Famous Motivational Quotes About Entrepreneurship

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

Have you been in a position where you felt like you had everything you needed to crack the code to achieve a successful business? But, somewhere along the line, that motivation and drive disappeared. 

Many successful entrepreneurs are facing the same problem. A recent study shows that 33% of small business owners in the United States reported they didn’t have the same motivation as they felt back in the early days of starting their business. 

For many, a lack of motivation was present a couple of times a year. Of course, the reasons vary from owner to owner. 

To run a successful business, you need to put in a ton of effort. Some days, it feels like all the efforts are paying off. But, at other times, huge mistakes can leave you feeling drained and discouraged. 

For the majority of entrepreneurs, the high-stress level, which comes with running a business, is one of the biggest contributors to losing motivation and enthusiasm. Luckily, there is a way you can get through these rough patches. 

“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” – Mae C. Jemison.

That’s why we compiled entrepreneur motivation quotes. Words of encouragement, particularly from successful entrepreneurs, hold significant promise and potential for putting your journey into perspective. 

Their encouraging words for entrepreneurs can remind us that even though they’ve amassed a ton of riches and success over the years, they, too, faced a number of obstacles along the way. These obstacles helped them become who they are today.

So, regardless of what inspires you to open up a business, the reality is you need inspiration. If you want some valuable advice or insight, then you are in the right place. The guide below offers some practical ways how to regain that enthusiasm for running a successful business. 

Why Is Motivation Important in Entrepreneurship?

“If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.” – Steve Jobs

No motivation – No growth.

It takes an immense amount of strength to improve as an entrepreneur or co-founder. You will be using the latest technological advances, marketing, and other tools to penetrate the market. But you can’t achieve any of that if you don’t stay motivated.

Motivation can compel a business owner to work hard and strive for more. Motivation is a valuable thing because it offers clarity and hope when the circumstances are difficult and discouraging. 

Motivation plays a key role in entrepreneurial spirit. Without it, you can lose sight of what you want to achieve. Your emotions, feelings, and external circumstances can start to overwhelm you. All that hard work and obstacles can make it difficult to reach mega-ambitious dreams.

That’s why you shouldn’t let other people limit your opportunities. And you shouldn’t allow the different challenges to block the road to success. 

Find your biggest motivation and keep doing what you do best. If you need a quick motivation boost, these motivational quotes for entrepreneurs can help. Inspirational quotes for entrepreneurship can give you valuable insight into what it is that you want to achieve.

What Quotes Motivate You to Be an Entrepreneur?

They say that you should wait for the right opportunity to come. Yes, timing is critical for success. But there is a difference between when you should be letting things fall into place and when to make them happen.

If you keep postponing your goals and ideas, you will be waiting a very long time. So, it is in your best effort to create that opportunity for success. Like Milton Berle said, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

You can’t always rely on luck or chance. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and start making ideas happen, as you can see from many quotes about entrepreneurship. 

“To any entrepreneur: if you want to do it, do it now. If you don’t, you’re going to regret it.” – Catherine Cook.

Experience as an entrepreneur is one of the most precious and the most underestimated skill. 

It is this skill that you’ve gained through actually working, failing, and succeeding. Whenever you feel like you are in a slump, it is important to take a look at encouraging quotes for entrepreneurs.

Why?

Opening a business is like planting a sapling. You have to dedicate all your time, effort, and money to take care of it, nourish it, and expect nothing in return. But when that business starts to blossom, that’s when you see all your hard work paying off. 

But not all saplings will start to grow. Some die 1 to 3 years after their launch. At the same time, others manage to persevere and overcome numerous obstacles. 

The words of famous entrepreneurs offer tools that can inspire others. As a business owner or co-founder, you can use these words to hold onto the vision of your business and have a couple of phrases that can motivate you to achieve maximum growth. 

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs is seen as one of the most influential and inspiring entrepreneurs because of his contribution to innovative approaches to technology and design. He explains that you shouldn’t let others’ opinions drown your own inner voice, as their thoughts can be misleading.

