Wise word for life

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I’ve spent 10,000+ hours researching the best quotes since 2004.

The topics?

• Happiness
• Wisdom
• Peace
• Life
• And many more

But only a few of these quotes were truly amazing.

The result?

83 life quotes that will transform your life (updated for 2023).

You’ll discover quotes by Buddha, Bruce Lee, Thoreau, Picasso, Einstein, Seneca, etc.

Enjoy!

Life is a mountain. Your goal is to find your path, not to reach the top. Maxime Lagacé

Meaning: You will find meaning in life by doing what YOU think is important, not what others say.

Believe you can and you’re halfway there. Theodore Roosevelt

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. Søren Kierkegaard

If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done. Bruce Lee

Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. Forrest Gump

Not how long, but how well you have lived is the main thing. Seneca

A happy life consists in the tranquility of mind. Marcus Tullius Cicero

The realization that life is absurd cannot be an end, but only a beginning. Albert Camus

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Three things in life – your health, your mission, and the people you love. That’s it. Naval Ravikant

Meaning: Society tells you most things are important in your life, but they are not. And only a handful are vital to the “good life.” Focus on them.

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life. Omar Khayyam

My life is my message. Mahatma Gandhi

Difficult and meaningful will always bring more satisfaction than easy and meaningless. Maxime Lagacé

Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. Marcus Aurelius

Change your thoughts and you change your world. Norman Vincent Peale

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. Confucius

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. Benjamin Franklin

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact. William James

Life is a book you write, not a movie you watch. Maxime Lagacé

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Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead. Charles Bukowski

Meaning: Be a little adventurous. Take little risks. Try something new. Spice up your life.

Don’t search for the meaning of life. Simply be present for the people you love. Maxime Lagacé

It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist)

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. Abraham Lincoln

Sing the song that only you can sing, write the book that only you can write, build the product that only you can build… live the life that only you can live. Naval Ravikant

You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching. William W. Purkey

Your goal in life is to find out the people who need you the most, to find out the business that needs you the most, to find the project and the art that needs you the most. There is something out there just for you. Naval Ravikant

I tell you, in this world being a little crazy helps to keep you sane. Zsa Zsa Gabor

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You are not what you want to be. You are what you do daily. Maxime Lagacé

Meaning: Having goals and dreams is fine. But you need consistent action each day to have an impact and make a change in your life.

Life gets better when you stop caring about everything. Maxime Lagacé

The trick in life is learning how to deal with it. Helen Mirren

The cost for the good life is giving up comfort. Maxime Lagacé

The first step to life is to try. The second is to learn. The third is to share. Maxime Lagacé

The mind is everything. What you think you become. Buddha

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. Helen Keller

Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. St. Augustine

If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things. Albert Einstein

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. Henry David Thoreau

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Lao Tzu

Life is from the inside out. When you shift on the inside, life shifts on the outside. Kamal Ravikant

Meaning: Everything you want in life: happiness, success, and connection, starts with self-understanding.

The unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates

Keep looking up… that’s the secret of life. Snoopy

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. Mae West

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. George Bernard Shaw

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Steve Jobs

Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom. George S. Patton

Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. Mark Twain

Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify. Henry David Thoreau

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Life is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde

Meaning: This life is precious, mysterious, and the only one you have. Accept it as it is. Say “yes” to life. Be happy now.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. Confucius

No person has the right to rain on your dreams. Martin Luther King Jr

The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams. Oprah Winfrey

Success isn’t about how your life looks to others. It’s about how it feels to you. Michelle Obama

Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood. Ralph Waldo Emerson

If life is a video game, the graphics are great, but the plot is confusing and the tutorial is way too long. Elon Musk

I’m always doing things I can’t do. That’s how I get to do them. Pablo Picasso

The purpose of life is to believe, to hope, and to strive. Indira Gandhi

No one can compete with you on being you. Most of life is a search for who and what needs you the most. Naval Ravikant

Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments. Rose Kennedy

Meaning: At the end of your life, you’ll remember one thing: the moments you’ve spent with the people you love. So cherish those. Create more moments.

Your life becomes meaningful in precise proportion to the depths of the responsibility you are willing to shoulder. Jordan Peterson

Cut yourself off from the past and the future and live in the present, and your life becomes a song and a dance. Osho

The chief danger in life is that you may take too many precautions. Alfred Adler

Life is sweeter when you have an attitude of gratitude. Dolly Parton (Source)

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples. Mother Teresa

Challenges, failures, defeats and ultimately, progress, are what make your life worthwhile. Maxime Lagacé

Related: 100+ Most Famous Quotes Of All Time

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Think new thoughts and you will change your mind. Change your mind and you will change your life. Maxime Lagacé

Meaning: A confused mind leads to a confused life. A happy mind leads to a happy life. So choose your thoughts wisely. And watch your life change.

