100+ Inspirational Quotes for Teens

Here’s a collection of inspirational quotes for teens they’re sure to love! These positive quotes can brighten any teen’s day—save them, print them, or slip one into their lunch to give a little boost. Use these quotes to encourage your teen, or send them here to find favorites to share with friends who need a pick-me-up too!

Inspirational Quotes for Teens

Teens often need gentle reminders about who they truly are. Without the perspective that comes with experience, it can be easy for them to overlook their own strengths and potential. That’s why I love this quote—it serves as a powerful reminder that they possess far more potential than they may realize. It encourages them to embrace their individuality and keep reaching for their dreams!

Related: I’ve gathered quotes about love, life, encouragement, and inspiration, perfect for any moment! If you enjoy inspirational quotes, you’ll love browsing through my collection of downloadable quotes. From best friend quotes and friendship quotes made for sharing to motivational quotes that uplift and inspire, there’s something for everyone. Plus, they are all more motivational quotes for teens that they’ll love!

This is the perfect quote to text your teen when they are showing character and standing up for themselves in a friend group. Friends in the teenage years can be tough! Remind them what’s most important: staying true to themselves and nurturing friendships that bring out the best in them.

What we see on the outside often makes people judge us or at the very least think they know who are. Remind them that what see on the outside is not enough. We must learn a person’s story!

It’s easy to say things we regret and it is a hard lesson to learn that what we say can’t be taken back! I love this positive quote reminder.

I’ve shared this one with my kids countless times, but it’s a lesson we all need: You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice. It’s a truth that defines life, especially for teens testing their limits and learning from experience. This motivational quote is a powerful reminder—for anyone—and makes a thoughtful, meaningful piece to hang in your home.

My mom always told me to “just float.” She’d say, “If you’re in the ocean and you start struggling, you’ll sink, but if you relax and float, you’ll be okay.”

This advice isn’t just about being in water—it’s a life lesson about how we handle tough times. When we panic or fight against challenges, it can make things harder and wear us out. But if we take a deep breath and try to let go, staying calm and centered, we can often find a way to get through, just like floating on the water. It’s about trusting that things will be okay if we don’t let ourselves be overwhelmed.

I always wish I could help teens see how unique and beautiful they truly are. Self-esteem can be so fragile in those tough teen years, but remember: Your value doesn’t decrease based on somebody else’s inability to see your worth. These motivational quotes for teenagers are perfect for lifting them up when they need it most.

“Make today awesome!” Such a simple yet powerful inspiration for teens! It’s a great reminder that we can choose to make the day good. It even brings to mind another phenomenal quote by Zig Ziglar: “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” That one’s also one of my mom’s favorites—wise words to live by!

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” I’ve always loved this quote by Dr. Seuss! It’s such an important reminder, especially for teens, to embrace who they truly are. Growing up can make it feel like you need to blend in to be accepted, but this quote reminds us that our unique qualities make us special.

More Inspirational Quotes for Teens

Navigating the teenage years can be challenging, but sending a supportive quote can remind your teen that they’re not alone and that you believe in them. Whether it’s about motivation, friendship, or self-worth, these quotes can serve as uplifting messages to cheer them up and show your understanding.

Motivational Quotes for Teenagers

Here are more motivational quotes for teenagers that offer encouragement and insight as they navigate life’s ups and downs.

1. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis
2. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
3. “Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” – Roy T. Bennett
4. “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
5. “The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.” – Charles Kingsleigh (Alice in Wonderland)
6. “The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” – Matty Mullins
7. “The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.” – John D. Rockefeller.
8. “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank
9. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (often paraphrased by Brigitte Nicole)
10. “Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.” – Brené Brown (often associated with the concept of strength)

Quotes for Teens About Friendship

1. “Friendship isn’t a big thing, it’s a million little things.” – Unknown
2. “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” – Walter Winchell
3. “Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” – Edna Buchanan
4. “Good friends are like stars; you don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” – Unknown
5. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Confidence Quotes for Teens

