Graduations mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of a next. Graduates often seek out words of wisdom, inspiration, and motivation to ease their anxieties of starting a new and often scary journey. Quotes are a wonderful source of the encouragement that they need. Quotes have been very helpful for me as well. Here are some great quotes that I think are ideal for the new graduate and what they mean to me.
1. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
We often hang on to our pasts like a crutch. At the same time, we agonize over the unknown. Both waste our time and energies. We need to focus on the present moment, on who we are right now, and on the potential that we hold inside of us to make things happen. We can only learn from our past but we will never be able to change it. And we can only prepare for the future because we just don’t know what may happen. But if we concentrate on the present, life will be less stressful and more enjoyable.
2. “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is good to follow in the footsteps of other successful people. They become our mentors and role models. But to make a real impact on the world and in people’s lives, sometimes we need to create our own paths and leave our own mark for others to follow. It is important to remember that we each have our own unique gifts and talents to offer the world and we should not be afraid to use them to create our own futures.
3. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
The end result is not as important as the journey itself – what we learn, how we grow, and who we become. We need to appreciate the little things that we’ve done to get where we want to be. We get in life what we put into it. The lesson here is to learn to appreciate the process and do the little things that will lead to immeasurable success.
4. “Try not become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” ~ Albert Einsten
Everyone wants to be successful, rich, or popular. However, success only brings temporary happiness. It doesn’t mean anything if we don’t bring value to people’s lives or provide value in all that we do. But if we put in one hundred percent of our efforts into everything, even in the most mundane things, we become people of value. Valuable people are trustworthy, dependable, and loyal. And they remain that way whether successful or not.
5. “Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” ~ Anthony J. D’Angelo, The College Blue Book
Life will not always be happy or easy. People will let us down, circumstances may not go the way we want, or unfortunate events may occur. We cannot depend on our outside environment to make us happy. We are responsible for our own happiness no matter how bleak the situation or how many people disappoint us. Happiness is subjective and is dependent upon our outlook and expectations on life.
6. “Keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.” ~ Roger Babson
Success can take a nosedive in a single moment. The only direction you can go from failure is up. The point is that we must always strive to move forward in life no matter what the outcome. Life doesn’t stop with a success or failure. There are many more successes and failures to experience, and therefore, more lessons to be learned.
7. “To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human can fight, and never stop fighting.” ~ e.e. cummings, 1955
Everyday we need to remain true to ourselves. It’s a constant fight because the world keeps trying to change us. Advertisements, television shows and commercials, magazines, diet trends, and people – all these continuously tell us that we are never good enough or we need to have more in order to be better. The last thing that we want is to become carbon copies of everyone else. By staying true to ourselves, we are able to look ourselves in the mirror day to day and feel good about who we are and what we do in life.
8. “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” ~ Edmund Hillary
It is not our outside environment that hinders us. In actuality, we are always in constant battle with ourselves. It is our fears, insecurities, self-doubts, and negative thoughts that prevent us from succeeding. We listen to those “little voices” inside our heads that tell us that something is impossible or that we are worthless or incompetent. As the saying goes, we are our own worst enemy. Once we believe in ourselves, a mountain becomes a mere hill. We then have the strength to conquer any external obstacle or negativity.
9. “What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.” ~ Eleanor Powell
The bible says that we are created in God’s own image. That in essence is His gift because we are made in His likeness. When we use the talents and gifts that He gave us to make a difference and change lives, we become better people. We grow into the people that God meant for us to be, and that is our gift to Him.
10. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” ~ Marianne Williamson
I saved this one for last because it is my favorite. It is quite a long quote. If you would like to read it in its entirety, click here. It inspires me to not be afraid of my greatness because it is my God-given right to shine. God, in no way, intended us to be weak, timid, or to shrink just so others can feel superior. We were given special gifts and talents to use and share with the world. And by being who we were truly meant to be, we inspire others to do the same.
I hope that these quotes have made a lasting impression. If you would like to read more quotes on graduation or any other subject, go to the Quote Garden.
