Fear, doubt and worry are only feelings, but in the heat of the moment, they can seem as real as the air we breathe. Although the sensations can be overwhelming, one thing is for sure: It’s all in your head.
When the going gets tough, it takes a special kind of mental toughness to fight those emotions. Use these 17 motivational quotes as your personal reminder to strengthen your mind, because no matter how great the challenge, your will can be greater.
Related: 10 Ways to Build Your Mental Strength
1. “Mental toughness is spartanism with qualities of sacrifice, self-denial, dedication. It is fearlessness, and it is love.” ―Vince Lombardi
2. “It takes energy, mental toughness and spiritual reinforcement to successfully deal with life’s opportunities, and to reach your objectives.” ―Zig Ziglar
3. “Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.” ―Bill Russell
4. “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” ―Thomas Jefferson
5. “It’s when the discomfort strikes that they realize a strong mind is the most powerful weapon of all.” ―Chrissie Wellington
6. “If you have a strong mind and plant in it a firm resolve, you can change your destiny.” ―Paramahansa Yogananda
7. “It is the business of little minds to shrink.” ―Carl Sandburg
8. “Throw away all weakness. Tell your body that it is strong, tell your mind that it is strong and have unbounded faith and hope in yourself.” ―Swami Vivekananda
9. “I honestly believe that with a strong mind, you can literally ‘will’ the ball into the hole.” ―Ray Floyd
10. “Strong minds suffer without complaining; weak minds complain without suffering.” ―Lettie Cowman
11. “Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ―Richard Bach
12. “Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from indomitable will.” ―Mahatma Gandhi
13. “Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don’t so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head.” ―Joe Henderson
14. “Strength isn’t about bearing a cross of grief or shame. Strength comes from choosing your own path, and living with the consequences.” ―Jenny Trout
15. “Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.” ―Laird Hamilton
16. “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” ―Marcus Aurelius
17. “Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them―a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.” ―Muhammad Ali
Related: Mental Strength Can Make You Unstoppable—Here’s How
