Entrepreneurship quotes and success quotes, in general, offer perspective everyone seems to enjoy. They are even more appreciated when you know the person that said them and learn more about their success, struggles, and failures that lead to achievement.
As entrepreneurs and business owners, we can appreciate such quotes and stories more than the average person. With this in mind, let’s look at a few inspirational and motivational quotes from various entrepreneurs, leaders, and individuals who continue to inspire those they reach.
How can quotes make you a better person or entrepreneur? Simple. Read what they say and then apply them to your own life, business, and journey. Read on, and you will understand what I mean.
‘If you ask better questions, you will get better results.’ –– Mark Moses
This quote from Mark Moses of CEO International is from his “Make Big Happen: How to Live, Work, and Give Big” book, which covers four critical questions every business leader should explore on their journey through life and business.
Staying in your comfort zone is toxic to both your company’s growth and your personal learning curve. What’s the best way to get out? Focus on the pillars that characterize you as a leader, and tackle them head-on: ambition, authority, foresight, and responsibility. Mark’s advice is to ask yourself these four questions, that will force you to look within, step out of your comfort zone and build a real, tangible plan:
- What do you want?
- What do you have to do?
- What could get in the way?
- How do you hold yourself accountable?
There are countless entrepreneurs and CEOs who wander around, live their lives and lead companies without confronting these essential questions to own a distinct path in their journeys. Ask any successful entrepreneur if they have gotten where they are by staying in comfort zones, and without a well-defined goal. The answer is pretty clear.
Takeaway
Every day we all encounter new questions, opportunities, and challenges. The more knowledgeable and prepared we are, the more likely we are to find success. Remember, it’s not merely about the questions asked, but also the answers and how they relate to your business, brand, and personal life.
‘It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.’ –– Warren Buffett
The name Warren Buffett is synonymous with wealth, (and probably seen as a “rich old guy” at the same time). Although you might want to consider him as being born with entrepreneur DNA running through his veins, he actually purchased his first shares of stock at the age of 11.
What’s interesting about his story is that he didn’t create a dot com company or make his billions in record speed or overnight. What we also know about Buffet, is that his business ethics and practices are all about long-term investing and acute knowledge. In fact, he attests to this traditional mentality as a key contributor to his success for several decades now.
All of this ties into his reputation and what he’s known for — which also leads to his quote about the importance of not just making sure you have a great reputation, but also avoiding stupid decisions that can swiftly ruin it. For example, there are plenty of ways to make money online these days. Many of them are legit and well-respected, but there are get rich quick schemes that are just downright illegal, unethical and dirty.
Takeaway
It’s something we all need to consider on a daily basis. Yes, it’s nice to see runaway success stories, but the best of us know what it takes to create a real business and offer tangible value to an audience.
In this day in age, nothing is private. In a millisecond, something you say and do can quickly spread throughout the internet like wildfire. You are your personal brand, and you must do everything you can to make sure it represents who you truly are.
‘Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.’ –– Mark Twain
While Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, doesn’t fit neatly into the entrepreneurship category he is best known for his authorship of many famous books. However, what many people don’t know is that he was also a storekeeper, lawyer, judge, and land speculator. Twain also had dreams of wealth but never achieved it. He even found it hard to feed his family at times.
With all of that being said, Mark Twain is a source of inspiration for many. His quotes and published works are still referenced today nearly a hundred years later after his passing.
This particular quote is of great importance to me and it can be to others. What he’s saying is that the majority isn’t always right. Other people’s opinions don’t truly matter in the grand scheme of life. If you build your life and business on what everyone else does and thinks, then you are basically a slave to the thoughts, opinions, and whims of the masses.
Think about all of the haters that Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, LeBron James, Mark Zuckerberg and millions of others have had to deal with as they pursued their visionary achievements. They all carved out their own path and changed the world we know right along with it.
Takeaway
We all spend a rather short time on this Earth. Live your life, pursue your dreams, and don’t let anyone else (or the masses) get in your way.
Motivational and success quotes can pretty much make you better at anything
While it might seem silly to say that reading inspirational or motivational quotes can make you better at something — it’s true! After reading this article, you should now have a better understanding of the three individuals profiled, along with their journey’s.
With all of that being said, I’ll leave you with a few funny quotes, inspirational quotes for women, and famous failure to success stories. You might be surprised at how much you learn. I bet you’ll become a more motivated and inspired entrepreneur in the process!
Zac Johnson is an entrepreneur who blogs at ZacJohnson.com. Follow his journey as he documents more than 20 years of experience and success in the world of online marketing and branding. Connect with @zacjohnson on Twitter.
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