When providing career hints, tips, and insights to young entrepreneurs and professionals, we often advise the importance of creating a platform, plan of attack and plotting out a strategy for advancement in small, approachable chunks before diving into the world of business. But equally important in today’s hyper-competitive corporate environment is the need to seek out mentors, and research and read extensively – getting ahead can be a difficult climb, and you’ll need all the support, motivation and inspiration all can provide. Over the course of the many keynote speeches and workshops we’ve provided, we’ve had the opportunity to pick up a number of expert hints, tips and advice on surviving and thriving in the new normal courtesy of many of the world’s most notable leaders, CEOs and celebrities. Following, you’ll find 15 of the best business quotes, including several gems on success and failure, that can help you navigate its increasingly uncertain waters as well.
- The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.―Ayn Rand
- He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.―Muhammad Ali
- Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. ― John F. Kennedy
- We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.―Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow. – Dan Rather
- The first duty of man is to conquer fear; he must get rid of it, he cannot act till then. – Thomas Carlyle
- Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free. – Jim Morrison
- I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. – Bruce Lee
- Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back. – Babe Ruth
- He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Courage is fear holding on a minute longer. – George S. Patton
- Things done well and with a care, exempt themselves from fear. – William Shakespeare
- Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. – Newt Gingrich
- Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other. – Walter Elliot
- Success is blocked by concentrating on it and planning for it… Success is shy – it won’t come out while you’re watching. – Tennessee Williams
Of all the advice contained here, I’ve found the key insight to be to fight past uncertainty and fear and keep moving forward, regardless of setbacks. The world constantly changes, and we must as well: The good news, of course, being that we always have the power, through our actions, to keep abreast with it and positively shape our future. Many things can and will happen to dampen our spirits, and cause us to pause in our journey – however, as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other, constantly reassess the scenario from an objective standpoint, and adapt and evolve as you go, it’s inevitable that you’ll be able to push past them, and find success in the end.
For 25 more of the best business quotes on success and failure, be sure to see our earlier post as well.
