140 Words of Encouragement for Men & Women

When you were a child, you were probably taught that life is fun, filled with happiness and it should be lived to the fullest. But as you grew up you began realizing that life isn’t always that easy. In fact, thanks to a life spent making mistakes, we know from experience that things don’t always turn out the way we wanted them to. 

Whenever you find yourself in such situations, there’s no underestimating the power of a few words of encouragement. Life challenges us every now and then so when you feel like you need a little energy boost, check out our list of words of encouragement.

Here are 140 words of encouragement for men and women, which is exactly the same number of chances you have to change your mindset!

Encouraging words for tough days

You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.  A.A. Milne

Courage, dear heart. C.S. Lewis

It always seems impossible until it is done. Nelson Mandela

Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do. Dr. Benjamin Spock

It's just a bad day, not a bad life. Mary Engelbreit

And you ask, ‘What if I fall?’ Oh, but my darling, what if you fly? Erin Hanson

If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein

You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt

It doesn’t matter how slow you go as long as you don’t stop. Confucius

Everyone has inside them a piece of good news. The good news is you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is. Anne Frank

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. Hellen Keller

Inhale, exhale, it is well, it is well. All of this is a part of the story you will tell.  Morgan Harper Nichols

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Franklin D Roosevelt

Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.  Edwin Markham

Don’t give up. Don’t lose hope. Don’t sell out.  Christopher Reeve

Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement – and we will make the goal.  Jerome Fleishman

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. Henry Ford

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. Robert Louis Stevenson

It’s not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it is how you handle what happens to you. Zig Ziglar

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Winston Churchill

Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible! Audrey Hepburn

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

Every problem is a gift – without problems we would not grow. Tony Robbins

Soon, when all is well, you’re going to look back on this period of your life and be so glad that you never gave up. Brittany Bergunder

Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory. George Patton

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger

You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.  Babe Ruth

It’s through adversity that you find the strength you never knew you had. Christie Brinkley

Courage isn’t having the strength to go on. It is going on when you don’t have strength. Napoleon Bonaparte

Self-control is strength. Right thought is mastery. Calmness is power. James Allen

Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear. George Addair

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. Dalai Lama

Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later. Bob Goff

You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.  Dr. Seuss

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. Dale Carnegie

You don’t need to be better than anyone else, you just need to be better than you used to be. Wayne Dyer

If I persist long enough, I will win.  Og Mandino

At any given moment you have the power to say: This is not how the story is going to end.  Christine Mason Miller

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.   C.S. Lewis

Winning is coming in fourth, exhausted and encouraged  because last time you came in fifth. Denis Waitley

Greatness is sifted through the grind, therefore don’t despise the hard work now for surely it will be worth it in the end. Sanjo Jendayi

Positive thinking is like fuel to the car. It will keep you energized throughout your work. Abder-Rahman Ali

A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn’t feel like it. Alistair Cook

Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.  Walt Whitman

Any kind of crisis can be good. It wakes you up.  Ryan Reynolds

Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.  Victor Kiam

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.  Dolly Parton

Do you need some encouragement?

As individuals, we each have our own understanding of adversity, but not all encouragement is needed in the face of a closed door. Sometimes we have a dream, and something we might not have even dared to talk about out loud. Perhaps you want to change your job, but you don’t have the courage to do so yet. These can be places for inspirational words of encouragement too!

Believe you can and you’re halfway there. Theodore Roosevelt

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Helen Keller

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always. Oprah Winfrey

Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve. J.K. Rowling

No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world. Robin Williams

It is never too late to be what you might have been. George Eliot

The only time you run out of chances is when you stop taking them. Alexander Pope

When the wrong people leave your life, the right things start happening. Zig Ziglar

Don’t let your dreams be dreams. Jack Johnson

The expert at anything was once a beginner. Helen Hayes

Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion. Martha Graham

Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along. George Herbert

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Confucius

Success only comes to those who dare to attempt. Mallika Tripathi

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Charles Darwin

Those who say it can not be done, should not interrupt those doing it. Chinese Proverb

Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.  Bo Jackson

Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.  Robert H. Schuller

You are not your resume, you are your work. Seth Godin

I must accept life unconditionally. Most people ask for happiness on condition. Happiness can only be felt if you don’t set any conditions. Artur Rubinstein

The first step is you have to say that you can.  Will Smith

You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality in the mind next to honor. Aristotle

When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up.  Les Brown

Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.  Napoleon Hill

I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.  Georgia O’Keeffe

We define ourselves far too often by our past failures. That’s not you.  You are this person right now.  You’re the person who has learned from those failures. Joe Rogan

Practice like you’ve never won. Perform like you’ve never lost.  Bernard F. Asuncion

Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. Rikki Rogers

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.  Anaïs Nin

You have a greater potential than anyone who has ever lived before you! But you’ll never ‘make it’ by sitting on your duff and telling the world how great you’re going to be, starting tomorrow. Og Mandino

