Inspirational TED quotes? Man, they’re like little sparks of ‘aha!’ moments. Do you know those moments when you stumble across a quote that clicks? It feels like someone entered your brain and put your messy thoughts into perfect words. That’s what I’ve been finding with these. I’ve been listening to TED Talks, and it’s like finding a treasure of wisdom.

Imagine people from all walks of life sharing their most significant breakthroughs and hardest-learned lessons. I’m talking about scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and regular folks doing extraordinary things – all putting their experiences out there.

I’ve spent hours, maybe even days, watching these talks and started writing down the lines that hit home. You know, the ones that make you pause and think, “Yeah, that’s exactly it!” So, I ended up with this collection of 50 quotes. It’s like a compilation of a boost of motivation, a reminder that you’re not alone and that big ideas are out there.

We’re talking about how to keep going when things get tough, tap into your creativity, find happiness in everyday life, and even be a better friend or leader. It’s like having many brilliant and inspiring friends giving you a pep talk. And honestly? We could all use a little of that.

TED Quotes on Motivation

1. “The moment that you feel that just possibly you’re walking down the street naked exposing too much of your heart and your mind and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself, that’s the moment you may be starting to get it right.”  Amanda Palmer

2. “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

3. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” Walt Disney

4. “If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission.”  Anonymous

5. “People who are cra** enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” Rob Siltanen

6. “We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them.” Albert Einstein

7. “Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow.” Mahatma Gandhi

8. “Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions. Small minds will always do that, but great minds will give you a feeling that you can become great too.” Mark Twain

9. “When you give joy to other people, you get more joy in return. You should give a good thought to happiness that you can give out.” Eleanor Roosevelt

10. “When you change your thoughts, remember to also change your world.” Norman Vincent Peale

TED Quotes on Creativity

11. “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” Albert Einstein

12. “The creative adult is the child who survived.” Ursula K. Le Guin

13. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou

14. “To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” Joseph Chilton Pearce

15. “Have no fear of perfection; you’ll never reach it.” Salvador Dali

16. “Your time is limited; don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” Steve Jobs

17. “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” Sylvia Plath

18. “Don’t think outside the box; think like there is no box.” Anonymous

19. “Imagination is everything; it is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Albert Einstein

20. “Why humor is key to creativity” Taika Waititi

TED Quotes on Happiness

21. “Happiness is not something ready-made; it comes from your actions.” Dalai Lama

22. “The most important thing is to enjoy your life; to be happy; it’s all that matters.” Audrey Hepburn

23. “Happiness is a butterfly which when pursued is always beyond your grasp but which if you will sit down quietly may alight upon you.” Nathaniel Hawthorne

24. “Happiness is not something that happens to you; it’s something that you create.” Shawn Achor

25. “Happiness is not having what you want but wanting what you have.” Sheryl Crow

26. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Mahatma Gandhi

27. “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” Aristotle

28. “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” Marcus Aurelius

29. “The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are and not who people think you are.” Goldie Hawn

30. “Why having fun is the secret to a healthier life” Catherine Price

TED Quotes on Success

31. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that count.” Winston Churchill

32. “The road to success and the road to failure are almost the same.” Colin R. Davis

33. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” Henry David Thoreau

34. “Opportunities don’t happen; you create them.” Chris Grosser

35. “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” John D. Rockefeller

36. “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” Thomas Jefferson

37. “The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.” Barack Obama

38. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Vidal Sassoon

39. “Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” Babe Ruth

40. “The real relationship is between your age and your chance of success” Albert-László Barabási

TED Quotes on Leadership

41. “A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” John C. Maxwell

42. “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” Steve Jobs

43. “Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact, influence, and inspiration.” Robin S. Sharma

44. “A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.” John C. Maxwell

45. “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things; he is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” Ronald Reagan

46. “Leadership is not about being in charge; leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.” Simon Sinek

47. “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” Jack Welch

48. “A leader is best when people barely know he exists; when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.” Lao Tzu

49. “The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity.” Amelia Earhart

50. “How to be your best self in times of crisis” Susan David

So, there you have it, 50 little nuggets of wisdom straight from some of the most fascinating people out there. Reading a list of quotes is one thing, but living them? That’s where the magic happens. Like Tony Robbins says, it’s about taking action, and Brené Brown reminds us that courage is just showing up. It’s easy to get caught up in the ‘what ifs’ and ‘maybes,’ but these quotes are a gentle nudge to…go for it. Try something new, step outside your comfort zone, or look at your day with a slightly different perspective.

If you’re looking for more of that vibe, you might dig our little YouTube channel, Golden Wisdom. We’re building a space where we share inspirational quotes in video form—just little boosts for your day. If you’re into that sort of thing, hang out with us! But whether you do or not, thanks so much for reading. I appreciate you spending a bit of your time here. And hey, let’s keep learning and growing together. Voila! See you around! 

Additional References:

TED. (n.d.). TED: Ideas worth spreading. https://www.ted.com/

TED. (n.d.). TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks?topics%5B%5D=motivation