50 Words of Encouragement to Get Inspired

This is a guide covering words of encouragement to get inspired.

Everyone goes through a rough patch in life at some point in their lives. In those times, we expect that our loved ones are there for us because it shows us that we are not alone.

Words of encouragement from a friend, sibling, teacher, or someone we look up to can be all we wish for during such times.

The right words said at the right time are a powerful thing. They can uplift, inspire and offer encouragement when all seems dark.

But what do you say in high-stakes, tough situations? Many of us don’t know. Knowing what to say to a person going through a hard time means we should have a clear assessment of the situation first.

Words of encouragement should be tailored to the needs and wants of a person.

Your relation to the person also means that you have to assume different roles, and therefore, can offer encouragement in a totally different capacity.

A student’s needs and struggles require you to interpret the situation differently from when you are offering advice to a close friend where you can be more casual.

If you are going through such a time or have someone in your life that is going through such a time, these encouraging quotes will help in taking the stinging edge off and set things in perspective.

We’ll be covering the following topics (click on a bullet point to jump to that section):

Words of Encouragement and Strength

Here is a list of words/phrases that you can say to uplift someone and that will act as bulwarks against them losing hope.

1. This too shall pass – Ancient Persian phrase
2. Where there is no struggle, there is no strength – Oprah Winfrey
3. Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come. Remember everything you have faced, all the battles you have won, and all the fears you have overcome.—Unknown
4. Being deeply loved gives you strength; loving deeply gives you courage – Lao Tzu
5. Men are disturbed not by things; but by the view which they take of them – Epictetus
6. But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated. – Ernest Hemingway
7. If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way – Napoleon Hill
8. Permanence, perseverance, and persistence in spite of all obstacle, discouragements, and impossibilities; It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak – Thomas Carlyle
9. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step – Lao Tzu
10. Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again – Nelson Mandela

What to Say to a Friend Who Needs Encouragement?

The definition of a good friend is one who sticks around during tough times. We can rely on our friends to be our support systems.

Therefore, words of encouragement coming from a friend carry more weight due to the responsibility of the role.

So what encouraging quotes or phrases can you offer a friend who needs encouragement?

The best way to comfort your friend is by showing up first and foremost. Since you can be a little casual with a friend, it is easier to talk to them about anything.

So if you are comforting someone, you should take a look at our recommended quotes and phrases of encouragement you can offer to a friend to encourage them.

Words of Encouragement for a Friend

Here is a list of words, phrases, or quotes of encouragement that you can offer your friend.

1. Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come. Remember everything you have faced, all the battles you have won, and all the fears you have overcome – N.R. Walker
2. Try to look at your weakness and convert it into your strength. That’s success – Zig Ziglar
3. Always look on the bright side of life – Monty Python
4. It’s okay to feel bad sometimes.
5. Life is not fair, it never was and it is now and it won’t ever be. Do not fall into the trap. The entitlement trap, of feeling like you’re a victim. You are not. – Mathew McConaughey
6. If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be. – Maya Angelou
7. The essence of being a human is that one does not seek perfection. – George Orwell
8. Everything is going to be all right.
9. Our fatigue is often caused not by work but by worry, frustration, and resentment. – Dale Carnegie
10. Believe you can and you are halfway there. – Theodore Roosevelt

What to Say to Encourage a Student?

Academic life can be full of ups and downs. Students need to put in the work even if they don’t feel like it.

A few bad performances can turn into a streak if the student doesn’t pull herself together.

You can use the following words of encouragement to get a student out of a rut, get their motivation on track, and attack their studies with a hunger for learning.

Words of Encouragement for a Student

Here is a list of encouraging words you can offer a student:

1. Learning never exhausts the mind – Leonardo Da Vinci
2. The Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – Lao Tzu
3. I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. – Thomas A. Edison
4. No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That’s the only way to keep the roads clear – Greg Kincaid
5. Fortitude is the marshal of thought, the armor of the will, and the fort of reason – Francis Bacon
6. Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come. – Dwayne Johnson
7. Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them. – Ann Landers
8. Success isn’t about the end result; it’s about what you learn along the way – Vera Wang
9. Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overall and looks like work – Thomas Edison
10. Don’t be afraid to start over. This time you are not starting from scratch, you are starting from experience.

What to Say to Someone Going Through Hard Times?

Hard times don’t come knocking.

Who knew that businesses would go under, homes turn into offices when employees were forced to work from home, and life just came to a standstill?

Those were tough times for a lot of people because there was just too much uncertainty about the future.

Nobody knew what was in store. It’s times like these that make you feel constrained, overwhelmed, and utterly helpless.

Words of Encouragement for Hard Times

So what do you say to people going through such hard times? Well, take a look at our list of 10 things you can say to someone going through a hard time.

1. There is nothing permanent except change – Heraclitus
2. In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity – Albert Einstein
3. Not all storms come to disrupt your life. Some come to clear your path.
4. Stay in the moment.
5. Every day is a new beginning. Take a deep breath and start again.
6. The two most powerful warriors are patience and time. – Leo Tolstoy
7. In order to rise from its own ashes a phoenix must first burn – Octavia E. Butler
8. Let it go.
9. Whatever was meant for you, will find you.
10. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Bible

What to Say to Employees and Colleagues to Encourage Them?

94 percent of the workforce in the US has reported experiencing anxiety at the workplace.

That’s understandable because workplaces are tough environments where you have to either outperform others to reach a higher position or get a raise, or you have to steer clear of making huge mistakes that could cause your company a fortune.

Working from their homes, employees have reported a blurring of the boundaries between work and home life which has, therefore, compromised the quality of both.

Apart from that there are so many work-related stressors, like keeping tabs on deadlines, working on multiple projects, and dealing with the boss’ expectations that you start to feel overwhelmed pretty quickly.

Words of Encouragement to Colleagues

Here is a list of words/phrases/quotes of encouragement that can help a demoralized employee or colleague uplift their spirits.

1. Everything you have ever wanted is on the other side of fear – George Addai
2. Luck is preparation meeting opportunity – Lucius Seneca
3. All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work. – Calvin Coolidge
4. If I had nine hours to chop down a tree, I would spend the first six sharpening the axe – Abraham Lincoln
5. All things are difficult before they are easy – Thomas Fuller
6. The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work. – Harry Golden
7. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. – Colin Powell
8. Nothing comes easy. Success doesn’t just drop on your lap. You have to go out and fight for it every day. – Dana White
9. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. – Charles R. Swindoll
10. Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going. – Sam Levenson

What Can I Say to Give Someone Strength?

When life puts you down one too many times, getting back up on your feet – with grit and resilience – seems like a herculean task at first.

But what if you have someone that acts as your support system and says the things that put everything in perspective for you and offer unsolicited encouragement so that you can power through?

Strength does not have to mean physical strength.

A more comprehensive definition of strength would include the strength of will, the strength of emotions, or the strength to endure.

Final Remarks

Now you are armed with the most powerful words that you can say to a friend, student, employee, or anyone else looking for a little motivation and strength.

Use these to inspire action, stir emotion, instigate change, and help transform their lives.

Frequently Asked Questions