13 Famous High Achiever Quotes You NEED to Remember!
Feel inspired by these 13 famous high achiever quotes! I’ve handpicked these quotes so expect to see some well-known names such as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt and Leonardo da Vinci.
You can print off these quotes, screenshot them or even write them down in your journal. Do whatever works for you and helps you feel most motivated to achieve your goals.
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I hope you enjoy these hand-picked famous high achiever quotes
1. Albert Einstein: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”
Everybody knows Albert Einstein, he’s one of the most famous scientists in the whole entire world. He changed our way of thinking about space and time with his theory of relativity.
I find this quote incredibly motivational because it emphasises the power of creativity and innovation over knowledge alone.
Just because we think we know something doesn’t mean it is actually true which is why we need imagination to encourage us to think beyond our limits.
Journal prompt: what is something you’ve always dreamed about?
2. Amelia Earhart: “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”
Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and not only did she break gender barriers, she also broke quite a few aviation records.
This quote reminds us to just take the first step. Just start and the rest will figure itself out.
As a Mindset and Productivity Coach for perfectionists, I’ve seen how easy it is for people to get stuck in analysis paralysis and struggle to make a decision.
Most of the time, once my clients make a decision and then stick with it, they are able to achieve great things.
Journal prompt: what is a task you have been avoiding? Can you set a 5-minute timer to start this task and get the ball rolling?
3. Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”
Henry Ford is quite possibly one of the most well known car manufacturers in the world. He completely revolutionised the manufacturing industry which saved money and time enabling cars to be sold at an affordable cost to the general public.
This quote is all about mindset. Mindset is EVERYTHING.
You get to decide what your limits are in life. If you believe you can’t do something then you probably won’t be able to do it because your words become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
But if you believe that you CAN achieve whatever you put your mind to then you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can achieve your goals.
Journal prompt: what is a limiting belief that is currently holding you back and what do you need to do to shift your mindset?
4. Arianna Huffington: “We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes—understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder of The Huffington Post as well as other amazing contributions to business and media.
I feel like this quote will really stand out to perfectionists because it’s all about understanding that failure is part of the journey to success.
Making mistakes is a normal part of life and we shouldn’t be embarrassed or ashamed. In fact, we should embrace it and learn from it!
Journal prompt: what have you learnt from your most recent mistake and how can you apply these lessons to your daily life?
5. Michael Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players of all time and is widely known for his Jordan trainers (or sneakers, if you’re American) line with Nike.
This quote reminds me of perseverance and resilience.
It encourages you to realise that even the GOATs fail sometimes.
Many times.
But what separates them from everyone else is the fact that they get back up and try again and again and again until they have mastered the skill.
Journal prompt: what is a skill you are yet to master and what can you do to improve that skill?
6. Helen Keller: “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
Helen Keller was a disability rights activist, author and lecturer. She was blind and deaf from a young age and despite being born in 1880 where there was very little support for people with disabilities she went on to do amazing things.
This quote really emphasises the importance of being optimistic in your journey towards success. Optimism drives you forward and motivates you to work towards a better future.
I like to think of myself as an optimistic person. It’s a beautiful thing when you can still see the positives in the world despite obstacles blocking the way.
Journal prompt: what is something you are looking forward to?
7. Leonardo da Vinci: “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.
Leonardo da Vinci was a creative genius known for painting the Mona Lisa. However, I recently found out he was a polymath which basically means he is someone who holds knowledge in many different areas e.g. he was a painter, engineer, scientist and architect.
A true high achiever.
I hope this quote inspires you to be PROACTIVE in your life. So many people sit back and let life happen to them. They blame other people for the wrongs in their lives and they are constantly the victim.
Those people will stay stuck repeating the same cycles in life wondering why good things never happen to them
You can take control of your circumstances and actively pursue your goals but you need to take initiative first.
Journal prompt: what is something you can do TODAY that will bring you 1 step closer to achieving your goals
8. Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States and a relentless advocate for human rights.
I first saw this quote in a book I read when I was a teenager and it completely changed my life. I spent many years being bullied and my self-worth was in the gutter; however, this quote made me realise that I didn’t need to let their unkind words define me.
I could CHOOSE to believe in myself regardless of what other people say.
This quote is very empowering and encourages you to increase your self-confidence and take ownership of how you choose to live your life.
You can either walk into the room with slumped shoulders and looking down at the floor OR you can walk into the root with your head up high.
Journal prompt: what negative self-belief do you still hold on to based on the words of other people in your life (past or present) and what can you do to let go of those feelings?
9. Malcolm X: “The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
Malcolm X was an African American activist who played a significant role in the civil rights movement in America.
This quote emphasises the importance of preparation and forward thinking. It’s important to act today so that you can reap the rewards in the future.
