inspirational life lessons essay

Essays About Life Lessons: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Read our guide to see the top examples and prompts on essays about life lessons to communicate your thoughts effectively.

Jordan Peterson once said, “Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences teach the best lessons.” The many life lessons we’ll accumulate in our life will help us veer in the right direction to fulfill our destinies. Whether it’s creative or nonfiction, as long as it describes the author’s personal life experiences or worldview, recounting life lessons falls under the personal or narrative essay category. 

To successfully write an essay on this topic, you must connect with your readers and allow them to visualize, understand, and get inspired by what you have learned about life. To do this, you must remember critical elements such as a compelling hook, engaging story, relatable characters, suitable setting, and significant points. 

See below five examples of life lessons essays to inspire you:

1. Life Lessons That the First Love Taught Me by Anonymous on GradesFixer.Com

2. the dad’s life lessons and the role model for the children by anonymous on studymoose.com, 3. studying history and own mistakes as life lessons: opinion essay by anonymous on edubirdie.com, 4. life lessons by anonymous on phdessay.com, 5. valuable lessons learned in life by anonymous on eduzaurus.com, 1. life lessons from books, 2. my biggest mistake and the life lesson i learned, 3. the life lessons i’ve learned, 4. life lessons from a popular show, 5. using life lessons in starting a business, 6. life lessons you must know, 7. kids and life lessons.

“I thought I knew absolutely everything about loving someone by the age of fourteen. Clearly I knew nothing and I still have so much to learn about what it is like to actually love someone.”

The author relates how their first love story unfolds, including the many things they learned from it. An example is that no matter how compatible the couple is if they are not for each other, they will not last long and will break up eventually. The writer also shares that situations that test the relationship, such as jealousy, deserve your attention as they aid people in picking the right decisions. The essay further tells how the writer’s relationship became toxic and affected their mental and emotional stability, even after the breakup. To cope and heal, they stopped looking for connections and focused on their grades, family, friends, and self-love.

“I am extremely thankful that he could teach me all the basics like how to ride a bike, how to fish and shoot straight, how to garden, how to cook, how to drive, how to skip a rock, and even how to blow spitballs. But I am most thankful that could teach me to stand tall (even though I’m 5’3”), be full with my heart and be strong with my mind.”

In this essay, the writer introduces their role model who taught them almost everything they know in their seventeen years of life, their father. The writer shares that their father’s toughness, stubbornness, and determination helped them learn to stand up for themselves and others and not be a coward in telling the truth. Because of him, the author learned how to be kind, generous, and mature. Finally, the author is very grateful to their father, who help them to think for themselves and not believe everything they hear.

“In my opinion, I believe it is more important to study the past rather than the present because we can learn more from our mistakes.”

This short essay explains the importance of remembering past events to analyze our mistakes. The author mentions that when people do this, they learn and grow from it, which prevents them from repeating the same error in the present time. The writer also points out that everyone has made the mistake of letting others dictate how their life goes, often leading to failures. 

“… I believe we come here to learn a valuable lesson. If we did not learn this lesson through out a life time, our souls would come back to repeat the process.” 

This essay presents three crucial life lessons that everyone needs to know. The first is to stop being too comfortable in taking people and things for granted. Instead, we must learn to appreciate everything. The second is to realize that mistakes are part of everyone’s life. So don’t let the fear of making mistakes stop you from trying something new. The third and final lesson is from Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” People learn and grow as they age, so everyone needs to remember to live their life as if it were their last with no regrets.

“Life lessons are not necessarily learned from bad experiences, it can also be learned from good experiences, accomplishments, mistakes of other people, and by reading too.”

The essay reminds the readers to live their life to the fullest and cherish people and things in their lives because life is too short. If you want something, do not let it slip away without trying. If it fails, do not suffer and move on. The author also unveils the importance of travelling, keeping a diary, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life Lessons

Use the prompts below if you’re still undecided on what to write about:

As mentioned above, life lessons are not only from experiences but also from reading. So for this prompt, pick up your favorite book and write down the lessons you learned from it. Next, identify each and explain to your readers why you think it’s essential to incorporate these lessons into real life. Finally, add how integrating these messages affected you. 

There are always lessons we can derive from mistakes. However, not everyone understands these mistakes, so they keep doing them. Think of all your past mistakes and choose one that had the most significant negative impact on you and the people around you. Then, share with your readers what it is, its causes, and its effects. Finally, don’t forget to discuss what you gained from these faults and how you prevent yourself from doing them again.

Compile all the life lessons you’ve realized from different sources. They can be from your own experience, a relative’s, a movie, etc. Add why these lessons resonate with you. Be creative and use metaphors or add imaginary scenarios. Bear in mind that your essay should convey your message well.

Popular shows are an excellent medium for teaching life lessons to a broad audience. In your essay, pick a well-known work and reflect on it. For example, Euphoria is a TV series that created hubbub for its intrigue and sensitive themes. Dissect what life lessons one can retrieve from watching the show and relate them to personal encounters. You can also compile lessons from online posts and discussions.

If the subject of “life lessons” is too general for you, scope a more specific area, such as entrepreneurship. Which life lessons are critical for a person in business? To make your essay easier to digest, interview a successful business owner and ask about the life lessons they’ve accumulated before and while pursuing their goals.

Use this prompt to present the most important life lessons you’ve collected throughout your life. Then, share why you selected these lessons. For instance, you can choose “Live life as if it’s your last” and explain that you realized this life lesson after suddenly losing a loved one.

Have you ever met someone younger than you who taught you a life lesson? If so, in this prompt, tell your reader the whole story and what life lesson you discovered. Then, you can reverse it and write an incident where you give a good life lesson to someone older than you – say what it was and if that lesson helped them. Read our storytelling guide to upgrade your techniques.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Eight brilliant student essays on what matters most in life.

Read winning essays from our spring 2019 student writing contest.

For the spring 2019 student writing contest, we invited students to read the YES! article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age” by Nancy Hill. Like the author, students interviewed someone significantly older than them about the three things that matter most in life. Students then wrote about what they learned, and about how their interviewees’ answers compare to their own top priorities.

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these eight were chosen as winners. Be sure to read the author’s response to the essay winners and the literary gems that caught our eye. Plus, we share an essay from teacher Charles Sanderson, who also responded to the writing prompt.

Middle School Winner: Rory Leyva

High School Winner:  Praethong Klomsum

University Winner:  Emily Greenbaum

Powerful Voice Winner: Amanda Schwaben

Powerful Voice Winner: Antonia Mills

Powerful Voice Winner:  Isaac Ziemba

Powerful Voice Winner: Lily Hersch

“Tell It Like It Is” Interview Winner: Jonas Buckner

From the Author: Response to Student Winners

Literary Gems

From A Teacher: Charles Sanderson

From the Author: Response to Charles Sanderson

Middle School Winner

Village Home Education Resource Center, Portland, Ore.

The Lessons Of Mortality 

“As I’ve aged, things that are more personal to me have become somewhat less important. Perhaps I’ve become less self-centered with the awareness of mortality, how short one person’s life is.” This is how my 72-year-old grandma believes her values have changed over the course of her life. Even though I am only 12 years old, I know my life won’t last forever, and someday I, too, will reflect on my past decisions. We were all born to exist and eventually die, so we have evolved to value things in the context of mortality.

One of the ways I feel most alive is when I play roller derby. I started playing for the Rose City Rollers Juniors two years ago, and this year, I made the Rosebud All-Stars travel team. Roller derby is a fast-paced, full-contact sport. The physicality and intense training make me feel in control of and present in my body.

My roller derby team is like a second family to me. Adolescence is complicated. We understand each other in ways no one else can. I love my friends more than I love almost anything else. My family would have been higher on my list a few years ago, but as I’ve aged it has been important to make my own social connections.

Music led me to roller derby.  I started out jam skating at the roller rink. Jam skating is all about feeling the music. It integrates gymnastics, breakdancing, figure skating, and modern dance with R & B and hip hop music. When I was younger, I once lay down in the DJ booth at the roller rink and was lulled to sleep by the drawl of wheels rolling in rhythm and people talking about the things they came there to escape. Sometimes, I go up on the roof of my house at night to listen to music and feel the wind rustle my hair. These unique sensations make me feel safe like nothing else ever has.

My grandma tells me, “Being close with family and friends is the most important thing because I haven’t

always had that.” When my grandma was two years old, her father died. Her mother became depressed and moved around a lot, which made it hard for my grandma to make friends. Once my grandma went to college, she made lots of friends. She met my grandfather, Joaquin Leyva when she was working as a park ranger and he was a surfer. They bought two acres of land on the edge of a redwood forest and had a son and a daughter. My grandma created a stable family that was missing throughout her early life.

My grandma is motivated to maintain good health so she can be there for her family. I can relate because I have to be fit and strong for my team. Since she lost my grandfather to cancer, she realizes how lucky she is to have a functional body and no life-threatening illnesses. My grandma tries to eat well and exercise, but she still struggles with depression. Over time, she has learned that reaching out to others is essential to her emotional wellbeing.  

Caring for the earth is also a priority for my grandma I’ve been lucky to learn from my grandma. She’s taught me how to hunt for fossils in the desert and find shells on the beach. Although my grandma grew up with no access to the wilderness, she admired the green open areas of urban cemeteries. In college, she studied geology and hiked in the High Sierras. For years, she’s been an advocate for conserving wildlife habitat and open spaces.

Our priorities may seem different, but it all comes down to basic human needs. We all desire a purpose, strive to be happy, and need to be loved. Like Nancy Hill says in the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” it can be hard to decipher what is important in life. I believe that the constant search for satisfaction and meaning is the only thing everyone has in common. We all want to know what matters, and we walk around this confusing world trying to find it. The lessons I’ve learned from my grandma about forging connections, caring for my body, and getting out in the world inspire me to live my life my way before it’s gone.

Rory Leyva is a seventh-grader from Portland, Oregon. Rory skates for the Rosebuds All-Stars roller derby team. She loves listening to music and hanging out with her friends.

High School Winner

Praethong Klomsum

  Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, Calif.

Time Only Moves Forward

Sandra Hernandez gazed at the tiny house while her mother’s gentle hands caressed her shoulders. It wasn’t much, especially for a family of five. This was 1960, she was 17, and her family had just moved to Culver City.

Flash forward to 2019. Sandra sits in a rocking chair, knitting a blanket for her latest grandchild, in the same living room. Sandra remembers working hard to feed her eight children. She took many different jobs before settling behind the cash register at a Japanese restaurant called Magos. “It was a struggle, and my husband Augustine, was planning to join the military at that time, too.”

In the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” author Nancy Hill states that one of the most important things is “…connecting with others in general, but in particular with those who have lived long lives.” Sandra feels similarly. It’s been hard for Sandra to keep in contact with her family, which leaves her downhearted some days. “It’s important to maintain that connection you have with your family, not just next-door neighbors you talk to once a month.”

Despite her age, Sandra is a daring woman. Taking risks is important to her, and she’ll try anything—from skydiving to hiking. Sandra has some regrets from the past, but nowadays, she doesn’t wonder about the “would have, could have, should haves.” She just goes for it with a smile.

Sandra thought harder about her last important thing, the blue and green blanket now finished and covering

her lap. “I’ve definitely lived a longer life than most, and maybe this is just wishful thinking, but I hope I can see the day my great-grandchildren are born.” She’s laughing, but her eyes look beyond what’s in front of her. Maybe she is reminiscing about the day she held her son for the first time or thinking of her grandchildren becoming parents. I thank her for her time and she waves it off, offering me a styrofoam cup of lemonade before I head for the bus station.

The bus is sparsely filled. A voice in my head reminds me to finish my 10-page history research paper before spring break. I take a window seat and pull out my phone and earbuds. My playlist is already on shuffle, and I push away thoughts of that dreaded paper. Music has been a constant in my life—from singing my lungs out in kindergarten to Barbie’s “I Need To Know,” to jamming out to Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” in sixth grade, to BTS’s “Intro: Never Mind” comforting me when I’m at my lowest. Music is my magic shop, a place where I can trade away my fears for calm.

