- Inspirational quotes can be more than simple slogans – they’ve helped some of the most successful executives and entrepreneurs.
- Moguls like Barbara Corcoran and Dottie Herman have used inspiring mantras to deal with their fears and enemies.
- Here are nine quotes that could give you a new perspective of your business and personal life.
Inspirational quotes can be more than slogans on a Hallmark card. For high performers, they can be spiritual mantras, rallying cries, or guiding beacons. Leading entrepreneurs and advisors fromThe Oraclesshare the time-tested truisms that changed their lives.
1. ‘Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.’
Dean Graziosi, NYT-bestselling author, 16 years daily on TV; follow Dean onFacebook,YouTube, orInstagram:
This quote speaks to the one trait all successful entrepreneurs share: the ability to pivot when things go wrong. High achievers don’t break their stride, even when failure is staring them right in the face; instead, they realize their setback only brings them one step closer to accomplishing their ultimate goal. All my best successes have come on the back of my greatest failures.
2. ‘Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.’
Barbara Corcoran, founder of The Corcoran Group, podcast host ofBusiness Unusual, and Sharkon“Shark Tank“:
When I read this quote many years ago, I'd spent too much energy resenting someone who'd rewarded my many years of generosity with betrayal. It was constantly on my mind, and I had a hard time getting over it. Then, I figured if Nelson Mandela [to whom this quote is commonly attributed] could spend 27 years in prison and not hate his enemies, I could do the same.
3. 'Success is failure turned inside out.'
Dottie Herman, CEO ofDouglas Elliman:
I keep this anonymous quote framed on the wall in my office. It's a daily reminder to embrace failure instead of fearing it. Success is the inverse of failure, not the lack of it. You succeed when you take on an obstacle, and you flip it. First, you have to embrace the obstacle, though.
Sadly, most people are plain afraid to fail, so they never leave their comfort zones or attempt something challenging. Other people get so stuck in their past mistakes that they can't learn from them.
Failure is a tremendous teacher. It encourages better thinking and forces you to look back and ask, "What went wrong?" It also shapes you as a person; it makes you resilient. It educates you in ways success simply can't.
4. 'The secret of getting ahead is getting started.'
Sharran Srivatsaa,angel investor and CEO ofKingston Lane, a push-button technology execution platform for real estate;follow Sharran onInstagram:
We're living in a perpetual state of information overload. Be it the 14,000-plus advertising messages blitzed at us every day, or the incessant dings of email and social media, our attention is in constant demand.
While simple, this quote reminds me to cut through the noise and do whatever it takes to begin the process of realizing my greatest goals. This could be as basic as whiteboarding an idea or running a sample Facebook ad to test a sales hypothesis.
There's immense power in just getting started. I often counsel my team and the CEOs that I mentor with this phrase: "Action drives momentum, momentum drives results." So the next time you feel stuck, push yourself to take the first step. The magic of momentum will work for you!
5. 'You don't know what you don't know.'
Jason Hall, founder and CEO ofFiveChannels:
This phrase seems overly simplistic, but when applied to business, it helps you to take greater risks and avoid false assumptions.With marketing, there will always be new software, platforms, and trends that my team and I are not familiar with. We make it a priority to continually educate ourselves. For example, millennials currently make up 70% of all Snapchat users, so I forced myself to learn more about the platform to understand its marketing potential for our clients.If you've settled into a comfort zone of knowledge, it's time to broaden your horizons. When you accept the fact that "you don't know what you don't know," you can attain the valuable information you didn't even know you were missing.
6. 'You don't get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.'
Shaun Rawls, author, lifelong entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Rawls Consulting:
This Jim Rohn quote has been game-changing for me. I was fortunate enough to hear Rohn speak for the first time at a live event in Atlanta during my early twenties. I was a young, budding real estate professional who wanted to strike it rich but didn't quite know how.
This quote continues to be a reminder that success is always a reflection of the value you provide. Ultimately, you don't get paid for the hour, or the job, or the project, or the deal. You get paid for the value you bring. If you want to earn more money, or you want your company to make more money - heck, if you want almost anything - all you have to do is provide enough value to get it!
7. 'Relationships are leverage. If you give value to someone else first, you have leverage.'
Richard Blankenship, co-founder ofESP Gamingand SeniorVice President ofPoker Central'sBusiness Development:
This Gary Vaynerchuk quote has inspired me to lead our companies to the next level by leveraging relationships.
When you're the one to give first in a relationship, you quickly build rapport. One way to do this is to offer a sweetheart deal to an important prospect or strategic partner. Another is to connect people in your industry when there's a mutually beneficial match. Your network will quickly take notice of your actions and word will spread to their networks, possibly leading to endless opportunities.
The key to this strategy lies innotexpecting anything in return for the value you provide. I've done many more favors than I've received, but the favors that circle back end up being worth exponentially more than I ever imagined.
8. 'Burn the ships.'
Gail Corder Fischer, Executive Vice Chairman ofFischer & Company, a leading global corporate real estate firm that provides consulting, brokerage and technology solutions:
This saying dates back to 1519 when the SpanishconquistadorHernán Cortésarrived in Mexico. He brought with him 500 soldiers and, upon arrival, made history by destroying his ships. This sent a clear message to his men: There was no turning back. Two years later, he succeeded in his conquest of the Aztec empire. The idea behind "burn the ships" is the same as "succeed or die." Your outcome is always based on your level of commitment to achieve great things.
This doesn't mean you can't ever change course or decide that a current pursuit isn't working. However, by leaving the ships in the harbor, your people will see that you're not fully committed to the transition. If you're not fully committed, why should they be? By removing any available path back to the previous way, your team will become as fully invested as you.
Look inside yourself and see where you're struggling to commit. Is it because the ships are still in the harbor? Burn 'em. Force commitment. Watch what happens.
9. 'If you're going through hell, keep going.'
Nafisé Nina Hodjat, founder and managing attorney ofThe SLS Firm:
This quote has been tremendously impactful for my clients and me. I meet most of my clients when they are going through the worst time of their lives. They're either in jail or recently bailed out and facing criminal charges. As a criminal defense attorney, it's my job not only to fight the charges, but to also walk with them through hell.
What I've come to know is that life is a full-contact, beautiful and brutal sport where nobody gets out alive.At the beginning of a crisis, it inevitably feels like there's no way out.But if you can summon the energy to put one foot in front of the other, and keep going, eventually you will find a solution.
Want to share your insights like those above in a future column? If you're an experienced entrepreneur, please get in touch here.
Want to suggest a future topic for these entrepreneurs to answer? Email [email protected] and it's very possible we'll make your suggestion the focus of a future article!
Follow The Oracles on Facebook.