1. “The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.” – Blake Lively
2. “You are enough just as you are.” – Bridget Jones (Bridget Jones’s Diary)
3. “Believe in yourself so strongly that the world can’t help but believe in you too.” – Unknown
4. “Your value doesn’t decrease based upon someone’s inability to see your worth.” – Unknown
5. “Confidence is not ‘they will like me.’ Confidence is ‘I’ll be fine if they don’t.'” – Christina Grimmie
6. “Being confident means believing in yourself. Ego means needing to prove that you’re better than other people”. -Barbara De Angelis

Perseverance Quotes for Teens

1. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
2. “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb
3. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston S. Churchill
4. “When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.” – Unknown
5. “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” – Will Rogers
6. “Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” – Alice Morse Earle
7. “The darkest nights produce the brightest stars.” – John Green

Inspiring Quotes for Teens About Following Dreams

1. “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
2. “Dream big and dare to fail.” – Norman Vaughan
3. “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi
4. “Chase your dreams but always know the road that will lead you home again.” – Ziad K. Abdelnour
5. “You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.” – Brian Tracy
6. The people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do. – Steve Jobs.
7. No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world. – Robin Williams
8. Take care not to listen to anyone who tells you what you can and can’t be in life. – Meg Medina
9. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt
10. “You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.” Gabby Douglas

Encouraging Quotes for Teens

1. “Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman
2. “Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.” – Alice Morse Earle
3. “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
4. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne
5. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou
6. “Nothing is particularly hard if you break it down into small jobs.” – Henry Ford
7. “Everyone you admire was once a beginner.” – Jack Butcher

Teen Courage Quotes

Finding the courage to face challenges is a vital part of growing up. These quotes inspire teens to embrace their fears and take bold steps forward.

1. “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.” – Bethany Hamilton
2. “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
3. “Do not be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller
4. “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – E.E. Cummings
5. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela

Mental Health Quotes for Teenagers

1. “It’s okay to not be okay. Just remember that you are not alone.” – Unknown
2. “Your mental health is a priority. Your happiness is essential. Your self-care is a necessity.” – Unknown
3. “It’s not weak to speak out about your feelings. It’s strong.” – Unknown
4. “Take a deep breath. It’s just a bad day, not a bad life.” – Unknown
5. “Your feelings are valid, no matter how hard it is to talk about them.” – Unknown

Self Love Quotes for Teens

1. “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” – Lucille Ball
2. “You are worthy of love and respect.” – Unknown
3. “Self-love is the greatest middle finger of all time.” – Unknown
4. “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” – Maya Angelou
5. “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
6. “Love yourself. Forgive yourself. Be true to yourself. Because how you treat yourself sets the standard for how others treat you.” – Steve Maraboli
7. “Note to self: self-love isn’t selfish.” –Dua Lipa

Teen Quotes for Tough Times

1. “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller
2. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
3. “You are not your struggles; you are the strength that rises from them.” – Unknown
4. “Every adversity brings new experiences, new opportunities.” – Unknown
5. “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou
6. “When you replace ‘why is this happening to me’ with ‘what is this trying to teach me?’ Everything shifts.” – Unknown
7. “When everything seems to be going against you, remember…the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford
8. “The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting.” Walt Disney

Teen Quotes about Fear

1. “Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.” Japanese Proverb
   Emphasizes that our perceptions of fear can be limiting and can be overcome with perspective.
2. “Don’t be afraid of failure. This is the way to succeed.” – LeBron James
3. “If you push through that feeling of being scared, that feeling of taking risk, really amazing things can happen.” -Marissa Mayer
4. “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” – Nelson Mandela
5. “Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” – Michael Jordan

Teen Failure Quotes

Experiencing failure is an inevitable part of life, especially during the teenage years. These quotes encourage teens to view setbacks as opportunities for growth, resilience, and learning.

