14 Inspirational Quotes for New Graduates


Anyone looking to graduate can be excited and scared at the same time. On the one hand, you’re preparing to proudly walk across the stage, receive your diploma and celebrate with family and friends. But on other hand you’re wondering, “Can I really live up to my own expectations?” So as school comes to a close for many elementary, high school or college graduates, here are some inspirational quotes to help them on their new journey.

[Related: First Lady Speaks to Tuskegee Graduates at Commencement]

“A person has to remember that the road to success is always under construction. You have to get that through your head. That it is not easy becoming successful.” — Steve Harvey

“The only way out of the darkness is to become your own light.” — P. Diddy

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” —Steve Jobs

It doesn’t matter how far you might rise. At some point you are bound to stumble. … If you’re constantly pushing yourself higher … the law of averages, not to mention the Myth of Icarus, predicts that you will at some point fall. And when you do I want you to know this, remember this: There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.” —Oprah Winfrey

“A lot of the time the experts, the people who are supposed to be able to tell you what to do, will tell you that you can’t do something even when you know you can. And a lot of the time it’s your friends who tell you can do it.” — Mark Zuckerberg,

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” — Nelson Mandela

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”— Maya Angelou

“Cynicism is a choice. Optimism is a better choice.” My mantra for the season and for LIFE right now.”— Shonda Rhimes

“I want you to take the craziest dream that you’ve ever had. That dream that you’re too embarrassed to tell anyone about. I want you to go after it. I want you to make it a reality. I don’t want you to dream, I want you to do it.”– P Diddy

“Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.” — Oprah Winfrey

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. Rolling

“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once, but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.” — Michelle Obama

“Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” — Shonda Rhimes

“As you start your journey, the first thing you should do is throw away that store-bought map and begin to draw your own.” — Michael Dell, CEO, Dell

 


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