His vision for the future and his disregard for people who said it was impossible made him a pioneer. Steve Jobs can motivate others and himself. This helped him create groundbreaking results. Steve Jobs encouraged people to look beyond, creating the idea that nothing is impossible. 

“Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.” – Steve Jobs.

There are other entrepreneur inspirational quotes that you should know. Henry Ford was an American business magnate and founder of the Ford Motor Company. He is the most renowned entrepreneur in history. He optimized transportation, forever changing the US automobile industry.

Henry Ford’s words encompass his experience and work ethic. What made Henry Ford a well-respected figure is that he managed to create a low-cost manufacturing process while producing reliable vehicles and keeping his workers loyal and well-compensated. He is known for leaving some famous quotes about entrepreneurship.

“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.” – Henry Ford.

But, sometimes, the only thing that holds you back is yourself. When you have a negative mindset, it can cause you to shy away from taking risks. Just to keep your own business safe, you may leave things as they are. 

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.” – Henry Ford.

However, adopting a safer course doesn’t always benefit the business. Imaginative employees can start feeling stifled, which can affect your company’s ability to expand, progress, and develop. So, even if innovation might come with risks, the rewards of investing in new products, technology, and processes can be worth your while for both you and your staff.

“If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore.” – Michele Ruiz.

If your fears run deep, then be sure to surround yourself with people who support you and get behind your vision. 

As many entrepreneurship slogans say, self-doubt and negative opinions are the most dangerous poison. So, when your confidence starts to sink, the right people can help bring it up again.

Remember, the greatest success comes from the mind.

“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance… Unless you have a lot of passion about this, you’re not going to survive.” – Steve Jobs.

If you are worried your hard work is not paying off, then you can find other like-minded individuals in the industry or mentors you can learn from. Whenever you manage to achieve a certain milestone or goal, be sure to celebrate success.

Many studies show that celebrating success can bring impactful benefits to entrepreneurs. This includes better-coping strategies, physical health, confidence, and improved connections with others. When you celebrate, you also get to stay motivated, which is critical for developing a success mindset.

According to recent reports, sharing positive experiences can boost resilient thinking. And resilience gives you the capacity to bounce right back up after a difficult event. Without resilience, every lost deal, client, or opportunity can feel like a catastrophe. 

Reading quotes about entrepreneurship can give you a quick motivation boost.

What Are the Top Motivations That Drive the Best Entrepreneurs?

Here is a hint: It’s not all about money.

Every entrepreneur has their own respective motivator for opening a business. But, there are a couple of factors that play a key role in inspiring people to open a startup. 

Motivation – whether that is passing on a family business, a flexible schedule, or the need for personal growth can inspire an entrepreneur to establish a venture. 

Here are the top motivations that drive the most promising entrepreneurs, including some inspirational quotes from entrepreneurs.

Reason 1: Independence

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in, and day-out.” – Robert Collier.

Autonomy is a strong motivator. Being self-reliant drives about half of the population towards owning a business.

According to a survey, having independence is the number one reason people want to become an entrepreneur. They can be their own boss and create a flexible schedule. They can do things their own way, make their own mistakes, take risks, and reap the rewards. 

Aspiring entrepreneurs are attracted to the idea because they can create something from scratch. They can do things differently from what they could achieve as salaried employees and can make bigger investments through hard work.

Here is a quote about entrepreneurship that speaks volumes.

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney.

Reason 2: Passion

Good quality products often come from innovative ideas. These ideas can solve real-life problems. But, when you work on these products, you can’t be a lifeless soul who doesn’t believe in anything. You need to have passion for something.

Being an entrepreneur is probably the only profession that offers cognitive freedom. The freedom to innovate, create, imagine, and think. This gives people a true sense of empowerment.

“You’ve got to follow your passion. You’ve got to figure out what it is you love–who you really are. And have the courage to do that. I believe that the only courage anybody ever needs is the courage to follow your own dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey.

When you take a look at inspiring entrepreneur quotes, you will notice many talks about passion. Like Oprah Winfrey said, if you don’t know what your passion is, you need to find it.

If your fears run deep and you lack the inspiration to move forward, a motivational speaker can help. A motivational speaker has a great amount of experience that can be useful during times of unprecedented change. 

