101 Confidence Quotes That Will Make You Believe You Can Do Anything
Updated: Jan. 24, 2022
Confidence is a major motivator and can be a big factor in success. These celebrities and notable people share their definitions of it and experiences with it in these powerful words of wisdom.
Confidence is key! Being confident and believing in yourself is crucial to self-worth, which in turn can improve your relationships, work-life balance, and day-to-day life as a whole. Self-worth, while certainly a major key to confidence, isn’t exactly the same. Self-worth is more directly related to forgiving and accepting yourself, while self-confidence is about being motivated and believing in yourself. So they’re kind of two sides of the same coin! But both are critical for self-esteem and for having a healthy relationship with yourself. We’ve got plenty of self-love quotes to explore the importance of that as well. Confidence also helps you be yourself—and you can check out all of our be yourself quotes here!
Before you dive into our favorite confidence quotes, here are some tips for boosting your self-confidence:
- Strike a “power pose,” like hands on hips
- Focus on forgiving yourself and praising yourself in equal measure
- Exercise!
- Write down your accomplishments and/or things you like about yourself
- Join a group where you can do something you love with others
Find out more from our sister site, TheHealthy! And read these strength quotes for a dose of confidence as well.
1. “Your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude.” —Michelle Obama, former First Lady
2. “Never let success get to your head; never let failures get to your heart.” —Ziad K. Abdelnour, financier and activist
3. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” —Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady
4. “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” —Maya Angelou, writer. Here are more Maya Angelou quotes that will uplift and inspire you.
5. “Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it. ” —M. Scott Peck, psychiatrist
6. “Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval.” —Laozi, ancient philosopher
7. “You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.” —Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady
8. “With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.” —The Dalai Lama
9. “Confidence is the most beautiful thing you can possess.” —Sabrina Carpenter, actress and singer. Read these beauty quotes that celebrate the truly beautiful.
10. “We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” —Marie Curie, physicist and chemist
11. “Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect…Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident, and more and more successful.” —Mark Victor Hansen, author
12. “Have confidence that if you have done a little thing well, you can do a bigger thing well too.” —David Storey, writer
13. “Never be bullied into silence…Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself.” —Harvey Fierstein, actor
14. “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” —Vincent Van Gogh, painter. These inspirational quotes will help get you through the morning.
15. “Self-belief is not self-centered. We can only fight effectively for others if we already believe in ourselves.” —Carla H. Krueger, author
16. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” —Bernard Baruch, financier
17. “When you have a lot of confidence and you feel like nobody can beat you, it’s game over for everyone else.” —Jason Day, pro golfer
18. “Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can.” —Paul Tournier, physician and author
19. “The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.” —Carl Jung, psychiatrist
20. “If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.” —Mahatma Gandhi, lawyer and activist
21. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” —Arthur Ashe, pro tennis player
22. “Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer
23. “Confidence is everything. Confidence is what makes that simple white tee and jeans look good.” —Ciara, musician
24. “Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.” —Helen Keller, author and activist
25. “Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered—just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better.” —Barrie Davenport, self-improvement guru
26. “I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.” —Louisa May Alcott, author
27. “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” —Norman Vincent Peale, minister and author
28. “Successful people often exude confidence—it’s obvious that they believe in themselves and what they’re doing. It isn’t their success that makes them confident, however. The confidence was there first.” —Travis Bradberry, influencer
29. “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” —Dale Carnegie, writer
30. “Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” —Coco Chanel, designer
31. “Confidence is directness and courage in meeting the facts of life.” —John Dewey, pragmatist and educator. Like self-worth quotes, family can help boost your confidence. These family quotes hit close to home.
32. “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” —Michael Jordan, basketball player
33. “You’ve got to take the initiative and play your game. In a decisive set, confidence is the difference.” —Chris Evert, tennis player
34. “Always be yourself–express yourself, have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.” —Bruce Lee, martial artist and actor
35. “Confidence is when you believe in yourself and your abilities; arrogance is when you think you are better than others and act accordingly.” —Stewart Stafford, author
36. “Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” —Rumi, poet
37. “I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence but it comes from within. It is there all the time.” —Anna Freud, psychoanalyst
38. “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.” —David Brinkley, newscaster
39. “It is confidence in our bodies, minds, and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures.” —Oprah Winfrey, talk show host and producer.
40. “Successful people have fear, successful people have doubts, and successful people have worries. They just don’t let these feelings stop them.” —T. Harv Eker, author and motivational speaker
41. “When you win, you don’t get carried away. But if you go step by step, with confidence, you can go far.” —Diego Maradona, pro soccer player
42. “Always remember: You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” —Christopher Robin, Winnie-the-Pooh. Here are more of the best book quotes from our favorite books.
43. “It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else’s eyes.” —Sally Field, actress and director
44. “Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” —Helen Keller
45. “Self-confidence is the memory of success.” —David Storey
46. “The confidence which we have in ourselves gives birth to much of that which we have in others.” —François de La Rochefoucauld, writer
47. “Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” —Peter McIntyre, painter
48. “Trust yourself—you know more than you think you do.” —Benjamin Spock, pediatrician.