I’ve always been afraid of doing something wrong—not finishing my homework or getting a C when I can do better. When I was 8, I wanted to be like the big kids. As I got older, I realized that I had exchanged my childhood longing for the 48 pack of crayons for bigger problems, balancing grades, a social life, and mental stability—all at once. I’m going to get older whether I like it or not, so there’s no point forcing myself to grow up faster.  I’m learning to live in the moment.

The bus is approaching my apartment, where I know my comfy bed and a home-cooked meal from my mom are waiting. My mom is hard-working, confident, and very stubborn. I admire her strength of character. She always keeps me in line, even through my rebellious phases.

My best friend sends me a text—an update on how broken her laptop is. She is annoying. She says the stupidest things and loves to state the obvious. Despite this, she never fails to make me laugh until my cheeks feel numb. The rest of my friends are like that too—loud, talkative, and always brightening my day. Even friends I stopped talking to have a place in my heart. Recently, I’ve tried to reconnect with some of them. This interview was possible because a close friend from sixth grade offered to introduce me to Sandra, her grandmother.  

I’m decades younger than Sandra, so my view of what’s important isn’t as broad as hers, but we share similar values, with friends and family at the top. I have a feeling that when Sandra was my age, she used to love music, too. Maybe in a few decades, when I’m sitting in my rocking chair, drawing in my sketchbook, I’ll remember this article and think back fondly to the days when life was simple.

Praethong Klomsum is a tenth-grader at Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California.  Praethong has a strange affinity for rhyme games and is involved in her school’s dance team. She enjoys drawing and writing, hoping to impact people willing to listen to her thoughts and ideas.

University Winner

Emily Greenbaum

Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 

The Life-Long War

Every morning we open our eyes, ready for a new day. Some immediately turn to their phones and social media. Others work out or do yoga. For a certain person, a deep breath and the morning sun ground him. He hears the clink-clank of his wife cooking low sodium meat for breakfast—doctor’s orders! He sees that the other side of the bed is already made, the dogs are no longer in the room, and his clothes are set out nicely on the loveseat.

Today, though, this man wakes up to something different: faded cream walls and jello. This person, my hero, is Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James.

I pulled up my chair close to Roger’s vinyl recliner so I could hear him above the noise of the beeping dialysis machine. I noticed Roger would occasionally glance at his wife Susan with sparkly eyes when he would recall memories of the war or their grandkids. He looked at Susan like she walked on water.

Roger James served his country for thirty years. Now, he has enlisted in another type of war. He suffers from a rare blood cancer—the result of the wars he fought in. Roger has good and bad days. He says, “The good outweighs the bad, so I have to be grateful for what I have on those good days.”

When Roger retired, he never thought the effects of the war would reach him. The once shallow wrinkles upon his face become deeper, as he tells me, “It’s just cancer. Others are suffering from far worse. I know I’ll make it.”

Like Nancy Hill did in her article “Three Things that Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I asked Roger, “What are the three most important things to you?” James answered, “My wife Susan, my grandkids, and church.”

Roger and Susan served together in the Vietnam war. She was a nurse who treated his cuts and scrapes one day. I asked Roger why he chose Susan. He said, “Susan told me to look at her while she cleaned me up. ‘This may sting, but don’t be a baby.’ When I looked into her eyes, I felt like she was looking into my soul, and I didn’t want her to leave. She gave me this sense of home. Every day I wake up, she makes me feel the same way, and I fall in love with her all over again.”

Roger and Susan have two kids and four grandkids, with great-grandchildren on the way. He claims that his grandkids give him the youth that he feels slowly escaping from his body. This adoring grandfather is energized by coaching t-ball and playing evening card games with the grandkids.

The last thing on his list was church. His oldest daughter married a pastor. Together they founded a church. Roger said that the connection between his faith and family is important to him because it gave him a reason to want to live again. I learned from Roger that when you’re across the ocean, you tend to lose sight of why you are fighting. When Roger returned, he didn’t have the will to live. Most days were a struggle, adapting back into a society that lacked empathy for the injuries, pain, and psychological trauma carried by returning soldiers. Church changed that for Roger and gave him a sense of purpose.

When I began this project, my attitude was to just get the assignment done. I never thought I could view Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James as more than a role model, but he definitely changed my mind. It’s as if Roger magically lit a fire inside of me and showed me where one’s true passions should lie. I see our similarities and embrace our differences. We both value family and our own connections to home—his home being church and mine being where I can breathe the easiest.

Master Chief Petty Officer Roger James has shown me how to appreciate what I have around me and that every once in a while, I should step back and stop to smell the roses. As we concluded the interview, amidst squeaky clogs and the stale smell of bleach and bedpans, I looked to Roger, his kind, tired eyes, and weathered skin, with a deeper sense of admiration, knowing that his values still run true, no matter what he faces.

Emily Greenbaum is a senior at Kent State University, graduating with a major in Conflict Management and minor in Geography. Emily hopes to use her major to facilitate better conversations, while she works in the Washington, D.C. area.  

Powerful Voice Winner

Amanda Schwaben

Wise Words From Winnie the Pooh

As I read through Nancy Hill’s article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I was comforted by the similar responses given by both children and older adults. The emphasis participants placed on family, social connections, and love was not only heartwarming but hopeful. While the messages in the article filled me with warmth, I felt a twinge of guilt building within me. As a twenty-one-year-old college student weeks from graduation, I honestly don’t think much about the most important things in life. But if I was asked, I would most likely say family, friendship, and love. As much as I hate to admit it, I often find myself obsessing over achieving a successful career and finding a way to “save the world.”

A few weeks ago, I was at my family home watching the new Winnie the Pooh movie Christopher Robin with my mom and younger sister. Well, I wasn’t really watching. I had my laptop in front of me, and I was aggressively typing up an assignment. Halfway through the movie, I realized I left my laptop charger in my car. I walked outside into the brisk March air. Instinctively, I looked up. The sky was perfectly clear, revealing a beautiful array of stars. When my twin sister and I were in high school, we would always take a moment to look up at the sparkling night sky before we came into the house after soccer practice.

I think that was the last time I stood in my driveway and gazed at the stars. I did not get the laptop charger from

my car; instead, I turned around and went back inside. I shut my laptop and watched the rest of the movie. My twin sister loves Winnie the Pooh. So much so that my parents got her a stuffed animal version of him for Christmas. While I thought he was adorable and a token of my childhood, I did not really understand her obsession. However, it was clear to me after watching the movie. Winnie the Pooh certainly had it figured out. He believed that the simple things in life were the most important: love, friendship, and having fun.

I thought about asking my mom right then what the three most important things were to her, but I decided not to. I just wanted to be in the moment. I didn’t want to be doing homework. It was a beautiful thing to just sit there and be present with my mom and sister.

I did ask her, though, a couple of weeks later. Her response was simple.  All she said was family, health, and happiness. When she told me this, I imagined Winnie the Pooh smiling. I think he would be proud of that answer.

I was not surprised by my mom’s reply. It suited her perfectly. I wonder if we relearn what is most important when we grow older—that the pressure to be successful subsides. Could it be that valuing family, health, and happiness is what ends up saving the world?

Amanda Schwaben is a graduating senior from Kent State University with a major in Applied Conflict Management. Amanda also has minors in Psychology and Interpersonal Communication. She hopes to further her education and focus on how museums not only preserve history but also promote peace.

Antonia Mills

Rachel Carson High School, Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Decoding The Butterfly

For a caterpillar to become a butterfly, it must first digest itself. The caterpillar, overwhelmed by accumulating tissue, splits its skin open to form its protective shell, the chrysalis, and later becomes the pretty butterfly we all know and love. There are approximately 20,000 species of butterflies, and just as every species is different, so is the life of every butterfly. No matter how long and hard a caterpillar has strived to become the colorful and vibrant butterfly that we marvel at on a warm spring day, it does not live a long life. A butterfly can live for a year, six months, two weeks, and even as little as twenty-four hours.

I have often wondered if butterflies live long enough to be blissful of blue skies. Do they take time to feast upon the sweet nectar they crave, midst their hustling life of pollinating pretty flowers? Do they ever take a lull in their itineraries, or are they always rushing towards completing their four-stage metamorphosis? Has anyone asked the butterfly, “Who are you?” instead of “What are you”? Or, How did you get here, on my windowsill?  How did you become ‘you’?

Humans are similar to butterflies. As a caterpillar

Suzanna Ruby/Getty Images

becomes a butterfly, a baby becomes an elder. As a butterfly soars through summer skies, an elder watches summer skies turn into cold winter nights and back toward summer skies yet again.  And as a butterfly flits slowly by the porch light, a passerby makes assumptions about the wrinkled, slow-moving elder, who is sturdier than he appears. These creatures are not seen for who they are—who they were—because people have “better things to do” or they are too busy to ask, “How are you”?

Our world can be a lonely place. Pressured by expectations, haunted by dreams, overpowered by weakness, and drowned out by lofty goals, we tend to forget ourselves—and others. Rather than hang onto the strands of our diminishing sanity, we might benefit from listening to our elders. Many elders have experienced setbacks in their young lives. Overcoming hardship and surviving to old age is wisdom that they carry.  We can learn from them—and can even make their day by taking the time to hear their stories.  

Nancy Hill, who wrote the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” was right: “We live among such remarkable people, yet few know their stories.” I know a lot about my grandmother’s life, and it isn’t as serene as my own. My grandmother, Liza, who cooks every day, bakes bread on holidays for our neighbors, brings gifts to her doctor out of the kindness of her heart, and makes conversation with neighbors even though she is isn’t fluent in English—Russian is her first language—has struggled all her life. Her mother, Anna, a single parent, had tuberculosis, and even though she had an inviolable spirit, she was too frail to care for four children. She passed away when my grandmother was sixteen, so my grandmother and her siblings spent most of their childhood in an orphanage. My grandmother got married at nineteen to my grandfather, Pinhas. He was a man who loved her more than he loved himself and was a godsend to every person he met. Liza was—and still is—always quick to do what was best for others, even if that person treated her poorly. My grandmother has lived with physical pain all her life, yet she pushed herself to climb heights that she wasn’t ready for. Against all odds, she has lived to tell her story to people who are willing to listen. And I always am.

I asked my grandmother, “What are three things most important to you?” Her answer was one that I already expected: One, for everyone to live long healthy lives. Two, for you to graduate from college. Three, for you to always remember that I love you.

What may be basic to you means the world to my grandmother. She just wants what she never had the chance to experience: a healthy life, an education, and the chance to express love to the people she values. The three things that matter most to her may be so simple and ordinary to outsiders, but to her, it is so much more. And who could take that away?

Antonia Mills was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and attends Rachel Carson High School.  Antonia enjoys creative activities, including writing, painting, reading, and baking. She hopes to pursue culinary arts professionally in the future. One of her favorite quotes is, “When you start seeing your worth, you’ll find it harder to stay around people who don’t.” -Emily S.P.  

  Powerful Voice Winner

   Isaac Ziemba

Odyssey Multiage Program, Bainbridge Island, Wash. 

This Former State Trooper Has His Priorities Straight: Family, Climate Change, and Integrity

I have a personal connection to people who served in the military and first responders. My uncle is a first responder on the island I live on, and my dad retired from the Navy. That was what made a man named Glen Tyrell, a state trooper for 25 years, 2 months and 9 days, my first choice to interview about what three things matter in life. In the YES! Magazine article “The Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” I learned that old and young people have a great deal in common. I know that’s true because Glen and I care about a lot of the same things.

For Glen, family is at the top of his list of important things. “My wife was, and is, always there for me. My daughters mean the world to me, too, but Penny is my partner,” Glen said. I can understand why Glen’s wife is so important to him. She’s family. Family will always be there for you.

Glen loves his family, and so do I with all my heart. My dad especially means the world to me. He is my top supporter and tells me that if I need help, just “say the word.” When we are fishing or crabbing, sometimes I

think, what if these times were erased from my memory? I wouldn’t be able to describe the horrible feeling that would rush through my mind, and I’m sure that Glen would feel the same about his wife.

