Trying to find motivational quotes for students?
Whether you’re still in college – or just graduated and want to feel inspired to take on the world – it’s important to commit to a lifetime of growth and improvement.
After all, being in your early twenties, finishing up college, and figuring out a “how to adult” can be a pretty nerve-wracking thing to go through.
But the great thing about this age is that you truly have your entire life ahead of you to figure it out.
You have the power to mold your life into anything you’d like with a little determination and motivation. There’s never been a better time than now to better yourself, develop your career and finances, and establish a solid plan for the future.
To help keep you excited and prepare to take on whatever new journey life has in store for you, here are 30 quotes every twenty-something can benefit from.
30 Inspirational and Motivational Quotes for Students
1. “We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.” – John Hope Franklin, Historian
Now that the world of classes and textbooks is over, it’s time to start learning from real experiences out in the world.
2. “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” – Dolly Parton, Singer
The 9-5 hustle can be pretty rewarding when that first paycheck hits, but don’t get so consumed in the working world that you forget to live. If you aren’t sure what to do when you are bored on the weekend, find a change-of-pace for your workweek grind and prioritize relationships and hobbies instead.
3. “If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.” – Anthony Bourdain, Chef
Your twenties are the years for learning, growth, and exploration. Take advantage of this opportunity and experience everything the world has to offer.
4. ”Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe, Tennis Player
It’s so easy to get discouraged when you don’t have the means to do what you want. Use what is accessible to you to create the life you’ve dreamed of. When you commit to frugal living, you’ll find that what you already have can go a long way.
5.”The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.” – Anna Quindlen, Author
Up until today school assignments and exams have been your life. Now it’s time to find out who you are beyond that world.
6. “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.”– Ernest Hemingway, Journalist
The real world can be the most amazing and the most terrifying thing at the same time. It’s all about how you handle it when things get tough. Of course, this is just another one of those reasons to save money. Save up money now, and you’ll have greater peace of mind when faced with unplanned expenses.
7.”Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.” – Jamie Lyn Beatty, Musical Artist
You may never look back at your life working a 9-5 and say, “Wow, what a great adventure.” And if you feel like your job isn’t filling up your wallet like you think you deserve, maybe it’s time to ask for a raise at work.
8. “So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.” – Caterina Fake, Co-Founder Flickr
That new job might be paying the bills, but it may not always fulfill your purpose. Find what sparks your joy and give it everything you’ve got.
9. “If what you are doing is not moving you towards your goals, then it’s moving you away from your goals.” – Brian Tracy, CEO Brian Tracy International
Always do the things, no matter how big or small, that push you towards your end goal.
10. “Sometimes you can have the smallest role in the smallest production and still have a big impact.” – Neil Patrick Harris, Actor
Your job fresh out of college might not be the exact title you’re looking for. But you can still let your skills shine through no matter what the role.
11. “Be aware of what season you are in and give yourself the grace to be there.” — Kristen Dalton, Actress
Being in your twenties can be tough when half of your friends are getting married and the other half are out partying. There is no right or wrong place you should be at this time; you can always keep learning and growing.
12. “Joy is not a season, it’s a way of living.” — Kalley Heiligenthal, Songwriter
Don’t wait for happiness to come to you when you achieve the next big thing. Find happiness in your life right now. Just like being born to generational wealth won’t keep you rich, the next big thing isn’t guaranteed to make you happy.
13. “I never took a day off in my twenties. Not one.” – Bill Gates, Co-Founder Microsoft
If you have that entrepreneurial mindset, now is not the time to sit on the sidelines. Now is the time to hustle.
14. ”It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness.” – Charles Spurgeon, Preacher
You could have the best job in the world with great pay and benefits, but if you don’t enjoy, it is it really worth it? Explore your financial values. There are more important things than a high salary or a prestigious job title.
15. “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”– Marcus Aurelius, Roman Aurelius
No matter how much you’d like it to, not everything will go according to plan. Whatever battles you face through life are only temporary.
16. “Whatever art form you’re working in, it’s crucial to see it clearly, to feel it clearly, and not to worry about the results, or how someone else will see it.” – Omar Epps, Actor
The fear of an outcome and the fear of what others think is a normal emotion. But never let that stop you from going after what you truly want.
17.”Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.” – Drew Houston, Co-Founder/CEO Dropbox
Consistency pays off. Keep doing what you’re doing, and one day, you’ll see the results of your hard work.
18. “Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them.” – William Arthur Ward, Writer
Take every opportunity that comes your way. You never know what might come of it.
19. “Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life.”– Yoko Ono, Multimedia Artist
Staying positive on your newfound career and life journey is key for your mental and emotional health.
20. “Nobody ever wrote down a plan to be broke, fat, lazy, or stupid. Those things are what happen when you don’t have a plan.” – Larry Winget, Motivational Speaker
You by no means have to have your entire life figured out right now. But knowing whether you want to take some time to travel and find your passion, or start building up your career can keep you on the right track.
21. “Trust yourself. You’ve survived a lot, and you’ll survive whatever is coming.” – Robert Tew
If you can make it through the craziness of exam week and four years of intense studying, then you can make it through some job interviews. Getting a raise at work can be stressful if it comes with new responsibilities, but you can handle it.
22. ”Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer, Polymath
Don’t sacrifice your happiness for a paycheck. Do what makes you happy, and the money will follow.
23. “Nothing is more beautiful than the smile that has struggled through the tears.”– Demi Lovato, Singer
Your struggle to success now will be the story you tell later to motivate young and ambitious minds of the next generation.
24. “Anyone can give up; it is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect you to fall apart, now that is true strength.”– Chris Bradford, Author
Success doesn’t magically happen overnight. When the long nights of hard work start to take a toll on you, don’t forget why you started in the first place. This is another difference between rich and wealthy: the wealthy have a plan and a purpose for their money while the rich waste it away on consumeristic things.
25. “Hire character. Train skill.” – Peter Schultz, Founder/ Director GNF
Walk into an interview with confidence, personality, and passion. Showing that you are driven and ready to learn is sometimes all it takes.
26. ”Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun, Politician
You no longer have parents or teachers guiding you to stay on the right track. It’s up to you to create long-lasting habits.
27. ”We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Minister
No matter what your background is, once you throw that graduation cap in the air, you’re all back at the same place. Fresh degree in hand and your life ahead of you.
28. ”The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Writer
Don’t put your talent and true skills on the back burner because you’re focused on following the traditional path. Use the gifts you were given.
29. “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis, Writer
Many people say college is the best four years of your life. What they should say is college is the beginning of the rest of your life. Having a bright hope for the future feels like what you do when you win the lottery of life.
30. “Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do.” – Ella Fitzgerald, Singer
No matter how difficult or unattainable your dream may seem, never stop going after the goal you’ve always dreamed of.
Conclusion
Sure, being in your twenties means more responsibilities, more bills, and more time spent working.
But it also means more new experiences, more time learning who you are, and more time developing friendships along the way.
Embrace these next few years and create the life you want to live. Whether that involves becoming the CEO of your own company, working remotely to travel full-time, or choosing a simple and intentional life, it’s up to you.
And if you ever start to lose that motivation, you know where to come back and find some great quotes to keep you going!
