The inception of a startup is tough and running it is even tougher. It can leave you emotionally drained and mentally fatigued. That’s when you need that extra spark of inspiration, encouragement and motivation. These top inspirational business quotes will help you out at every stage of your entrepreneurial journey.
From Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to Hellen Keller and Tim Ferris, the world is full of brilliant and successful minds that inspire us in their own ways.
Here are the ten of my most beloved quotes from over the years:
- “The fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be.”
— Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn
- “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
— Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft
- “The last 10% it takes to launch something takes as much energy as the first 90%.”
— Rob Kalin, founder of Etsy
- “The most dangerous poison is the feeling of achievement. The antidote is to every evening think what can be done better tomorrow.”
— Ingvar Kamprad, founder of IKEA
- “Don’t worry about people stealing your design work. Worry about the day they stop.”
— Jeffrey Zeldman, entrepreneur and web designer
- “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
— Helen Keller, American author, political activist and lecturer
- “An entrepreneur is someone who has a vision for something and a want to create.”
— David Karp, founder, and CEO of Tumblr
- “Timing, perseverance, and ten years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success.”
— Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter
- “The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new.”
— Socrates, father of Western philosophy
This last quote is the longest one and my favourite one as well.
- “The stars will never align, and the traffic lights of life will never all be green at the same time. The universe doesn’t conspire against you, but it doesn’t go out of its way to line up the pins either. Conditions are never perfect. ‘Someday’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. Pro and con lists are just as bad. If it’s important to you and you want to do it ‘eventually,’ just do it and correct course along the way.”
— Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Work Week
Written by Gagan Dhawan
