Encouraging quotes for when you're feeling down. Words that give you the strength to rise again.
I messed up at work, I got a bad grade on a test, I had a fight with a friend…
When we’re living our lives, there are bound to be times when we feel down.
In this article, we’ll introduce famous quotes we hope you’ll read when you’re feeling low.
We’ve gathered words that offer meaning to failure, encourage you by saying there’s no need to be discouraged, and remind you to cherish yourself—messages that can lift you up from many different angles.
When you want some gentle words of encouragement, be sure to check these out!
- Words I want to make my motto that always inspire me
- Short but moving words to remember when your heart is tired
- Words that strongly push you forward and give you energy
- Quotes from great figures that give us the power to live
- A collection of quotes that cheer on your challenges—words that give you strength.
- Ghibli quotes that resonate with the heart! A collection of inspiring lines that give you strength when you’re feeling down
- Blow away your anxiety and doubts! Short phrases that lift your spirits and set you on a positive path.
- Healed in a single word… Words that blow away negative feelings and bring a smile.
- You can push a little further! Inspiring quotes from great figures to boost your study motivation
- Words from famous people that I’d like to adopt as my motto. Inspiring quotes that convey the power of words.
- Tears overflow and won’t stop. A collection of moving quotes that gently reach the heart.
- Cheers to hardworking kids! A collection of recommended quotes to gift to children
- Powerful yet gentle, words that save the heart... Encouraging words that lift you up in tough times.
Encouraging quotes for when you're feeling down. Words that give you the strength to get back up (11–20)
If you fail, just try again. If trying again doesn’t work, get creative once more and try again.Konosuke Matsushita
Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic Holdings.
His managerial prowess, which built a major corporation, has been passed down through the generations.
This is a famous quote from that great business leader—often called the god of management—that expresses a way of thinking about overcoming failure.
It tells us that rather than being discouraged by failure, what matters is trying again, and that repeated ingenuity leads to success.
It’s a message that gives us the courage to keep moving forward by trying again and again—failure doesn’t mean everything is over.
You’ve just got to throw yourself into anything and give it a try. Whatever way things turn out, people—like stones by the roadside—end their lives as nothing more than bones.Ryoma Sakamoto
Ryoma Sakamoto, who was active as a patriot during the late Edo period, is remembered as someone who made major contributions to the Meiji Restoration.
This is a famous quote left by that great patriot—often portrayed as a hero for his achievements across the country—expressing the importance of taking on challenges.
Whether you fail or succeed, the fact remains that in the end we all become bones; so why not take the plunge and try? Precisely because these words feel easygoing, recalling them might help us face anything with a positive mindset.
You can’t keep looking back at the past. Acknowledge what you’ve done and who you’ve been up to now—and then let it go.Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs, known as the co-founder of Apple, was also noted for the way he presented new products on stage.
This is a quote from that great business leader—whose words often drew attention—about how to face the past appropriately.
It tells us that being bound by the past can hinder progress, and that by reflecting properly and letting go, we should direct our mindset forward.
These words make us think about how to set our attitude in order to keep moving toward the future.
All misfortunes are nothing but stepping stones to the future.NEW!Thoreau
When something unfortunate happens, it can feel like the rest of your life will be nothing but bad.
This quote shines a warm path of light into such a darkened heart.
What counts as misfortune differs from person to person, but in many cases we imagine failure or setback.
Things don’t go smoothly, unforeseen mishaps occur… By seeing them as stepping stones to the future, we can keep facing forward without giving up.
That’s what Thoreau’s words teach us.
If we think of misfortune as a step toward the next stage, we can surely take it in a positive light.
If you keep looking down, you won’t be able to find a rainbow.NEW!Sir Charles Spencer “Charlie” Chaplin
When we’re feeling down, we tend to look down…
This is a famous quote by Chaplin that I’d like you to remember at such times.
Rainbows are said to be a sign of good luck, and seeing one makes you feel fortunate, doesn’t it? In this quote, he encourages us to keep looking forward while reminding us not to miss the rainbow.
Rather than a blunt “Do your best,” it resonates precisely because it uses a gentle, indirect expression—“missing the rainbow.” It’s a quote that feels like someone quietly sitting beside you in support.
He who runs away can fight another day.NEW!Demosthenes
These words can give courage to those who have failed once and feel like their life is over, or who are truly struggling but are holding back out of a sense of responsibility.
This quote is by Demosthenes, an ancient Greek statesman and orator.
He says that although “to flee” may sound like defeat, it actually means stepping back from the situation, regaining composure, and quietly waiting for the right moment.
Even if you quit in an environment that feels unfavorable, it isn’t running away; I feel it’s about not wasting energy so you can challenge yourself again.
There are, of course, days when your heart hurts.NEW!Ma Rainey
All kinds of things happen in life.
At times you’ll be struck by misfortune that makes you wonder, “Why is this happening?” You may feel it’s unfair, but that’s life—there’s no use lamenting it.
I feel that this quote by blues singer Ma Rainey teaches us the importance of accepting life’s daily ups and downs just as they are.
Bad times don’t last that long, so there are simply days like that! Remember this quote and try to get through them.
A champion is defined not by how they act when they win, but by how they rise after they lose.Serena Williams
It means that true strength appears in how you act after a loss.
Anyone can celebrate when they win.
But it’s precisely when you’re frustrated by defeat and feel like your spirit might break that your real strength is tested.
For example, if you lose a game by a wide margin, the true champion isn’t the one who says, “I can’t do this anymore” and gives up, but the one who looks forward and keeps working, saying, “I’ll practice more for next time.” The same is true when you don’t get the test score you hoped for.
It gently teaches us that failure isn’t the end, but a chance to grow.
The courage to stand back up after losing is what leads to future victory.
If you laugh, the world laughs with you. If you cry, you cry alone.Ella Wheeler Wilcox
These are the opening words of “Solitude,” a work by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, a poet who was active in the United States.
They express the connection between sorrow and loneliness and also convey how important it is to stay positive.
When you are laughing, people gather; when you are sad, you are alone—this encourages us to be as positive as possible so that people will come together.
It also stirs the courage to face hardship, reminding us that it is we ourselves who overcome suffering.
Unless one has eaten bread with tears, one cannot know the taste of life.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
These are words that appear in Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who was active as a poet in Germany.
They speak to the idea that life is not composed only of joyous times, but also includes deep sorrow and loneliness, and that it is precisely these experiences that lead to the richness of life.
It expresses that life’s depth is revealed through negatives such as sadness, suffering, and solitude—that they are not merely bad.
It also suggests that rather than stopping and seeing suffering as something purely negative, it is important to move forward from it.