49. “Confidence doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s a result of…hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication.” —Roger Staubach, pro football player
50. “I taught myself confidence. When I’d walk into a room and feel scared to death, I’d tell myself, ‘I’m not afraid of anybody.’ And people believed me.” —Priyanka Chopra Jonas, actress and producer
51. “With confidence, you have won before you have started.” —Marcus Garvey, activist and orator
52. “How strongly you believe you really can will play the biggest part in determining if you actually will.” —Lorri Faye, motivational writer
53. “What’s important to me is not others’ opinions of me, but what’s important to me is my opinion of myself.” —C. Joybell C., author
54. “I think that the power is the principle. The principle of moving forward, as though you have the confidence to move forward, eventually gives you confidence when you look back and see what you’ve done.” —Robert Downey Jr., actor
55. “I think about trust and confidence as something that you earn every day, and we will keep at it, earning it every day.” —Lynn Good, president and CEO of Duke Energy
56. “Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.” —Diane Arbus, photographer. Like self-confidence quotes, your friends can boost your self-confidence. Here are our favorite best friend quotes.
57. “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” —Oscar Wilde, writer
58. “Role models are only of limited use. For no-one is as important, potentially powerful and as key in your life and world as you.” —Rasheed Ogunlaru, motivational speaker and life coach
59. “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” —Buddha
60. “Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” —Norman Vincent Peale
61. “When you love yourself, people can kind of pick up on that: they can see confidence, they can see self-esteem, and naturally, people gravitate towards you.” —Lilly Singh, comedian
62. “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” —Suzy Kassem, poet and artist
63. “Experience tells you what to do; confidence allows you to do it.” —Stan Smith, tennis player
64. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
65. “As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, writer
66. “It takes a lot for you to find your confidence, but you shouldn’t let someone else be the person to find it for you.” —Justine Skye, musician and actress. These parents quotes perfectly sum up being a parent.
67. “Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” —e e cummings, poet
68. “Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.” —Vince Lombardi, football coach
69. “Learning too soon our limitations, we never learn our powers.” —Mignon McLaughlin, author and journalist
70. “Confidence comes with maturity, being more accepting of yourself.” —Nicole Scherzinger, singer
71. “People who ask confidently get more than those who are hesitant and uncertain. When you’ve figured out what you want to ask for, do it with certainty, boldness, and confidence.” —Jack Canfield, author and motivational speaker.
72. “Skill and confidence are an unconquered army.” —George Herbert, poet
73. “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they’re yours.” —Richard Bach, writer
74. “You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.” —Zig Ziglar, author and motivational speaker
75. “If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
76. “Don’t take anything for granted. If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will. Have a little more confidence.” —Cathy Moriarty, actress and singer
77. “Don’t live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable.” —Wendy Wasserstein, playwright
78. “Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot.” —Truman Capote, writer and actor
79. “Confidence is the most important single factor in this game.” —Jack Nicklaus, pro golfer. These leadership quotes will help boost your confidence just like these confidence quotes.
80. “Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.” —Samuel Johnson, writer
81. “As is our confidence, so is our capacity.” —William Hazlitt, essayist and social commentator
82. “When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things.” —Joe Namath, football player
83. “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” —Howard Washington Thurman, author and philosopher
84. “Never dull your shine for somebody else.” —Tyra Banks, model and businesswoman
85. “Confidence is that feeling by which the mind embarks in great and honorable courses with a sure hope and trust in itself.” —Cicero, Roman statesman and philosopher
86. “Kindness in words creates confidence.” —Laozi. These quotes about change are the empowering words you need, just like these self-inspirational quotes.
87. “Get more confidence by doing things that excite and frighten you.” —Jessica Williams, actress
88. “The greatest mistake you can make in life is continually fearing that you’ll make one.” —Elbert Hubbard, writer
89. “I quit being afraid when my first venture failed and the sky didn’t fall down.” —Al Neuharth, businessman and founder of USA Today
90. “Noble and great. Courageous and determined. Faithful and fearless. That is who you are and who you have always been. And understanding it can change your life because this knowledge carries a confidence that cannot be duplicated any other way.” —Sheri L. Drew, author and editor
91. “Only the person who has faith in himself is able to be faithful to others.” —Erich Fromm, psychologist and psychoanalyst
92. “Humor comes from self-confidence.” —Rita Mae Brown, writer
93. “Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” —Oprah Winfrey. She would know—just look at these ironic “failures” of wildly successful people.
94. “We all have our limitations, but when we listen to our critics, we also have theirs.” —Robert Breault, opera singer
95. “I have a confidence about my life that comes from standing tall on my own two feet.” —Jane Fonda, actor and activist
96. ”The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you.” —William Jennings Bryan, politician
97. “We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
98. “Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.” —Benjamin Disraeli, former UK Prime Minister
99. “Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for anything else.” —Mignon McLaughlin
100. “The more prepared I can be…the less pressure I feel and the more confident I am. As your confidence grows, it’s only natural that the pressure you feel diminishes.” —Aaron Rodgers, football player
