10 Inspirational Movie, TV and Book Quotes to Help You Be Your Best Self

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published Dec 13, 2016

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Inspiration can come from all sorts of places. Friends and family members give us advice when we struggle, celebrities and other iconic figures give us something to aspire to, and romantic relationships teach us a lot about ourselves and what we want out of life. But, suprisingly, sometimes the ideas that stick with us—the ones that light fires under us and inspire us to keep going and do our best—come from our favorite movies, shows and novels.

Something about being able to watch your favorite quotes or read them over and over again and feel the same way you did the first time just makes them truly unforgettable. If they’re not already on your list, these quotes from literature and pop culture are sure to motivate you when you need it most.

From movies…

For when things feel impossible:

“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.” – A League of Their Own

For when you need a push:

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” – Mulan

For when you get down on yourself:

“Don’t ever let somebody tell you you can’t do something, not even me. Alright? You dream, you gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.” – The Pursuit of Happyness

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

From books…

For when you feel like giving up:

“We must have ideals and try to live up to them, even if we never quite succeed. Life would be a sorry business without them. With them it’s grand and great.” – L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

For when you you feel lost:

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

For when you need to believe in yourself:

“So many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.” – Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth

For when you feel like you can’t make a difference:

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” – Paul Coelho, The Alchemist

(Image credit: AMC)

From TV shows…

For when everything is changing:

“Let’s also say that change is neither good or bad. It simply is. It can be greeted with terror or joy — tantrum that says ‘I want it the way it was,’ or a dance that says ‘Look, something new.'” – Mad Men

For when you need to make a tough decision:

“Throughout your life there are going to be a lot of opportunities that come up. And they are going to seem great, and they’re going to seem wonderful, and they’re going to seem to make your life a heck of a lot easier. But you have to walk away. And at times it’s going to seem really difficult to do that, but you have to, because you deserve better.” – Boy Meets World