Be willing to sacrifice what you think you have today for the life that you want tomorrow. Neil Strauss

The more silence you have in your life, the louder your work can be. Maxime Lagacé

The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can. Neil Gaiman

Your best life will not be found in comfort. It will be found in fighting for what you believe in. Maxime Lagacé

If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself. Rick Riordan

The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude. William James

Life is not a competition. It’s not about winning or losing. Life is about all the fun we have before it ends. Simon Sinek (Source)

Life is a question and how we live it is our answer. Gary Keller

Meaning: Ultimately, your life comes down to the choices you make. If you want a better life, make better choices.

Life is not accumulation, it’s about contribution. Stephen R. Covey

Life is a tree. Your mind is the roots and who you become is the fruits. Maxime Lagacé

The only way out is through. Robert Frost

Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. Annette Funicello

The ego wants comfort and certainty. The soul wants to live fully. Maxime Lagacé

Stop seeking today. You have all it takes to live a good life. You have your mind. Maxime Lagacé

Be pleasantly surprised by everything that happens. Life is more fun that way. Lex Fridman

Fear is going to be a player in your life, but you get to decide how much. Jim Carrey

Conclusion

A secret to life: Know that none of this matters, and yet… live as if every single moment does. Kamal Ravikant

Meaning: We must keep one simple thing in mind: we will not live forever. So give everything you have while you can. Life is short.

Key Takeaways

• Life is short, precious, and beautiful. Don’t waste it on petty things.
• Life is also hard, unfair, and sometimes incomprehensible. Don’t overthink it. Move forward.
• You don’t control most things that happen in your life. Focus on your attitude and your effort.
• Most things will seem urgent and important. Remember: most are not. Relax.
• Life gets better when you surround yourself with positive people.

Further Readings

• Topic: Life
• 117 Short Quotes That Will Inspire You (Fast)
• 100 One Word Quotes (For Quick Inspiration)
• 101 Two Word Quotes (Find Motivation And Inspiration)
• 120 Inspirational Quotes For Teens To Cheer Yourself Up
• 100 Inspirational Quotes For Women To Empower You
• 130 Inspirational Quotes For Men
• 87 Deep Quotes That Will Make You Think
• Thought of the Day – 150 Inspiring Quotes For Reflection
• Simple Living: 30 Ways To Simplify Your Life
• The Power Of Words – 3 Ways They Can Change Your Life
• 21 Life-Changing Questions To Ask Yourself Today
• 73 Life Tips To Live Your Best Life

I hope you appreciated these great quotes about life.

And remember: the “good life” is not about comfort and being busy. It’s about being healthy, peaceful, and well-surrounded.

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if you did like the quotes, please share them with one of your friends today!

Do you love life? What’s your favorite life quote? And remember: words can transform your life, if you find the right ones.

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They say that wisdom comes with age, and these wise sayings and wisdom quotes will give you better judgment and a sense of purpose in life.

We could all use a little more wisdom to help us make it through the day.

Tell us your favorite wise quote in the comment section below.

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According to a survey by Psychology Today, people who regularly read inspirational quotes and sayings report feeling more motivated and confident in achieving their goals.

Embracing wise sayings and quotes can provide a boost of encouragement and motivation to help you navigate life’s challenges.

What are the benefits of reading these wise quotes?

These quotes are from famous people, authors, and influential figures who we could all learn something from.

The wise words of others can help you:

• Learn from the mistakes of others
• Gain perspective from people who see things differently
• Make better choices

Learning from someone else’s wisdom can save us some heartbreak and help us make better decisions daily!

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration. 

If you enjoy this collection, check out our inspirational quotes category page.

Inspiring and wise sayings about life

A study by the University of Virginia found that reading quotes from famous leaders and thinkers can help boost creativity and critical thinking skills.

Engaging with wise sayings and quotes can expand your perspective and challenge your thinking, leading to personal growth and development.

1. “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

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2. “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi

Start with you. Start where you are. Changing the world is an exciting idea. Changing yourself makes it possible.

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3. “Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.”  ― Gautama Buddha

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4. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln

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5. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs

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6. “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” – Oprah Winfrey

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7. “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” – Voltaire

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8. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw

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9.  “You can never plan the future by the past.” — Edmund Burke

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10. “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” – Omar Khayyam

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11. “Sometimes it’s not enough to know what things mean, sometimes you have to know what things don’t mean.” ― Bob Dylan

Being wrong is just as powerful as being right. Sometimes, it’s even more powerful.

If you’re enjoying these quotes, read our collection of Bob Dylan quotes from the iconic Folk singer.

12. “You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.” ― Gautama Buddha

Once you’re angry, the harm is already done.

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13. “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

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14. “Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.” ―Rumi

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15. “Life is 10 percent what you make it, and 90 percent how you take it.” ―Irving Berlin

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16. “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” ― Plato

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17. “People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln

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18. “On every thorn, delightful wisdom grows. In every rill a sweet instruction flows.” – Edward Young

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19. “It’s not the load that weighs you down, it’s how you carry it.” – C.S. Lewis

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20. “All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don’t forget to also read these wise Uncle Iroh quotes celebrating his endless wisdom.