My uncle once told me that the world is always going to change over time. It’s what the world has turned out to be that worries me. Both Glen and I are extremely concerned about climate change and the effect that rising temperatures have on animals and their habitats. We’re driving them to extinction. Some people might say, “So what? Animals don’t pay taxes or do any of the things we do.” What we are doing to them is like the Black Death times 100.

Glen is also frustrated by how much plastic we use and where it ends up. He would be shocked that an explorer recently dived to the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean—seven miles!— and discovered a plastic bag and candy wrappers. Glen told me that, unfortunately, his generation did the damage and my generation is here to fix it. We need to take better care of Earth because if we don’t, we, as a species, will have failed.

Both Glen and I care deeply for our families and the earth, but for our third important value, I chose education and Glen chose integrity. My education is super important to me because without it, I would be a blank slate. I wouldn’t know how to figure out problems. I wouldn’t be able to tell right from wrong. I wouldn’t understand the Bill of Rights. I would be stuck. Everyone should be able to go to school, no matter where they’re from or who they are.  It makes me angry and sad to think that some people, especially girls, get shot because they are trying to go to school. I understand how lucky I am.

Integrity is sacred to Glen—I could tell by the serious tone of Glen’s voice when he told me that integrity was the code he lived by as a former state trooper. He knew that he had the power to change a person’s life, and he was committed to not abusing that power.  When Glen put someone under arrest—and my uncle says the same—his judgment and integrity were paramount. “Either you’re right or you’re wrong.” You can’t judge a person by what you think, you can only judge a person from what you know.”

I learned many things about Glen and what’s important in life, but there is one thing that stands out—something Glen always does and does well. Glen helps people. He did it as a state trooper, and he does it in our school, where he works on construction projects. Glen told me that he believes that our most powerful tools are writing and listening to others. I think those tools are important, too, but I also believe there are other tools to help solve many of our problems and create a better future: to be compassionate, to create caring relationships, and to help others. Just like Glen Tyrell does each and every day.

Isaac Ziemba is in seventh grade at the Odyssey Multiage Program on a small island called Bainbridge near Seattle, Washington. Isaac’s favorite subject in school is history because he has always been interested in how the past affects the future. In his spare time, you can find Isaac hunting for crab with his Dad, looking for artifacts around his house with his metal detector, and having fun with his younger cousin, Conner.     

Lily Hersch

 The Crest Academy, Salida, Colo.

The Phone Call

Dear Grandpa,

In my short span of life—12 years so far—you’ve taught me a lot of important life lessons that I’ll always have with me. Some of the values I talk about in this writing I’ve learned from you.

Dedicated to my Gramps.

In the YES! Magazine article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age,” author and photographer Nancy Hill asked people to name the three things that mattered most to them. After reading the essay prompt for the article, I immediately knew who I wanted to interview: my grandpa Gil.      

My grandpa was born on January 25, 1942. He lived in a minuscule tenement in The Bronx with his mother,

father, and brother. His father wasn’t around much, and, when he was, he was reticent and would snap occasionally, revealing his constrained mental pain. My grandpa says this happened because my great grandfather did not have a father figure in his life. His mother was a classy, sharp lady who was the head secretary at a local police district station. My grandpa and his brother Larry did not care for each other. Gramps said he was very close to his mother, and Larry wasn’t. Perhaps Larry was envious for what he didn’t have.

Decades after little to no communication with his brother, my grandpa decided to spontaneously visit him in Florida, where he resided with his wife. Larry was taken aback at the sudden reappearance of his brother and told him to leave. Since then, the two brothers have not been in contact. My grandpa doesn’t even know if Larry is alive.         

My grandpa is now a retired lawyer, married to my wonderful grandma, and living in a pretty house with an ugly dog named BoBo.

So, what’s important to you, Gramps?

He paused a second, then replied, “Family, kindness, and empathy.”

“Family, because it’s my family. It’s important to stay connected with your family. My brother, father, and I never connected in the way I wished, and sometimes I contemplated what could’ve happened.  But you can’t change the past. So, that’s why family’s important to me.”

Family will always be on my “Top Three Most Important Things” list, too. I can’t imagine not having my older brother, Zeke, or my grandma in my life. I wonder how other kids feel about their families? How do kids trapped and separated from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border feel?  What about orphans? Too many questions, too few answers.

“Kindness, because growing up and not seeing a lot of kindness made me realize how important it is to have that in the world. Kindness makes the world go round.”

What is kindness? Helping my brother, Eli, who has Down syndrome, get ready in the morning? Telling people what they need to hear, rather than what they want to hear? Maybe, for now, I’ll put wisdom, not kindness, on my list.

“Empathy, because of all the killings and shootings [in this country.] We also need to care for people—people who are not living in as good circumstances as I have. Donald Trump and other people I’ve met have no empathy. Empathy is very important.”

Empathy is something I’ve felt my whole life. It’ll always be important to me like it is important to my grandpa. My grandpa shows his empathy when he works with disabled children. Once he took a disabled child to a Christina Aguilera concert because that child was too young to go by himself. The moments I feel the most empathy are when Eli gets those looks from people. Seeing Eli wonder why people stare at him like he’s a freak makes me sad, and annoyed that they have the audacity to stare.

After this 2 minute and 36-second phone call, my grandpa has helped me define what’s most important to me at this time in my life: family, wisdom, and empathy. Although these things are important now, I realize they can change and most likely will.

When I’m an old woman, I envision myself scrambling through a stack of storage boxes and finding this paper. Perhaps after reading words from my 12-year-old self, I’ll ask myself “What’s important to me?”

Lily Hersch is a sixth-grader at Crest Academy in Salida, Colorado. Lily is an avid indoorsman, finding joy in competitive spelling, art, and of course, writing. She does not like Swiss cheese.

  “Tell It Like It Is” Interview Winner

Jonas Buckner

KIPP: Gaston College Preparatory, Gaston, N.C.

Lessons My Nana Taught Me

I walked into the house. In the other room, I heard my cousin screaming at his game. There were a lot of Pioneer Woman dishes everywhere. The room had the television on max volume. The fan in the other room was on. I didn’t know it yet, but I was about to learn something powerful.

I was in my Nana’s house, and when I walked in, she said, “Hey Monkey Butt.”

I said, “Hey Nana.”

Before the interview, I was talking to her about what I was gonna interview her on. Also, I had asked her why I might have wanted to interview her, and she responded with, “Because you love me, and I love you too.”

Now, it was time to start the interview. The first

question I asked was the main and most important question ever: “What three things matter most to you and you only?”

She thought of it very thoughtfully and responded with, “My grandchildren, my children, and my health.”

Then, I said, “OK, can you please tell me more about your health?”

She responded with, “My health is bad right now. I have heart problems, blood sugar, and that’s about it.” When she said it, she looked at me and smiled because she loved me and was happy I chose her to interview.

I replied with, “K um, why is it important to you?”

She smiled and said, “Why is it…Why is my health important? Well, because I want to live a long time and see my grandchildren grow up.”

I was scared when she said that, but she still smiled. I was so happy, and then I said, “Has your health always been important to you.”

She responded with “Nah.”

Then, I asked, “Do you happen to have a story to help me understand your reasoning?”

She said, “No, not really.”

Now we were getting into the next set of questions. I said, “Remember how you said that your grandchildren matter to you? Can you please tell me why they matter to you?”

Then, she responded with, “So I can spend time with them, play with them, and everything.”

Next, I asked the same question I did before: “Have you always loved your grandchildren?” 

She responded with, “Yes, they have always been important to me.”

Then, the next two questions I asked she had no response to at all. She was very happy until I asked, “Why do your children matter most to you?”

She had a frown on and responded, “My daughter Tammy died a long time ago.”

Then, at this point, the other questions were answered the same as the other ones. When I left to go home I was thinking about how her answers were similar to mine. She said health, and I care about my health a lot, and I didn’t say, but I wanted to. She also didn’t have answers for the last two questions on each thing, and I was like that too.

The lesson I learned was that no matter what, always keep pushing because even though my aunt or my Nana’s daughter died, she kept on pushing and loving everyone. I also learned that everything should matter to us. Once again, I chose to interview my Nana because she matters to me, and I know when she was younger she had a lot of things happen to her, so I wanted to know what she would say. The point I’m trying to make is that be grateful for what you have and what you have done in life.

Jonas Buckner is a sixth-grader at KIPP: Gaston College Preparatory in Gaston, North Carolina. Jonas’ favorite activities are drawing, writing, math, piano, and playing AltSpace VR. He found his passion for writing in fourth grade when he wrote a quick autobiography. Jonas hopes to become a horror writer someday.

From The Author: Responses to Student Winners

Dear Emily, Isaac, Antonia, Rory, Praethong, Amanda, Lily, and Jonas,

Your thought-provoking essays sent my head spinning. The more I read, the more impressed I was with the depth of thought, beauty of expression, and originality. It left me wondering just how to capture all of my reactions in a single letter. After multiple false starts, I’ve landed on this: I will stick to the theme of three most important things.

The three things I found most inspirational about your essays:

You listened.

You connected.

We live in troubled times. Tensions mount between countries, cultures, genders, religious beliefs, and generations. If we fail to find a way to understand each other, to see similarities between us, the future will be fraught with increased hostility.

You all took critical steps toward connecting with someone who might not value the same things you do by asking a person who is generations older than you what matters to them. Then, you listened to their answers. You saw connections between what is important to them and what is important to you. Many of you noted similarities, others wondered if your own list of the three most important things would change as you go through life. You all saw the validity of the responses you received and looked for reasons why your interviewees have come to value what they have.

It is through these things—asking, listening, and connecting—that we can begin to bridge the differences in experiences and beliefs that are currently dividing us.

Individual observations

Each one of you made observations that all of us, regardless of age or experience, would do well to keep in mind. I chose one quote from each person and trust those reading your essays will discover more valuable insights.

“Our priorities may seem different, but they come back to basic human needs. We all desire a purpose, strive to be happy, and work to make a positive impact.” 

“You can’t judge a person by what you think , you can only judge a person by what you know .”

Emily (referencing your interviewee, who is battling cancer):

“Master Chief Petty Officer James has shown me how to appreciate what I have around me.”

Lily (quoting your grandfather):

“Kindness makes the world go round.”

“Everything should matter to us.”

Praethong (quoting your interviewee, Sandra, on the importance of family):

“It’s important to always maintain that connection you have with each other, your family, not just next-door neighbors you talk to once a month.”

“I wonder if maybe we relearn what is most important when we grow older. That the pressure to be successful subsides and that valuing family, health, and happiness is what ends up saving the world.”

“Listen to what others have to say. Listen to the people who have already experienced hardship. You will learn from them and you can even make their day by giving them a chance to voice their thoughts.”

I end this letter to you with the hope that you never stop asking others what is most important to them and that you to continue to take time to reflect on what matters most to you…and why. May you never stop asking, listening, and connecting with others, especially those who may seem to be unlike you. Keep writing, and keep sharing your thoughts and observations with others, for your ideas are awe-inspiring.

I also want to thank the more than 1,000 students who submitted essays. Together, by sharing what’s important to us with others, especially those who may believe or act differently, we can fill the world with joy, peace, beauty, and love.

We received many outstanding essays for the Winter 2019 Student Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye:

Whether it is a painting on a milky canvas with watercolors or pasting photos onto a scrapbook with her granddaughters, it is always a piece of artwork to her. She values the things in life that keep her in the moment, while still exploring things she may not have initially thought would bring her joy.

—Ondine Grant-Krasno, Immaculate Heart Middle School, Los Angeles, Calif.

“Ganas”… It means “desire” in Spanish. My ganas is fueled by my family’s belief in me. I cannot and will not fail them. 

—Adan Rios, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

I hope when I grow up I can have the love for my kids like my grandma has for her kids. She makes being a mother even more of a beautiful thing than it already is.

—Ashley Shaw, Columbus City Prep School for Girls, Grove City, Ohio

You become a collage of little pieces of your friends and family. They also encourage you to be the best you can be. They lift you up onto the seat of your bike, they give you the first push, and they don’t hesitate to remind you that everything will be alright when you fall off and scrape your knee.

