That one day, I just didn’t feel like writing the 5,000 word blog post I’d promised my client by that afternoon.

It’s normal to experience dips in motivation, to want to procrastinate instead of deal with the mountain of work that lies ahead. But at the end of the day, entrepreneurs know that you have to push past those feelings—and force yourself to do what’s at times difficult.

To help reset myself in these moments, I compiled this list of all my favorite motivational quotes as a reminder of why I’m here, what fuels my hustle, and just how short this life really is. We’re not here forever, people.

And sometimes, I need a shot of adrenaline to kick my ass into a higher gear.

A bucket of cold water poured straight on my head.

A nice hard slap across the face (ok, maybe that’s a little far).

A reality check…

If you’re going to make your side hustle a reality, you need to commit to identifying when you’re procrastinating, wasting time, avoiding the difficult tasks you should be doing. You have to push aside your feelings of doubt, self-pity, and go after what you want with a single-minded focus. That’s real hustle.

There’s sacrifice, hard work, and a lot of hustling ahead.

And even more importantly, why are you looking for motivation today? If you’re hoping to break into the world of entrepreneurship and build your own business, then stop delaying and let’s do this.

👋 By now you probably already know… one of the best ways to build your own business start with having a blog of your own. For that reason, I recently put together a free guide that breaks down how to start a blog and I share the exact strategies I’ve used to turn my blog (this blog you’re reading now) into a six-figure business.

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Now at this point, maybe you could use a few words of encouragement? Well, I’ve got your back with these motivational quotes.

So let’s get inspired, get off your ass, start that blog you’ve been daydreaming about (check out these blogging courses and blogging books to get started), pitch your services to that dream client, validate your idea for a startup, create your own success and get shit done!

112 Motivational Quotes to Hustle You to Get More Done (and Succeed)

These motivational quotes will inspire you to do all that and more:

Motivational Quotes to Get You Pumped Up and Driven

These motivational quotes are perfect for getting into the right mindset for thinking big, accomplishing your most meaningful goals, and re-focusing on the larger picture of why you committed to this hustle in the first place.

1. “Good things happen to those who hustle.” – Anais Nin

Good things (usually) don’t just fall into your lap, and there’s no use waiting around and hoping they will. Want to start a side hustle? Stop thinking and talking about it. Get started today, good things will happen when you work hard for them—and position yourself to identify which opportunities you can take advantage.

This motivational quote from Anais Nin, a prolific essayist and author during the early to mid-1900’s, lives on the wall right above my desk. That’s motivation.

2. “The dream is free. The hustle is sold separately.” – Unknown

It doesn’t cost you anything to dream—time, money, or hard work. Hustle, on the other hand, costs all of that.

This motivational quote serves as a constant reminder to get my ass out of bed when my alarm goes off at 4:30am and it’s time to get to work. No matter what time of day you work on your side hustle, you’re going to be tired. Deal with it. Hustle through the difficulties.

3. “I am deliberate and afraid of nothing.” – Audre Lorde

The meaning of this motivational quote? Adopt a deliberate mindset, and don’t be afraid to take chances.

This motivational quote is a reminder that if you want to be successful, you’ll need to work like your life(style) depends on it.

4. “I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it, and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.” – Roald Dahl, “My Uncle Oswald”

Roald Dahl is on the money with this motivational quote. When in doubt, don’t half-ass it. You can’t afford to.

5. “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” – Steve Jobs

It’s a bit nihilistic, but it’s also pretty damn motivating. What do you really have to lose in this life? Failure in business won’t kill you, and you’ll be able to get back into the game if you have the drive. Pick yourself up and hustle again.

This motivational quote from the late, great Steve Jobs is high on my list of motivating messages that re-center me when I get side-tracked worrying about what people will think of new projects I launch.

6. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou

The best way to get your side hustle moving is to flex those creative muscles.

Use this motivational quote from the great Maya Angelou as motivation to create every single day—no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. The act of exercising your creative muscle will help you perfect your craft and become even better. Create. Create. Create.

7. “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of, ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” – Marissa Mayer

Never stop challenging yourself. The day you do, you’re falling behind.

The message of this motivational quote is that there may not be a perfect moment to take your chance, but you have to take it anyway. This applies in all facets of life—from learning how to promote your blog and taking chances on the strategies that could grow your blog to new heights… all the way through to sending that blogger outreach email that could be the tipping point to starting a transformative relationship for your business.

8. “Never let go of that fiery sadness called desire.” – Patti Smith

If you lose your ambition, you’ve lost the drive to succeed.

Keep that desire to be something greater burning inside of you, and bookmark this motivational quote—it’ll get you through the tough times that lie ahead.

