Determination Quotes to Inspire Success & Willpower (2025)

Success isn’t just about talent or luck—it’s about determination, perseverance, and an unshakable mindset. Every great achievement comes with its own set of challenges, but with grit and resilience, you can push through any obstacle and turn your dreams into reality. Whether you’re working toward a personal goal, striving for professional success, or simply needing a motivational boost, the right words can reignite your inner fire. 

Hot Picks:

That’s why we’ve gathered the most powerful determination quotes to inspire you to keep moving forward, no matter how tough the journey gets. These words of wisdom serve as a reminder that setbacks are just stepping stones to success. Let them fuel your motivation, uplift your spirit, and remind you that you are capable of achieving greatness.

Determination Quotes to Stay Motivated and Focused 

• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill 
• “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” — Vince Lombardi 
• “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” — Christian D. Larson 
• “A little progress each day adds up to big results.” — Satya Nani 
• “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” — Margaret Thatcher 
• “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” — Confucius 
• “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” — Og Mandino 
• “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” — Walter Elliot 
• “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt 
• “Determination is doing what needs to be done even when you don’t feel like doing it.” — Anonymous 
• “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill 
• “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” — Mary Anne Radmacher 
• “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” — Benjamin Franklin 
• “Difficulties in life are intended to make us better, not bitter.” — Dan Reeves 
• “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe 
• “You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.” — Babe Ruth 
• “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” — C.S. Lewis 
• “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt 
• “Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.” — William Feather 
• “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” — Billie Jean King

Determination Quotes for Athletes to Stay Focused and Driven 

• “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.” — Vince Lombardi 
• “The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.” — Les Brown 
• “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” — Michael Jordan 
• “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” — Vince Lombardi 
• “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” — Michael Jordan 
• “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” — Tim Notke 
• “Don’t count the days, make the days count.” — Muhammad Ali 
• “Champions are not born, they are built.” — Anonymous 
• “Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.” — Dan Gable 
• “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” — Fred DeVito 
• “A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.” — Jack Dempsey 
• “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” — Michael Jordan 
• “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing.” — Pelé
• “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” — Lance Armstrong 
• “The only way to prove that you’re a good sport is to lose.” — Ernie Banks 
• “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” — Steve Martin 
• “It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort.” — Jillian Michaels 
• “Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.” — Rikki Rogers 
• “To uncover your true potential, you must first find your own limits and then have the courage to blow past them.” — Picabo Street 
• “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky

Determination Quotes for Work to Stay Motivated and Achieve Success 

• “Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” — Chris Grosser 
• “Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do.” — Oprah Winfrey 
• “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier 
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs 
• “Work hard in silence; let success make the noise.” — Frank Ocean 
• “Dream big. Start small. Act now.” — Robin Sharma 
• “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain 
• “Ambition is the first step to success. The second step is action.” — Anonymous 
• “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” — Suzy Kassem 
• “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” — Paulo Coelho 
• “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” — John F. Kennedy 
• “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” — Zig Ziglar 
• “Stay focused, go after your dreams, and keep moving toward your goals.” — LL Cool J 
• “Push yourself, because no one else is going to do it for you.” — Anonymous 
• “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” — Milton Berle 
• “The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it.” — Anonymous 
• “Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.” — Anonymous 
• “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt 
• “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” — Vincent Van Gogh 
• “Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves.” — Dale Carnegie

Short and Sweet Determination Quotes to Keep You Motivated 

• “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” — Steve Jobs 
• “Dream big and dare to fail.” — Norman Vaughan 
• “Act as if it were impossible to fail.” — Dorothea Brande 
• “Keep going. Everything you need will come to you.” — Anonymous 
• “Small steps every day.” — Anonymous 
• “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” — Ralph Marston 
• “Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.” — Anonymous 
• “Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations.” — Anonymous 
• “The best way out is always through.” — Robert Frost 
• “No pressure, no diamonds.” — Thomas Carlyle 
• “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese Proverb 
• “You are stronger than you think.” — Anonymous 
• “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” — Michael John Bobak 
• “Make your dreams happen.” — Anonymous 
• “Work hard, stay humble.” — Anonymous 
• “What’s meant to be will always find a way.” — Trisha Yearwood 
• “Slay your goals.” — Anonymous 
• “Never settle.” — Anonymous 
• “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Addair 
• “Success is a journey, not a destination.” — Arthur Ashe

