144 Short quotes to spark instant inspiration.

Abraham Lincoln

This short quote packs a lot of extra meaning when you think about this U.S. President’s premature departure.

John Wayne

Coming from a man who played “tough guy” parts so well, this John Wayne quote is great for a motivational poster or flyer.

Napoleon Hill

It’s easy to focus on the “big things” that make a splash on our social media feeds, but effort is often better directed at doing small things in a great way.

Winston S. Churchill

This message came from Churchill’s WWII-era Wartime Propaganda department. You’ve seen it remixed in every imaginable way, but the original is still great for banners and cards.

John Wooden

This famous short quote is an important reminder for anyone who struggles to hold work-life balance.

Oscar Wilde

Short quotes can pack a little humor, too. Oscar Wilde makes many appearances in this curated collection of short quotes, and his sense of humor is the common denominator.

Mark Twain

A little progress is followed by momentum, and it’s momentum that starts taking you places.

Bruce Lee

Every minute of the day comes into sharp focus when you think of life through the lens of this Bruce Lee quote.

Mark Twain

This can be a great message of encouragement in a card or letter for someone who’s unsure about a recent change.

Booker T. Washington

What does “having character” mean to you? What would this quote do for you in plain sight on a poster or social media banner?

Jim Rohn

You do have a choice, so why not choose the happiest possible outlook?

Earl Nightingale

Use this quote on a poster and it can help you flag negative thinking and spirals early.

Duke Ellington

If you’re tired of your boss telling you problems are actually “opportunities,” this quote uses new language to take a fresh look at a problem-solving mindset.

Albert Einstein

This is a reminder to celebrate the whole journey. What photos would you surround this quote with in a collage?

Buddha

If you are what you eat, you’re definitely what you think.

Roald Dahl

Don’t you want to see the magic?

Estée Lauder

Use tools like vision boards to put your dreams into action. Harvest ideas and plant them into next steps.

Sam Levenson

When we feel short on time, that “tick, tick, tick” can trigger anxiety. If you pace the clock, though, you can keep up. Passing time can turn into a metronome of focus and action.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you’ve ever looked for a good quote about integrity for a work flyer or motivational poster, this one is perfect.

Rosa Parks

The sociopolitical context of this Rosa Parks quote is part of what makes it so powerful.

Frank Sinatra

Admit it—it’s satisfying to imagine how your best outcomes in life can fly in the face of what naysayers have said about you.

Babe Ruth

Does this make Babe Ruth the unstoppable force or the immovable object? Either way, this short quote is memorable and motivating, making it perfect for a poster.

Henry Ford

The next time you feel negative, ask yourself, “What am I going to do about it?”

Mae West

This Mae West quote has appeared in countless cards, collages, and social media graphics, and it’s clear why: With a touch of romanticism and nostalgia, it reminds us of life’s priorities.

Groucho Marx

One-liners by any of the Marx brothers are fun to share in cards or social media graphics.

Oscar Wilde

This short quote is a great set-up. You could split it between the front and inside of a card.

Allen Saunders

Funny short quotes can leave you feeling profound, too. When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses?

Robin Williams

Challenge something that no one’s thought about, and you can earn a laugh.

Salvador Dalí

Commit this one to memory and you’ll always have a way to check your ego at the door.

Rita Mae Brown

The first citation of this quote was in the 1983 book Sudden Death by Brown, and it was made more famous later by Narcotics Anonymous.

Oscar Wilde

Use this quote on a funny poster for a classroom, for the office, or in a card to a friend.

Elbert Hubbard

This quote is true, funny, and perfect as a birthday wish.

Barbara De Angelis

Part of love is making ourselves vulnerable. The positive flip on “holding back” is “letting go.” Doesn’t that sound like a ride you want to take?

Zora Neale Hurston

In just 10 words, this quote gives you an incredible visual and emotional response.

Mario Tomasello

Bravery and vulnerability make multiple appearances in short quotes about love. That isn’t a coincidence.

William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing

A little Shakespeare is a great way to open aletter to a loved one.

Pierre Jeanty

This can be a beautiful wedding wish between newlyweds, don’t you think?