9. “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.” – Oprah Winfrey

If you feel like your side hustle is hitting a roadblock, reframe it: It’s adjusting its center of gravity. This motivational quote is inspiration to constantly adapt in the face of challenges.

Any time you feel procrastination creeping in, strive to be aware of it and treat it like a plague—stop procrastinating the moment you realize you’re doing it and find a reward for completion of the milestone. Tape this motivational quote to the wall above your computer 😉

10. “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” – Sheryl Sandberg

Take a minute to think about that one.

If truly nothing was stopping you, nothing in your way, nothing to be afraid of, what would you do? This motivational quote is inspiration to do exactly that. Right now. What are you waiting for? Should you quit your job to pursue your side project that’s gaining momentum? Well, maybe. You tell me. What are you afraid of?

11. “It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old. They grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.” – Gabriel García Márquez

Your passion for your dream will keep you young and invigorated.

This motivational quote is a reminder not to fall into the trap of contentment, laziness, or stagnation. Find a business idea that helps you achieve you’re most meaningful goals in life—and keep pushing towards it until you’re there.

12. “I don’t count my sit-ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count.” – Muhammad Ali

Going through the routine isn’t good enough, and more importantly, it’s not going to keep pushing you to grow.

This motivational quote is a reminder that the only way to get to the zone where you’re growing, and pushing the limits, is to continue to push yourself beyond your comfort zone.

13. “One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.” – Stephen Hawking

The meaning of life according to the big guy himself: dream, work, and love. Can’t ask for much more than that.

This motivational quote is inspiration for us to chase only those pursuits which are worthy of our time in life.

14. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs

Are you imitating or innovating?

Keep asking yourself that as you pursue your work, and use this motivational quote to push yourself in the right direction and strive to be a leader.

15. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

No one has ever done anything important (perfectly) on the first try—failing once or even dozens of times—should never mean failing forever.

When I fail with a big project, don’t land a new client I’ve been pitching, under-deliver on the results I was expecting, or get down about a cold email that went unanswered, I always limit the amount of time I allow for being discouraged, to no more than an afternoon.

After that, it’s time to dust myself off, figure out where I went wrong, and start hustling again. This motivational quote is a constant reminder for me.

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

It’s easier to follow established career paths and societally acceptable professions, but if that’s not going to make you the happiest version of yourself—then it’s your responsibility to deviate from the path. Welcome to entrepreneurship.

Leaders carve out their own path instead of following the masses. Use this motivational quote as a reminder that it’s up to you—to inspire others to follow you.

You can’t expect people to flock to your cause; give them a compelling reason that they won’t be able to ignore you any longer.

17. “You gotta run more than your mouth to escape the treadmill of mediocrity. A true hustler jogs during the day, and sleepwalks at night.” – Jarod Kintz

Basically, put your money where your mouth is.

Don’t just tell everyone about that great idea of your, those dreams of owning your own business—use this motivational quote as a reminder to actually make daily progress towards bringing it to life.

Learn the skills you’ll need to excel, take the right online business courses to level up your game, network with the right people, find mentors. Don’t make excuses—chase your dreams.

18. “Lift up the weak; inspire the ignorant. Rescue the failures; encourage the deprived! Live to give. Don’t only hustle for survival. Go, and settle for revival!” – Israelmore Ayivor

If you’re doing what you do for just you, you’re probably doing it wrong. Strive to do better, give back, and inspire others.

This motivational quote is a reminder that there’s plenty of room for generosity in the hustle. And when you do pay it forward, the benefits you’ll experience come back tenfold.

19. “Hustle until you no longer need to introduce yourself.” – Anonymous

No one asks Bill Gates who he is. Use this motivational quote as inspiration to achieve greatness—remind yourself of that and you can’t lose in the long run. I’ve been fortunate that businesses like my free keyword research tool and blog title generator tool have taken off & helped build my brand in my industry.

20. “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” – John Wooden

Success almost never comes in a neat package. This motivational quote will remind you to make the best of what you have, and what happens even if you fail.

21. “If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn

Mediocre is easy. It takes work to become truly great. Learn to love the hustle.

If you want mediocrity, invest in a low risk, low return lifestyle.

You want to fulfill your dreams as an entrepreneur? You’re going to have to hustle a lot. Save this motivational quote as the background on your phone so it serves as a constant reminder of what you’re here on this planet to do. This quote stays top of mind for me when I’m revisiting my blog business plan to set my sights a little higher each quarter.

22. “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. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About 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. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs

Be crazy enough to think you can change the world.

Use this motivational quote as a way to channel your motivation in a way that pushes you far outside of the box.

Motivational Quotes That’ll Inspire You to Get Money

Money gets you things you need, things you want, and makes the world go ’round.