Wise sayings about life and living it to your best

Research by the University of Southern California shows that reading motivational quotes can lead to a more positive outlook on life and increased resilience in the face of adversity.

Incorporating wise sayings and quotes into your daily routine can help build a more positive mindset and give you the strength to overcome challenges.

21. “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” – Thomas Jefferson

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22. “Wise men make more opportunities than they find.” – Francis Bacon

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23. “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” — Robert Frost

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24. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde

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25. “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” – Soren Kierkegaard

26. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” – Mae West

27. “Life ought to be a struggle of desire toward adventures whose nobility will fertilize the soul.” – Rebecca West

28. “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” – Elbert Hubbard

29. “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” – Lou Holtz

30. “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” – Soren Kierkegaard

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of reality quotes aimed at helping you live your best life.

Wise sayings about life lessons

According to a study by the University of Warwick, reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%.

This statistic highlights how wise sayings, quotes, and phrases about life can be powerful tools for relaxation and reducing stress.

31. “If others tell us something we make assumptions, and if they don’t tell us something we make assumptions to fulfill our need to know and to replace the need to communicate. Even if we hear something and we don’t understand we make assumptions about what it means and then believe the assumptions. We make all sorts of assumptions because we don’t have the courage to ask questions.” ― Miguel Ruiz

The only thing worse than making assumptions is to believe them.

32. “Close some doors today. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they lead you nowhere.”―Paulo Coelho

33. “I am not someone who is ashamed of my past. I’m actually really proud. I know I made a lot of mistakes, but they, in turn, were my life lessons.” – Drew Barrymore

34. “You can’t live your life for other people. You’ve got to do what’s right for you, even if it hurts some people you love.” – The Notebook

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to check out our collection of The Notebook quotes from the movie.

35. “I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy. ” ― Anthony Robbins

Don’t let your pain stay as pain. Get something from it. Let your pain push you towards growth.

Wisdom doesn’t have to be bleak. Let your understanding help you recognize the unexplainable.

What is wisdom exactly? Wisdom is defined as, “the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement.”

If we’re lucky enough to have parents, mentors and advisors, then we have heard plenty of wise sayings and quotes about life.

We also know that you can’t just hear it once.

Life’s wisdom can often miss us because life moves so fast, that we have to practice standing still.

In many cultures and religions across the world, gaining wisdom is the ultimate goal.

Wisdom is seen as the highest form of understanding, which can lead you towards enlightenment.

Something I’ve learned in life is that my favorite quotes and sayings can often become principles to live by.

I hope these wise sayings about life can serve as guidelines for greater happiness, fulfillment, connection, and meaning.

Don’t forget to also read our collection of goal setting quotes that will inspire you to achieve and put you on the path to get there. And these words of wisdom that will get you inspired and uplifted.

Growing isn’t something that happens once. It happens again and again, and again!

36. “This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.”  ― Dalai Lama XIV
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to check out our collection of simple quotes that will help you live a simply beautiful life.

Life = Love

37. “No matter how much suffering you went through, you never wanted to let go of those memories.” ― Haruki Murakami

38. “Man is a mystery. It needs to be unravelled, and if you spend your whole life unravelling it, don’t say that you’ve wasted time. I am studying that mystery because I want to be a human being.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Everything you do and have done has gotten you closer to who you really are and who you aspire to be. So in essence, even if you disagree with what you have done, it was never time wasted.

39. “Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.” – Denis Waitley

40. “A wise man learns by the mistakes of others, a fool by his own.” – Latin Proverb

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Wise sayings to help us learn

A study by the University of Arizona found that reading literary fiction can increase empathy and emotional intelligence.

This shows how reading wise sayings and quotes can broaden one’s understanding of the human experience and promote personal growth.

41. “Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way.” – Al Franken

42. “A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.” ― Gautama Buddha

Words only go so far, we must live our message. Our true wisdom is displayed through our actions.

43. “The seat of knowledge is in the head, of wisdom, in the heart.” – William Hazlitt
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44. “People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.” – Harper Lee

45. “To be successful, you must act big, think big and talk big.” – Unknown

46. “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” – Mahatma Gandhi

47. “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” – Albert Einstein

48. “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” ― Gautama Buddha

Before you pour your love into someone else, fill yourself up first.

49. “We seldom realize, for example that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society.” ― Alan Wilson Watts

Let’s be mindful of what we identify with and hold on to. Many times we think, “That’s just who I am, that just what I think…” But the truth is, many things we think and desire are not our own. Since our childhood, we’ve been looking for attention and acceptance and most of the time that came from ‘following directions’. Take some time to think about how you think.

50. “The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.” – John C. Maxwell

Wise sayings to broaden your thoughts

​In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 88% of Americans believe that reading books can enhance a person’s knowledge and comprehension.

This demonstrates how wise sayings and quotes can be valuable sources of knowledge and insight.

