I am not going to lie, this girl loves quotes! I know, I know, a lot of people hate them, but they have been a great source of motivation for me through my business development process. We could all use a little pep talk now and then, right?
The following quotes really got me through the different phases of launching my business. I read at least one inspirational quote at the beginning of each day and it just gives me a little push.
No matter what phase of business you are in, there is a quote for you!
1. “Doubt kills way more dreams than failure ever will.” – Karim Seddiki
How many of us are drowning in our own doubt and fear? We avoid applying for that promotion out of fear of rejection. Or worse, we fear we are not worthy or capable. How many “I wish I would have’s” have we had? Well, enough is enough. Follow your dreams, and if you happen to fail, that’s a good thing! Learn from it and try again!
2. “Done is better than perfect.” – Sheryl Sandberg
This is the quote I currently have up on my letterboard in my home office. Why? Because this is the one I needed the most as I launched my business. I needed this constant reminder. I am not talking about producing a subpar product or service, but we have to realize things are not going to be perfect. I found that I was paralyzed and not making any progress because I was obsessing over the smallest things. Get it done, and go back to it later, if needed.
3. “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” – Karen Lamb
In business and in life, there are those things we wished we would have started sooner. Sometimes the timing is legitimately just not right, but sometimes we just procrastinate for many reasons. For me, it was that good ole fear and self-doubt.
For you, there may be other reasons. But, I challenge you to really take a deep dive into what is holding you back from starting now. Is it insurmountable? If you can’t get it done now, make a plan to get it done later.
4. “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand
This is one of my all-time favorites! While not a direct quote from Ayn Rand, but attributed to her, this quote gives me all kinds of feels. It’s such an empowering quote to me. We often control our own destiny by the choices we make. Make the right choice for you and your business.
5. “You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis
This quote really resonated with me. Being a Generation X’er a part of my fear and self-doubt was “am I too old to do this?” I thought I have had a twenty plus year career, maybe I should just stay the course.
I did just that until I found myself with an organization whose culture did not live up to my standards and I was miserable. So, I took a leap of faith and I have no regrets. My dream is to be an entrepreneur, and you really are never too old to follow your dreams. Plus, you can always work that 9 to 5, and work on your side-hustle to. Go for it!
6. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer
There is nothing like a hard day’s work and the feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day. You have got to put in the work. I have had days where I made a plan and did not stick to it, and it’s not the best feeling in the world. However, don’t beat yourself up when you have days like this, just make tomorrow better.
7. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb
Are you seeing a slight theme with these quotes? Get started on that business idea; new product or expanding your business. Whatever it is, start now in whatever way you can. That could be putting a plan in writing, testing products, or seeking advice. The point is to just get started and take one step at a time in order to make progress.