Motivational Quotes About Determination 

• “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” — Tommy Lasorda 
• “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” — Henry Ford 
• “Success is not the absence of failure; it’s the persistence through failure.” — Aisha Tyler 
• “You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.” — Babe Ruth 
• “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” — Sam Levenson 
• “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” — Colin Powell 
• “Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about.” — Winston Churchill 
• “The moment you’re ready to quit is usually the moment right before a miracle happens. Don’t give up.” — Anonymous 
• “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” — Confucius 
• “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” — Walter Elliot 
• “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese Proverb 
• “Stay strong. Stand up. Have a voice.” — Shawn Johnson 
• “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” — William James 
• “If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” — H.G. Wells 
• “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela 
• “Success isn’t given. It’s earned.” — Anonymous 
• “The future depends on what you do today.” — Mahatma Gandhi 
• “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” — C.S. Lewis 
• “Make each day your masterpiece.” — John Wooden 
• “Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” — Samuel Johnson

Best Self-Determination Quotes 

• “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” — Oscar Wilde 
• “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” — Christian D. Larson 
• “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius 
• “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt 
• “Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway.” — Eleanor Roosevelt 
• “If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down.” — Toni Morrison 
• “Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.” — Helen Keller 
• “I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” — Carl Jung 
• “Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” — Roy T. Bennett 
• “The only limits you have are the ones you place on yourself.” — Anonymous 
• “You define your own life. Don’t let other people write your script.” — Oprah Winfrey 
• “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” — Maya Angelou 
• “With self-discipline, most anything is possible.” — Theodore Roosevelt 
• “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” — Maya Angelou 
• “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson 
• “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” — Rumi 
• “Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.” — Maya Angelou 
• “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi 
• “The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” — Michel de Montaigne 
• “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” — Suzy Kassem

Famous Quotes About Determination 

• “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” — Thomas Jefferson 
• “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” — Zig Ziglar 
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill 
• “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” — Thomas Edison 
• “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt 
• “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” — Billie Jean King 
• “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger 
• “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” — Benjamin Franklin 
• “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” — Maya Angelou 
• “It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up.” — Vince Lombardi 
• “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.” — Mark Twain 
• “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” — Bill Bradley 
• “Do or do not. There is no try.” — Yoda 
• “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” — Henry Ford 
• “When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.” — Anonymous 
• “Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.” — Walt Whitman 
• “A winner is just a loser who tried one more time.” — George M. Moore Jr. 
• “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” — John D. Rockefeller 
• “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” — Robert H. Schuller 
• “The best way out is always through.” — Robert Frost

Determination Goals Quotes for Students 

• “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X 
• “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier 
• “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt 
• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt 
• “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” — John Wooden 
• “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” — Suzy Kassem 
• “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” — Steve Jobs 
• “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” — Estée Lauder 
• “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” — Helen Hayes 
• “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela 
• “Work hard in silence, let success make the noise.” — Frank Ocean 
• “A goal properly set is halfway reached.” — Zig Ziglar 
• “Push yourself, because no one else is going to do it for you.” — Anonymous 
• “Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.” — Kobe Bryant 
• “Dream big, work hard, stay focused, and surround yourself with good people.” — Anonymous 
• “Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” — Bo Jackson 
• “Small steps in the right direction can turn out to be the biggest step of your life.” — Anonymous 
• “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe 
• “Effort is grossly underrated.” — Gary Vaynerchuk 
• “Your only limit is your mind.” — Anonymous

Funny Determination Quotes for Everyone 

• “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” — Thomas Edison 
• “Some people graduate with honors, I am just honored to graduate.” — John McEnroe 
• “You can’t have everything… where would you put it?” — Steven Wright 
• “Age is of no importance unless you’re a cheese.” — Billie Burke 
• “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.” — Steven Wright 
• “Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.” — Jim Carrey 
• “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” — Will Rogers 
• “I wasn’t born with enough middle fingers to deal with today.” — Anonymous 
• “When life shuts a door, open it again. It’s a door. That’s how they work.” — Anonymous 
• “I am an early bird and a night owl… so I am wise and I have worms.” — Michael Scott 
• “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right.” — Anonymous 
• “I’d agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong.” — Anonymous 
• “Hard work never killed anyone, but why take the chance?” — Edgar Bergen 
• “Someday is not a day of the week.” — Janet Dailey 
• “Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.” — Victor Kiam 
• “I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.” — Benjamin Franklin 
• “Success is like being pregnant. Everybody says congratulations, but nobody knows how many times you got screwed.” — Anonymous 
• “A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure.” — Henry Kissinger 
• “I can’t even make my mind up about what to eat for dinner, but somehow, I’m supposed to have life figured out?” — Anonymous 
• “Work until your bank account looks like a phone number.” — Anonymous

