We all know life isn’t always smooth sailing, right? I’ve been through my fair share of challenges, and I know firsthand how a powerful quote can be just the boost you need when giving up seems easier than pushing forward.
As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” I love this perspective! It reminds me that the attempt itself has value beyond whether I “succeed” or “fail.”
In this collection, I’ve gathered my favorite quotes about trying, perseverance, and finding the courage to keep growing when things get tough. Whether you’re facing work challenges, personal hurdles, or just need some motivation to get through the day, I hope these trying quotes will spark your determination and remind you why your efforts matter so much.
Trying Quotes: The Power of Making an Attempt
I believe there’s something magical about simply attempting. Here are some of my favorite trying quotes that celebrate the act of trying itself:
- “You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.” – Beverly Sills
- “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” – Samuel Beckett
- “The only real failure is not to try.” – George Clooney
- “I would rather attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed.” – Robert H. Schuller
- “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” – Walt Disney
- “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller
- “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” – Vincent van Gogh
- “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” – Dolly Parton
- “There is no failure except in no longer trying.” – Elbert Hubbard
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
- “Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
- “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein
Motivational Trying Quotes To Never Giving Up
When I’m facing moments where giving up seems easiest, these never-give-up quotes are my go-to source of inspiration:
- “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.” – Winston Churchill
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
- “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb
- “The moment you are ready to quit is usually the moment right before the miracle happens.” – Unknown
- “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison
- “Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
- “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi
- “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” – Walter Elliot
- “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton
- “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
- “Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about.” – Unknown
- “When you know your ‘why,’ then your ‘what’ has more impact because you’re working toward your purpose.” – Michael Jr.
- “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu
- “Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman
- “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson
- “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” – Dale Carnegie
- “Don’t look at your feet to see if you are doing it right. Just dance.” – Anne Lamott
- “Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
Famous Trying Quotes from Historical Figures
I’m always amazed at how wisdom from centuries ago still feels so relevant today! Here are some of my favorite historical quotes about trying:
- “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
- “Always bear in mind that your resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
- “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison
- “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
- “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius
- “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.” – Theodore Roosevelt
- “Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.” – James A. Michener
- “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” – Nelson Mandela
- “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” – Vince Lombardi
Quotes About Trying Again After Failure
I’ve had my share of setbacks (haven’t we all?), so these quotes about trying again after failure really speak to me:
- “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default.” – J.K. Rowling
- “Success is not the absence of failure; it’s the persistence through failure.” – Aisha Tyler
- “Just because you fail once doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything.” – Marilyn Monroe
- “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” – Samuel Beckett
- “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” – Henry Ford
- “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford
- “You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it.” – Johnny Cash
- “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan
- “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy
- “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou
- “Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be.” – John Wooden
- “There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose.” – Kin Hubbard
Modern Trying Quotes About Effort from Today’s Leaders
I find it super inspiring to see how today’s leaders approach challenges! Here are some modern trying quotes that really get me motivated:
- “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.” – Elon Musk
- “The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting.” – Walt Disney
- “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” – Tim Notke
- “Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.” – Drew Houston
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs
- “Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.” – Robert Kiyosaki
- “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand
- “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain
- “Fall in love with the process, and the results will come.” – Eric Thomas
- “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller
- “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
- “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.” – Napoleon Hill
Quotes from Successful People About Overcoming Challenges
These quotes come from individuals who have achieved great things despite facing adversity:
- “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan
- “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” – Albert Einstein
- “The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.” – Joel Brown
- “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill Failure
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs
- “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'” – Muhammad Ali
- “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson
- “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.” – Chinese Proverb
Trying Quotes from Literature and Philosophy
These quotes offer profound insights into the human condition and the importance of perseverance:
- “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller
- “The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” – Arthur C. Clarke
- “In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” – Lewis Carroll
- “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne
- “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy
- “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
- “If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “The only real failure in life is one not learned from.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo
- “Keep walking through the storm. Your rainbow is waiting on the other side.” – Heather Stillufsen
How to Apply Trying Quotes to Your Daily Life
I’ve found some awesome ways to make these trying quotes more than just words on a page. Here’s how I use them in my everyday life:
Create Visual Reminders
I love surrounding myself with inspiration! Try these ideas:
- “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford (on my bathroom mirror)
- “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker (as my phone wallpaper)
- “Your only limit is you.” – Unknown (on a sticky note on my laptop)
- “Hustle until your haters ask if you’re hiring.” – Steve Maraboli (framed on my desk)
- “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” – Karen Lamb (pinned to my vision board)
- “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson (on my water bottle)
- “The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” – George Washington (bookmark)
- “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll (journal cover)
- “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt (fitness tracker band)
- “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis (calendar reminder)
I also love using quotes as journal prompts and creating personal mantras from my favorites. When I’m really struggling, I’ll text a friend a quote that makes me think of them – spreading the motivation always makes me feel better too!
Conclusion
I hope these trying quotes have lit a spark in you like they’ve done for me! Through all my ups and downs, I’ve found that the willingness to try – to take that step forward even when I’m scared or uncertain – is what makes all the difference.
From Roosevelt’s wise words about attempting to succeed to modern perspectives on bouncing back from failure, these quotes remind us that effort itself has incredible value. They show us that failure isn’t the opposite of success but part of the journey toward it.
Whatever challenges you’re facing today, I hope you’ll keep these words close. Remember, every amazing achievement started with someone simply deciding to try. What will you attempt today? As Mary Anne Radmacher says in one of my absolute favorite quotes about trying: “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'”
I’d love to hear which of these trying quotes resonates most with you! Drop me a comment and let me know which one you’ll be using as motivation this week.