— Cecilia Stanton, Bellafonte Area Middle School, Bellafonte, Pa.

Without good friends, I wouldn’t know what I would do to endure the brutal machine of public education.

—Kenneth Jenkins, Garrison Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.

My dog, as ridiculous as it may seem, is a beautiful example of what we all should aspire to be. We should live in the moment, not stress, and make it our goal to lift someone’s spirits, even just a little.

—Kate Garland, Immaculate Heart Middle School, Los Angeles, Calif. 

I strongly hope that every child can spare more time to accompany their elderly parents when they are struggling, and moving forward, and give them more care and patience. so as to truly achieve the goal of “you accompany me to grow up, and I will accompany you to grow old.”

—Taiyi Li, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

I have three cats, and they are my brothers and sisters. We share a special bond that I think would not be possible if they were human. Since they do not speak English, we have to find other ways to connect, and I think that those other ways can be more powerful than language.

—Maya Dombroskie, Delta Program Middle School, Boulsburg, Pa.

We are made to love and be loved. To have joy and be relational. As a member of the loneliest generation in possibly all of history, I feel keenly aware of the need for relationships and authentic connection. That is why I decided to talk to my grandmother.

—Luke Steinkamp, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

After interviewing my grandma and writing my paper, I realized that as we grow older, the things that are important to us don’t change, what changes is why those things are important to us.

—Emily Giffer, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.

The media works to marginalize elders, often isolating them and their stories, and the wealth of knowledge that comes with their additional years of lived experiences. It also undermines the depth of children’s curiosity and capacity to learn and understand. When the worlds of elders and children collide, a classroom opens.

—Cristina Reitano, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.

My values, although similar to my dad, only looked the same in the sense that a shadow is similar to the object it was cast on.

—Timofey Lisenskiy, Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, Calif.

I can release my anger through writing without having to take it out on someone. I can escape and be a different person; it feels good not to be myself for a while. I can make up my own characters, so I can be someone different every day, and I think that’s pretty cool.

—Jasua Carillo, Wellness, Business, and Sports School, Woodburn, Ore. 

Notice how all the important things in his life are people: the people who he loves and who love him back. This is because “people are more important than things like money or possessions, and families are treasures,” says grandpa Pat. And I couldn’t agree more.

—Brody Hartley, Garrison Middle School, Walla Walla, Wash.  

Curiosity for other people’s stories could be what is needed to save the world.

—Noah Smith, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

Peace to me is a calm lake without a ripple in sight. It’s a starry night with a gentle breeze that pillows upon your face. It’s the absence of arguments, fighting, or war. It’s when egos stop working against each other and finally begin working with each other. Peace is free from fear, anxiety, and depression. To me, peace is an important ingredient in the recipe of life.

—JP Bogan, Lane Community College, Eugene, Ore.

From A Teacher

Charles Sanderson

Wellness, Business and Sports School, Woodburn, Ore. 

The Birthday Gift

I’ve known Jodelle for years, watching her grow from a quiet and timid twelve-year-old to a young woman who just returned from India, where she played Kabaddi, a kind of rugby meets Red Rover.

One of my core beliefs as an educator is to show up for the things that matter to kids, so I go to their games, watch their plays, and eat the strawberry jam they make for the county fair. On this occasion, I met Jodelle at a robotics competition to watch her little sister Abby compete. Think Nerd Paradise: more hats made from traffic cones than Golden State Warrior ball caps, more unicorn capes than Nike swooshes, more fanny packs with Legos than clutches with eyeliner.

We started chatting as the crowd chanted and waved six-foot flags for teams like Mystic Biscuits, Shrek, and everyone’s nemesis The Mean Machine. Apparently, when it’s time for lunch at a robotics competition, they don’t mess around. The once-packed gym was left to Jodelle and me, and we kept talking and talking. I eventually asked her about the three things that matter to her most.

She told me about her mom, her sister, and her addiction—to horses. I’ve read enough of her writing to know that horses were her drug of choice and her mom and sister were her support network.

I learned about her desire to become a teacher and how hours at the barn with her horse, Heart, recharge her when she’s exhausted. At one point, our rambling conversation turned to a topic I’ve known far too well—her father.

Later that evening, I received an email from Jodelle, and she had a lot to say. One line really struck me: “In so many movies, I have seen a dad wanting to protect his daughter from the world, but I’ve only understood the scene cognitively. Yesterday, I felt it.”

Long ago, I decided that I would never be a dad. I had seen movies with fathers and daughters, and for me, those movies might as well have been Star Wars, ET, or Alien—worlds filled with creatures I’d never know. However, over the years, I’ve attended Jodelle’s parent-teacher conferences, gone to her graduation, and driven hours to watch her ride Heart at horse shows. Simply, I showed up. I listened. I supported.

Jodelle shared a series of dad poems, as well. I had read the first two poems in their original form when Jodelle was my student. The revised versions revealed new graphic details of her past. The third poem, however, was something entirely different.

She called the poems my early birthday present. When I read the lines “You are my father figure/Who I look up to/Without being looked down on,” I froze for an instant and had to reread the lines. After fifty years of consciously deciding not to be a dad, I was seen as one—and it felt incredible. Jodelle’s poem and recognition were two of the best presents I’ve ever received.

I  know that I was the language arts teacher that Jodelle needed at the time, but her poem revealed things I never knew I taught her: “My father figure/ Who taught me/ That listening is for observing the world/ That listening is for learning/Not obeying/Writing is for connecting/Healing with others.”

Teaching is often a thankless job, one that frequently brings more stress and anxiety than joy and hope. Stress erodes my patience. Anxiety curtails my ability to enter each interaction with every student with the grace they deserve. However, my time with Jodelle reminds me of the importance of leaning in and listening.

In the article “Three Things That Matter Most in Youth and Old Age” by Nancy Hill, she illuminates how we “live among such remarkable people, yet few know their stories.” For the last twenty years, I’ve had the privilege to work with countless of these “remarkable people,” and I’ve done my best to listen, and, in so doing, I hope my students will realize what I’ve known for a long time; their voices matter and deserve to be heard, but the voices of their tias and abuelitos and babushkas are equally important. When we take the time to listen, I believe we do more than affirm the humanity of others; we affirm our own as well.

Charles Sanderson has grounded his nineteen-year teaching career in a philosophy he describes as “Mirror, Window, Bridge.” Charles seeks to ensure all students see themselves, see others, and begin to learn the skills to build bridges of empathy, affinity, and understanding between communities and cultures that may seem vastly different. He proudly teaches at the Wellness, Business and Sports School in Woodburn, Oregon, a school and community that brings him joy and hope on a daily basis.

From   The Author: Response to Charles Sanderson

Dear Charles Sanderson,

Thank you for submitting an essay of your own in addition to encouraging your students to participate in YES! Magazine’s essay contest.

Your essay focused not on what is important to you, but rather on what is important to one of your students. You took what mattered to her to heart, acting upon it by going beyond the school day and creating a connection that has helped fill a huge gap in her life. Your efforts will affect her far beyond her years in school. It is clear that your involvement with this student is far from the only time you have gone beyond the classroom, and while you are not seeking personal acknowledgment, I cannot help but applaud you.

In an ideal world, every teacher, every adult, would show the same interest in our children and adolescents that you do. By taking the time to listen to what is important to our youth, we can help them grow into compassionate, caring adults, capable of making our world a better place.

Your concerted efforts to guide our youth to success not only as students but also as human beings is commendable. May others be inspired by your insights, concerns, and actions. You define excellence in teaching.

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11 Most Valuable Lessons Learned in Life: Essay Ideas

Published on december 3, 2015 at 4:13 pm by caroline delbert in lists.

Every fall, teens applying to college ask themselves the same well-worn questions. Who is my best role model…in an essay of 500 words. What experience have I learned the most from…in an essay of 500 words. It’s common to ask high schoolers about life lessons, but what are the 11 most valuable “lessons learned in life” essay ideas?

For this list, I’ve mined life lessons from a variety of sources, from contemporary writers and motivational speakers like Ashli Mazer and Barrie Davenport to Jesus Christ, Jane Goodall, and Edward R. Murrow. New York Times readers offered their own best life lessons and so did a poll of 2,000 parents in the United Kingdom. Many lessons came up again and again and I’ve ranked them based on frequency, awarding 1 point for each of the nine total source lists where that lesson appeared.

moomsabuy/Shutterstock.com

I was pleased to see that clichés like “things happen for a reason” or “always smile” were not widely cited. Human beings are smarter and more complex than cross-stitch samplers. And there are plenty of less common life lessons that don’t make the cut for the 11 most valuable but are good to keep in mind anyway.

The wisdom of Jane Goodall encourages us to be kind to the Earth and ensure our legacy in caring for the environment. One New York Times reader gives the great advice to avoid con artists and egomaniacs — even if they’re related to us. Barrie Davenport reminds us that our children are their own people and need to have room to grow and be themselves.

Some of the less common life lessons are bittersweet, like learning about the luck of the draw and that time and forgiveness help to heal our emotional pain. Being honest with yourself is a great life lesson but one that is often the most hard fought. Life is not about money, but life without money is incredibly hard and limits our choices and opportunities.

Just barely missing the list were many important ideas worth mentioning, too. Manners go a long way. Choose a good life partner. Learn to get along and to resolve your differences. Maybe one of these lessons will spark a memory that you know will make a terrific essay even though it isn’t one of the most common overall life lessons.

I remember my alma mater offering a very welcome “none of the above” prompt on its application form, and I remember stopping short at an outlandish prompt offered by a very prestigious university. The college essay has almost become a parody, with prompts themselves joining in on the joke. (Maybe you remember Rory Gilmore realizing in horror that all her classmates had  also chosen Hillary Clinton as their role model topic — and she attended a school like one of the 10 most expensive boarding schools in the world .) But the college essay is real, and it’s required, and you have these role models, life experiences, or life lessons stored in your mind. They’re waiting to get out. If you’re someone with excellent prose, skip to the next part. If not… well, no need to wonder, “I need help to  write an essay for me ,” just seek online help from CustomWritings service. Time’s precious!

Just wait, though, because after you graduate from the college of your dreams, you’ll be faced with an interview question that makes every job seeker long for an insipid college essay prompt instead: What is your greatest strength, and what is your greatest weakness?

11. Learn from your mistakes — 5 points

There’s an old adage: “Never make the same mistake twice.” That advice isn’t always practical — you’ve probably Game Over’d many times on the same tough level, and eventually got through it. Learning from our mistakes isn’t instant or automatic, nor is it obvious what exactly we end up learning.

B Calkins/Shutterstock.com

10. Give back — 5 points

Western society can get very hung up on the idea that charity is a matter of money alone, but giving back is a huge category. Think about how you spend your time as well as your money, and think about how your extra resources could improve the lives of others or simply brighten their day.

9. Don’t judge — 5 points

This idea is so simple yet so challenging to really do. What other people do, say, or believe generally doesn’t concern you. More than that, as a few lists also included, we should mind our own business. In a time when the microscope of social media is always pointed at everyone we know, it takes guts to step away and not engage. That choice to accept-not-except stands out in the 11 most valuable “lessons learned from life” essay ideas.

8. Put yourself out there — 5 points

The barebones archetype of putting yourself out there is asking someone on a date. It’s nervewracking and feels just as terrible every single time you psych yourself up to do it. But putting yourself out there is more than just romance — it’s applying for a challenging job, making a new friend, taking an improv class, and so much more. Without risk there is no reward.

Slideshow be yourself Jesus Christ life lessons Jane Goodall List XFinance college essays New York Times the golden rule Edward R. Murrow best essay topics great essay topics college essay topics put yourself out there learn from your mistakes most valuable life lessons judge not lest ye be judged best application essay ideas when life gives you lemons make lemonade 10 Most Expensive Boarding Schools In the World 11 Most Valuable Lessons Learned in Life: Essay Ideas Show more... Show less

15 Inspirational Life Lessons To Remember Every Day

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURES FOR MORE INFORMATION

We experience things and learn from them.

Sadly though, the message doesn’t always come through.

So we end up repeating the same mistakes over and over until the life lesson finally sinks in.