51. “In order to be happy oneself, it is necessary to make at least one other person happy.”– Theodor Reik

52. “Everyone in life is gonna hurt you; you just have to figure out which people are worth the pain.” – Erica Baican

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53. “A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.” – Thomas Carlyle

54. “Forgiveness is the final form of love.” – Reinhold Niebuhr

55. “There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.”– Franklin D. Roosevelt

​56. “No one ever finds life worth living – one has to make it worth living.” – Winston Churchill

57. “Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.”– Les Brown

​58. “An unexamined life is not worth living.”– Socrates

59. “Life is much more fun if you live it in the spirit of play and collaboration, working with instead of against others.” – Wally Amos

​60. “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”– Vince Lombardi

61. “You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.” – Mary Tyler Moore

62. “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

63. “People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.” ​– Eleanor Roosevelt
If you’re enjoying these quotes, you’ll love our collection of experience quotes that will inspire you to live a fulfilled life.

64. “I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become.”– C.G. Jung

65. “Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn’t stop for anybody.”– Stephen Chbosky

Wise sayings and quotes to enlighten you

According to a report by the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is projected to become the leading burden of disease by 2030.

Wise sayings about life that emphasize resilience and perseverance may provide readers with a sense of hope and inspiration in difficult times.

66. “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of life changing quotes about love, life and death.

67. “Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive.” – Matt Cameron

68. “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

69. “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” – Theodore Roosevelt

70. “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” – Henry Ford

71. “Life is a question and how we live it is our answer.” – Gary Keller

72. “Today is life – the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto.” – Dale Carnegie

73. “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.” – Andre Gide

74. “Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.” – Les Brown

75. “Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” – Jack London

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Wise sayings about life that will move you

According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, 7 in 10 Americans have used a search engine to look up quotes or phrases about life or other topics.

This statistic highlights the popularity of wise sayings and suggests that readers may be interested in exploring the article for inspiration or guidance.

76. “Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life, no matter what may be one’s aim.” —John D. Rockefeller

77. “Don’t waste your time with explanations, people only hear what they want to hear.” – Paulo Coelho

78. “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain

79. “Each of us experiences defeats in life. We can transform defeat into victory if we learn from life’s whippings.” – Les Brown

80. “When a thing is done, it’s done. Don’t look back. Look forward to your next objective.” —George C. Marshall

81. “If we manage ego wisely, we get the upside it delivers followed by strong returns.” – Dave Marcum

82. “Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” —Henry Van Dyke

83. “Be wiser than other people, if you can; but do not tell them so.” – Lord Chesterfield

84. “There are three constants in life…change, choice and principles.” – Stephen Covey

85. “…just because we feel a certain way doesn’t make that feeling a fact. It only means that we feel that way. We must learn to press past our feelings.” – Joyce Meyer

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Wise sayings about life to encourage you

A study by the University of Exeter found that engaging with nature, including viewing natural images or spending time in green spaces, can improve well-being and reduce stress.

Wise sayings about life that reference nature or encourage readers to connect with the natural world could be particularly impactful in promoting positive emotions and reducing anxiety.

86. “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard but must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller

87. “I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense.”– Harold Kushner

88. “There is no life as complete as the life that is lived by choice.” – Shad Helmstetter

89. “Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments.” – Rose Kennedy

90. “Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.”– Vivian Komori

91. “Life is short, and truth works far and lives long: let us then speak the truth.” – Arthur Schopenhauer

92. “All teachings are mere references. The true experience is living your own life. Then, even the holiest of words are only words.”– Ming-Dao Deng

93. “Don’t search for the meaning of life. Simply be present for the people you love.” – Maxime Lagacé

94. “Each life is made up of mistakes and learning, waiting and growing, practicing patience, and being persistent.” – Billy Graham
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of mistake quotes about learning from error.

95. “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius

Wise sayings to brighten your day

According to research by the University of California, Berkeley, practicing gratitude can improve overall well-being, boost mood, and decrease symptoms of depression.

Sharing wise sayings about life that promote gratitude can encourage readers to adopt a more positive outlook on life.

96. “Even when you have doubts, take that step. Take chances. Mistakes are never a failure – they can be turned into wisdom.” – Cat Cora

97. “Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.”— Benjamin Disraeli

98. “Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use.” – Thomas J. Watson

99. “When we are in love we seem to ourselves quite different from what we were before.”— Blaise Pascal

100. “Think like a man of action and act like a man of thought.” – Henri Bergson

101. “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.”– Florence Nightingale

102. “A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can let alone.” – Henry David Thoreau

103. “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”– Abraham Lincoln

104. “Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.”— Eleanor Roosevelt

105. “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”– Richard Branson

You might also like these quotes on life lessons to help you move on.

Wise sayings to inspire success

A study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that people who regularly practice positive affirmations experience increased self-esteem and reduced symptoms of anxiety.

Wise sayings about life can serve as powerful positive affirmations, reminding readers of their worth and inspiring them to live their best lives.

106. “Life isn’t complicated if you don’t break your concentration on your true vision.” – Robert Randle

107. “Wake up to realities! Real life is all about real things!”― Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

108. “Life is like a roller coaster / you will have your ups and your downs / you just need to get over it.” – Angelina Sabia

109. “Be smart, not impulsive!”― Bohdi Sanders

110. “Life is too short to be little. You must enlarge your imagination and then act on it.” – Benjamin Disraeli

111. “It’s easier to be wise for others than for yourself.”― R.J. Lawrence

112. “Life is a lively process of becoming.” – Douglas Macarthur

113. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of listening quotes that express the importance of listening.

