200 INSPIRING PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT QUOTES TO LIVE BY

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In a world where there are so many factors that can demotivate and discourage you to loathe life, words which are free can help to uplift and put you in a place where you can view things from an entirely different perspective.

Because of how powerful and life changing words are, I have put together in this post a collection of amazing personal development quotes that can be used as mantras and guidance to propel you towards your life goals and aspirations.

Most of the quote I have listed out here are my personal favourites which I came across during my readings and some social media handles. Some of which I didn’t write down the name of the authors, but I’m still going to share them anyways.

I am glad to share them with you all because it resonates deeply with our personal growth journey and becoming a better version of ourselves that we all strive to be.

white red hair lady practicing journaling while lying down on a white bed

Research has shown that people who engage themselves in positive talks and healthy affirmations are far more likely to advance in their psychological and mental well-being and generally reduce stress in their lives.

Therefore, it is very safe to say that growth quote and affirmations are therapeutic and beneficial to our overall well-being.

Le’s get right into the list.

“Those who seek a better life must first become a better person” – Jim Rohn
“You don’t just wake up and become a butterfly. Growth is a process” – Rapi Kaur
“Whatever happens around you, don’t take it personally…Nothing other people do is because of you, it’s because of themselves.” – Miguel Ruiz
“The time is NOW. Stop hitting the snooze button on your life.” – Mel Robbins
“Everything is hard before it is easy.” – Goethe
“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying somewhere you don’t belong.”
“There is no failure. You either win or you learn”.
“Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it is possible. You can do it”.
“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out”.
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. It is about creating yourself”.
“Stop judging yourself. Stop judging others. Once we let go of the judgement, we free ourselves.
“Create your own opportunities. Do not wait for them to come to you.
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream – C. S. Lewis
“Be willing to fail because that’s the only way to move forward and make progress.
“Only you can turn your dreams into reality and you have everything to make it happen.
“Allow yourself to grow and change. Your future self is waiting for you.
“Be You, not Them
“When you are confident, people become confident in you.
“Don’t rush the process, good things take time.
“Remember if you play small, you stay small. It’s Okay to want more, do more and be more.
“Focus on the essentials and get rid of everything else
“Be proud of yourself for how far you’ve come and never stop pushing to be the best you can be.
“Have the courage to live life the way you want to
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.
“Excuses are nothing more than a reason to fail
“Everything you want are on the other side of fear – Jack Canfield
“Do not wait around for someone else’s approval. All you need is your own.
“Do not compare your insides with someone else’s outsides
“Everyday is a new opportunity to change your life
“You deserve the same outpouring of time, love and energy that you offer others. – Afam Uche
“The question is whether or not you choose to disturb the world around you, or if you choose to let it go on as if you had never arrived. – Ann Patchett
“Change is not a bolt of lightening that arrives with a zap. It is a bridge built brick by brick, everyday with sweat, humility and slips. It is hard work and slow work, but it can be thrilling to watch it take shape. – Sarah Hapola
“There is no one else exactly like you, and that is a good thing.
