Need a boost today?
Everyone has moments where it seems growth is an elusive ideal. They take a step forward only to take two steps back. Or so it seems.
What can a collection of growth quotes do for you what hustling and setting goals hasn’t?
Well, for one, they can remind you of why you bother to set goals and work to accomplish them.
They can remind you of the person you want to be and the legacy you want to leave behind.
Allow these carefully-chosen quotes about change and growth to lift you up and lead you forward.
73 Personal Growth Quotes For Life Transformation
1. “If you are under the impression you have already perfected yourself, you will never rise to the heights you are no doubt capable of.” ― Kazuo Ishiguro
2. “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” ― Ernest Hemingway
3. “The real voyage of discovery consists of not seeking new landscapes but having new eyes.” ― Marcel Proust
4. “Let him who would move the world first move himself.” ― Socrates
5. “The great solution to all human problems is individual inner transformation.” — Vernon Howard
6. “You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making.” — Stephen Richards
7. “Growth comes in all sorts of forms and shapes, everywhere at all times, and it’s yours to take and consume. Do what ought to be done. Here and now, to get you somewhere – anywhere.” ― Charlotte Eriksson
8. “Facing the fear of rejection and humiliation is critical for self-growth and no one is ever happy or content until they venture outside themselves to learn what dwells in other people’s hearts.” ― Kilroy J. Oldste
9. “We can't become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” ― Oprah Winfrey
10. “Always make an effort to be around people who will help you grow.” ― Joyce Rachelle
11. “The purpose of that apple tree is to grow a little new wood each year. That is what I plan to do.” ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
12. “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” ― Aristotle
13. “One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” ― Abraham Maslow
14. “Without continuous personal development, you are now all that you will ever become.” ― Eli Cohen
15. “Resilient people aren't afraid to admit they have weaknesses. Whether an effective leader acknowledges problems within an organization, or an individual recognizes areas in need of personal growth, resilient people use failure as an opportunity to spot their weaknesses.” ― Amy Morin
16. “Personal growth is not a matter of learning new information, but unlearning old limits.” ― Alan Cohen
17. “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” — Viktor Frankl
18. “An authentic and genuine life grows like a sturdy tree. And like a tree, it grows slowly. Every time you make a different and better decision, it grows a little. Every time you choose to do the right thing, even when nobody would find out otherwise, it grows a little. Every time you act with compassion, relinquish your right to strike back, take a courageous stand, admit fault or accept responsibility, it grows a little.” ― Steve Goodier
19. “Doing something we do not find difficult or challenging rarely grows us.” ― Mokokoma Mokhonoana
20. “Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not. When I see a person beginning to separate themselves from the pack, it’s almost always due to personal growth.” ― John C. Maxwell
21. “Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” — Ronald Osborn
22. “The key to pursuing excellence is to embrace an organic, long-term learning process, and not to live in a shell of static, safe mediocrity. Usually, growth comes at the expense of previous comfort or safety.” ― Josh Waitzkin
23. “What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself.” ― Seneca
24. “To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory; to be vanquished by one’s own nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat.” ― Plato
25. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
26. “Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.” — Herbert Otto
27. “The swiftest way to triple your success is to double your investment in personal development.” ― Robin Sharma
28. “Consciousness is a mystery that faces the mystery of potential and transforms it into actuality. We do that with every choice we make. Our choices determine the destiny of the world. By making a choice, you alter the structure of reality.” ― Jordan B. Peterson
29. “For my own personal growth, I had to set out on my own.” ― Frank Press
30. “Fear comes from uncertainty; we can eliminate the fear within us when we know ourselves better.” — Bruce Lee
31. “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” — Albert Einstein
32. “Intelligent, successful, attractive people can be intimidating. They force us to hold a mirror to ourselves; we can be disappointed, jealous or inspired toward personal growth.” ― Ian K. Smith
33. “I like a state of continual becoming, with a goal in front and not behind.” — George Bernard Shaw
34. “Life is growth. If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead.” ― Morihei Ueshiba
35. “The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance. The wise grows it under his feet.” ― James Oppenheim
36. “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
37. “We won't grow and learn doing what we've always done, and thinking what we've always thought. We need to move beyond our comfort zones. We need to engage with new and different if we want to expand ourselves.” ― Akiroq Brost