114. “If you do not have control over your mouth, you will not have control over your future.”― Germany Kent

115. “The art of love is largely the art of persistence.”– Albert Ellis

Wise sayings to elevate your thoughts

A study by the University of Texas at Austin found that reading literature can improve empathy and social perception skills, making individuals better able to connect with others and understand different perspectives.

Wise sayings about life can serve as a form of literature, helping readers develop their empathy skills and connect with others on a deeper level.

116. “Life is given to us / we earn it by giving it.” – Rabindranath Tagore

117. “Never let anyone put you in chains.”― Abhijit Naskar

118. “Life is a divine adventure.” – Lailah Gifty Akita

119. “A wise person says well what he or she thinks, but is wary of himself or herself and what he or she says.”― Lamine Pearlheart

120. “Every life is worthy and every life is capable of greatness. We have an obligation to make sure that opportunity for greatness is there.” – Condoleezza Rice

121. “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” – Scott Hamilton

122. “If you are what you eat, you are what you see and hear.”― E.A. Bucchianeri

123. “There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”– Friedrich Nietzsche

124. “The circumstances surrounding your birth is not as important as the opportunity to live life.”― Lailah Gifty Akita

125. “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”– William Shakespeare

You might also like these community quotes on living for others.

Wise sayings to live by

126. “Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.”― J.K. Rowling

127. “The weak are dominated by their ego, the wise dominate their ego, and the intelligent are in a constant struggle against their ego.”― Hamza Yusuf

128. “Laughter is poison to fear.”― George R.R. Martin

129. “I believe in only one thing, the power of human will.”― Joseph Stalin

130. “Dieting is the only game where you win when you lose!”― Karl Lagerfeld

131. “Be beautiful if you can, wise if you want to, but be respected – that is essential.”― Anna Gould

132. “I don’t fancy colors of the face, I’m always attracted to colors of the brain.”― Michael Bassey Johnson

133. “The choice to make good choices is the best choice you can choose. Fail to make that choice and on most choices you will lose.”― Ryan Lilly

134. “Like a missing tooth, sometimes an absence is more noticeable than a presence.”― Jodi Picoult

135. “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” – Audrey Hepburn

You’ll also love these great quotes about life, success, love and family.

Wise sayings and words of advice

136. “Follow your heart, listen to your inner voice, stop caring about what others think.”― Roy T. Bennett

137. “Don’t do anything that you wouldn’t feel comfortable reading about in the newspaper the next day.”― Joel Osteen

138. “Guard well your thoughts when alone and your words when accompanied.”― Roy T. Bennett

139. “No matter how tiny you look, you can lead huge men if you have what the huge men don’t have.”― Michael Bassey Johnson

140. “Begin, be bold, and venture to be wise.”― Horace

141. “I don’t agree that when you love, you are blind or fool. You just get wiser and see clearer what is best and of worth.”― Hark Herald Sarmiento

142. “The wisest men follow their own direction.”― Euripides

143. “True beauty is measured by the number of pearls within you, not those around your neck.”― Suzy Kassem

144. “Toleration is the greatest gift of the mind; it requires the same effort of the brain that it takes to balance oneself on a bicycle.”― Helen Keller

145. “Advantages never come free. You have to create it the way you want it!”― Ashish Patel

You might also like these wise Native American quotes on community, respect, and more.

Positive and wise sayings

146. “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle

147. “In order to write about life first you must live it.”– Ernest Hemingway

148. “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.” – Seneca

149. “The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.”– Henry Ford

150. “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates

151. “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” — Oprah Winfrey

152. “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” – Marcus Aurelius

153. “I like criticism. It makes you strong.” — LeBron James

154. “Happiness and freedom begin with one principle. Some things are within your control and some are not.” – Epictetus

155. “Life is a flower of which love is the honey.” — Victor Hugo

Wise sayings to inspire you to success in life

156. “Life is a mountain. Your goal is to find your path, not to reach the top.” – Maxime Lagacé

157. “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard

158. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

159. “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” – St. Augustine

160. “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” – Norman Vincent Peale

161. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu

162. “Difficult and meaningful will always bring more satisfaction than easy and meaningless.” – Maxime Lagacé

163. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

164. “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” – Forrest Gump

165. “Keep looking up… that’s the secret of life.” – Snoopy

Wise sayings to make the most out of your life

166. “Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.” – William James

167. “Which way you choose to see your life in the future depends on your attitude today.” – Amy E. Dean

168. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

169. “We never have more than we can bear. The present hour we are always able to endure.” – H. E. Manning

170. “Each person must live their life as a model for others.” – Rosa Parks

171. “I not only use all the brains that I have but all that I can borrow.” – Woodrow Wilson