Fortunately, not all life lessons need to be experienced to be learned.

We can pull the wisdom from others and use this wisdom to be better versions of ourselves.

Today I am sharing with you 15 inspirational life lessons for you to learn and grow from.

Many of these lessons I’ve learned over the course of my 40 years.

Some were learned quickly, while others took many repeated mistakes to finally have to proverbial light bulb go off.

My goal is to share these lessons with you so you can learn and grow from them.

And ideally, you too will share them with others as well.

Table of Contents

15 Inspirational Life Lessons To Carry With You

#1. dream big.

We don’t know how much time we have on this earth.

Because of this, we need to make the most of every moment we have. Don’t waste your time with mediocre dreams.

Dream big. Reach for the stars.

Don’t think a dream isn’t possible just because others tell you that you cannot do something.

Think of all the people who thought the Wright Brothers for fools for trying to fly.

Or how people mocked Steve Jobs when he told them his idea of a computer as a cell phone.

Any new idea is going to be laughed at because it is unknown .

You can do anything you set your mind to. You just have to take the first step and believe.

#2. Surround Yourself With The Right Friends

If you hang out with people that are not content or unhappy with life, that feeling will rub off on you too.

You will wake up a few years from now wondering where the time went and upset that you are still in the same place as before.

If you instead surround yourself with people who have dreams and goals, they will inspire and motivate you to be the best you can be.

I had to push friends out of my life that were holding me back.

It wasn’t easy to end the relationship, but looking back, I am happy I had the courage to do it.

Ending unhealthy relationships is going to be the hardest of the life lessons.

But the benefit you get from doing this will far outweigh the short term pain.

So work to surround yourself with people that will motivate you and challenge you.

#3. Find What Takes The Stress Away

For me, exercise and music helps to remove the stress from my life.

No matter how bad of a day I had, I know I can hit the gym and lift some weights and instantly feel better about myself and my life.

You need to find what takes the stress away for you.

My bet is listening to your favorite band and going for a walk. Go try it out. What do you have to lose?

If you find neither of these are your stress reliever, then try some other options.

• Read now: Click here to learn over 20 stress busters that work magic

Keeping the stress bottled up inside of you is not healthy. Doing so will lead to major health issues .

You need to find an outlet to get it out of your life so you can be healthy and be around a long time.

#4. Learn to Be Positive

There is no point in going through life seeing the negative side to everything.

Life is so much easier when you see the positive side in everything in life.

I’m not saying you have to become irrationally positive and never see negative in your life or the world around you.

That view is unhealthy.

But you can learn how to think positively.

Simply looking at situations in a positive light will help you to be a happier person and more successful.

#5. Join Clubs and Meet People

Many of the life lessons are about working on yourself and your outlook.

But you also need the help and support of others too.

The sooner you learn how to communicate and make new friends the better off you will be.

Life is a lot of what you know, but it’s also about who you know.

The more people you know, the more connections you make, the more opportunities that will come your way and the more doors that will open for you.

Plus, the more people you are friends with increases the likelihood of a long life according to studies.

Having a good circle of friends is also another potential outlet for stress.

So get out there and start making new friends! I’ve found the best place to do this is through meetup.com .

#6. Learn How To Learn

If you go through school and college and memorize facts and figures, you are doing a disservice to yourself.

You really aren’t learning anything.

You are just accomplishing a good grade when you are tested on the information.

Go to college, but learn how to learn .

It’s not all about simply memorizing. Learn how to learn and you will go much farther.

#7. Accept Failure

From a young age, we are taught that failing is bad.

But it isn’t.

Failing is a good thing.

When you try new things, when you extend beyond your comfort zone, you grow as a person.

You will also fail many times as a result.

Learn from these failures. Don’t fear failure but learn from it.

Failure will help you grow to become the best you possible.

• Read now: Click here to learn the importance of failing

Think back to when you were little.

Chances are you fell off your bike a few times when you were trying to learn.

Did you give up? No!

You got back on your bike and kept at it until you mastered how to ride a bike.

Now think how differently your life would be had you given up.

All of the good times that happened as a result of learning how to ride a bike would have never happened.

Don’t quit just because you failed. Be like that kid again and keep trying.

#8. Take Calculated Risks When You Are Young

The younger you are, the more risk you can take without having to worry about the consequences.

But this doesn’t mean you should ignore the consequences.

Take calculated risks and learn from them.

The older you get and the more responsibilities you have, the harder it is to take risks.

So if after you graduate from college you want to travel the world, go for it.

If you want to try your hand at starting a business, go for it.

Take the time to plan accordingly so you aren’t stuck in Bulgaria with no money, but at the same time don’t think that a round the world trip isn’t feasible.

#9. Live Life Without Regrets

You can always look back and think “what if”. But doing so says you are unhappy with how your life turned out.

Would you really give up everything, everyone and all of the experiences in your life right now and do it differently?

Chances are you wouldn’t.

You chose to do everything you did and didn’t do. Accept it and learn from it.

Looking back, I wish I would have majored in finance in college. I also wish I traveled right after college instead of getting a job.

But I don’t regret not doing either of those things.

Had I majored in finance, I would have never met the awesome friends I did meet as a criminal justice major.

I also would have never been able to work my schedule during the spring semester freshman year to only having classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I wouldn’t trade any of the awesome times from my four day weekends for a different major.

Same thing goes from traveling.

I wouldn’t have had the experiences working I did have if I had traveled. Realize your life is great and don’t live with regrets.

#10. You Are Your Greatest Asset

No investment will ever earn as much as you can earn yourself.

Continuously learn. Read books. Take classes. Always strive to make yourself a better person than who you are now.

• Read now: Click here to learn 20 self improvement tips to make yourself great

The easiest way to do this is to follow your passions.

In high school and college, I hated reading the books we read and writing the papers we had to write.

But here I am, writing for a living and I love every minute of it.

Why? Because I get to write about the things that excite me.

Same goes for reading. I read all the time now.

The difference is that I don’t read what someone tells me to read, I read what intrigues me.

When you do and learn about things you are passionate about, it never feels like learning. But you are becoming a better person each and every day.

#11. Compliment

We are all so rushed in today’s world. Take the 10 seconds to thank someone for something they did or congratulate them on their accomplishments.

It might seem insignificant, but it means more to them than you will ever realize.

• Read now: Click here to challenge yourself to the kindness challenge

Take a minute to think about the last time someone thanked you out of the blue.

How did that make you feel? I bet it made you feel good.

So do that for someone else.

You never know how tough of a day they are having and how a simple compliment can shine some happiness in their life.

#12. Accept Others

This is a powerful life lesson.

When someone is mean or rude to you, let it roll off your back.

There is no point in wasting your energy or time fighting back or being angry about it.

For all you know, they just found out a loved one died and are taking their pain out on you.

You don’t know the reason or reasons why they are angry.

• Read now: Click here to learn why you should never jump to conclusions

Most times, it isn’t about you personally, you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

So don’t get caught up in their distress.

Understand it has nothing to do with you and accept the fact they are having a rough day.

Maybe even take the time to compliment them on something.

It could be what they need to hear.

#13. Happiness Leads To Success

Don’t believe that success leads to happiness. It doesn’t.

Unfortunately, too many people think this way.

The truth is happiness leads to success .

If you are always chasing success you will never be happy because you will constantly find that you are chasing more and more success.

Therefore, learn to become happy now.

• Read now: Click here to learn the simple tricks to think happy thoughts

Realize all of the great things and people you have in your life and all of the awesome experiences you have had.

Once you are happy, you will find that success is much easier to attain and it might even have a different and more profound meaning to your life.

#14. Find Your Passion

You spend too much time at work to hate it and worrying about it throughout the week and over the weekend.

Find your passions in life and see if you can have a career doing something you love to do.

The best way to do this is to keep trying new things.

Always be growing as a person and you will find things that you are passionate about.

Once you do, see if there is a way to turn that passion into a way to make money.

#15. Life Isn’t Easy

Shit happens.

We get stuck in traffic. Our car breaks down. We oversleep.

But there are far greater tragedies in the world.

Some people go days without water. For others, having electricity is a dream.

We all have struggles, so it is important to put things into perspective.

When I get down, I watch this video to remind me how great I have it.

Just because you had the worst day ever, know that when the sun comes up tomorrow it is a new day.

It is a brand new opportunity to have the best day anyone has ever had in the history of mankind.

And in reality, you have a lot more good days than bad .

So stop focusing on the bad and turn your attention to the good.

Final Thoughts

So there are 15 inspirational life lessons to remember.

If you can make these a part of your daily life, you will see a positive change in your life.

You will see the good more than the bad and will be happier than you were before.

This will open doors for you that you otherwise thought were not possible and these open doors will lead you to living the best life ever.

Jon Dulin is the passionate leader of Unfinished Success , a personal development website that inspires people to take control of their own lives and reach their full potential. His commitment to helping others achieve greatness shines through in everything he does. He’s an unstoppable force with lots of wisdom, creativity, and enthusiasm – all focused on helping others build a better future. Jon enjoys writing articles about productivity, goal setting, self-development, and mindset. He also uses quotes and affirmations to help motivate and inspire himself. You can learn more about him on his About page .

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15 Inspirational Life Lessons from Famous Leaders

Since childhood, most of us are focusing on the point that what the great leaders do to find inspiration and motivation… what motivation they seek to fight with circumstances. After watching numerous interviews and public meetings with leaders, I found that these leaders follow such basic life lessons yet they proved to be really effective.

Yes, life lessons that our leaders follow are quite basic and effective. Around the globe, I discovered that various leaders taught us inspirational life lessons, the leaders who inspire us to achieve more, the leaders who proved to never give up, and make the world an improved and better place to live.

In this blog, I have enlisted 15 life lessons from the world’s most inspirational leaders which we all should follow in our lives for motivation and inspiration. Let’s get started.

Important and Inspiration Life Lessons by Great Leaders

1.“being willing is not enough. we must do.”- leonardo da vinci.

As per the life lesson, it is actually easier to fall in the rut. And, yet you have great plans, so stop thinking and start taking actions in order to achieve the goals. Consequently, to achieve the goals , we have to stop thinking and start working.

2. “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”- Benjamin Franklin

This life lesson is my personal favorite as it states that we should never stop learning because education is the key. Additionally, we are never old to learn. Learning and education are the greatest joys in life.

3. “Better to fight for something than live for nothing.”- George S. Patton

We have to fight for what we believe and it is the most essential thing to do in life. We all should have the courage to stand up for our beliefs. Although it is not easy, it is like living your life on your own terms.

4. “If you do nothing you get nothing.”- Aung San Suu Kyi

We must be always prepared to put the required effort into achieving the desired goals. This is the only way to live a positive life .

5. “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”- Dalai Lama

Again an important lesson by the greatest leader of all time… The Dalai Lama stated when was the last time when you actually did something for someone without expecting anything in return. Compassion and love are the greatest things that keep up humanity in the world. Compassion and love make the world a better place to live in.

6. “There is no substitute for hard work.”- Thomas Edison

If you want a better career or business of your own, you have to be the best in working hard. Everyone should be prepared for working hard to reach the goal.

7.“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

We should always be moving forward, no matter how bad the circumstances are. Develop courage and dedication in your life skills and always be the best version of yourself. Indeed, another important life lesson.

8. “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal, nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.- Thomas Jefferson

A right mental attitude is the best personality a man can carry. Therefore, it’s your choice if you want to have the right mentality or the wrong mentality.

9. “The future is still so much bigger than the past.” – Tim Berners-Lee

Those who run away from hard work are not likely to bring any change. Tim explained that putting efforts into the future is always best than ranting or dwelling about the past.

10. “You don’t have to be somebody different to be important. You’re important in your own right.”- Michelle Obama

Yet another inspiring life lesson from Michelle Obama, she stated that an ordinary person with beliefs can also achieve so much in life. To be successful, uniqueness is not required, all you have to be the better version of yourself and keep learning from the mistakes.

11. “Your best gets better with the right people”- Bill Gates

Bill Gates stated that it is really important to have the right people by your side. Keep yourself surrounded by positive people who support you to achieve better in life.

