12 Inspiring Quotes Every Entrepreneur Should Live By

12 Inspiring Quotes Every Entrepreneur Should Live By

Here’s a list of 12 quotes that have inspired me throughout my life and that embody the entrepreneurial spirit. If you’re looking for inspiration, look no further! Share these with your friends, colleagues, and family members.

These quotes are not just from entrepreneurs, in fact, they include coaches, authors, an investor, a musician, a world leader, and even a world leader.

1. Truth

They must find it difficult, those who have taken authority as truth, rather than truth as authority.

Even our history books are highly biased. Entrepreneurs shouldn’t care about authority, in any of it’s forms, they care about changing the world for the better. They have to use their own judgement and values to make unpopular and complicated decisions.

 

2. Success

There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that's definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.

Many successful entrepreneurs never graduated college or even high school. So you don’t have to be a genius to start a successful company, but you absolutely have to have a burning desire to achieve your dreams. Hard work is the equalizer.

 

3. Pragmatism

I don't look to jump over seven-foot bars; I look around for one-foot bars that I can step over.

Who can argue with Warren Buffet? The truth behind his success is that he is incredibly pragmatic. He became the world’s second richest person by analyzing the fundamentals of businesses and buying stock that was undervalued. His business philosophy is simple to understand, the hard part is the discipline to follow through on it.

 

4. Focus

The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.

Another great one from Warren Buffet. As an entrepreneur you have to find something that’s working and focus relentlessly on that one thing.

 

5. Vision

The compromise of two visions don't make a right.

I’m always troubled when I meet startups who haven’t decided on a single CEO. Success comes from many pieces of a vision fitting together, and when there’s no clear leadership you end up with a bunch of pieces that don’t fit together. Leaders need to be able to make tough, unpopular decisions when they believe in something.

 

6. Data

If we have data, let's look at data. If all we have are opinions, let's go with mine.

Everybody has an opinion, but opinions are no way to make good decisions. Data, logic, and clear arguments should always outweigh opinion.

 

7. Teamwork

I never won anything by myself. I was always strong because of help that gave me extra strength to win.

Dan Gable is a personal hero and one of the best athletes of all time. Even in a one on one sport like wrestling–a world class athlete attributes his success to his team and coaches.

 

8. Influence

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

How to Win Friends and Influence People is classic book for every leader to read. The truth is that success comes from helping and caring for other people–our customers, our employees, and the colleagues with whom we interact.

 

9. Ambition

When I think of competition it's like I try to create against the past. I think about Michelangelo and Picasso. You know, the pyramids.

Kanye West says a lot of things that are outlandish, but his longevity in the music industry means he’s doing something right.

 

10. Marketing

Make email capture your #1 focus.

Noah’s a world-class marketer and he knows that the most important thing to success is simply getting the customer’s email. From there you can follow-up and you can build a business. Don’t let people come to your website and leave without giving you their email address. Don’t let people come to your store and leave without talking to a store rep. Growing the top of your funnel cascades down to the whole business.

 

11. Persistence

Winners never quit and quitter never win.

This quote was painted on the wall of my wrestling team in high school. Many of the most important things in life are extremely hard and the temptation to quit will always be there, especially when you’re close to achieving your goals.

 

12. Self Doubt

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

Nelson Mandela changed the fate of an entire country and has been an inspiration to leaders around the world. But his accomplishments were not easy and he doubted himself many times.

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