101 best mottos for life to inspire you

03/22/2025 by

BEST MOTTOS FOR LIFEIf you’ve been searching for the best mottos for life then there are some really good ones here for you today, dear reader.

Take a few moments to be inspired by them all and see how many of them you can work into conversations over the next week or two.

My favourite is the first one. It was actually the motto of the High School I attended (well a version in Latin, “Ingenio Vivimus”). I live by this memorable motto to this day.

Do you have a favourite from the list?

Either way, if you find them interesting, please feel free to quote them and share them too.

Best mottos for life (1-20):

  1. We live by our ingenuity. 
  2. Someday never comes.
  3. Act in haste; repent at leisure. 
  4. Character is forged in adversity.
  5. Loneliness is the ultimate poverty.
  6. Life will be as good as you make it. 
  7. Nothing will change unless you do.
  8. If it’s in the past, leave it there.
  9. It’s not death we fear, it’s suffering.
  10. You never know who’s watching you.
  11. To survive we must all sell something. 
  12. Prejudice is the ugly side of insecurity. 
  13. Never be afraid to sing your own song.
  14. Calm waters don’t make skilled sailors.
  15. Never underestimate the power of fear. 
  16. Reward without effort is not sustainable.
  17. It’s not what you earn, it’s what you keep.
  18. You’ll be a long time dead, so live life now.
  19. The price of fame is the erosion of freedom.
  20. If you can serve the many, riches will follow.

Best mottos for life (21-40):

  1. The once unthinkable can become thinkable.
  2. When you see crazy coming, cross the street.
  3. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
  4. A sense of purpose is intrinsic to our happiness.
  5. Prosperity results from enterprise and hard work. 
  6. Judge people by what they do, not what they say.
  7. Businesses don’t provide great service, people do.
  8. Being busy is not the same thing as adding value. 
  9. It’s easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape. 
  10. Be the right person, and you’ll find the right person. 
  11. Ignore what others think, for they rarely think at all.
  12. Enjoy today because tomorrow’s promised to no one. 
  13. Politics is guided more by pragmatism than principle.
  14. You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference.
  15. Mistakes serve as invaluable lessons we don’t forget. 
  16. Wealth comes from what you do with what you earn. 
  17. The clutter that now fills your home was once money.
  18. When you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose. 
  19. Who will watch the Watchmen? We must do it ourselves. 
  20. The future has yet to be written but you’ve got the pen.

 Best mottos for life (41-60):

  1. We must all work to live but we must never live to work.  
  2. Being imperfect is the one thing we all have in common.
  3. Don’t treat yourself as an afterthought. You matter too.
  4. You cannot save someone who doesn’t want to be saved. 
  5. Good intentions mean nothing if we fail to deliver results.
  6. Just because they seem nice, doesn’t mean they are nice.
  7. Silenced voices are not the same as hearts and minds won. 
  8. No amount of negative thinking will ever make you happier. 
  9. I’ll decide who I am. I won’t be pigeonholed by other people.
  10. To conquer and subdue a people, first, you must divide them.
  11. Every day can be a good day if you choose to see it that way. 
  12. Everyone sees things within the limits of their own perception. 
  13. Don’t settle for anything less than what you really want in life. 
  14. If you’ve got skills that are in demand, you’ll always have work. 
  15. No two people experience exactly the same journey through life.
  16. Follow your heart for none of us know what tomorrow may bring.
  17. Never judge anyone until you’ve walked two miles in their shoes.
  18. Our deepest fear is that we’re inadequate and we’ll be found out. 
  19. The only part of your life that really matters is between now and dead. 
  20. What’s obvious to you is not necessarily obvious to someone else. 

Best mottos for life (61-80):

  1. You’ll never please everyone, so you might as well please yourself.
  2. You’re not what you’ve done; you’re what you’ve had to overcome. 
  3. Don’t settle for a life you’re given. Work hard for the life you want.
  4. We have to deal with the world as it is and not as we’d like it to be. 
  5. Don’t do unto others that which you wouldn’t want done unto you. 
  6. Life’s real priorities are a roof over your head and food on the table.
  7. No politician has the power to improve your life. That’s for you to do. 
  8. Government debt is simply a form of taxation on future generations. 
  9. If you want to succeed then first you must believe you can succeed. 
  10. In a crowded market, fitting in is not an option. You must stand out. 
  11. If the price of anything is your peace of mind then it’s too expensive. 
  12. What you’re paid right now is not the limit of your earning potential. 
  13. You don’t need qualifications or a college degree to make an impact. 
  14. Take a look at your job and ask yourself, “What am I becoming here?”
  15. The uncritical embrace of fashionable dogma is the folly of our times.
  16. Humour and charm are potent assets if you’re lucky enough to have them. 
  17. What you nearly did means nothing. It’s what you’ve done that counts. 
  18. If change is to happen, you must first decide that change is necessary. 
  19. Your life experiences will be dictated by what you’re willing to settle for.  
  20. You’ll never get rich unless you master the art of paying yourself first. 

Best mottos for life (81-101):

  1. Do what you do best. Add real value and over time you’ll get noticed. 
  2. Never, ever think you’re not good enough. You’re as good as anyone.
  3. When it comes to temptation, the easiest one to resist is the first one. 
  4. For everything, there’s a price and that price must always be paid first. 
  5. Money’s not important but it’s up there with oxygen for sustaining life.
  6. Your attention is valuable, so it has a price. Don’t give it away cheaply.
  7. You’ll never get anywhere unless you’re determined to get somewhere. 
  8. The best way to learn is on the job. Nothing beats hands-on experience. 
  9. Never let anyone dull your sparkle. You were put on this earth to shine.
  10. No lesson’s more powerful than lessons learned from mistakes we make.
  11. Once you recognise you’re being used, you’re a fool if you let it carry on.
  12. Your circumstances do not dictate your life experiences, your choices do. 
  13. If you want your kids to be happy, presence matters more than presents.
  14. Life’s too short to waste any of it arguing with strangers on social media. 
  15. There are people who get off on being deeply unpleasant to other people. 
  16. Time is our most precious resource, yet we often give it away so cheaply. 
  17. You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails.
  18. A good relationship requires compromise but never requires self-sacrifice. 
  19. People will always have problems needing solutions. That’s an opportunity.
  20. You’re younger today than you’ll ever be again. Make the most of life now.
  21. Don’t let your mouth overload your back. It’s perfectly reasonable to say no.

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