Sometimes work can be difficult and some days will feel much harder than others.
For example, in a customer service job you may have to cope with tricky customers, or within healthcare you may need to deliver bad news to a patient.
Whether you’re working in your dream job, stuck in a role that you’re not sure about or searching for your first job after graduation, everyone can do with a pick-me-up now and then.
Nowadays, the majority of people’s time is spent at work. A regular nine-to-five job takes eight hours out of your day, plus more if you commute, and this can creep up with overtime or in senior management positions.
Plus, with improved remote working capabilities and access to our emails from wherever we are in the world, it is much harder to switch off after a difficult day.
If this sounds familiar to you, then this article is here to help.
A simple technique to help you reset your mind, and remind you of your love for your job, is to review positive and motivational work quotes.
By reading something profound from some of the world’s greatest ever speakers (or even someone close to you), it may give you a little boost of positivity, just when you need it.
Why Do Motivational Quotes Help?
Maybe you think that it’s mumbo-jumbo. But many people truly benefit when hearing from others.
For example, perhaps your company is a start-up, and you’re struggling to tread water. In which case, reading a positive message from someone who has been through a similar scenario may remind you of what you wanted to do and why.
On a more personal note, you may be working in an empathetic role such as nursing or teaching and were inspired to join the profession because of a personal experience (perhaps you had a wonderful kindergarten teacher). In that case, reading a private message from someone who you have inspired may boost your spirits.
Motivational work quotes can give your mind a reset. They can remind you that anything is possible and help you step away from your negative thought process. Some people may benefit from reading inspirational comments and motivational work quotes from those who have exceeded their expectations. They want to relate to other people and feel that they are not alone. In many instances, a motivational quote can feel like getting personal advice from a high-profile professional.
Motivational Work Quotes That Could Inspire You
1. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures. Sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.”
If you work in a low-paid job or feel that you are not recognized for your work, it may feel tempting to put minimal effort in.
You may think, “After all, if I am receiving a minimal reward, what’s the point in trying?”.
Trying is important because putting in little effort repeatedly encourages feelings of negativity. Among other things, it can make work feel insurmountable and never-ending.
The pandemic has taught everyone that those in seemingly low-paid or minimally respected positions (for example, hospital cleaners, retail staff and postal employees) are those that keep the country functioning effectively during a crisis.
If you follow Martin Luther King Jr’s advice and take pride in what you do, then you give yourself intrinsic rewards that no one can take away.
2. Mahatma Gandhi
“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win”
This is reminiscent of the phrase “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again”.
It’s a statement that encourages you to keep trying, even when mistakes occur. It is those that learn from their mistakes who thrive. They pay attention to what went wrong. They turn their weaknesses into strengths. And once their strengths are established, they can flourish. a great street sweeper who swept his job well.
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.
This is sound advice, whether you are self-employed, setting out on a freelance journey or you are unsure whether a new job role is right for you or not.
3. Anne Frank
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
Anne Frank is very inspirational – for generations, people have read her diary of times spent hidden from persecution in Nazi Germany.
She seemingly had to put her life on hold, with only the thought of freedom keeping her motivated, but still found joy and triumph.
If you apply this quote to your working lives, you can be inspired by the notion that nothing holds us back. If we want to succeed in our careers or try something new, the only thing truly stopping us is us.
4. Confucius
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
If you’re working on a project that seems almost impossible, this quote may help you reset your thinking.
As a motivational work quote, it means that you should always break your tasks or ambitions into smaller, more manageable chunks.
This is also a tried-and-tested tool in psychological therapy. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
Perhaps you’re struggling to cope with your workload. In which case, creating a comprehensive to-do list could help you to break down your work into more realistic ambitions that no longer overwhelm you.
You may know what you want to do in your life, but do you know how to get there?
Think about how you can achieve your ambitions.
Could you benefit from additional training to upskill yourself?
Could you ask a mentor to hold you accountable for your aspirations?
Perhaps your first step is to start by applying for a new job.
Breaking down what we want to do into smaller, more achievable aims makes it feel like you are making far more progress and means taking the next step is easier as you already know what it is.
5. Eleanor Roosevelt
“Never allow a person to tell you no, who doesn’t have the power to say yes.”
This is about understanding who can and cannot hold you back from what you are trying to do.
For example, maybe you work in a team, and you’ve come up with a great idea, but work dynamics mean that someone is trying to stifle your creativity.
Or perhaps you’ve come across people who like to think that they have more power than they do.
Your teammate is on the same company level as you and therefore, unlike a manager, does not have the power to approve your plan.
This means you should not give them the power to veto it either.
This phrase is helpful to come back to if you work with those who do not support your ideas or ambitions.
Never allow a person to tell you no, who doesn’t have the power to say yes. It’s about reframing the balance of power.
If you work with consistently negative people, you do not need to think about whether their opinion matters if they are not in a position to help you succeed.
This is a hugely significant milestone for those who struggle to work with particular coworkers.
Rather than become discouraged by a person’s behavior or attitude, you can simply set their opinions aside as someone who doesn’t matter.
