Certain quotes have a way of stoking my motivation or providing a bit of inspiration when I need it most. That’s why I’ve written about this topic several times over the years, such as in my past articles 9 Little-Known Success Quotes that Belong on Every Solopreneur’s Wall and Success Quotes that Pack the Biggest Punch for Entrepreneurs (Like You).
Since people are supplying new words of wisdom daily, I like to revisit these types of quotes regularly as a way to re-center myself or shift my perspective. Here is a collection of some of the business success quotes that have struck a chord with me this time around.
“There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.” – Christopher Morley
I don’t know about you, but one of the major benefits I find of being a solopreneur is that I get to call all the shots. I get to decide which clients I take on, the hours of the day I work, how much I charge, and more. This flexibility extends into my personal life as well. If I need a little time off on a certain day, I take it. This, to me, is what creating a successful career as a freelance writer is all about.
“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.” – William Feather
When things get tough, I tend to want to quit. I find myself looking through job search platforms while telling myself why it would be better to just go work for someone else. At one point, I even made it to the final step in the interview process before recognizing that if I could just work through what I was feeling, I’d be happier staying where I was. Each time, I’m glad that I’ve stuck with my business. I feel like it’s made me a stronger businessperson and my clients appreciate my determination.
“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year.” – John Foster Dulles
Being in business and facing challenges go hand in hand. One day, you’re battling your technology (like when my desktop died a few months ago in the middle of the workday, just a few weeks after my laptop also died, leaving me scrambling for a new computer so I could finish my projects). The next day, you’re dealing with an issue with a client. While there is no way to take all your challenges away as a business owner, as long as you learn from them and find solutions, you’re one step ahead of where you were yesterday.
“Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results.” – William James
If you haven’t yet met your definition of success, it’s easy to engage in actions that actually work against you. Maybe you price your services too low just to get business. Or you don’t even get dressed for your workday because you figure no one cares anyway. Yet, if you carry yourself as if you’ve already achieved success, you feel and behave differently. You hold your head a little higher and smile a little more. You act like the professional that you are, and your clients will pick up on it. It’s also easier to make decisions that are more consistent with achieving success because that’s the mindset you’re in.
“Success is like reaching an important birthday and finding you’re exactly the same.” – Audrey Hepburn
There is a lot of truth to this one. I remember first starting out and thinking that if I could meet the business goals that I’d set for myself, it would change my life dramatically. Certainly, my life today has more comforts and conveniences than ever before, but I’m also still the same person at heart. I still have a lot of the same concerns and anxieties. I also have a lot of the same joys and passions. Understanding this helps keep success in perspective. I still strive for it, but I’m also realistic about what it means.
These are just a few of the quotes that resonate with me today. I hope that some of them resonated with you too.
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