Determination Quotes
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.”
-Tommy Lasorda
“You don’t have to get it perfect; you just have to get it going. Babies don’t walk the first time they try, but eventually they get it right.”
-Jack Canfield
“In racing, they say that your car goes where your eyes go. The driver who cannot tear his eyes away from the wall as he spins out of control will meet that wall; the driver who looks down the track as he feels his tires break free will regain control of his vehicle.”
-Garth Stein
“The wishbone will never replace the backbone.”
-Will Henry
“Success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when you’re tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.”
-Robert Strauss
“The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t.”
-Henry Ward Beecher
“Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes.”
-Benjamin Franklin
“The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.”
— Roger Bannister
“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.”
– Johann von Goethe
“Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.”
—Louis “Lou” Holtz
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
“There’s no substitute for hard work.”
-Thomas Edison
“Energy & persistence conquer all things.”
—Benjamin Franklin
“Some succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.”
—Henry van Dyke
“Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.”
—Kobe Bryant
“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal, you do not change your decision to get there.”
—Zig Ziglar
“Success is not the absence of failure; it’s the persistence through failure.”
—Aisha Tyler
“Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement.”
—Matt Biondi
“Every great story happened when someone decided not to give up.”
—Spryte Loriano
“If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.”
—Tom Hanks
“We must remember that one determined person can make a significant difference, and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history.”
-Sonia Johnson
“Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.”
-Abraham Lincoln
“Whatever we vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.”
-Mary Kay Ash
“Little by little one walks far.”
-Peruvian Proverb
“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins- not through strength but by perseverance.”
-H. Jackson Brown
“Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.”
-Sir Winston Churchill
“We are made to persist. That’s how we find out who we are.”
-Tobias Wolff
“Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen.”
-Horace Mann
“You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things—to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.”
– Sir Edmund Hillary
“Smile at the obstacle, for it is a bridge.”
—Medusa
“What we accomplish in the marathon of life depends tremendously on our grit—our passion and perseverance for long-term goals.”
—Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth
“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find that the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
-Thomas Jefferson
“The key of persistence opens all doors closed by resistance.”
—John Di Leme
“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”
—Ella Wheeler Wilcox
“You are a match for your mountain.”
—Danielle Doby
“Patience and tenacity of purpose are worth more than twice their weight of cleverness.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it or work around it.”
—Michael Jordan
“Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”
—Bill Bradley
“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.”
—Dwayne Johnson
“Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.”
—Orison Swett Marden
“You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.”
-George Lorimer
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”
-Colin Powell
“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
“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
-Albert Einstein
“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”
-James N. Watkins
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
-Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
“Working hard is important. But there is something that matters even more: believing in yourself.”
-Harry Potter
“Work ethic is important because, unlike intelligence, athleticism, charisma, or any other natural attribute, it’s a choice.”
– Mike Rowe
“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”
-Roy Disney
“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”
-Franklin D Roosevelt
“A resolute determination is the truest wisdom.”
-Napoléon I
“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
-Dale Carnegie
“There’s only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything.”
—Vince Lombardi
“The most essential factor is persistence—the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by discouragement.”
—James Whitcomb Riley
“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or leading to do.”
—Pelé
“If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you dont, you have achieved half your failure.”
– David V.A. Ambrose
“Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.”
—Les Brown
“What is grit? Grit is refusing to give up. It’s persistence. It’s making your own luck.”
—Peter Diamandis
How can you use Quotes?
- Start a discussion: Quotes can start a discussion about a character trait at the beginning of a meeting or the dinner table. You can ask questions about what it means, how they have seen the trait demonstrated in their own lives, or how they can develop it themselves.
- Provide a model: Quotes can provide a model of good character. When you read a quote from a famous person or historical figure, you show that people they admire also value the same character traits.
- Use quotes as writing/journal prompts: Ask them to write a short essay about a quote to help them think more deeply about its implications for their lives.
- Post quotes: You can post quotes where they will be seen/heard often – classroom, breakroom, lobby, dining room, email signatures, video bulletin boards, morning announcements, social media, etc.
- Read quotes aloud: You can read quotes aloud to your children during mealtimes, bedtime, or any other time you spend together.
- Make it fun: You can make it even more fun by incorporating games, activities, or crafts. Let children decorate signs with the quotes to hang in the classroom or a bedroom door. Record children saying it and post it on social media.