Determination is that unwavering force within us that pushes boundaries and transforms the impossible into the achievable. It’s the quiet voice that whispers “keep going” when obstacles appear insurmountable, and the fierce resolve that fuels our greatest accomplishments.
Throughout history, determination has been the common thread connecting ordinary individuals to extraordinary achievements—from scientific breakthroughs to athletic triumphs, artistic masterpieces to business successes.
These powerful quotes about determination capture the essence of human perseverance and the remarkable spirit that refuses to surrender in the face of challenges. They remind us that our capacity to persist often determines our ultimate success more than talent or circumstance.
Quotes About Determination
Whether you’re facing professional hurdles, personal struggles, or simply need motivation to pursue your dreams, these carefully curated quotes offer wisdom and inspiration from those who have walked the path of determination before us. Let their words kindle your own determination as you navigate life’s journey.
Overcoming Obstacles
• “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
• “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.”
• “Determination is the wake-up call to the human will.”
• “It’s not about how many times you get knocked down; it’s about how many times you get back up.”
• “The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.”
• “When you hit a wall of resistance, it’s not a dead end—it’s a challenge to find another way.”
• “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.”
• “Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going.”
• “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
• “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.”
Pushing Your Limits
• “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
• “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.”
• “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
• “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
• “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”
• “Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you.”
• “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”
• “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”
• “Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.”
• “Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.”
Daily Determination
• “A little progress each day adds up to big results.”
• “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
• “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”
• “Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.”
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
• “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
• “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”
• “Discipline is doing what needs to be done, even if you don’t want to.”
• “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
• “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”
Facing Failure
• “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
• “Success is falling nine times and getting up ten.”
• “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
• “The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”
• “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
• “When we give ourselves permission to fail, we give ourselves permission to excel.”
• “There is no failure except in no longer trying.”
• “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.”
• “Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.”
Inner Strength
• “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
• “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'”
• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
• “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”
• “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”
• “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
• “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
• “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
• “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
Defining Success
• “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
• “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
• “The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.”
• “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
• “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving.”
• “Success is not in what you have, but who you are.”
• “Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.”
• “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
• “The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire, the size of your dream, and how you handle disappointment along the way.”
• “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.”
Unwavering Resolve
• “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”
• “The path to success is to take massive, determined action.”
• “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”
• “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
• “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”
• “Willpower is the art of replacing one habit for another.”
• “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
• “Change your thoughts and you change your world.”
• “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
• “The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity.”
Conclusion
These 70 quotes about determination serve as powerful reminders that our willpower often determines our destiny more than our circumstances or talents. When we embrace determination as a daily practice rather than a momentary burst of motivation, we unlock our true potential and discover strengths we never knew existed.
The journey toward our goals is rarely smooth, but these words of wisdom remind us that persistence through adversity is what distinguishes those who achieve greatness from those who merely dream of it.
Let these quotes be your companions during difficult times—not just words on a page, but guiding principles that inspire action when challenges arise.
Remember that determination isn’t just about reaching the destination; it’s about who you become along the way. May these quotes inspire you to nurture the unwavering determination that resides within you, helping you transform obstacles into stepping stones toward your greatest aspirations.