23. “Fuck you, pay me.” -Ray Liotta, Goodfellas

This motivational quote is a constant reminder to value your work and your time. Demand that others value that too!

24. “You can’t have a million-dollar dream with a minimum-wage work ethic.” – Stephen C. Hogan

This motivational quote represents a common theme here… Don’t expect big returns if you’re not making big investments.

The purpose of this motivational quote? It’s going to take hard work and consistent investment to reach the top of your mountain.

Keep in mind those investments can come in the form of your own education, too.

If you need to learn how to pitch your idea better, then find a mentor, take a class, attend workshops, practice your freelance proposal on friends & family until it exudes confidence. It’s your time investment in this case, that’ll help you level up in your business.

25. “I will tell you the secret to getting rich on Wall Street. You try to be greedy when others are fearful. And you try to be fearful when others are greedy.” – Warren Buffett

Stand out in the crowd, push your limits, and go left when others go right (when you have good reason to do so).

This motivational quote is a reminder that by doing zigging when others zag, you can capitalize on the gaps that other people are missing. And it’s common business advice from the world’s top entrepreneurs—as well as garnering widespread support throughout most of the best business books today.

26. “What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us.” – Julia Cameron

Don’t ignore your passions, they’ll point you towards finding meaningful work in your life.

This motivational quote from writer Julia Cameron is a reminder to chase what we love doing—and to follow that relentlessly.

27. “It’s not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It’s the customer who pays the wages.” – Henry Ford

Never forget that you’re providing value to your customers, not just the employer who’s hired you.

This motivational quote should serve as a reminder that no matter your business—you’re always serving real people at the end of the day.

28. “If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents. Value what you know & start charging for it.” – Kim Garst

Your money will come from knowing what you’re worth and demanding to be paid—keep this motivational quote top of mind and you’ll never veer from the right path.

While it’s ok taking on a few heavily discounted or free projects as you build a portfolio for your freelance business, this motivational quote is a reminder that you won’t get very far doing things just for “exposure,” especially in the world of freelancing—or without having the best freelance contract in place, for that matter.

29. “Fortune sides with him who dares.” – Virgil

Adapting this one to modern times, I’m a bigger fan of… “Fortune sides with those who dare.” But you get the picture.

Use this motivational quote as inspiration to take a risk and stand out from the crowd.

To me, the core message of this motivational quote is that if you’re brave enough, you’ll be one of the only people pushing in a new direction, and if you’re onto something… it could lead to success. Take that chance, step up your hustle and fortune will be on your side.

30. “Don’t tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you what they are.” — James W. Frick

You might talk a big game about prioritizing your business, but if you’re spending 50% of your budget on stuff you don’t need, that speaks louder than words.

Align your budget with what you want your priorities to be. That’s the secret to truly getting where you want to go.

Will achieving your goals take sacrifice? Of course, but I’d argue that most meaningful goals worthy of achieving in life should require sacrifice… otherwise they wouldn’t be meaningful. If you want to build a flexible career for yourself landing some of the best work from home jobs, that’s going to take time… effort… conviction… persistence. Show up, put in the time and financial investment it’ll take to achieve your goals.

I think I just wrote my own motivational quote there 😂 …

31. “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” – Jim Rohn

Value your time more than your money, because your time is a finite resource.

Use this motivational quote as a reminder not to make the mistake of spending a lot of time doing something yourself, that would cost only a little bit to delegate to someone else. Manage your opportunities wisely.

32. “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.” – Zig Ziglar

Hustling is all about staying balanced, especially if you’re growing your side hustle while keeping your day job—with hopes of eventually taking your own business full-time.

This motivational quote is a reminder that you can dream big, still have a backup plan, but always stay focused on making the most of what crosses your path.

33. “The person who doesn’t know where his next dollar is coming from usually doesn’t know where his last dollar went.” – Unknown

Don’t lose track of your income and expenses—that’s what will sustain you and help you plan for the future.

If you don’t know exactly what’s happening to your bank account, you don’t have a good handle on your business. Use this motivational quote as a reminder to stay on top of your finances—because when you don’t, the outcome won’t be good.

34. “I don’t pay good wages because I have a lot of money; I have a lot of money because I pay good wages.” – Robert Bosch

Paying people the minimum is the best way to make a profit in the short run, but paying people what they deserve is the best way to make a profit in the long run.

This motivational quote is a reminder to keep an eye on loyalty and to reward good work. Those two are just as important to your bottom line.

35. “The longer you’re not taking action the more money you’re losing” – Carrie Wilkerson

That time you’re spending stagnating at your day job is time you could spend fueling your dream.

This motivational quote is another reminder not to let the day slip by without taking positive action to improve your state. Hustle, hustle, hustle.