12. “Know how to turn the crank.”- Bill Gates

No matter how bad the situation you are in, you should be always resilient enough to bounce back and turn the situation completely.

13. “Take care of your people”- Bill Gates

To be successful in life, it is really important to keep moving forward with the people who support you. Even if it is your employee or colleague, you must prove yourself with great leadership skills.

14. “Divide and conquer the problem.”- Bill Gates

Whenever any tough situation comes in, you must learn to divide the problem and look for the solution. People who always look for the brighter side even in the dark are the people who succeed and achieve something good in life. Additionally, they make the world a better place to live in.

15. “You don’t have to be first to win.”- Bill Gates

One of my personal favorite life lessons by Bill Gates, he explained that it is really not important to always top the list; you can also achieve goals by simply learning and passing the exams

I hope this blog taught you important life lessons. Comment down, the best life lesson which you are going to implement in your life.

For more such inspirational content, follow Calm Sage on all social media platforms.

Thanks for reading!

Recommended Articles about Motivation:

Best Motivational Books to Read in English

Best Motivational Documentaries On Netflix to Guide Your Life

How To Stay Motivated During Depression or Anxiety

Top 9 Instagram Accounts For Daily Inspiration

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About The Author

Aayushi is a Content Creator at Calm Sage. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Food Technology and a Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition. Her constant interest in the improvement of mental health, nutrition, and overall wellness embarked upon her career as a “full-time educational writer.” She likes to make an asynchronous connection with her readers. Her mantra for living life is "What you seek is seeking you".

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The Most Important Lesson I’ve Learned from Life

If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it. ~John Irving

For years and years, I looked outside myself for love, for peace, for happiness and fulfillment.  The more I looked, the further away from them I got. I was confused, irritated and at times I felt lost.

It seemed like my life made no sense whatsoever and so many of the things I was taught as a child about life were failing me.

For more than 20 years, I lived my life “their way,” according to their rules, their beliefs and their limitations.  By “them,” I mean family, teachers, society, government, mass media, etc.  That didn’t take me very far.

The moment I started to question the many limiting beliefs that were handed down to me while growing up and the moment I began to  let go of the many “life rules”that were holding me back in life , that’s when things began to get interesting for me.

After experimenting with all kind of new beliefs, rules and “truths” about life, I came to the conclusion that all the things I was after were already within me – peace, love, happiness, fulfillment… They were all within me, waiting for me to wake up, to start looking within and to stop looking for them outside myself.

Now, whenever I listen to my gut feeling, my heart, and intuition, I feel safe and I know I will get the best results.  And I do.  On the other hand, if I dare to ignore my inner GPS,  I get into trouble…

Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up if thou wilt ever dig. ~Marcus Aurelius (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

And even though I have times when I ignore my gut feeling and get into trouble, it’s always comforting to know that I KNOW how to get back on track… The answers are within me 🙂

It’s okay to ask for guidance and it’s okay to ask for help, but only you will know what’s best and right for you. Only by looking within and only by listening to your heart and intuition will you find the answer to your questions.

And yes, it’s that easy. Might take some time and training at first, but once you’re there, your whole life will forever change. In a very good way 🙂

There is nothing more powerful and more beautiful than discovering your divinity, than living life your way and I have to say that this was one of the most important lessons I’ve learned from life.

There are many treasures hidden within each and every one of us.  Today I will share with you a beautiful story that will illustrate just that.

According to an old Hindu legend…

There was once a time when all human beings were gods, but they so abused their divinity that Brahma, the chief god, decided to take it away from them and hide it where it could never be found. Where to hide their divinity was the question. So Brahma called a council of the gods to help him decide.

“Let’s bury it deep in the earth,” said the gods.

But Brahma answered, “No, that will not do because humans will dig into the earth and find it.

Then the gods said, “Let’s sink it in the deepest ocean.”

But Brahma said, “No, not there, for they will learn to dive into the ocean and will find it.

Then the gods said, “Let’s take it to the top of the highest mountain and hide it there.”

But once again Brahma replied, “No, that will not do either because they will eventually climb every mountain and once again take up their divinity.”

Then the gods gave up and said, “We do not know where to hide it because it seems that there is no place on earth or in the sea that human beings will not eventually reach.

Brahma thought for a long time and then said, “Here is what we will do. We will hide their divinity deep in the center of their own being, for humans will never think to look for it there.”

All the gods agreed that this was the perfect hiding place, and the deed was done.

And since that time humans have been going up and down the earth, digging, diving, climbing, and exploring–searching for something already within themselves. ~ Author unknown

What a beautiful and inspiring story, right? 🙂

I would love to know what is the most important lesson you have learned from life. Join the conversation in the comment section below.

~love, Luminita 💫

Luminita D. Saviuc

Luminita is the Founder and Editor in Chief of PurposeFairy.com and also the author of 15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy: An Inspiring Guide to Discovering Effortless Joy . For more details check out the 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy Book Page.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Inspiration — The Real Life Stories of Success

The True Life Story of Success and The Lessons Learned from It

• Categories: Inspiration Success

About this sample

Words: 1164 |

Published: Jun 5, 2019

Words: 1164 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Inspirational Story (essay)

Works cited.

• McLeod, S. (2020). The Power of Positive Thinking and Visualization Techniques. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/positive-thinking.html
• Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
• Pennington, D. (2014). Visualization Techniques for Goal Setting and Success. The Huffington Post. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/visualization-techniques-_b_6141402
• Maltz, M. (2016). Psycho-Cybernetics, Updated and Expanded. Penguin Books.
• Alcock, J. (2004). Give Luck a Chance: The Illusion of Control and Chance-Based Gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20(1), 67-81.
• Seligman, M. E. (1991). Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life. Vintage Books.
• Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery.
• Brannick, T., & Coghlan, D. (2007). In Defense of Conceptual Eclecticism: A New Look at the Integrative Approach. The Journal of Psychology, 141(4), 333-356.
• Hill, N. (2016). Think and Grow Rich. Vermilion.
• Loehr, J., & Schwartz, T. (2003). The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. Free Press.

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10 Inspirational Stories to Develop Empathy, Critical Thinking, and Heightened Perspective

There’s a reason why we start hearing stories from the time we’re toddlers. The world’s obstacles and inevitable setbacks are portrayed in countless literary works, whether they are children’s books, short stories, memoirs, or biographies. Inspirational stories provide motivation and encouragement while offering a perspective that helps people contextualize their own adversities. 

In fact, research in neuroscience suggests that reading fictional works helps people develop critical thinking, empathy, and theory of mind. 

The best short stories, in fiction and nonfiction genres, inspire people to pursue their dreams and overcome obstacles. They can remind people that they are not alone in their struggles and that others have persevered through similar challenges. Motivational stories can also help foster a sense of community and connection, creating a ripple effect of positivity that encourages people to support one another in their personal growth and development.

Reading and sharing short inspirational stories can be a powerful motivating tool that helps create a more positive and supportive world. In this article, you’ll learn about some of the most impactful short stories and memoirs that are often used to teach lessons and drive motivation. 

Top 10 Must-Read Inspirational Stories 

1. the parable of “the elephant rope” .

“The elephant was conditioned to believe he could never break away. He believed the rope could still hold him, so he never tried to break free.”

Summary: “The Elephant Rope” is a short motivational story about a young man who observes elephants at a circus and is amazed at how they are held in place by a simple rope tied to a stake in the ground, despite their massive size and strength. It was clear that the elephants could break away from their bonds but chose not to because they were conditioned to believe it wasn’t possible. 

Theme: “The Elephant Rope” is a story about limiting beliefs. The young man learns that the elephants were conditioned from a young age to believe that they could not break free from the rope. As a result, the elephants never tried to gain freedom again, even when they were fully grown and capable of doing so. 

Moral of the story: Limiting beliefs can hold us back from reaching our full potential. We may have been conditioned by our past experiences or beliefs to believe that we cannot achieve something, but in reality, we may be more capable than we think. By breaking free from our limiting beliefs and challenging ourselves, we can achieve great things.

2. “ The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry

“And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days, let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.” 

Summary: “The Gift of the Magi” is a short story written in 1905 by O. Henry. It’s about a young couple, Jim and Della, who are struggling to make ends meet during the Christmas season. Despite their financial difficulties, they each want to buy a special gift for the other. They end up making sacrifices to do so, each giving up something they treasure to please the other. 

Theme: “The Gift of the Magi” displays the true meaning of gift-giving, which is about the thought and love behind the gift rather than its material value. The couple’s gifts to each other are ultimately meaningless in terms of their practical use, but their representation of love and sacrifice proves to be invaluable for both Jim and Della. 

Moral of the story: The story highlights the benevolent spirit of gift-giving and reminds readers that the value of a gift is not in how much money was spent on it but in the thought and love behind it.

3. “The Man Who Planted Trees” by Jean Giono 

“For a human character to reveal truly exceptional qualities, one must have the good fortune to be able to observe its performance over many years.”

Summary: “The Man Who Planted Trees” is a short story by Jean Giono, first published in 1953. The story is a fictional account of a man named Elzéard Bouffier, who lives in a remote valley in the French Alps and spends his life planting trees. Over the course of several decades, Bouffier single-handedly transforms the barren and desolate landscape into a lush and thriving forest, which has a profound impact on the surrounding environment and community.

Theme: “The Man Who Planted Trees” highlights the power of individual action and the importance of environmental stewardship. The story emphasizes the transformative power of nature and highlights the impact that even one person can have on the world.

Moral of the story: The story shows that small actions can have a big impact on the world. It serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and protecting the natural world, and of the power of individual action. It also encourages readers to take responsibility for the environment and to work toward a more sustainable and harmonious relationship with the natural world.

4. “The Three Questions” by Leo Tolstoy

“Remember then: there is only one time that is important—Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.”

Summary: “The Three Questions” is a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy that was published in 1903. The story follows a king seeking answers to three questions: What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important person? What is the right thing to do? He offers a reward for the answers to these questions and consults with various advisors and wise men, but none can give him satisfactory responses. Eventually, he learns the answers to his questions through his own experiences and actions.

Theme: “The Three Questions” portrays the importance of living in the present moment and taking personal action. The story emphasizes the futility of worrying about the past or the future and highlights the importance of engaging fully in all of life’s moments.

Moral of the story: The story teaches that the answers to life’s big questions can only be found through action and experience rather than through intellectual inquiry alone. Tolstoy shows that the best way to live is with compassion and kindness toward others. It also encourages readers to cultivate a sense of mindfulness, rather than being preoccupied with the past or the future.

5. “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant

“She was one of those pretty and charming women whose infatuation with luxury is their one form of heroism.” 

Summary: “The Necklace” is a short story by Guy de Maupassant, first published in 1884. It follows the life of a woman named Mathilde Loisel, who is unhappy with her modest lifestyle and longs for wealth and luxury. One day, her husband secures an invitation to a fancy ball, and Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from a wealthy friend to wear to the event. However, after the ball, she discovers that she has lost the necklace and spends years working to pay off the debt incurred by replacing it, only to learn that the original necklace was fake.

Theme: The theme of “The Necklace” is the danger of materialism and the pursuit of social status. Mathilde’s obsession with wealth and status blinds her to the comforts she has in her current life and leads her to make poor decisions that ultimately ruin her chances of happiness. 

Moral of the story: The story is a cautionary tale that teaches readers that material possessions and social status are not the keys to happiness. Mathilde’s relentless pursuit of luxury leads her to a life of poverty and misery, and her true happiness is found only when she accepts her circumstances and learns to appreciate the blessings in her life. 

6. “To Build a Fire” by Jack London

“The trouble with him was that he was without imagination. He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significances. Fifty degrees below zero meant eighty-odd degrees of frost. Such fact impressed him as being cold and uncomfortable, and that was all.”

Summary: “To Build a Fire” is a short story by Jack London, first published in 1908. The story follows an unnamed man traveling through the Yukon wilderness on foot with his dog. Despite warnings from an experienced old-timer, the man sets out alone in frigid temperatures and attempts to build a fire to keep warm. However, when he encounters several setbacks, he ultimately succumbs to the cold while his dog manages to survive.