172. “Do not be wise in words be wise in deeds.” – Jewish Proverb

173. “In simple manners all the secret lies. Be kind and virtuous, you’ll be blest and wise.” – Benjamin Franklin

174. “A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it.” – Albert Einstein

175. “Life often teaches us through our wrong turns and missed possibilities.” – Anne Wilson Schaef

More wise sayings about life

176. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” —Mother Teresa

177. “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” – Booker T. Washington

178. “What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.” —Plutarch

179. “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein

180. “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” —George Addair

181. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” – Rosa Parks

182. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

183. “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” – Farrah Gray

184. “Everything has beauty, but not everyone can see.” – Confucius

185. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Wise quotes to help you through life’s challenges

186. “Lost time is never found again.” — Benjamin Franklin

187. “He that respects himself is safe from others.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

188. “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

189. “Love yourself first, and everything else falls into place.” — Lucille Ball

190. “Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

191. “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

192. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” — Aristotle

193. “Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.” — Dalai Lama

194. “It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

195. “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” — Nelson Mandela

Wise sayings about success

196. “Success is a journey, not a destination.” – Arthur Ashe

197. “If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.” – James Cameron

198. “Success is the progressive realization of predetermined, worthwhile, personal goals.” – Paul J. Meyer

199. “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” – Chris Grosser

200. “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

201. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.” – Robert Collier

202. “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” – Maya Angelou

203. “You may only succeed if you desire succeeding; you may only fail if you do not mind failing.” – Philippos

204. “You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job and not be paid for it.” – Oprah Winfrey

205. “The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.” – Mark Caine

More wise sayings to inspire and teach

206. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”― Mae West

207. “Get busy living or get busy dying.”― Stephen King

208. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”― Oscar Wilde

209. “Life is a book and there are a thousand pages I have not yet read.”― Cassandra Clare

210. “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.”― Allen Saunders

211. “Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”― Roy T. Bennett

212. “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”― Kurt Vonnegut

213. “Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect.”― Margaret Mitchell

214. “I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.”― Albert Einstein

215. “The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”― Kalu Ndukwe Kalu

Short Wise Sayings

216. “There are no mistakes, only opportunities.” – Tina Fey

217. “We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world.” – Helen Keller

218. “Life is short, and it is here to be lived.” – Kate Winslet

219. “Life is too short to live others’ dreams.” – Catherine Pulsifer

220. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

221. “Just remember, once you’re over the hill you begin to pick up speed.” – Charles Schulz

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

223. “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” – Dr. Seuss

224. “Failure is another stepping-stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey

225. “It’s not knowing what to do, it’s doing what you know.” – Anthony Robbins

Deep words of wisdom about life

226. “Short cuts make long delays.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

227. “Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.” – Michelle Obama

228. “There is no tomorrow and there was no yesterday; if you truly want to accomplish your goals you must engulf yourself in today.”― Noel DeJesus

229. “Seek to understand before you seek to be understood.” – Stephen Covey

230. “If you do not have control over your mouth, you will not have control over your future.”
― Germany Kent

231. “Knowledge is meaningful only if it is reflected in action.” – Robert Fulghum

232. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein

233. “Thank you consists of just eight letters that form two of the most meaningful words in the English vocabulary.” – Deborah Norville

234. “The biggest lesson I had in my life was failure.” – Tim Rice

235. “Life is more meaningful when you are always looking to grow and working toward a goal.” – Les Brown

Wise Sayings About Life That Will Change Your Perspective

236. “To live, pray. To learn, read. To love, give. To listen, pay attention. But to be wise, apply all that you have acquired.” ― Israelmore Ayivor

237. “There is a time to plan, a time to act, and a time to rest; it is wise to know which is which.” ― Emily Rodda

238. “Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.” ― Roy Bennett

239. “The only way to see everything, my dear, is to see it absolutely.” ― Sherry Lynn Ferguson

240. “Sometimes we have to soak ourselves in the tears and fears of the past to water our future gardens.” ― Suzy Kassem

241. “Faith keeps our ships moving, while empathy and the memories of our experiences lead to wisdom.” ― Suzy Kassem

242. “Your life is not a simulation; it’s the real game. Play wisely.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich

243. “A wise warrior learns from her mistakes.” ― Leigh Bardugo

244. “A man without dignity is a man without hope.” ― Andreas Chrysaphēs

245. “Using pride wisely requires a solid grasp of when and why it can go wrong.” ― David DeSteno

Powerful Wise Sayings About Life To Keep You Going 

246. “Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice.” — Henry Ford

247. “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” — Rumi

248. “You don’t get character because you’re successful; you build character because of the hardships you face.” — Herman Edwards

249. “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” — Confucius

250. “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” — Jim Rohn

251. “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” — Aristotle Onassis

252. “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” — Confucius

253. “The less you try to impress, the more impressive you are.” — Denis Waitley

254. “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” — Albert Einstein

255. “Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.” — Oprah Winfrey

Wise Quotes To Help You Change Your Life For Better

256. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

257. “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).” ― Mark Twain

258. “Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.” ― Quintilian

259.  “My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our 

lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose – somehow we win out.” ― Ronald Reagan