“Stop overthinking things and just do it.
“The journey is part of the journey. Everyone goes through it. Keep going and don’t give up.
“If you talk about it, it’s a dream. If you envision it, it is possible. But if you schedule it, it is real – Tony Robbins
“Doing what you love is never a waste of time
“God doesn’t bless us just to make us happy. He blesses us to make us a blessing. – Warren Wiersbe
“You dimming your lights is not doing anyone any favors, especially not yourself. It is your time to shine.
“You can only get better through action and practice
“It is not always about the destination, enjoy the journey.
“You start living the moment you decide your life is yours and not anyone else’s
“Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but doesn’t take you anywhere.
“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.
“If you don’t decide, someone else will make the decision for you.
“The two things in life you are in total control over are your attitude and your effort. – Billy Cox
“Show up everyday for something you believe in; Your dreams.
“When you say Yes to others, make sure you’re not saying No to yourself.
“Choose people who will lift you up. Find people who will make you better – Michelle Obama
“Failing is a crucial part of success. Every time you fail and get back up, you practice perseverance, which is the key to life. Your strength comes in your ability to recover – Michelle Obama.
“Success is not final. Failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts – Winston Churchill
“An inch of movement is better than a mile of intentions
“Listen to your intuition. It is on your side.
“Make yourself proud one habit at a time.
“If anyone needs to believe in your dreams, it is you. It has always been you.
“Imagine what’s possible once you stop doubting yourself.
“Be proud, but never stop improving yourself”
“Choose what makes your heart bloom”
“If not now, then when?”
“Grow so you can glow”.
“The best way to get something done is to begin”
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others”. – Maya Angelou
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities” – Stephen Covey
“Not all storm comes to disrupt your life, some come to clear path”
“A man is not old until regrets take the place of your dreams” – John Barrymore
“Not everyday is a good day but you have to keep moving”
“The wound is the place where the light enters you” – Rumi
“Being positive in a negative situation is not naïve, it is leadership”.
“There will never be a perfect time. Do it today”.
“Getting organized is a sign of self respect” – Gabrielle Bernstein
“It is going to be hard, but hard is not impossible”
“A woman who knows what she brings to the table is not afraid to eat alone”.
“You can’t be committed to your dreams and your comfort zone”.
“Don’t make change too complicated, just begin”.
“Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fail”
“When you feel a longing for something deep in you, view that as your soul trying to come back to itself. Make space for it and see where it takes you” – Cory Muscara
“Not being willing to let go of a life that we like is often the reason we don’t have a life that we love” – Cory Muscara
“The no 1 reason people self sabotage is because they lack self worth, but knowing that doesn’t change anything” – Andie Colleen
“Self-worth is our own internal perception of how valuable we are as a human being. Underneath all of our fears causing us to self sabotage, the thing we fear the most is that we are not valuable at all” – Andie Colleen
“You may not always end up where you thought you were going, but you will always end up where you are meant to be”.
“The reason I resist letting go is because it feels like everything will spiral out of control. And yet, when I trust the process, I always find more solid ground on the other side”.
“Life simple, everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it…it is just easier if you do” – Byron Katie
“Train yourself to find the blessing in everything”

