Inspirational quotes from famous figures to help inspire you

The life of an entrepreneur can be a lonely place sometimes. Days can often be long and difficult. It can be testing even at the best of times. At Payzone we recognise the steely determination of all of our businesses. But we are all human after all (thanks Rag'n'Bone Man!) and we all need a bit of positive motivation to persevere and battle through.

Life is about showing character, and how you come through tough times will determine how successful your business can be. So with that in mind, let's take a look at some quotes from some of history’s most determined and driven people.

“The Future depends on what we do in the present” - Mahatma Gandhi

Who better to learn about perseverance and never giving up than from one of the founding figures of modern India, the great Mahatma Gandhi. India’s most famous figure, frequently went on hunger strikes as a way to voice his disapproval of colonial rule from the British Empire. We wouldn’t recommend trying this out! But with enough determination there is really no limit to what you can achieve today. Barriers to excelling are only superficial - you are the master of your own destiny.

“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction” - President John F Kennedy

This quote from the former President couldn’t ring more true for any would be entrepreneur or small business owner. There is a lot to be said for putting in effort and graft but if the work doesn’t have a purpose you could be wasting your time. So make sure that everything you do has a clear goal and trajectory. This will ensure that everything you do is productive and beneficial to your business.

“Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently” - Henry Ford

This little gem, from the founder of one of the world’s most famous automobile companies, is a lesson we should all heed. Everyone fails in life and in business. What’s more important, is not the failure itself but how you recover from setbacks which really count. If at first you don’t succeed try again - you will stand a better chance from the knowledge you would have gained from your failure. Learn from your mistakes and you will be better prepared for the next challenge whatever it might be.

“The only way to do great work is love what you do” - Steve Jobs

We love this fantastic adage from a man who really has changed the world. If you are going to put in the man hours to grow something then it needs to be for something you love. The commitment on your part needs to be total. Why spend all the time you are going to need on something which you don’t enjoy? Life is simply too short to be spending time on things that don’t arouse your interest. Doing something that you’re passionate about will only increase your chances of success even more.

“To hell with circumstances I create opportunities” - Bruce Lee

The world's most famous martial arts film star clearly knew what it took to succeed. And this quote could not be more pertinent for what it takes to flourish as an entrepreneur. Don’t sit around waiting for things to happen - this is a sure fire recipe for mediocrity. Instead be proactive. Always search for opportunities and be prepared to grasp them as soon as they emerge. This is a quality that every entrepreneur must possess in order to be successful in their field. Be like Bruce, be a fighter.

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring” - Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe defined a golden age of cinema because she was unconventional at a time when the world’s attitudes towards morality were changing. This fantastic quote, from this icon, could be applied for any business striving to achieve. Don’t do everything by the rule book. Sometimes it works to be a little bit unconventional and ‘off the wall’. Now let’s say you run an unconventional guerilla marketing campaign that gets people talking. This is great because if people see you as a little different then you will attract attention. So take the Marilyn approach and be distinctive.

Feeling inspired? Here at Payzone, we support thousands of small to medium-sized businesses in the UK. Find out more about us and check out how you could benefit from our card payment solutions.