Looking for a little inspiration? Grab our collection of the best 125 motivational quotes for teens. Copy, save, & share some good vibes.
Inspirational Quotes for Teens
Words have power.
Plain and simple.
And while quotes resonate with some people, they do little for others. But because I’m kind of a quote fanatic, I’ve rounded up some of the best motivational quotes for teens for y’all today!
What can you say to encourage a teenager?
Every teen is different. Every person is different. And every situation is different.
I’m not going to dole out parenting advice. But I do think every teen can benefit from a little positivity. Research has shown that positive thinking has been linked with both improved health and better stress management.
Here are 5 ways to use motivational quotes to bring a positive boost to your day:
- Leave them a note on their pillow, mirror, or locker.
- Send them in a text or message.
- Print and frame them, post them in a common area of your home like a family white or chalk board, or if you are crafty turn them into a sticker.
- Share on social media or use them as a screensaver.
- Write them down in your journal.
Inspirational Quotes for Young Adults About Life
What are the best motivational quotes for students?
From short motivational quotes, to classic quotes, to inspiring words from singers, actors, and sports stars, here are some of the best motivational quotes for teens:
“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” Meister Eckhart
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.” Mark Twain
“Failure is not something to be ashamed of—nor is it proof of unworthiness. Failure is something to be powered by.” Abby Wambach
“Want to be happy? Stop trying to be perfect.” Brene Brown
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way” Martin Luther King Jr.
“Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone else’s inability to see your worth.” Zig Ziglar
“Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.” Sir Winston Churchill
“At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It about what you’ve given back” Denzel Washington
“Why fit in, when you were born to stand out?” Dr. Seuss
“Being brave is when, despite the fear, we have the courage to take action, and that is way more powerful and inspiring than being fearless.” Michelle Poler
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” Booker T Washington
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Anne Frank
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” Albert Einstein
Looking for more ways to boost your mental health? Challenge negative self talk with these self love affirmations, learn more about yourself with these self discovery journal prompts, or simply start working on becoming more mindful each day.
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” E.E. Cummings
“We have to be okay leaving the life we are living to live the life we dream of living.” Michelle Poler
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
“Leadership is taking care of yourself and empowering others to do the same.” Abby Wambach
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out and without fear for newer and richer experience.” Eleanor Roosevelt
“I’m convinced of this: Good done anywhere is good done everywhere. For a change, start by speaking to people rather than walking by them like they’re stones that don’t matter. As long as you’re breathing, it’s never too late to do some good.” Maya Angelou
“Take care not to listen to anyone who tells you what you can and can’t be in life.” Meg Medina
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” Ruth Bader Ginsberg
“It is action that creates motivation.” Steve Backley
“Do what you can with what you have, where you are.” Theodore Roosevelt
“You become what you believe.” Oprah Winfrey
“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me.” Ayn Rand
Motivational Quotes that will resonate with teens
“Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.” Laird Hamilton
“Confidence is not ‘they will like me.’ Confidence is ‘I’ll be fine if they don’t.” Christina Grimmie
“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.” Taylor Swift
“Just focus on making the next right move. You don’t need to know where you’ll end up.” Oprah Winfrey
“Don’t let your ice cream melt while you’re counting someone else’s sprinkles.” Akilatt Hughes
“Being different isn’t a bad thing. It means you’re brave enough to be yourself.” Luna Lovegood
“Trying to do it all and expecting it all can be done exactly right is a recipe for disappointment. Perfection is the enemy.” Sheryl Sandberg
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”Oscar Wilde
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember…the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” Henry Ford
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” Dolly Parton
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” Maya Angelou
“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Roald Dahl
“Do the right thing, even when no one is looking.” Unkown
Want even more quotes? Check out our collection on 125+ bucket list quotes, mindset quotes, positive good vibes quotes, success quotes, and my personal favorite, Brene Brown quotes!
“Worthiness doesn’t have prerequisites.” Brene Brown
“When it hurts, observe. Life is trying to teach you something.” Anita Krizzan
“It always seems impossible until it is done.” Nelson Mandela
“Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve done before.” Bonnie Blair
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Harry S. Truman
“You can’t do it alone. As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people’s ideas are often better than your own.” Amy Poehler
“To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all.” Peter McWilliams
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Mark Twain
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” C.S. Lewis
“I think it’s important that you do your own research, take personal responsibility for your decisions, experiment, and find what works best for you.” Alex Honnold
“The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t win’ is you and you don’t have to listen.” Jessica Ennis-Hill
“Continuous effort—not strength or intelligence—is the key to unlocking our potential.” Liane Cardes
Quotes are my jam! Be sure to check out these quotes for some Monday inspiration or these awesome quotes on being intentional too! Love to share over on Instagram? Grab my best inspirational Instagram captions too.
What are some of the best positive quotes?