You can read many success quotes for entrepreneurs from motivational speakers. They can inspire your team to seize the opportunities that are coming your way. 

“Progress does not demand perfection, only persistence.” – Dean Lindsay

Pure perseverance can push you forward, despite the obstacles you have to face. Even if you are starting off with a poor business, you can mitigate these challenges. 

Below we listed some more famous quotes entrepreneurs can read.

Reason 3: Personal Growth

When you become an entrepreneur, you can see what you are really made of. The type of problems you will be facing can help build your awareness and help you grow exponentially. 

Formal education is not enough to prepare you for this kind of work. You need to keep working on yourself so that you can move up the ladder.

Real entrepreneurs emerge victorious when they work on their weaknesses to expand their businesses. For example, if you don’t have the necessary marketing skills, then you have to make the right marketing effort to cultivate these skills. 

The huge mistake people make is not trying hard enough to explore and grow. They think that after opening up a business, the work is done, and it is time to leave it in the hands of employees. But, as an entrepreneur, your work is never done. 

Every business executive needs to be brave, take risks, expand, and believe in themselves. It’s important to think creatively, stay positive, and be solution-minded. 

So, instead of focusing on every wrong thing that can happen in your business, you should look forward to working on yourself and your venture. Here are some interesting entrepreneur quotes.

The Entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.” – Peter Drucker.

Want some more entrepreneurship motivational quotes? Here is what Tadashi Yanai said, a Japanese billionaire businessman, president, and founder of Fast Retailing, “I think like a Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Failure is a great teacher. At the same time, you must remember, success will never last… Whether it’s tech or fashion, it must be for the customer.”

Motivation inspiration entrepreneur quotes talk about the secret behind successful ones is pure determination and the will to do something. 

Like Naveen Jain said, an entrepreneur, business executive, Founder, and CEO (former) of Info Space, “A person who sees a problem is a human being; a person who finds a solution is a visionary; and the person who goes out and does something about it is an entrepreneur.”

Reason 4: Feeling of Accomplishment

“Life, especially the life of an early-stage entrepreneur, is full of gigantic ups and downs. Make sure you don’t let yourself get too high or too low. It’s a marathon, and you just have to keep your legs moving at a steady pace.” – Chieh Huang.

An entrepreneur is just like everyone else – they feel fear. They are fearful their venture will fail or fearful they can’t execute their innovative idea. But they don’t let these fears define them. They learn from failure and use it to push themselves forward and strive for harder goals.

Whenever they do achieve something, it gives them a great sense of accomplishment. This is one of the top motivators for opening up a business. 

That’s because being an entrepreneur can be fulfilling and rewarding.

Remember, it is the hard path that you take that can forge you into an excellent entrepreneur. Here is some good entrepreneur quotes that support this. 

“I’d rather invest in an entrepreneur who has failed before than one who assumes success from day one.” – Kevin O’Leary.

Below you can find some more entrepreneur quotes.

Reason 5: Sense of Control

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn

People want to be a leader because it gives them a sense of control.

When you have control, you feel safe. Having control helps you mitigate the risks, especially in a market full of uncertainty. You can predict the possible outcome and take on your own opportunity. 

Like Travis Kalanick said, “As an entrepreneur, I try to push the limits. Pedal to the metal.” Kalanick is an American businessman known as the co-founder and former CEO of Uber. The Co-founder and former CEO of Uber have shared a lot of famous quotes on entrepreneurship. 

Here are some more entrepreneurship quotes.

“Fear is the disease. Hustle is the antidote. Whatever it is that you are afraid of, go after it.” – Travis Kalanick. 

How Can an Entrepreneur Motivate Himself?

In the past, your efforts to count on other people might have led to disappointments. Maybe a contractor completely failed with a presentation, and you had to stay up late to fix it. 

Many leaders feel like they are the only ones who can step up to the plate. 

So, how do you stay motivated in times like these? It is important to take other people’s thinking into account. Here are a couple of famous quotes by entrepreneurs. 

“Knowing whose advice to take and on what topic is the single most important decision an entrepreneur can make.” – Vinod Khosla. 