1. “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford
2. “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi
3. “Mistakes are proof that you are trying.” – Jennifer Lim
4. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
5. “Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
6. “You will always pass failure on your way to success.” – Mickey Rooney
7. “Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of success.” – Arianna Huffington
8. “It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” – Bill Gates

Teen Self-Esteem Quotes

1. “Self-esteem is made up primarily of two things: feeling lovable and feeling competent.” – Brian Tracy
2. “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
3. “You don’t have to be perfect to be amazing.” – Unknown
4. “The more you love your decisions, the less you need others to love them.” – Unknown
5. “You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise L. Hay
6. Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of someone else. – Judy Garland
7. You must always have faith in people. And most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself. -Elle Woods, Legally Blonde
8. Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.- Hellen Keller
9. “If you don’t believe in yourself, why is anyone else going to believe in you?” – Tom Brady
10. “When people try to tell you who you are, don’t believe them.” Maria Popova
11. “If you are always trying to be normal, you’ll never know how amazing you can be.” –Maya Angelou
12. “You’ll stop caring what people think about you when you realize how seldom they do.” David Foster Wallace
13. “You can’t stop people from saying bad things about you. All you can do is make them liars.” Thomas Sowell

Quotes for Teen Girls

Navigating the teenage years can be especially tough for teen girls as they face societal pressures and the challenge of self-acceptance.

1. “The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.” – Blake Lively
2. “True beauty comes from within.” – Unknown
3. “You are more than your body; you are a spirit.” – Unknown
4. “A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” -Coco Chanel
5. “You are enough, just as you are.” – Bridget Jones (Bridget Jones’s Diary)
6. “There is nothing more rare, nor more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself.” – N. A.
7. Beautiful people are not always good, but good people are always beautiful. —Imam Ali
8. You have to be authentic, you have to be true, and you have to believe in your heart. – Howard Schultz.
9. “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” -Coco Chanel
10. Never dull your shine for somebody else. – Tyra Banks.
11. “Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts. That’s what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice.” -Bethany Hamilton
12. Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear. Taylor Swift
13. ‘Cinderella never asked for a prince; she asked for a night off and a dress.” -Kiera Cass

Teen Quotes About Love

1. “We accept the love we think we deserve.” – Stephen Chbosky
2. “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” – Audrey Hepburn
3. “Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.” – Osho
4. “To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” – David Viscott
5. “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” – Aristotle
6. “You need to remember that love does not mean one person gives all and another person receives all.”-Abirami P. Kurukkal

Funny Teen Quotes

1. “I’m not lazy, I’m on energy-saving mode.” – Unknown
2. “I told my computer I needed a break, and now it won’t stop sending me ads for vacation deals.” – Unknown
3. “Why did the student eat his homework? Because the teacher said it was a piece of cake!” – Unknown
4. “Of course I talk to myself; sometimes I need expert advice.” – Unknown
5. “My bed is a magical place I suddenly remember everything I forgot to do.” – Unknown
6. “To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” – Reba McEntire

Short Inspirational Quotes for Teens

1. “Dream big, work hard.” – Unknown
2. “Stay positive, work hard, make it happen.” – Unknown
3. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
4. “Do it with passion or not at all.” – Rosa Parks
5. “Be a student of the world, not a judge.” @dailyzen
6. “You can do anything you set your mind to.” Eminem
7. “You got this!” – Unknown

Happiness Quotes for Teenagers

1. “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” Jim Rohn
2. “The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters.” Audrey Hepburn
3. “For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
4. “You’re never going to be happy being anyone other than yourself.” Thibaut
5. “Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything, you will be happier. Love everything, you will be happiest.” Sri Chinmoy
6. “The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.” Mark Twain

More for Teens

• Coloring Pages For Teenagers {Free Printables}
• Teen Gift Guide
• Never Have I Ever Questions for Teens
• 30+ Beautiful Friendship Quotes (Updated)
• If you have teen graduating this year I also have some free printable cards with a few more positive quotes.  I love inspirational quotes and uplifting messages and so do teens (plus a little cash 😊)

Do you have a favorite quote or saying that I should add to the list? Leave it below in the comments.

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