―Iyanla Vanzant

85. “A group becomes teammates when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skills of the others.” ―Norman Shidle

86. “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life forever.” ―Amy Poehler

87. “Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the successes.” ―Unknown

88. “Learning, without any opportunities to share what we’ve learned, is a little like cooking for ourselves. We do it, but we probably won’t do it as well.” ―Mike Schmoker

89. “Teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.” ―Patrick Lencioni

90. “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” ―Henry Ford

91. “No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team.” ―Reid Hoffman

92. “None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.” ―Mother Teresa

93. “No individual can win a game by himself.” ―Pele 

94. “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” ―President Harry Truman

95. “Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.” ―Oliver Wendell Holmes

96. “Alone, we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” ―Helen Keller

97. “One piece of log creates a small fire, adequate to warm you up. Add just a few more pieces to blast an immense bonfire, large enough to warm up your entire circle of friends; needless to say that individuality counts, but Teamwork dynamites.” ―Jin Kwon

98. “Teamwork is the secret that makes common people achieve uncommon results.” ―Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha

99. “Unity is strength. When there is Teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” ―Mattie Stepanek

100. “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” ―H.E. Luccock

101. “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” ―Ryunosuke Satoro

Friday’s Funny Quotes for Work

Laughter really is the best medicine. Writer G.K. Chesterton once said angels fly because they can take themselves lightly. On Fridays, anybody can use a laugh to end their work week.

Ending the day on a positive note improves workplace morale and can make somebody’s weekend—you never know when someone needs uplifting. Use a quote of the day for work funny enough to make your boss laugh.

102. “Television is not real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.” ―Bill Gates 

103. “Every day, I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.” ―Robert Orben

104. “The closest to perfection a person ever comes is when he fills out a job application form.​” —Stanley J. Randall

105. “Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They’re about to announce the lottery numbers.​” ―Homer Simpson

106. “Beat the 5 o’clock rush. Leave work at noon.” ―Unknown

107. “There’s no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting.​” —David Letterman

108. “The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.” —Robert Frost

109. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work” —Thomas Edison

110. “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible!'” —Audrey Hepburn

111. “If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito.” —Betty Reese

112. People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” —Zig Ziglar

113. “I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” —Lily Tomlin

114. If you had to identify in one word the reason why the human race has not achieved and never will achieve its full potential, that word would be ‘meetings.” —Dave Barry

115. “I work for myself, which is fun. Except when I call in sick, I know I’m lying.” —Rita Rudner

116. “I always arrive late at the office, but I make up for it by leaving early.” —Charles Lamb

117. “Why do people say they wish every day was Friday? If it was always Friday, we’d be here every day.” —Ed Bernard

118. “Work is the greatest thing in the world, so we should always save some of it for tomorrow.” —Don Herold

119. “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.” —Steven Wright

120. “I am an early bird and a night owl. So I am wise, and I have worms.” —Michael Scott

121. “When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the fire department usually uses water.” —Unknown

122. “Age is of no importance unless you’re a cheese.” —Billie Burke

123. “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” —Mark Twain

124. “My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far, I’ve finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.” —Dave Barry

125. ‘I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want them to move in with me.” —Phyllis Diller

126. “To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” —Reba McEntire

Leadership Quotes for Work

Leadership at work is a vital skill to have. Skilled leaders know how to bring out the best in their colleagues and push the team toward a common goal. One task leaders deal with is delegation. They may take an intricate part of a project, but dividing responsibility is critical for reducing stress^{2https://share.upmc.com/2019/08/managing-work-stress/} on themselves and everyone involved.

127. “The greatness of a leader is measured by the achievements of the led. This is the ultimate test of his effectiveness.” ―Gen. Omar Bradley

128. “I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” ―Ralph Nader

129. “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” ―Jack Welch

130. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” ―President John Quincy Adams

131. “If you want to improve the organization, you have to improve yourself. And the organization gets pulled up with you.” ―Indra Nooyi

132. “Great leaders can see the greatness in others when they can’t see it themselves and lead them to their highest potential they don’t even know.” ―Roy T. Bennett

133. “People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together.” ―Michelle Obama

134. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ―Maya Angelou

135. “Being a good listener is absolutely critical to being a good leader; you have to listen to the people who are on the front line.” ―Richard Branson 

136. “Leadership is the ability to guide others without force into a direction or decision that leaves them still feeling empowered and accomplished.” ―Lisa Cash Hanson

137. “Leadership is getting someone to do what they don’t want to do but to achieve what they want to achieve.” ―Tom Landry

138. “Great leaders do not fear challenges because challenges do not break leaders but sharpen them.” ―Gift Gugu Mona

139. “Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.” ―Oprah Winfrey

140. “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” ―Jimmy Dean

141. “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” ―John C. Maxwell

142. “Don’t tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.” ―George Patton

143. “Integrity is the most valuable and respected quality of leadership. Always keep your word.” ―Brian Tracy

144. “One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” ―Arnold Glasow

145. “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” ―Ralph Waldo Emerson

146. “Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire others to raise their own bar.” ―Orrin Woodward

147. “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” ―Sheryl Sandberg

148. “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” ―Sam Walton

149. “Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing.” ―Tom Peters 

150. “A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.” ―Arnold Glasow

151. “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are an excellent leader.” ―Dolly Parton

How to Use Motivational Quotes at Work

Sometimes, you and your coworkers only need one quote of the day for work motivation. These phrases reflect how some of the greatest minds overcame adversity and cemented the legacies you’ve learned through the years. A positive quote of the day for work is helpful, but how can you implement them? Here are some ideas for using them in your office:

• Customize coffee mugs with an inspirational quote of the day for work
• Create signs and office decor with motivational quotes
• Find a short quote of the day for work to share with your team daily
• Start with a positive quote of the day for work to set the tone
• Integrate quotes whenever you can, such as in meetings and presentations
• Use a quote of the day for work funny enough to help out sad or lackluster moods

Key Takeaways: Use Motivational Quotes to Find Inspiration

You know them as motivational quotes for a reason—when presented at the right time, a phrase or sentence can change your mindset and lead you to success. These quotes are beneficial whether you need that Monday pick-me-up or a funny Friday one-liner to end the work week.

You may need sentiments about Teamwork to get through a project. If you’re looking for inspiration on leadership, check out our guide on Servant Leadership 101: How to Be a Compassionate Leader.