We all want to be the type of person who marches into a meeting brimming with confidence, who meets new people without thinking, “What do they think about me?”, who calmly looks over a room when making a killer speech and isn’t intimidated by all those eyes staring back, who doesn’t fret about what to say in that job interview or first date.
But all too often, crippling self-doubt creeps in. We tell ourselves: “I can’t do it!”
We’re answering back: Yes, you can! As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Here is a collection of inspiring and motivational quotes that will help you start believing in yourself.
1. “You have to have insane confidence in yourself, even if it’s not real. You need to be your own cheerleader now, because there isn’t a room full of people waiting with pom‑poms to tell you, ‘You did it! We’ve been waiting all this time for you to succeed!'” -Mindy Kaling, actor
2. “Don’t ask for permission. What are you waiting for? What are you asking for?” -Ava Duvernay, film director
3. “For one year, I would say ‘yes’ to all the things that scared me. Anything that made me nervous or took me out of my comfort zone, I’d say ‘yes.’ Public speaking? Yes. Acting? Yes. A crazy thing happened: The very act of doing the thing that scared me undid the fear.” -Shonda Rhimes, producer
4. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” -Rosa Parks, activist
5. “It’s not your job to be likable. It’s your job to be yourself. Someone will like you anyway.” -Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, writer
6. “I think in your life, there’s a moment when the door opens and you need to walk through the door then. You can’t say then, ‘Well, I’ll go through it two years from now. I’ll do it, I’ll save up some money…'” -David Sedaris, writer
7. “The next time you hesitate before going after something you want, the next time you blush and brush off a compliment, the next time you doubt your place in the world, in the workplace, in your home or in your own skin, say these words to yourself: ‘I’m worth it.’ And I know you will always say it like you mean it.” -Viola Davis, actor
8. “I want people to walk around delusional about how great they can be — and then to fight so hard for it every day that the lie becomes the truth.” -Lady Gaga, singer/songwriter/actor
9. “The best advice I’ve ever received is, ‘No one else knows what they’re doing either.'” -Ricky Gervais, comedian
10. “I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from a single thing that I wanted to do.” -Georgia O’Keeffe, artist
11. “Confidence is not about being extroverted or outspoken; it’s about being yourself and believing in your own worth.” -Lupita Nyong’o, actor
12. “The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.” -Frank Sinatra, singer
13. “Be gentle and kind with yourself. Confidence is something that takes courage in a world that doesn’t always support who we are.” -Tracee Ellis Ross, actor
14. “Once you realize there is life after mistakes, you gain a self-confidence that never goes away.” -Bob Schieffer, journalist
15. “Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that — that’s what life is. You might be really good. You might find out something about yourself that’s really special. And if you’re not good, who cares? You tried something. Now you know something about yourself.” -Amy Poehler, comedian
16. “The secret is, if you can picture yourself doing anything in life, you can do it.” Tom DeLonge, musician
17. If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.” -Fred Rogers, TV host
18. “Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do.” -Steve Jobs, entrepreneur
19. “I always say you should be very careful with the voices you listen to. And my closest voices have always told me, ‘You can.'” -Becky Hammon, basketball coach
Kathy and Ross Petras are the brother-and-sister co-authors of the New York Times bestseller You’re Saying It Wrong, along with other popular language books, and co-hosts of the award-winning NPR syndicated radio show and podcast “You’re Saying It Wrong.” They’ve also been featured in media outlets including The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post and Harvard Business Review. Follow them on Bluesky.
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