Lisa Hoffman

Who ever thought a short love quote could be perfect for a poster in math class?

Plato

. . . Especially with short love quotes at the ready.

Audrey Hepburn

Whatever we expect Hepburn to “hold onto in life,” we assume it will be figurative. Instead, this quote evokes a warm embrace in the literal sense of “holding on.”

Les Dawson

Family members will be quick to laugh and point the finger at who they think the “nuts” are.

Anthony Brandt

This quote can mean a lot to families who are spread out across cities, states, or national borders.

Maya Angelou

Do you have a relationship with your family that gives you this underlying sense of security? Share this quote with them in a card or letter.

Robert Benchley

If you use this family quote in a collage, what photos would surround it?

José Carreras

José Carreras is a celebrated operatic tenor. With his decades of success and a life in the limelight, he’s spoken in multiple interviews about the importance of family over anything else.

J.S. Bryan

Combine this with your favorite Father’s Day quotes the next time you celebrate Dad.

George Burns

This bait-and-switch quote about family earns a laugh. Use it in a holiday card or on a poster for the next family reunion.

Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox has spent several decades educating and promoting research for Parkinson’s Disease, which he has. He’s talked about the support from family—especially his wife—in many interviews.

Tom McNeal

When friends live far away, this quote reminds them that no distance will ever surpass your friendship.

George Herbert

What do your friends reflect that tells you something about yourself? Think about that, then share your answer in a letter.

Edward Young

Like wine, you could say friendship ferments over time. First, it’s sweet grape juice, and then it develops into something refined that you know how to pair with every occasion.

Frank Crane

You can be silly, you can be frank, and you can be transparent with true friends.

Jean de la Fontaine

Does this short friend quote instantly make you think of someone? If it does, share it in a text message or a card.

Walt Whitman

This is either the sign of a very old friend or a very good night.

Marlene Dietrich

Depending on the friends, they might still be up, anyway.

Henry Ford

This friendship quote is heartwarming and flattering to receive. Who in your life does it make you think of?

The Beatles, “All You Need Is Love”

This titular quote is emblematic of an entire era—of the Beatles and of the world.

David Bowie, “Space Oddity”

You can listen to the full song for the context of this quote, or you can adopt it as your own and build meaning around it in a card or poster.

Ray Nobel, “The Very Thought of You”

This standard has been recorded by many greats, including Al Bowlly and Nat King Cole. The full lyrics are truly heartwarming, but this short song quote is enough to send a message loud and clear.

Journey, “Don’t Stop Believin’”

This quote on a poster can be accompanied with just as much color as the cover of the album this song was released on (“Escape”).

One Direction, “Story of My Life”

Popular singer Harry Styles made waves when he first appeared in the boy band One Direction. This short song quote he wrote for the band is a great simile.

John Lennon, “Imagine”

This famous song quote is more striking in the full context of the song. You can use it in an open letter to the world, daring everyone to be their best selves.

Bruce Springsteen, “Born to Run”

If you can’t instantly hear this quote in your head with the full band behind him, you aren’t listening to enough Bruce.

Metallica, “Nothing Else Matters”

Some deep mindset philosophies come from surprising places, including Metallica songs.

Heraclitus

Life isn’t a controlled experiment. Our surroundings—or, as Heraclitus put it, the “river”—is always changing.

Socrates

If you use this quote on a poster, where do you think that poster could go?

Walter Benjamin

If you take victory in a figurative sense, this quote can go in motivational cards and posters to inspire anyone.

Michelangelo

Imagining Michelangelo “freeing” the masterpieces he carved instead of toiling over them gives his art an extraordinary magic.

Mahatma Gandhi

Never assume that the change you want to see will happen externally. In a world where we control so little, the greatest choice we make is how we, personally, each contribute.

Wayne Gretzky

Few people know the source of this quote, but we all know how to use it. This message has blazed across banners, posters, and flyers at all sorts of events for decades.

Virgil, Aeneid

As Thomas Jefferson said, “The harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” His quote and Virgil’s motivate in a similar way. The message is that mysterious forces like “fortune” and “luck” are yours to make.

Helen Keller

Who could benefit from seeing this quote in a card?