Khosla is the co-founder of Sun Microsystems and the founder of Khosla Ventures. He is a venture capitalist and an Indian-American businessman. 

Even if you have the best ideas, if you don’t have a system to get the tasks done, you will fail. Here are some more famous motivational quotes about entrepreneurship.

“Have you ever noticed some people are able to stay organized while getting a massive quantity of work accomplished, while others appear to be busy but never actually produce results? Time management is the key to becoming a successful entrepreneur.” – Clay Clark.

If you want to motivate employees to do better, then you can invest in gamification. Gamification motivates workers to get involved and retain outcomes. It offers consistent feedback and a powerful reward system.

So, how can an entrepreneur motivate themselves? The tips and famous entrepreneur quotes below can help.

Start With a Routine

Having a good routine (e.g., personal hygiene, regular sleep, and a healthy diet) is crucial for positive mental health. 

When you start your day with a great morning routine and entrepreneur quotes, you can feel more focused, alert, and prepared to take on different opportunities. 

You can spend the mornings refining and reviewing your plan.

But, if you find yourself constantly exhausted, then you can start the day with yoga or meditation. 

Research shows that meditation can be an effective intervention strategy for improving job performance in the business world. 

Meditation stimulates the mind, relaxes the body, and kickstarts the day. So quit talking and begin meditating.

Another way to improve your morning routine is to add a creative hobby to the morning schedule. Anything from reading a book and quotes on entrepreneurship to writing and drawing can help.

Here are some sayings about entrepreneurship you should read.

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Set Rewards

As a co-founder or CEO, you can’t afford to make the same mistakes over and over again. But you can afford to reward yourself for all the things you have achieved.

Instead of focusing on all the possible scenarios of things that could go wrong, you should prepare rewards for yourself whenever you keep a good habit or achieve a certain goal. 

The human mind is naturally wired to react to incentives. So, rewards are a great way to stimulate motivation. Here are some ways you can reward yourself:

• A trip or vacation you always wanted
• Party with friends
• Dinner at a fancy restaurant
• Buying a luxury gift

You can also make a list of your top entrepreneur business quotes.

How to Reward the Staff

To reward employees, you can use gamification leaderboards. It can help foster company culture and recognize the staff for their achievements. 

Want some entrepreneurial motivational quotes? Check this one below.

“Entrepreneurship is not a part-time job, and it’s not even a full-time job. It’s a lifestyle.” – Carrie Layne.

Take Part in Motivational Activities

About half of entrepreneurs constantly think about work. But, as a co-founder and CEO, if you want to stay motivated, you should also pay attention to your own life – Not tomorrow; today! Engaging in motivational activities can uplift your spirit. Some of these include:

• Watching inspirational films (e.g., documentaries or fiction movies)
• Listening to uplifting music
• Listening to motivational podcasts

You can use them as a quick break after all your hard work. You can perform these activities during your commute, while cooking a meal or while relaxing at home. 

Here is a quotation on entrepreneurship that can give you a quick motivational boost.

“learn to sell, learn to build, if you can do both, you will be unstoppable.” – Naval Ravikant.

Involve Your Loved Ones

The best source of motivation often comes from quotes from entrepreneurs and family and friends. Motivational entrepreneur quotes can lift you up when you are feeling down. 

While people can compliment you or celebrate with you. Engaging others is a great way of staying positive and expressing your emotions, thoughts, and ideas about life. 

And as a co-founder and CEO, you will need all the support you can get, especially when you are dealing with different obstacles in your own life. 

Here is a quote for entrepreneurs you should read.

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” – Napoleon Hill.

Let’s do this!

For every co-founder and CEO, motivation is a driving factor for success. After all, success requires a strong drive, motivation, inspiration, and a work ethic. Entrepreneurship motivation quotes can help with that. 

Many inspirational entrepreneurs’ quotes talk about the difficulties of opening up your own venture. These are quotes by entrepreneurs you can live by and use to set your business on the right track. At Spinify, we offer the tools to help increase workplace productivity and employee engagement. Our tools are fused with motivational psychology and gamification. Book a demo today and check our Linkedin page to find out more.