“Sometimes, you need to be willing to let go of something old to grab onto something new”. – Lisa Nichols
“There is no better investment than investing in yourself”.
“It is far more likely that a lack of self-discipline, rather than motivation is holding you back. Motivation is just a single moment of hype. It is the thought of taking action, quick surge of inspiration, or a cool video, quote, or speech that fires you up temporarily. Discipline is a character trait that gets you up when you’re tired, helps you take action when you don’t feel like it, and acts as a constant reminder in the back of your head as to WHY you’re doing this in the first place”. – Cody Mcbroom
“Stop reacting to everyone and everything. People who can trigger your emotions have power over you. Choose wisely who you give power to”.
“Don’t try to control everything, because you can’t. The only thing you can control is how you react to things. Staying calm is a superpower of the strong”.
“Ghost everyone and focus on yourself. I compete with no one. I have no desire to play the game of being better than anyone. I am simply trying to be better than the person in was yesterday”.
“When you’ve worked so hard to grow into the person you are now. You should not let the petty things resurrect the version of you that you worked hard to heal”.
“Giving up on the entire day or week just because something didn’t go as planned or to your ideal standard is like getting a flat tire and then slashing the other three”.
“Everything you want to do, it all starts with you. It’s you versus you. So stop comparing yourself with others. Compare yourself with who you were yesterday. Be proud of who you are and all of the progress you’ve made. Remember, success starts with you and you alone”.
“When you hold yourself to a higher standard, your entire life rises to meet it”.
“Kill your ego if you love them” – Vincent E.
“Hope is everywhere. Some problems are bigger than you, but that’s why you’re here. It’s meant to challenge you. Don’t give up just yet. Power through it and you’ll thank yourself for not quitting”.
“Sometimes things don’t work out, not because you don’t deserve it, but because you deserve so much more”.
“In order to be knowledgeable in these changing times, we must pursue a constant program of self-improvement, a never-ending journey into new fields of knowledge and learning” – Og Mandino
“Learn to work harder on yourself than your job” – Jim Rohn
“We are all self-made, but only the successful will admit it.” – Earl Nightingale
“Men are so anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.” – James Allen
“Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude toward us” – John N. Mitchell
“It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision” – Helen Keller
“I dream my painting and then I paint my dreams” – Vincent Van Gogh
“We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them” – Albert Einstein
“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation” – Herman Melville
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty”. – Winston Churchill
“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The sun rays do not burn until brought to a focus” – Alexander Graham Bell
“We don’t just sit around and wait for other people. We just make and we do” – Arlan Hamilton
“Try not to be a man of success, but rather a man of value” – Albert Einsten
“You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction” – George Lorimer
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity” – Amelia Earhart
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela
“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground” – Theodore Roosevelt
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That is why we recommend it daily” – Zig Ziglar
“Work until your bank account looks like a phone number” – Unknown
“Life is like a sewer…what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” – Tom Lehrer
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” – Michael Jordan
“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.”- Dalai Lama
“Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” – Chris Grosser
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot
“Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.” – Les Brown
“Do what you can with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.” – William James
“One of the differences between some successful and unsuccessful people is that one group is full of doers, while the other is full of wishers.” – Edmond Mbiaka
“You cannot plow a field by turning it over in your mind. To begin, begin.” – Gordon B. Hinckley
“Mondays are the start of the work week which offers new beginnings 52 times a year!” – David Dweck
“Be miserable or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice” – Wayne Dyer
“Inspiration doesn’t exist, but it must find you working”. – Pablo Picasso
“Don’t settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had” – Angela Bassett
“Don’t look at your feet to see if you are doing it right. Just dance” – Anne Lamott
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago” – Warren Buffet
“True freedom is impossible without a mind made free by discipline.” – Mortimer J. Adler
“Small is not just a stepping stone. Small is a great destination itself.” – Jason Fried
“The only one who can tell you “you can’t win” is you, and you don’t have to listen.” – Jessica Ennis
“Set your goals high and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson
“Take your victories, whatever they may be, cherish them, use them, but don’t settle for them.” – Mia Hamm
“Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it…once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.” – Steve Jobs
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” – Mark Twain
“If you can’t yet do great things, do small things in a great way.” – Napoleon Hill
“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” – Jim Rohn
“Live out of your imagination, not your history.” – Stephen Covey
“Do not wait for the perfect time and place to enter, for you are already onstage.” – Unknown
“The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it.” – Epicurus
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.” – Mary Anne Radmacher
“Fear of what other people will think is the single most paralyzing dynamic in business and in life. The best moment of my life was the day I realized that I no longer give a damn what anybody thinks. That’s enormously liberating and freeing, and it’s the only way to live your life and do your business.” – Cindy Gallop
“Worry is misuse of imagination.” – Unknown
“Courage is the most important of virtues because without courage, you cannot practice any other virtue consistently.” – Maya Angelou