260. “You’ve heard that it’s wise to learn from experience, but it is wiser to learn from the experience of others.” ― Rick Warren

261. “What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds.” ― Wayne Dyer

262. “The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you’re in control of your life. If you don’t, life controls you.” ― Tony Robbins

263. “We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt

264. “Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It’s a journey of discovery – there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair.” ― Rick Warren

265. “The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” ― Aristotle

Wise Sayings About Life To Keep You Pushing Through

266. “Things end. People leave. And you know what? Life goes on. Besides, if bad things didn’t happen, how would you be able to feel the good ones?” ― Elizabeth Scott

267. “Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful.” ― George Bernard Shaw

268. “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or objects.” ― Albert Einstein

269. “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ― Robert Breault

270. “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” ― Marcus Aurelius

271. “Life is like a camera. Focus on what’s important. Capture the good times. And if things don’t work out, just take another shot.” ― Ziad K. Abdelnour

272. “You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” ― Albert Camus

273. “Be comforted, dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds.” ― Louisa May Alcott

274. “You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated.” ― Maya Angelou

275. “Life is short, Break the Rules. Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably And never regret ANYTHING That makes you smile.” ― Mark Twain

Did you learn from these wise sayings?

Words of wisdom from individuals of all different backgrounds can teach us important life lessons.

Through the years, great men and women have imprinted their wisdom on us by way of their wise words.

And because of them, their contributions have made this world a better place to live in.

Hopefully, these wise sayings will guide you towards greater happiness, fulfillment, connection, and meaning.

Did you enjoy these wise sayings?

What other wise sayings about life would you like to share with us?

Tell us in the comment section below.

We would love to hear all about it.

| August 11, 2021 | Inspirational Quotes |

Life is not a bed of roses always. Here we have complied 17 wise words of wisdom that will help you to get a grip on life during the rough time. These wisdom quotes and sayings will motivate and inspire you to handle any life situations. If you like this, please do share it with your friends.

1. “The pen that writes your life story must be held in your own hand.”-Irene C. Kassorla

2. “Life is a daring adventure or it is nothing at all.”-Helen Keller

3. “When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.”

4. “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.”-Oprah winfrey

5. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”-William Shakespeare

6. “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”-Les Brown

7. “The purpose of life is not to fight against evil and misfortune; it is to unveil magnificence.”-Alan Cohen

8. “Every story has an end, but in life every end is just a new beginning.”

9. “The meaning of life is to give life meaning.”-Ken Hudgins

10. “Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.”- Henry James

11. “Life is a succession of lessons, which must be lived to be understood.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson

12. “Each day is another chance to change your life.”-Serena Tom

13. “In three words I can sum up everything about life: it goes on.”-Robert frost

14. “Challenges are what makes life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”-Joshua J.Marine

15. “Life is not about how long you live, but the ability to live forever in the minds and hearts of other people.”

16. “Everything in life has to have balance.”-Donna Karan

17. “Do not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create a fact.”

In life, we constantly seek new sources of wisdom in order to help us understand this journey a little bit better. Life may not always give you what you want, but it always gives you what you need, and quotes from famous philosophers, musicians, and authors can provide you with the understanding that you seek. While the truest wisdom comes from within ourselves, sometimes you just need a little inspiration and knowledge from others.

Life can seem impossible to understand at times – after all, we all just sort of showed up here and have to learn as we go along. We may not ever have all the answers, but we can at least try to gain as much wisdom as possible during our time here. Contemplation and quiet introspection can offer a great deal of insight about life, and even though we may not ever totally understand our purpose or place here on Earth, we can all benefit from the knowledge shared below.

We have gathered some of what we believe to be the wisest quotes out there, so that you may continue to learn and grow each and every day you spend here on Earth. Keep in mind, we couldn’t possibly fit all our favorite quotes into this article, but the following contain great wisdom and perspective about life, love, happiness, and more.

Here are 100 of the wisest quotes of all time:

1. “If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” -Bruce Lee

2. “Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow”. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

3. ‘Buddha was asked, “What have you gained from meditation?” He replied, “Nothing!” However, Buddha said, let me tell you what I lost:Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Insecurity, Fear of Old, Age and Death.”‘

4. “The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.” – Alexandra K. Trenfor

5. “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” –  Plato

6. “Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs

7. “Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

8. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

9. “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” – George Orwell

10. Man: ‘I want happiness’
Buddha: First remove”I”,this is ego. Then remove “Want”, this is desire. Finally all that remains is “happiness.”