Determination Captions for Social Media 

• “Determined to rise, unstoppable in my grind.” 
• “Dream big, work hard, and stay focused.” 
• “Hustle until your haters ask if you’re hiring.” 
• “Fall seven times, stand up eight. #NeverGiveUp” 
• “Your only limit is the one you refuse to break.” 
• “Prove them wrong—again.” 
• “Mindset is everything. #StayDetermined” 
• “Small steps lead to big success. Keep going!” 
• “Push harder than yesterday if you want a different tomorrow.” 
• “No shortcuts. Just hard work and determination.” 
• “Determined to make my future self proud.” 
• “Turn obstacles into opportunities.” 
• “Eyes on the prize, feet on the ground.” 
• “Hard work pays off—just watch.” 
• “Struggle now, shine later. ” 
• “Every setback is a setup for a comeback.” 
• “I didn’t come this far to only come this far.” 
• “Put in the work, and the results will come.” 
• “Fuel your ambition with determination.” 
• “Stay focused, stay fierce. #NoExcuses”

Famous Determination Sayings To Inspire You 

• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs 
• “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” — Joseph P. Kennedy 
• “Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” — George S. Patton .
• “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” — Theodore Roosevelt 
• “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” — Chris Grosser 
• “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill 
• “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” — Milton Berle 
• “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky 
• “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” — William James 
• “The secret of success is to do the common thing uncommonly well.” — John D. Rockefeller Jr. 
• “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” — Thomas Edison 
• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt 
• “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney 
• “Work like hell. I mean, you just have to put in 80 to 100-hour weeks every week.” — Elon Musk 
• “The only thing standing between you and outrageous success is continuous progress.” — Dan Waldschmidt 
• “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” — C.S. Lewis 
• “If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission.” — Anonymous 
• “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” — Zig Ziglar 
• “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” — Vince Lombardi 
• “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Addair

Determination Quotes to Show Your Strength and Passion 

• “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger 
• “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” — Oprah Winfrey 
• “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'” — Mary Anne Radmacher 
• “Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up.” — Isabelle Lafleche 
• “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” — Buddha 
• “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” — Albert Schweitzer 
• “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt 
• “Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.” — Rikki Rogers 
• “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” — Christopher Reeve 
• “Passion will move men beyond themselves, beyond their shortcomings, beyond their failures.” — Joseph Campbell 
• “Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see further.” — Thomas Carlyle 
• “There is no substitute for hard work.” — Thomas Edison 
• “If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” — H.G. Wells 
• “A champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” — Serena Williams 
• “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” — Louisa May Alcott 
• “The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us, but those who win battles we know nothing about.” — Anonymous 
• “Do what you love and the money will follow.” — Marsha Sinetar 
• “We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone—we find it with another.” — Thomas Merton 
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs 
• “Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

How to Craft Your Own Quotes About Determination

• Keep It Short and Impactful – The best quotes are concise yet powerful. Aim for brevity while ensuring your message is clear and motivational. 
• Use Strong, Action-Oriented Words – Words like push, rise, conquer, persist, and overcome evoke motivation and energy.
• Draw from Personal Experience – Think about a moment in your life when determination helped you succeed and craft a quote that reflects that lesson. 
• Incorporate Metaphors or Imagery – Comparing determination to nature, movement, or strength makes the quote more relatable and memorable. 
• End on a Positive or Encouraging Note – A great quote should leave the reader feeling inspired and ready to take action.

Conclusion

Determination is the key to overcoming challenges, achieving success, and staying motivated despite obstacles. Whether you’re an athlete pushing your limits, a student striving for excellence, or a professional working towards a goal, having a determined mindset makes all the difference. The right words can fuel your drive, and crafting your own determination quotes can add a personal touch to your motivation. Remember, success isn’t about never failing, it’s about never giving up.