“A year from now, you will wish you had started today.” – Unknown
“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highest reel.” – Steve Furtick
“If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” – Erica Jong
“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall
“Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.” – Carrier Fisher
“The swiftest way to triple your success is to double your investment in personal development.” – Robin Sharma
“Don’t go through life, grow through life.” – Eric Butterworth
“We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” – Oprah Winfrey
“While you are doubting yourself, someone else is admiring your strength.” – Unknown
“Despite how open, peaceful and loving you attempt to be, people can only meet you as deeply as they’ve met themselves.” – Matt Kahn
“You become a master of your life when you learn how to control where your attention goes. Value what you give your energy and time to.” – Unknown
“When things change inside you, things change around you.” – Unknown
“People who live far below their means enjoy a freedom that people busy upgrading their lifestyle can’t fathom.” – Naval Ravikant
“Each time you choose to respond instead of react, you choose growth. You choose the future. Because to react is to re-act your past, but to respond is to behave like the person you’re becoming.” – Unknown
“Become so emotionally healthy that you bring out the best in those around you.” – Unknown
“A big red flag is when someone can’t spend time alone. If they feel lost when no one is around or when they are not in a relationship, then they are deeply disconnected from themselves. The danger here is they will use your presence to avoid dealing with the issues, this makes your time together unstable.” – Yung Pueblo
“Once you realize the power of the tongue, you won’t say just anything. When you realize the power of your thoughts, you won’t entertain just anything. And once you figure out the power of your presence, you won’t be just anywhere.” – Alex J. Martin
“Sometimes later becomes never…do it NOW!” – Meredith Vanness
“Mindset is everything. The way you look at the world is how it appears. Telling yourself you are capable, confident, and going to crush the day with kindness not only lets you change your world but the world of everyone around you.” – Cory Allen
“Not everything you loose is a loss. Some things are a freedom. Some things are a second chance. Some things are a miracle in disguise. Some things are a detachment long-needed, a clarity brought to blurry eyes. Some things are an intervention, some things are an unexpected answer to a long chanted prayer. Some things are a healing, some things are becoming.” – Brianna Wiest
“Awakening is not changing who you are, but discarding who you are not.” – Joni Patry
“You know the work is paying off when you notice yourself feeling comfortable while exceeding the limits you used to put on yourself.” – Cory Allen
“Your wound may not be your fault…but your healing is your responsibility.” – Unknown
“If you don’t like where you are…MOVE. You are not a tree.” – Coach Holly
“If self-doubt can shift how you feel, the reverse is also true. When you feel doubt, flip over to self-belief. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Doing this will keep your mindset strong and give you the power to keep thriving.” – Cory Allen
“Self worth isn’t in knowing that people like you. It is knowing that you like you whether other people like you or not.” – Hazel Satija
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit!” – Banksy
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first” – Unknown
“Everyone is making it up as they go, even if it looks like they have a plan. The sooner you accept that’s true, the sooner you’ll be able to stop second guessing yourself, start trusting in your abilities and flow into the future with self-belief.” – Cory Allen
“When you truly stand up for yourself and set boundaries, anything you lose wasn’t meant for you in the first place.” – Mike Spivey
“Remember to forget all the noise and do one thing that will make your life better today.” – Cory Allen
“Reframing your perspective is a powerful move. When you feel stuck or resistant, pause and look for the upside. Shifting your thinking from ‘I have to do this’ to ‘I get to do this’ engage curiosity. This turns every experience into a chance for growth, wisdom and understanding.” – Cory Allen
“Serenity comes when you trade expectations for acceptance.” – Unknown
“If you ever catch yourself judging another woman living her best life, her confidence, her self expression, what she posts, the way she dresses. It’s not her, it’s you. Time to work on yourself.” – Tiffany Breazeale
“The only way to pass through life without receiving criticism is actually to do nothing at all. Regardless of the path you take, there will be someone looking to inflict criticism upon you.” – Unknown
“The greatest adventures often lie within ourselves.” – John Strelecky
“The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.” – Confucius
“I know you can’t see all the pieces right now, but your life is working itself out.” – Unknown
“If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.” – Confucius
“You deserve to take up space.” – Unknown
“We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.” – Marcel Proust
“Self-awareness unlocks the doorway to self-mastery. Becoming so present we can observe our thoughts, feelings, and actions in every moment. Doing so allows us to take ownership of our lives. It provides an array of new choices. It empowers us to be completely genuine, thoughtful and loving.” – Robert Gerhauser
“You cannot be fully open to accept what you deserve when you simultaneously accept what you don’t want. Stop renegotiating your boundaries and compromising your self worth.” – Laura St John
“Time flows away like the water in the river.” – Confucius
“You become rich in your mind long before you become rich in your bank account.” – Unknown
“Teach people how to treat you. People will push your boundaries to learn what you’ll tolerate. Build your boundaries and own your worth.” – Fabian Cowdrey
“The world treating you badly is not an excuse to treat yourself badly.” – Unknown
“What I have found is, each year gets better. I can say this for myself because every year I have become more self-aware. This enables me to analyze myself more as a person who has been through many experiences and that helps me in all facets of my life.” – Ralph Dibugnara
“Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it.” – Confucius
“For the next thirty days speak of yourself and to yourself as if you were your best friend and mentor.” – Remi Pearson