11. “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” – Albert Einstein

12. “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Jung

13. “I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.” – Bruce Lee

14. “Do not pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one” – Bruce Lee

15. “Never let school interfere with your education.” – Mark Twain

16. “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” – Rumi

17. “It is no measure of good health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society” – Jiddu Krishnamurti

18. “The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.” – Maya Angelou

19. “Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.” – Morticia Addams

20. “The real question is not whether life exists after death. The real question is whether you are alive before your death.” – Osho

21. “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” –  Lao Tzu

22. “He who controls others may be powerful but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” –  Lao Tzu

23. “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Harold Whitman

24. “You have enemies? Good; that means you have stood up for something, sometime in your life.” – Winston Churchill

25. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde

26. “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them” – Albert Einstein

27. “Loneliness is and will always be the most abundant source of human experience.” – Swami Vivekanand

28. “You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” – J.K. Rowling

29. “The beautiful thing about fear is that when you run to it, it runs away.” – Robin Sharma

30. “So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.” – Christopher McCandless

31. “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” – John Lennon

32. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein

33. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Gandhi

34. “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

35. “Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.” – Henry van Dyke

36. “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” – Stephen Covey

37. “Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it eludes you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it comes and sits softly on your shoulder.” – Henry David Thoreau

38. “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.” – Wayne Gretzky

39. “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle

40. “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle

41. “Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for – in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.” – Ellen Goodman

42. “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” – Socrates

43. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

44. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw

45. “The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.” – Walt Disney Company, Mulan

46. “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

47. “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anaïs Nin

48. “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection” – Gautama Buddha

49. “The past has no power over the present moment.” – Eckhart Tolle

50. “The truth is, everyone’s going to hurt you. You’ve just got to find the ones worth suffering for.” – Bob Marley

51. “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” – Maya Angelou

52. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling

53. “A man who conquers himself is greater than one who conquers a thousand men in battle”. – Buddha

54. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

55. “If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.” – Ancient Chinese Proverb

56. “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” — Mahatma Gandhi

57. “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” — Mahatma Gandhi

58. “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.” – Carl Jung

59. “People are unrealistic, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.” – Mother Teresa

60. “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” – Mother Teresa

61. “Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75.” – Benjamin Franklin

62. “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” – Rumi

63. “Never be bullied into silence, never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, define yourself.” – Robert Frost

64. “You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with.” – Wayne Dyer

65. “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.” – Confucius

66. “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein

67. “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – JK Rowling

68. “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

69. “Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness.” – Eckhart Tolle

70. “You yourself are the eternal energy of the Universe. You didn’t come into this world, you came out of it. Like a wave from the ocean.” – Alan Watts

71. “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” – T. S. Eliot

72. “Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien

73. “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous

74. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain

75. “Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by.” – Robert Frost

76. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy

77. “With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.” – Wayne Dyer

78. “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.”— Albert Einstein

79. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

80. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

81. “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates

82. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” ~ Steve Jobs

83. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

84. “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

85. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln

86. “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” Lou Holtz

87. “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” Dalai Lama

88. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden

89. “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss

90. “We’re all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing.”  ? Charles Bukowski

91. “Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings, and emotions.” – Will Smith

92. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” – Buddha

93. “Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can’t change. Kiss slowly, play hard, love deeply, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, and have no regrets. Life is too short to be anything but happy.” – Unknown

94. “Sing like no one’s listening, love like you’ve never been hurt, dance like nobody’s watching, and live like its heaven on earth.” – Mark Twain

95. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?” –  Marianne Williamson

96. “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

97. “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” – Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

98. “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius…” – Steve Jobs

99. “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” – Brené Brown

100. “All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What are your favorite of these wisest quotes of all time? Share with us in the comments below!

Wisdom is a great source of power. It’s through others’ stories of failure and success that we learn the most. It’s through their experiences of things we have yet to witness that feeds us the knowledge we need to fly high, to build upon what we already know.

Related: A Word to the Un-Wise: 5 Keys to Wisdom and Wealth

There is little in life that a wise mind can’t conquer. And it’s the sage-like guidance that inspires us to make our life that much better.

Here are 19 insightful quotes from people who lived exceptional lives.

1. Be confident in yourself.

“Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

2. Always be looking forward.

“You can never plan the future by the past.” —Edmund Burke

3. Live a life of purpose.

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” —Friedrich Nietzsche

4. Be brave. Be bold.

“Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.” —Dalai Lama

5. Use your time wisely.

“Lost time is never found again.” —Benjamin Franklin

6. Value yourself for who you are.

“He that respects himself is safe from others.” —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

7. Hone your skills.

“Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

8. Keep your head up.

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” —Robert Frost

9. Learn to speak well and listen better.

“It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.” —Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

10. Have fun. You’ll accomplish more.

“Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out of it alive.” —Elbert Hubbard

11. Build genuine connections.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” —Nelson Mandela

12. Give more than you take.

“Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.” —C. S. Lewis

13. Seek your purpose.

“Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life, no matter what may be one’s aim.” —John D. Rockefeller

14. Pique your curiosity.

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain

15. Search for more meaning.

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” —Aristotle

16. Unleash your personal momentum.

“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt

17. Focus on the future.

“When a thing is done, it’s done. Don’t look back. Look forward to your next objective.” —George C. Marshall

18. Excel in your own way.

“Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” —Henry Van Dyke

19. Don’t forget to live.

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” —Abraham Lincoln

Related: Seeking Advice: The Wisest Way to Hit the Next Level of Success

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