High self-esteem is an important factor that determines one’s success in life. Those with high self-esteem believe that they have the ability to succeed, regardless of circumstances. They are more likely to take risks, and because they respect and believe in themselves, they are more likely to respect others, have fulfilling relationships, and lead productive and happy lives. Nathaniel Branden, a Canadian-American psychotherapist and writer known for his work in the psychology of self-esteem, said, “There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.”
When you make a mistake or life isn’t working out the way you thought it would, it can be easy for your self-esteem to drop. If you’re in need of a boost of motivation, here’s a collection of 41 inspiring quotes that are sure to spark your self-esteem any time you feel low.
- “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot
- “It’s surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you’re not comfortable within yourself, you can’t be comfortable with others.” – Sidney J. Harris
- “The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.” – Bob Moawad
- “Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.” – Lao-Tzu
- “It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.” – W.C. Fields
- “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face.” – Helen Keller
- “Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” – Malcolm S. Forbes
- “To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.” – Denis Waitley
- “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself.” – Harvey Fierstein
- “As long as you look for someone else to validate who you are by seeking their approval, you are setting yourself up for disaster. You have to be whole and complete in yourself. No one can give you that. You have to know who you are – what others say is irrelevant.” – Nic Sheff
- “I don’t entirely approve of some of the things I have done, or am, or have been. But I’m me. God knows, I’m me.” – Elizabeth Taylor
- “Everything that happens to you is a reflection of what you believe about yourself. We cannot outperform our level of self-esteem. We cannot draw to ourselves more than we think we are worth.” – Iyanla Vanzant
- “What we perceive about ourselves is greatly a reflection of how we will end up living our lives.” – Stephen Richards,
- “Don’t belittle yourself. Be BIG yourself.” – Corita Kent
- “If you don’t know what you want, you’ll never find it. If you don’t know what you deserve, you’ll always settle for less. You will wander aimlessly, uncomfortably numb in your comfort zone, wondering how life has ended up here. Life starts now, live, love, laugh and let your light shine!” – Rob Liano
- “Noble and great. Courageous and determined. Faithful and fearless. That is who you are and who you have always been. And understanding it can change your life, because this knowledge carries a confidence that cannot be duplicated any other way.” – Sheri L. Dew
- “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” – Marie Curie
- “Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” – Mark Victor Hansen
- “Don’t you dare, for one more second, surround yourself with people who are not aware of the greatness that you are.” – Jo Blackwell-Preston
- “Don’t live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable.” – Wendy Wasserstein
- “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right.” – Henry Ford
- “I had to grow to love my body. I did not have a good self-image at first. Finally it occurred to me, I’m either going to love me or hate me. And I chose to love myself. Then everything kind of sprung from there. Things that I thought weren’t attractive became sexy. Confidence makes you sexy.” – Queen Latifah
- “I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.” – Hafiz
- “We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.” – Mary Dunbar
- “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “If you’re wearing a disguise for too long, it will be difficult for the mirror to recognize you. At the end of the day I hope you become the person they didn’t expect you to be. Be proud to wear you.” – Dodinsky
- “All things splendid have been achieved by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance.” – Bruce Barton
- “By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.” – Edwin Elliot
- “Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you will ever own.” – Mary Schmich
- “You are as amazing as you let yourself be. Let me repeat that. You are as amazing as you let yourself be.” – Elizabeth Alraune
- “You are wonderful. Valuable. Worthwhile. Lovable. Not because others think so. Self worth comes from only one place: self.” – Karen Salmansohn
- “From the very beginning you are being told to compare yourself with others. This is the greatest disease; it is like a cancer that goes on destroying your very soul because each individual is unique, and comparison is not possible. I am just myself and you are just yourself. There is nobody else in the world you can be compared with.” – Osho
- “I was once afraid of people saying, ‘Who does she think she is?’ Now I have the courage to stand and say, ‘This is who I am.’” – Oprah Winfrey
- “Be yourself. If you water yourself down to please people or to fit in or to not offend anyone, you lose the power, the passion, the freedom and the joy of being uniquely you. It’s much easier to love yourself when you are being yourself.” – Dan Coppersmith
- “Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” – e.e. cummings
- “You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.” – Brene Brown
- “Embracing your true self radiates a natural beauty that cannot be diluted or ignored. Confident, powerful, untamable, badass you!” – Steve Maraboli
- “Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.” – Kurt Cobain
- “Accept everything about yourself – I mean everything. You are you and that is the beginning and the end – no apologies, no regrets.” – Clark Moustakas
- “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? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson
What is your favorite quote on self-esteem? Feel free to share one from this collection or a new one that isn’t included with me and the Lifehack community below.
Featured photo credit: PicJumbo.com via picjumbo.com
