The most inspirational quotes ever (according to ABE)

We all need a bit of inspiration on a Monday morning so here are eighteen great quotes to inspire you in your studies.

How we chose them

We put together as many great sayings as we could think of and did a poll of the office to find out which phrases amongst them the ABE team find most inspirational.  We kept the originators anonymous so that the reputation of the speaker didn’t influence choices for or against the power of their words.  Despite this, you won’t be surprised to know that great thinkers and leaders ranging from Mandela and Ghandi to Einstein and Churchill are amongst those who whose words inspire us most.  There may be a few surprises too. 

Let us know what you think of our choices, or make your own suggestion.  We would love to announce ABE members’ all-time most inspirational quote.

Listed in alphabetic order

1. Believe you can and you're halfway there. 
2. Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential. 
3. Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow. 
4. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
5. Focus 90% of your time on solutions and only 10% of your time on problems. 
6. Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul.
7. It always seems impossible until it’s done.
8. Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
9. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. 
10. Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.  It is not a day when you lounge around doing nothing – it is a day when you’ve had everything to do and you’ve done it. 
11. Never compare your journey with someone else’s.  Your journey is your journey not a competition.
12. There are two kinds of things that you should not get upset about; the ones that you can change and the ones that you can’t change.
13. Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.
14. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. 
15. You don't have to be like most people around you, because most people never become truly rich and wealthy.
16. We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone. 
17. Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles.
18. Well done is better than well said. 

Which one is your favourite?  Is there a saying you love that is not on this list?  Let us know what inspires you…


Sources:  1.  Theodore Roosevelt, 2 & 14 Winston Churchill, 3 & 5 Anthony J. D'Angelo, 4 & 7 Nelson Mandela, 6 Democritus, 8 & 13 Albert Einstein, 9 Mahatma Gandhi, 10 Margaret Thatcher, 11 Cheryl Jacobs, 12 & 15 unknown, 16 Ronald Reagan, 17 George Eliot, 18 Benjamin Franklin