Theme: “To Build a Fire” portrays the power and indifference of nature. It highlights the brutal conditions of the Yukon wilderness and the harsh reality that even the most prepared and experienced individuals can be no match for the forces of nature. While it’s not inspirational in the traditional sense, it offers an important lesson about human fragility and our role in the world. 

Moral of the story: London’s story highlights the importance of respecting and understanding the power of nature while limiting overconfidence. This is a cautionary tale against arrogance and hubris, and it emphasizes the importance of caution and humility when facing the unpredictable and unforgiving forces of nature.

7. “The Parable of the Good Samaritan” From the Bible 

“But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.”

Summary: “The Parable of the Good Samaritan” is a story told by Jesus in the Bible, found in Luke 10: 25–37. It tells the story of a traveler who is beaten, robbed, and left for dead on the side of the road. A priest and a Levite, who were both considered to be religious leaders, passed by the man without helping. Then a Samaritan, who was an outsider and often looked down upon, stopped to help the man, tending to his wounds and providing for his needs. The Samaritan put the traveler on his donkey and brought him to an innkeeper, who he paid to look after him. 

Theme: “The Parable of the Good Samaritan” is meant to teach people about the call to love and serve others, regardless of differences in background or status. It emphasizes the importance of acting with compassion, kindness, and generosity toward those in need.

Moral of the story: The parable shows readers that everyone is our neighbor, and we are called to love and serve others without discrimination or prejudice, even to those who are considered an enemy. 

8. The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner

“The future was uncertain, absolutely, and there were many hurdles, twists, and turns to come, but as long as I kept moving forward, one foot in front of the other, the voices of fear and shame, the messages from those who wanted me to believe that I wasn’t good enough, would be stilled.”

Summary: The Pursuit of Happyness is a memoir by Chris Gardner that was published in 2006. It’s an inspiring story that details Gardner’s journey from homelessness to success as a stockbroker. The memoir describes the challenges he faced as a single father trying to provide for his son while struggling with poverty, homelessness, and no college degree.

Theme: Gardner’s rags-to-riches story portrays a life of resilience and perseverance. Despite facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, he refused to give up on his dreams and continued to work hard toward achieving them. He showed incredible resilience in the face of adversity and remained determined to create a better life for himself and his son.

Moral of the story: This story shows that with hard work, determination, and a positive attitude, anyone can achieve their dreams, no matter how difficult or impossible they may seem. It encourages readers to pursue their passions, never give up, and believe in themselves, even when others may doubt them.

9 . The Story of Colonel Sanders

“I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could. And no hours, nor amount of labor, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me. And I have done that ever since, and I win by it. I know.”

Summary: The true-life account of Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), is an inspiring and motivational story of success despite many rejections. Sanders was born in Indiana in 1890 and worked a variety of odd jobs to support his siblings after his father’s death. At 40 years old, he began cooking and selling fried chicken out of a gas station in Corbin, Kentucky, in the 1930s. He developed his own blend of 11 herbs and spices, and after that, his business grew steadily over the next few decades, leading to the creation of the KFC franchise.

Theme: The story of Colonel Sanders portrays perseverance and determination, even in the face of numerous setbacks and obstacles. Sanders refused to give up on his dream of creating a successful fried chicken business, and he continued to work tirelessly to achieve his goals.

Moral of the story: Sanders’ achievements teach us that success often comes from hard work, perseverance, and a refusal to give up in the face of adversity. Even when things seem bleak or impossible, it’s important to keep pushing forward and striving to achieve your goals. With dedication and determination, anyone can achieve their dreams, just as Colonel Sanders did with his fried chicken empire.

10. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 

“The cowards never started and the weak died along the way. That leaves us, ladies and gentlemen. Us.”

Summary: Shoe Dog is a memoir written by Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, Inc. Published in 2016, this story is an inspirational depiction of Nike, from its humble beginnings as a small startup company to a global giant in the athletic shoe industry. Just out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and launched what would become one of the world’s most iconic and profitable brands. 

Theme: The motivational story of Phil Knight highlights themes of perseverance and determination. Knight and his team faced numerous challenges throughout the company’s journey, including financial difficulties, legal battles, and intense competition. However, they persevered and never gave up, ultimately achieving great success.

Moral of the story: Shoe Dog shows that success comes from a combination of passion, hard work, and perseverance. Knight’s story is an inspiring reminder that no matter how difficult the road may seem, if you believe in your vision and are willing to put in the effort, you can achieve great things.

What Makes for an Inspirational Story?

An inspirational story is one that motivates, encourages, and uplifts the reader. It’s used to teach a lesson and break barriers of false perception. 

Some key elements that can make a story inspirational include:

• Overcoming Adversity: An impactful story often features protagonists who face significant challenges or adversity. They may struggle, fail, and experience setbacks, but ultimately find a way to overcome their challenges and achieve their goals.
• Positive Messages: A motivational story often conveys a positive message of hope, perseverance, and resilience. The story should leave the reader feeling empowered and motivated to take action in their own lives, which is made possible when a relatable character or figure makes their own personal realization. 
• Realistic: While an inspirational story may be fictional, it should be grounded in reality. The characters, situations, and challenges should be believable and relatable so that readers can see themselves within the story. 
• Emotional Impact: An effective story should elicit an emotional response from readers. Whether it’s laughter, sadness, fear, or joy, the story should have a powerful emotional impact that allows its message to shine through. 
• Empathy: An inspirational story should create empathy between the reader and the characters. The reader should care about the characters and their struggles and feel invested in their journey.
• Universal Themes: When authors use universal themes that resonate with readers, such as love, courage, sacrifice, and self-discovery, they allow for inspirational real-life connections. 
• Transformation: An inspiring story often features a protagonist or central figure who undergoes a transformation. They may start out feeling defeated or hopeless, but through their journey, they discover inner strength and achieve personal growth.
• Memorable: Impactful stories should be memorable and leave a lasting impression on the reader. They should stick with the reader long after they finish reading it and inspire them to take action or make positive changes in their own lives.

Telling or reading empowering stories that are grounded in reality and convey positive messages is an impactful way to boost motivation, whether it’s at home, in the workplace, or for your own self-growth. 

To continue reading timeless literary works with powerful characters and themes, check out these top Ernest Hemingway books . 

Leaders Media has established sourcing guidelines and relies on relevant, and credible sources for the data, facts, and expert insights and analysis we reference. You can learn more about our mission, ethics, and how we cite sources in our editorial policy .

• Seifert, C. (2020, May 28).  The Case for Reading Fiction . Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/03/the-case-for-reading-fiction
• Khan, M. (n.d.).  The Elephant Rope (Belief) Story: don’t limit yourself to a belief that You Can’t! https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/elephant-rope-belief-story-dont-limit-yourself-you-cant-mobarza-khan/
• A Summary and Analysis of O. Henry’s ‘The Gift of the Magi.’  (2023, March 18). Interesting Literature. https://interestingliterature.com/2021/12/o-henry-gift-of-the-magi-summary-analysis/
• Green, C., Green, C., & Green, C. (2020b, April 21).  The Man Who Planted Trees Before His Time . Chelsea Green Publishing. https://www.chelseagreen.com/2020/the-man-who-planted-trees-before-his-time/
• The Three Questions . (2023, February 11). Plough. https://www.plough.com/en/topics/culture/short-stories/the-three-questions
• The Necklace: Summary, Themes, and a Short Story Analysis | Blog StudyCorgi.com . (2023, March 17). StudyCorgi.com. https://studycorgi.com/blog/the-necklace-summary-themes-and-a-short-story-analysis/
• Summary Of To Build A Fire By Jack London – 1085 Words | Bartleby . (n.d.). https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Summary-Of-To-Build-A-Fire-By-PK6XJ6939A6
• The Parable of the Good Samaritan – Morality  – GCSE Religious Studies Revision – WJEC – BBC Bitesize . (n.d.). BBC Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zwxm97h/revision/6
• Cheng, A. (2020, November 13).  The Pursuit of Happyness Book Summary, by Chris Gardner – Allen Cheng . Allen Cheng. https://www.allencheng.com/the-pursuit-of-happyness-book-summary-chris-gardner/
• Culver, A. (2019, August 1).  The inspiring life story of KFC’s Colonel Sanders . Snagajob. https://www.snagajob.com/blog/post/the-inspiring-life-story-of-kfcs-colonel-sanders
• Shoe Dog Summary: 10 Best Lessons from Phil Knight . (n.d.). Growth.me. https://growth.me/books/shoe-dog/
• Baker, D. (2022, August 9).  How to Make Your Writing Inspirational – Supercharge Your Marketing . Super Copy Editors. https://supercopyeditors.com/blog/writing/make-writing-inspirational/

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125 Life Lessons Inspirational Quotes About Life And Struggles

If there is one thing that you can count on throughout your life its that you are going to struggle. At first glance, that comes off as a very negative comment, doesn’t it!? 

The truth is that struggle will always be part of life and you can’t really do much to change that. But what you can change is how you respond to your struggles.

One of my favorite tools to share in my life coaching practice is inspirational quotes. In particular, life lessons inspirational quotes about life and struggles have been known to help people who are facing a setback or failure in their life. 

Our culture tries to tell us that life should be easy and free of struggle. However, the reality is that your life is going to be filled with challenges and obstacles. Our culture also loves the idea that success should come effortlessly and that any form of struggle is a sign of failure. 

This can lead to frustration, disappointment, and a sense of inadequacy when we inevitably encounter difficulties.

My hope is that this list of inspirational quotes reminds you that struggles are not indicative of your own personal shortcomings. Instead, struggle is integral to the human experience.

By changing your mindset and viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, you can empower yourself to grow past your defeats, rather than allowing yourself to be defined by them.

How Can Inspirational Quotes Help Us Overcome Our Struggles In Life? 

Inspirational quotes are great at teaching life lessons in just a few words. And when it comes to overcoming struggles, I find that the best inspirational quotes are the ones that encourage us to see struggles and setbacks as opportunities for growth .

This is one of the hardest things to do, especially when you are in the middle of a big setback. But there are so many quotes from famous people throughout history who have proven time and time again that struggle is part of finding success. 

As  Carol Dweck describes in  Mindset , a growth mindset sees the value in practice, effort, and hard work even in the face of struggle. This is the key to improving and growing in all areas of our lives.

Many people have a fear of failure that is so strong that they avoid any situation that could lead to struggle altogether! Staying in your comfort zone might feel safe , but the truth is that you will never grow and reach your wildest dreams if you stay in a pretend world where failure doesn’t exist.

This list of life lessons inspirational quotes about life and struggles will motivate you to change the way you see struggle and failure. Get ready to embrace the fear of failure and learn to see setbacks as opportunities for growth!