Sometimes people seem to be doing better than you. They may seem to be way ahead of you, but never be bothered by it. Just keep on working hard and carrying on with the steady pace that works best for you. Chikamso Efobi

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. C. S. Lewis

Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right! Henry Ford

When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen. Harley Davidson

Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.  Benjamin Franklin

In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.  Tony Robbins

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. Mahatma Gandhi

No one is perfect – that’s why pencils have erasers.  Wolfgang Rieb

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.  Maria Robinson

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.  Milton Berle

In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life – it goes on.  Robert Frost

Do one thing every day that scares you.  Eleanor Roosevelt

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.  Wayne Dyer

Words of encouragement for women

It’s not that the ladies need some sort of special encouragement when the going gets tough. But sometimes it’s nice to read something hopeful or supporting from other ladies that have experienced adversity and still managed to remain on top or become highly successful.

We need their inspiring words to help us regain our self-confidence. In this regard, here’s our list of words of encouragement for women.

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. Judy Garland

The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence. Blake Lively

Sometimes when you are in a dark place you think you have been buried, but actually you have been planted. Christine Caine

Encourage yourself, believe in yourself, and love yourself. Never doubt who you are. Stephanie Lahart

Life is very interesting. In the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths. Drew Barrymore

If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not making decisions.  Katherine Hepburn

Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.  Oprah

For every failure, there’s an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.  Mary Kay Ash

I tell myself, ‘You’ve been through so much, you’ve endured so much, time will allow me to heal, and soon this will be just another memory that made me the strong woman, athlete, and mother I am today.’  Serena Williams

Believe in yourself. Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye. Helen Keller

As long as they are well-intentioned, mistakes are not a matter for shame, but for learning. Margaret Heffernan

People tell you the world looks a certain way. Parents tell you how to think. Schools tell you how to think. TV. Religion. And then at a certain point, if you’re lucky, you realize you can make up your own mind. Nobody sets the rules but you. You can design your own life.  Carrie-Ann Moss

Keep your sunny side up, keep yourself beautiful, and indulge yourself.  Betsey Johnson

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.  Amelia Earhart

You make a choice: continue living your life feeling muddled in this abyss of self-misunderstanding, or you find your identity independent of it. You draw your own box.  Meghan Markle

Take a deep breath, listen to your favorite song and realize everything is gonna be okay, nothing is permanent. Camila Cabello

When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.  Wilma Rudolph

Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve done before.  Bonnie Blair

Defeat is simply a signal to press onward.  Helen Keller

When someone tells me ‘no,’ it doesn’t mean I can’t do it, it simply means I can’t do it with them.  Karen E. Quinones Miller

There is in every true woman’s heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which kindles up, and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.  Washington Irving

Often we women are risk-averse. I needed the push. Now, more than ever, young women need more seasoned women to provide that encouragement, to take a risk, to go for it..  Jennifer Granholm

Be courageous. Stand up for what you believe in. When you are in your rocking chair talking to your grandchildren many years from now, be sure you have a good story to tell.  Amal Clooney

Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.  Malala Yousafzai

I just want you to know that if you are out there and you are being really hard on yourself right now for something that has happened—it’s normal. That is what is going to happen to you in life. No one gets through unscathed. We are all going to have a few scratches on us. Please be kind to yourselves and stand up for yourself, please.  Taylor Swift

You can be everything. You can be the infinite amount of things that people are.  Kesha

I am experienced enough to do this. I am knowledgeable enough to do this. I am prepared enough to do this. I am mature enough to do this. I am brave enough to do this.  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.  Harriet Beecher Stowe

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.  Maya Angelou

Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.  Alice Morse Earle

Have a friend going through a tough time? Try these words of encouragement for a friend

Friends need our support just as much as we need theirs. So, if your friend is going through a tough time, take a minute to scroll through our list of positive words of encouragement for a friend. Pick one and send it to them – let your bestie know you’ll be there whenever they need you.

They will definitely appreciate your gesture. After all, “a friend in need, is a friend indeed”.  

For what it’s worth, it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.  F.Scott Fitzgerald

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry Thoreau

I know things are difficult right now, but I also know you’ve got what it takes to get through it. Unknown

Sending good thoughts your way -- I believe in you and don’t doubt for a minute that you will kill it. Unknown

Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.  H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great.  Mark Twain

We’ve got friends for our happiest days and saddest moments. I hope you know I’m your friend now just as much as ever. Unknown

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.  Albert Einstein

What you’re going through right now is hard, but I’m rooting for you every minute of every day. Unknown

Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it. Jacques Prevert

Stop beating yourself up.  You are a work in progress, which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once. Unknown

Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine. Roy T. Bennett

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Earl Nightingale

When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.

The best revenge is massive success.  Frank Sinatra

If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things. Albert Einstein

Your destiny is to fulfill those things upon which you focus most intently. So choose to keep your focus on that which is truly magnificent, beautiful, uplifting, and joyful. Your life is always moving toward something.  Ralph Marston

Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.  Samuel Beckett