29 Inspiring Quotes by Powerful Women to Help You Dream Big
There’s a shift coming. An important one. Can you feel it?
People are revising their expectations about “success” toward a more sustainable balance between sacrificing for the sake of achievement and being present, enjoying the now.
I read an article recently in the Wall Street Journal called “These Professionals Aren’t Retired, They Just Have Zero to Prove.” The article talked about how more and more people are opting out of the rat race and opting into the life they truly want to live.
*Think* a job that pays the bills and also allows time to pursue an important hobby…Or starting a business so you aren’t bound by the typical two weeks of vacation.
One of our core pillars at Founding Females® is to help women “build a business around their life and not a life around their business.” It’s critical because your business has to work for the lifestyle your heart craves in order to be sustainable.
Creating a business around your life is easier said than done.
Yet, it’s true that women’s motivation to start businesses tends to revolve around pivotal life milestones. Life shifts like new evolving parenting roles, hitting career growth ceilings, realizing our life purpose, or addressing mental health issues stemming from a toxic corporate culture become the motivating factors for women to pursue a life of freedom detached from the high price of a typical 9-5.
If you find yourself craving a life and a career on your terms, here are 29 quotes that will inspire you to take bold steps in the direction of your business vision.
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29 Quotes by Powerful Women to Inspire You to Dream Big
“The glass ceiling that once limited a woman’s career path has paved a new road toward business ownership, where women can utilize their sharp business acumen while building strong family ties.” – Erica Nicole
“It's not about breaking the glass ceiling. It’s about building your own house.” - Project Eve
“Your sky. Your limit.”
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” — Audre Lorde
“Where you are a year from now is a reflection of the choices you choose to make right now.”
“Don’t just stand for the success of other women – insist on it.” — Gail Blanke
“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” — Melinda Gates
“The freedom to be yourself is a gift only you can give yourself but once you do, no one can take it away.” ― Doe Zantamata
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” — Mary Anne Radmacher
“If you can’t stop dreaming about it, don’t stop working for it.”
“Dreaming is the beginning of getting everything you want.” — Annette White
“Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.” — Oprah Winfrey
“If you are sitting around the table but you say nothing, that’s a lost opportunity. Move beyond that and say something about what you have to offer. The reason you’re there is because you have something valuable that can be added.” — Ursula Burns
“Every woman I know, particularly the senior ones, has been called too aggressive at work. We know in gender blind studies that men are more aggressive in their offices than women. We know that. Yet we’re busy telling all the women that they’re too aggressive. That’s the issue.” —Sheryl Sandberg
“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.” —Arianna Huffington
“Work hard and own it. You make your own success and your own luck. Ask for what you deserve.” — Katia Beauchamp
“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”
“I know from experience that being a mother gave me a broader sense of purpose, more compassion and a better ability to prioritize and get things done efficiently. It also helped me understand the specific needs and concerns of mothers, who make most household spending decisions and control more than $2 trillion of purchasing power in the U.S. — Susan Wojcicki
“Your calling isn’t something that somebody can tell you about. It’s what you feel. It is the thing that gives you juice. The thing that you are supposed to do. And nobody can tell you what that is. You know it inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey
“There is no career path that comes free of negativity. If you’re met with resistance, that probably means that you’re doing something new. If you’re experiencing turbulence or pressure, that probably means you’re rising.” — Taylor Swift
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“There is no greater gift you can receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.” — Oprah Winfrey
“Stop over-valuing your money and under-valuing your time.” — Brittney Richardson (one of my favorite money mindset quotes!)
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.” — Maya Angelou
“I’ve learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom – how great is that?”— Soledad O’Brien
“Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” — Sara Blakely
“By setting and pursuing goals, you have nothing to lose but a lot to gain. It has been scientifically proven that people who set goals are more fulfilled and positive about life. Having a purpose to wake up to each day will challenge us and give us meaning.” — Zoe McKey
“Be an amateur. Not everything you do has to be good, especially at first.” — Ann Handley
“Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.” — Oprah Winfrey
Conclusion
At any moment, you get to decide that the status quo isn’t working for you and design a new path forward. Entrepreneurship is a powerful vehicle that can help you design a meaningful way to serve your purpose on your terms.
What are your favorite female quotes? Share in the comments!
Looking for more inspiration? Here are 10 Ways Female Entrepreneurs are Breaking Traditional Barriers in Business.
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About Founding Females®
Founding Females® Founder, Francie Hinrichsen
The mission of Founding Females® is to help build a better future for female entrepreneurs through education, encouragement, and shared wisdom. We create safe spaces for women to share business challenges and receive peer support.
In addition, Founding Females® offers an online female business mastermind, a how-to guidebook for female entrepreneurs called Dream, Build, Grow: A Female’s Step-by-Step Guide for How to Start a Business, and in-person events, like an annual women’s business conference and local Founding Females Meet Ups.
Curious to connect with women business owners who are paving new paths, providing tremendous value to customers, and growing their businesses? Our Women’s Business Mastermind blog series features women business owners who are raising the tide for all of us.