“Say something positive, and you’ll see something positive.” Jim Thompson
“Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can’t be done.” Bo Bennett
“Positivity always wins…Always.” Gary Vaynerchuk
“One small positive thought can change your whole day.” Zig Ziglar
“If you are positive, you’ll see opportunities instead of obstacles.” Widad Akrawi
“Train your mind to see the good in every situation.” Unknown
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Teddy Roosevelt
“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” Maya Angelou
“Don’t forget to tell yourself positive things daily! You must love yourself internally to grow externally.” Hannah Bronfman
“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” Colin Powell
“I will go anywhere as long as it’s forward.” David Livingston
“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.” Earl Nightingale
“Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.” Christopher Reeve
“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.” Wade Boggs
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The good outweighs the bad even on your worst day.” Kanye
“When one has a grateful heart, life is so beautiful.” Roy T. Bennet
“There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” Amanda Gorman
“Happiness? It is an illusion to think that more comfort means more happiness. Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed.” Storm Jameson
“Your mind is a powerful thing. When you fill it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change.” Unknown
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” Tony Robbins
“I dwell in possibility.” Emily Dickinson
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Buddha
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Vivian Greene
Inspirational Quotes for Teen Boys
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky
“Don’t be afraid of failure. This is the way to succeed.” LeBron James
“Stay focused. Your start does not determine how you’re going to finish.” Herm Edwards
“Do not let what you can not do interfere with what you can do.” John Wooden
“Even if you cannot change all the people around you, you can change the people you choose to be around.” Roy T. Bennett
“Dedication makes dreams come true.” Kobe Bryant
“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” Robert H. Schuller
“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” Lou Holtz
“Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece. By thought, choice, courage, and determination.” John Luther
“I never worry about the problem. I worry about the solution.” Shaquille O’Neal
“Don’t aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference.” Denzel Washington
“You dream. You plan. You reach. There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, with belief, with confidence and trust in yourself and those around you, there are no limits.” Michael Phelps
Gratitude is a game-changer! Grab even more quotes on gratitude, take part in my 30 day gratitude challenge, or start small by taking part in Thankful Thursdays!
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” John D. Rockefeller
“Never say never because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” Michael Jordan
“The single most powerful thing I can be is to be myself.” Dwayne Johnson
“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” Samuel Johnson
“Success is not an accident, success is actually a choice.” Stephen Curry
“Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.” H. Jackson Brown
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan
“How you spend your time and where you focus your attention will determine how successful you are.” Unknown
“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” Vince Lombardi
“The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting.” Walt Disney
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” Oliver Wendell Holmes
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” John F. Kennedy
“If your actions inspire other to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams
Motivational Quotes to Inspire a Teenage Girl
“There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” Amanda Gorman
“Never dull your shine for somebody else.” Tyra Banks
“We just need to be kinder to ourselves. If we treated ourselves the way we treated our best friend, can you imagine how much better off we would be?” Meghan Markle
“I don’t think that loving yourself is a choice. I think that it’s a decision that has to be made for survival.” Lizzo
“Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.” Mary Lou Retton
“Passion first and everything will fall into place.” Holly Holm
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” Les Brown
“Just for the record darling, not all positive change feels positive in the beginning.” S. C. Lourie
“Your authentic self is not the best parts of you. It is all of you.” Michelle Poler
“Your self worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.” Beyonce
“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” Marianne Williamson
“Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts. That’s what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice.” Bethany Hamilton
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine- and shadows will fall behind you.” Walt Whitman
I love to hang out on Instagram! If you do too, subscribe below and get a list of 100 positive and encouraging captions:
“Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of somebody else.” Judy Garland
“The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet.” Mohadesa Najumi
“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.” Michelle Obama
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” Lucille Ball
“Not everyone is capable of walking with you, but that does not mean you are not worthy of belonging.” Morgan Harper Nichols
“I finally realized that owning up to your vulnerabilities is a form of strength.” Lizzo
“Think, travel, celebrate, charm, decorate, dress, live – colorfully.” Kate Spade
“I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all.” Simone Biles
“Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” Sara Blakely
“In a world that often seems too crowded or busy to notice beautiful things or make meaningful connections, there is still room for each of us to grow in the ways we were meant to.” Morgan Harper Nichols
“Always work hard, never give up, and fight until the end because it’s never really over until the whistle blows.” Alex Morgan
“Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions… Do your thing and don’t care if they like it.” Tina Fey
On a journey of self discovery? Check out my favorite self love quotes and tips on developing a personalized self care routine!
Encouraging Words & Sayings
Dream Big. Work hard.
I Believe in You.
You are awesome.
You can do hard things.
You do you.
Keep on shining.
Be brave.
Don’t ever give up.
You are stronger than the storm.
Bloom with confidence.
Do what makes your soul happy.
Life is tough, but so are you.
I’m so proud of the person you are becoming.
Progress over perfection.
You matter.
Wake up. Dominate. Repeat.
You are a rock star.
Just show up.
Make today your best day yet!
You can and you will.
Seize the day.
I’m so proud of the choices you are making.
The sky’s the limit.
You deserve this!
Keep going.
Spread the positivity!! Feel free to screenshot and share these fun inspirational digital stickers!
