Inspirational Quotes

Motivational and inspirational quotes

Aphorisms have been around since ancient times. Generally speaking, these are short, memorable and concise statements that reveal a certain truth about life or a particular situation from which we can learn. Because they are so helpful, such maxims or adages have stood the test of time, often passed down from scholar to scholar. In the modern age, however, we have many more recorded words of wisdom from people who have come up with uplifting and inspirational statements. Sometimes, these are just as powerful as the old aphorisms and can even speak to us more clearly because they are more relatable. As such, many people use inspirational quotes to help them in their daily lives or to share with others to help inspire them.

Although an inspirational quote must have something essentially true about it, just like an aphorism, they are much more diverse. Inspirational quotes can come from the worlds of business, sport, politics, spirituality or psychology. In fact, so long as a quotation can be attributed to someone, and it has the power to motivate, it can be described as one of the many inspirational quotes out there. Of course, just because a quotation inspires one person does not mean that everyone will interpret it the same way. That said, some of the best inspirational quotes around have a widespread – almost universal – appeal.

To some linguists, the power of inspirational quotes comes down to the words themselves. When someone expresses truth in a novel or thought-provoking way, it can stay with us a bit longer than the average statement. This is what makes inspirational quotes stand out and, therefore, help us in our daily lives. However, this is not the only way of thinking about it. Sometimes an inspirational statement will work because of the person who said it. For example, quotations by Martin Luther King or Gandhi are often cited because we know something about them and the force of their personalities behind those words.

Humans are aspirational in many ways, even if that is not in a material sense. By evoking something hopeful or aspirational in us, inspirational quotes can speak to us on a deeper level, helping us to raise our game in some way.

In fairness, the power of any quotation to inspire comes down to the context and the reader. Often regarded as among the best are those uttered by spiritual leaders because, although simple on the surface, they frequently offer a much more profound view of humanity. That said, the most inspiring quotations are the ones that simply work, that animate, galvanise and create a spark which might make our day but could stay with us for a lifetime.