38. “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” ― Viktor E. Frankl
39. “If you’re not changing forwards, you’re changing backwards because we are always changing.” ― Richie Norton
40. “Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” ― Stephen Covey
41. “To know one’s self requires a fierce and courageous willingness to explore the many layers of one’s inner landscape.” ― Pamela McLean
42. “Success happens when you change not when others change.” ― Nicky Verd
43. “Reflection goes hand-in-hand with assessment and leads to long-lasting growth and change (in combination with action, of course).” ― Melissa Steginus
44. “I am the creator of my very own self and I intend to treat me like my greatest masterpiece.” ― Charlotte Eriksson
45. “It is not as much about who you used to be, as it is about who you choose to be.” ― Sanhita Baruah
46. “Growth is painful. Change is painful. But, nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong.” ― N. R. Narayana Murthy
47. “Personal development is a major time-saver. The better you become, the less time it takes you to achieve your goals.” ― Brian Tracy
48. “We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have traveled from the point where they started.” ― Henry Ward Beecher
49. “You should not change yourself, but create yourself, that means building around your strengths and removing bad habits.” ― Peter F. Drucker
50. “If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” — Gail Sheehy
51. “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight. If you want to reach your goals and fulfill your potential, become intentional about your personal growth. It will change your life.” — Jim Rohn
52. “Recognizing that you have a bias and blind spots is essential to personal growth.” ― Mikaela Kiner
53. “Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness.” ― Eckhart Tolle
54. “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
55. “A master lives in the world of transformation, not the world of loss and gain.” — Dr. John Demartini
56. “Don't ever stop believing in your own transformation. It is still happening even on days you may not realize it or feel like it.” ― Lalah Delia
57. “Every moment of one’s existence, one is growing into more or retreating into less.” ― Norman Mailer
58. “You can judge yourself all you want, but it won’t change a thing. Judging yourself is not changing yourself.” ― Richie Norton
59. “If you want to thrive, you need to sow the seeds of self-development.” ― Brian Buffini
60. “Every time we push personal development aside, we invite personal struggle into our lives.” ― Hal Elrod
61. “The journey is never ending. There's always gonna be growth, improvement, adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what's right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment.” ― Antonio Brown
62. “People tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will descend like fine weather if you’re fortunate. But happiness is the result of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly.” — Elizabeth Gilbert
63. “In this world you’re either growing or you’re dying, so get in motion and grow.” ― Lou Holtz
64. “You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.” ― Henry David Thoreau
65. “To truly grow, you have to be ready to leave the version of you behind that you once celebrated growing into.” ― Mischaela Elkins
66. “If you are willing to be a self-learner, you will develop yourself.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita
67. “Self-transformation commences with a period of self-questioning. Questions lead to more questions, bewilderment leads to new discoveries, and growing personal awareness leads to transformation in how a person lives. Purposeful modification of the self only commences with revising our mind’s internal functions. Revamped internal functions eventually alter how we view our external environment.” ― Kilroy J. Oldster
68. “If we are to truly evolve and grow, it’s not enough to read about concepts. We must also incorporate them into our lives. Unless they are applied, and unless their worth is verified and validated through personal experience, their influence will be minimal. To really be effective, learning also has to be experiential.” ― Joseph Deitch
69. “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” – Edith Wharton
70. “Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” – Hillary Clinton
71. “Recognizing that you are not where you want to be is a starting point to begin changing your life.” – Deborah Day
72. “Be patient with yourself. You are growing stronger every day. The weight of the world will become lighter…and you will begin to shine brighter. Don't give up.” – Robert Tew
73. “You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.” – Diane von Furstenberg
Conclusion
Which of these quotes about growth stood out for you today?
Did you find something by a favorite author that made you feel closer to them — more like they understood what you’re going through right now?
Whichever quotes resonated the most, why not copy them to use as journal prompts?
You could also design postcards with your favorites and send them to inspire and encourage those you care about.
Whatever you do, let them remind you you’re not alone in the struggle that goes with personal growth.
May these quotes refresh you today and remind you of your progress. And may your renewed energy and compassion influence everything you do.