Life Lessons Inspirational Quotes About Life And Struggles

• “Not many great things have ever been done without struggling, stand up for your dream, a definite plan and burning desire can get you there.” – Okorote Emmanuel
• “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” – Helen Keller
• “Difficult times will come. It’s a fact of life, isn’t it? There are good times and bad times in everybody’s life.” – Raj Kosaraju
• “We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.” – Barbara De Angelis
• “Life is a circle of happiness, sadness, hard times, and good times. If you are going through hard times, have faith that good times are on the way.” – Unknown
• “You’re going to go through tough times – that’s life. But I say, ‘Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.’ See the positive in negative events.” – Joel Osteen
• “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller
• “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.” – Martin Luther King
• “Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” – Mary Tyler 
• “We all make mistakes, how we correct them is what makes all the difference between success and failure.” – Zane Baker
• “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” – Dale Carnegie
• “The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.” – Pierre de Coubertin
• “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “A life filled with vicissitudes, uncertainty and hard lessons provides us with skills to better approach new challenges that come along.” – Vivian Eisenecher
• “The commonality among all these people is that they never gave up. For them, each new challenge was an opportunity to excel at life, to persevere in spite of at times seemingly overwhelming odds.” – Byron Pulsifer
• “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison
• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.” – Nelson Mandela
• “You are not alone in the struggles of life. Entire cosmos is with you. It evolves through the way you face and overcome challenges of life. Use everything in your advantage.” – Amit Ray
• “As I struggled to put together a life for myself – based on my terms and my needs, in other words, a life worth living, it all boiled down to building my self-confidence.” – Bill Andrews
•  “Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to change.” – Iyanla Vanzant
• “When we face a life storm, our faith is challenged most often by God’s seeming silence when we need him the most. Life storms help us to explore the reality of trust, when circumstances challenge our faith and tempt us to doubt God’s promises.” – John Krohn PhD
• We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – E. M. Forster
• “For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us.” – Nicole Reed
• “There are better people in the world, do not let the worst do the worst to you, you deserve the best in life.” – Michael Bassey Johnson
• “Close some doors today. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they lead you nowhere.” – Paulo Coelho
• “What we all need to do is find the wellspring that keeps us going, that gives us the strength and patience to keep up this struggle for a long time.” – Winona LaDuke
• “Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win.” – Bernadette Devlin
• “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.” – Richard Branson
• “When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.” – Haruki Murakami
• “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein
• “Some roses grow through concrete. Remember that.” – Brandi L. Bates

Motivational Quotes About Life Lessons

• “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” – Maya Angelou
• “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
• “We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here now with the power to shape your day and your future.” – Steve Maraboli
• “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” – Steve Jobs
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
• “Life requires overcoming challenges and obstacles of many types. Battling our struggles and fears determines who we are” – David Weatherford
• “Sometimes, life’s challenges are tough to deal with. You will succeed if you focus your thoughts on how to overcome the challenge.” – Catherine Pulsifer
• “There are far, far better things ahead than anything we’ve left behind.” – C.S. Lewis
• “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” – Stephen King
• “A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” – Gina Milicia
• “In the heart of every struggle lies an opportunity to grow.” – Melanie M. Koulouris 
• “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “My greatest life lessons have not come from any achievements I have attained but rather from the failures, heartaches, and setbacks that I have experienced.” – Dr. Marshall Hennington
• “A good strategy of life is obvious: When the right path is found, it must be walked no matter how hard it is and the precious target this path destined to must be arrived at by defeating every difficulty encountered.” – Mehmet Murat ildan
• “Though nobody can go back and make a new beginning… Anyone can start over and make a new ending.” – Chico Xavier
• “We must meet the challenge rather than wish it were not before us.” – William J. Brennan, Jr.
• “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” – Paulo Coelho
• “Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.” – Bruce Lee
• “Remember that in difficult times, we don’t give up. We don’t discard our highest ideals. No! We rise up to meet them.” – Michelle Obama
• “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.” – Napoleon Hill
• “I don’t dwell on the things that are too late to fix, but I do my best to get life’s lessons and put them into action.” – Les Brown
• “In every success story, you will find someone who has made a courageous decision.” – Peter F. Drucker
• “Smiling is a wonderful way to get a boost of happiness. The next time life presents you with a challenging situation, take a deep breath and smile.” – Morris Pratt
• “I’m pretty easily overwhelmed and pretty tough as well. I think I’m tougher than I used to be. There’s been a lot of hardship along the way. But that’s what life is. And it’s how you deal with those things, and how you let them shape you that makes you a better person and defines what sort of person you’re going to be.” – Nathaniel Rateliff
• You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.” – Brene Brown
• “You can’t solve anyone else’s life for them. But then, if you see someone struggling with a heavy load, isn’t it forbidden to walk on without helping them?” – Naomi Alderman
• “Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” – Mary Tyler Moore
• “Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” – Norman Vincent Peale
• “The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” – Abraham Lincoln
• “Life is like photography. You use the negatives to develop.” – Ziad K. Abdelnour

Best Inspirational Quotes About Life Struggles

• “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” – Maya Angelou
• “But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “Struggles not only make us into stronger, better and wiser people, they also let us learn more about ourselves and our purpose in life.” – Auliq Ice
• “Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” – Bernice Johnson Reagon
• “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” – Newt Gingrich
• “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them―that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” – Lao Tzu
• “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on.” – Robert Frost
• “My greatest life lesson has been that life can change in a second. This is why it’s important to always live your best possible life and to do what you can for others.” – Niki Taylor
• “Endings are always tough, but I believe when something ends, there are new beginnings, new opportunities and new things to be excited for, too.” – Mike Fisher
• “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffett
• “The first step to greatness is believing that greatness exists within you.” – Channique Nathan
• “No matter how much suffering you went through, you never wanted to let go of those memories.” – Haruki Murakami
• “Life’s lessons take a lifetime to learn, that’s just how it is in life’s classroom. But as we learn, we teach others. We are all teachers in the school of life.” – Olive Steele
• “Just because those around you do not constantly tell you what they are going through in their personal life, it does not mean they are living in a fairy tale.” – Auliq Ice
• “Struggle is the food from which change is made, and the best time to make the most of a struggle is when it’s right in front of your face.” – Danny Dreyer
• “The struggle of life is one of our greatest blessings. It makes us patient, sensitive, and Godlike. It teaches us that although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” – Helen Keller
• “Look at my success. I didn’t achieve it overnight. It has been the product of many years’ struggle, and every year, my times have shown gradual improvement.” –  Mo Farah
• “Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different actions or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” – Norman Vincent Peale
• “Life keeps throwing me stones. And I keep finding the diamonds…” – Ana Claudia Antunes
• “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne
• “The triumph can’t be had without the struggle.” – Wilma Rudolph
• “You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.” – Shaun Hick
• “Everyone has inside them a piece of good news. The good news is you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is.” – Anne Frank
• “It’s funny how, when things seem the darkest, moments of beauty present themselves in the most unexpected places.” – Karen Marie Moning
• “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.” – Bob Riley
• “I’ll tell you something about tough times. They just about kill you, but if you decide to keep working at them, you’ll find your way through.” – Joan Bauer
• “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” – Seneca
• “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” – Louisa May Alcott

Short Inspirational Quotes About Life And Struggles

• “You may face defeats in your life, but never let yourself feel defeated.” – Maya Angelou
• “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” – Helen Keller
• “Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.” – Oprah Winfrey
• “I like to use the hard times in the past to motivate me today” – Dwayne Jonhson
• “Hard times always lead to something great.” – Betsey Johnson
• “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
• “You make mistakes. Mistakes don’t make you.” – Maxwell Maltz
• “Most important thing in life is learning how to fall.” – Jeannette Walls
• “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs
• “I know for sure what we dwell on is who we become.” – Oprah Winfrey
• “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “If you are going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
• “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
• “The biggest lesson I had in my life was failure.” – Tim Rice
• “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” – Lao Tzu
• “What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
• “Difficult roads always lead to beautiful destinations.” – Zig Ziglar
• “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
• “There is no limit to what we can, as women accomplish.” – Michelle Obama
• “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” – Frederick Douglass
• “Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive.” – Matt Cameron
• “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” – Napoleon Hill
• “If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
• “Life’s struggles are necessary for growth.” – Auliq Ice
• “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
• “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” – Oprah Winfrey
• “It’s not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit.” – JRR Tolkien
• “Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about.” – Winston Churchill
• “Don’t feel entitled to anything you didn’t sweat and struggle for.” – Marian Wright Edelman
• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Using Life Lessons Inspirational Quotes About Life and Struggles

The best way to use any inspirational quotes is to choose the ones that feel closest to your heart. We all have our own unique journeys and struggles, so pick the quotes that resonate with your experiences and challenges and reflect on them regularly. Let them empower you with the strength and motivation you need during the difficult times.

The world will try to tell you that you should run from struggle and failure. You may even feel pressured to avoid situations where you can fail. But remember that true growth comes from facing challenges head-on, despite the risk of failure.

The quotes you choose should serve as reminders that setbacks are not roadblocks but rather stepping stones on your path to success.

As you face your next big life struggle, I encourage you to remember this famous quote from Dalai Lama XIV: “The only way to fail is to quit.”

This quote brings so much comfort to me when I feel overwhelmed by the challenges and uncertainties my life throws at me. I can take a deep breathe and relax knowing that even when I fail I can learn and do better next time.

Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family on social media! If you know someone who could use life lessons inspirational quotes about life and struggles, this blog post could be just what they need!

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• 6 Lessons We Can Learn from Steph Curry

Jerry Smith

• Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover -  Curry is 6’3” and 190 pounds, which is small compared to the NBA average of 6’7” and 225 pounds. Because nearly every college coach underestimated his greatness, he ended up at Davidson College rather than a traditional basketball powerhouse, much in the same way Steve Nash ended up at Santa Clara University. Like Nash— who is also a two-time MVP —Curry found his way to greatness by being resourceful, innovative, skillful, and mentally stronger and smarter than other players.
• Never Stop Trying to Improve -  As remarkable as it is for Curry to have won back-to-back MVPs and to be the first person in history to have been voted MVP unanimously, the more amazing fact is he may be the most improved player. A year after winning his first MVP, Curry has improved his stats in each category, which speaks volumes to the work ethic, focus, and determination he continues to have even after reaching a pinnacle point in his career.
• Good Guys Can and Do Finish First -  Simply put, Curry is a really nice guy. I don’t know him personally, however, I have friends who know him very well and spend a lot of time with him in a variety of environments. They tell me that he is genuinely respectful, engaging, friendly, courteous, and helpful to everyone he meets, bar none. You don’t have to use people or be a jerk to get to the top.
• A Team-First Mentality Pays Off for Everyone -  Curry is all about the team . His commitment and belief that a team’s success will lead to greater opportunities for the individual members is well documented. He works hard at making his teammates better both on and off the court. Recently, he said he’s not interested in free agency—which would be very lucrative for him— because he values the team mentality that exists with the Warriors, something so hard to find in professional sports.
• Use Your Success to Help Others -  Curry was the 2013–14 Seasonlong Kia Community Assist Award winner in recognition of his numerous charitable contributions, fundraising, and remarkable generosity in the Bay Area and across the globe. The award recognizes the NBA player who best reflects the passion that the league and its players have for giving back to their communities. With this honor, Curry’s charity of choice, ThanksUSA , received $25,000 from the NBA and Kia Motors America. Curry also supports the Animal Rescue Foundation , Nothing But Nets , and the United Nations Foundation .
• No Matter How Successful, Remain Thankful and Humble -  Curry never passes up an opportunity to give thanks to God, family, coaches, staff members, teammates, and fans for his success. You may have noticed that he points his finger up to the sky oftentimes after making a basket. It was a practice he began at Davidson, at his mother’s suggestion, as an outward sign and internal reminder that God gets the glory for his success.

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Conquer The World Quotes

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The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.

If you conquer yourself, then you conquer the world

Conquer your thoughts and you will conquer the world.

Find people who share your values, and you'll conquer the world together.

If one day you have to choose between the world and love, remember this: If you choose the world you’ll be left without love, but if you choose love, with it you will conquer the world

He who conquers the mind, conquers the world.

When we are foolish, we want to conquer the world. When we are wise, we want to conquer ourselves. That begins when we do what we should no matter how we feel about it.

With virtue and quietness one may conquer the world.

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

Before we can conquer the world, we must first conquer the self.

Conquer the world by intelligence, and not merely by being slavishly subdued by the terror that comes from it.

I can conquer the world with one hand, as long as you are holding the other.

Love is when you can completely trust one another, you feel like you can conquer the world together, you know that person will be there for you, and most importantly, you make each other laugh.

Do not attempt to conquer the world with force, for force only causes resistance.

This man has conquered the world! What have you done?" The philosopher replied without an instant's hesitation, "I have conquered the need to conquer the world.

To conquer with arms is to make only a temporary conquest; to conquer the world by earning its esteem is to make a permanent conquest.

I wouldn't say I wanna conquer the world anymore. But I want to be a part of making the world a better place. I want to inspire people and I wanna be part of the solution.

This life is not real. I conquered the world and it did not bring me satisfaction.

Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world.

And what lesson can we draw from Volantene history? If you want to conquer the world, you best have dragons.

We Jews, we are the destroyers and will remain the destroyers. Nothing you can do will meet our demands and needs. We will forever destroy because we want a world of our own.

Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.

Give me twenty-six soldiers of lead and I will conquer the world.

Conquer your mind and conquer the world.

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