It’s all about encouraging proactive planning and hard work and hopefully motivates you to invest in your future success because you are worth it.
Journal prompt: Imagine you have achieved everything you’ve ever wanted. Now think backwards from your ideal life. What actions did you take to get to where you want to be?
10. Michelle Obama: “The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”
Michelle Obama is the former First Lady of the United States, accomplished lawyer, motivational speaker and author. She is especially known for her advocacy on education and health in the United States.
I have personally felt really inspired by Michelle Obama and her books ‘Becoming’ and ‘The Light We Carry’ inspired me to start my business.
This quote inspires us to think bigger than the opportunities we see around us. If you work hard and dream big you can achieve anything.
Journal prompt: what is a dream you have lost momentum in? What can you do to reactivate that desire and work hard towards achieving it again?
11. Maya Angelou: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
Maya Angelou was an inspirational poet, actress, civil rights activist, director and dancer.
Her poetry and inspirational words inspired me so much when I was going through tough times at university. I would constantly watch old YouTube videos of her speeches and interviews whenever I needed a push to keep going.
This quote is about being proactive in your life. You have the power to change your circumstances or at least change your perception so that you can be happy.
Having a growth mindset is a key characteristic of high achievers.
Journal prompt: What is something you don’t like in your life at the moment? What can you do to change the circumstance or change your attitude?
12. Kobe Bryant: “It’s not about the number of hours you practise, it’s about the number of hours your mind is present during the practice.”
Kobe Bryant was a legendary basketball player known for his incredible work ethic and dedication to continuous improvement.
This quote really resonates with me and my brand because I ALWAYS talk about mindful productivity and this quote summarises the principles clearly.
Quality is more important than quantity.
It is important to be fully engaged and focused on the task you are completing so that you can create quality work.
Journal prompt: how can you be more mindful/present when working towards your goals?
13. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the Supreme Court justice and a passionate women’s rights activist in America.
I love this quote because it emphasises the importance of integrity and collaboration. Change comes from passion, grit, resilience and inclusive action.
Aim to be someone who inspires change in other people and empowers them to join causes that benefit society as a whole.
Journal prompt: how can you bring others with you on your journey towards success?
FAQ
What is a high achiever?
A high achiever is someone who is constantly striving for excellence and consistently achieves great results in whatever they put their mind to.
High achievers tend to set highly ambitious goals and display grit, determination and resilience when working towards these goals. They also have a growth mindset which means they see challenges as opportunities and don’t let their current circumstances stop them from fulfilling their dreams.
As a Mindset and Productivity for perfectionists, I come across A LOT of high achievers who struggle with perfectionism. These are the people who tie their self-worth to their career achievements which pushes them to work hard but eventually burnout because it’s unsustainable. However, it is possible to be a high achiever without struggling with perfectionism.
Hopefully, these quotes will inspire you to look at high achievers in a different way and understand how to achieve great success without the burden of perfectionism.
Why are quotes so motivational?
Quotes are motivational because they resonate with your emotions and personal experiences. It is inspiring to see/hear the words of people who have done great things in life because it makes you realise that if they can do it, so can you.
Also, it is so much easier to remember a quote (normally they’re roughly 1 sentence) instead of a whole speech. Quotes are great because they condense complex ideas into simple and memorable phrases.
What should I do with motivational quotes?
- You can print off these quotes and stick them on your wall, desk or bullet journal.
- You can use these quotes as journal prompts to help you reflect on the meaning
- You can save these quotes as screensavers and wallpapers for your phone and laptop.
- You can even use these quotes as daily affirmations to inspire your actions
I’ve pretty much tried all of these methods at some point in my life. For example, as a teenager, my bedroom wall was FILLED floor to ceiling with motivational quotes and then as I got older, I transitioned to filling up my bullet journal with endless quotes.
Do whatever works for you!
Join the community of healing perfectionists
I hope you enjoyed these handpicked famous inspirational quotes. The people I have chosen have inspired me through their words and helped me to think bigger than my current reality.
The key takeaway from these quotes is that hard work, resilience, grit and collaboration are important for your success in life.
If you would like to receive inspirational quotes, self-development tips for perfectionists and exclusive offers join my weekly newsletter ‘The Sunday Reset’.
Remember, you are the ONLY person you are going to be with for your whole entire life, so you might as well invest in yourself.
Investing in yourself can be in the form of coaching, courses, reading, journaling, practising self-care and many more things.
Book recommendations for high achievers:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Getting Things Done by David Allen
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
- Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
- Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
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- How to let go of productivity shame and live your best life
- How to be productive every day – 13 ESSENTIAL mindset shifts!
- 4 Stupidly Simple Ways To Develop a Work-Life Flow
- 7 easy ways for perfectionists to increase their self-awareness
- STOP Saying These 7 Toxic Perfectionist Phrases To Be Successful
