Words for graduates: a collection of inspiring quotes from great figures to give you a push forward
As you reach the milestone of graduation, you may feel a vague sense of anxiety alongside your expectations for the new world that’s about to begin.
At times like these, words that resonate can gently stay by your side.
The great figures who left their mark on history, as well as pioneers in various fields, also carved out their own paths while overcoming doubts and inner struggles.
In this article, we present a selection of gem-like quotes as words of encouragement for graduates.
Short yet profound, simple yet powerful, these words will support your heart as you take your first step forward.
- [Graduation] A moving line to add to a message board: words that touch the heart
- Quotes that accompany the departure called graduation—words that will give you courage for the life ahead.
- Short quotes to give at the time of graduation—a send-off. Words that inspire courage and hope.
- Short, heart-stirring words of encouragement! Courageous quotes that push you to take a step toward tomorrow.
- A cool one-line message of support
- Guaranteed to move you! Memorable words by great figures and famous people.
- Words that strongly push you forward and give you energy
- Heartfelt! Inspiring Quotes Left by Great Figures of Japan
- [Spring Quotes] Glamorous words perfect for adding color to a new beginning
- For exam-takers! A collection of quotes that become profound and interesting once you understand their meaning
- Uplifting words by great figures and famous people that, despite their brevity, convey a sense of philosophy.
- Cheers to hardworking kids! A collection of recommended quotes to gift to children
- [Heart-Touching] Quotes That Keep You Going Anytime! Fiery Words That Push You Forward
Words for Graduates: A Collection of Inspiring Quotes from Great Figures (11–20)
As long as you keep challenging yourself, failure does not exist.Mark Zuckerberg
These are the words of Mark Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook and greatly influenced the fabric of society.
Through a series of innovative challenges, he has experienced a great deal of trial and error.
When we try to avoid mistakes and failures in studying for exams or taking tests, we end up reducing the very act of challenging ourselves.
As long as we keep taking action, we learn from it, leading to the next improvement.
Failure is not the end, but a process along the path of growth.
This quote shows that a persistent spirit of challenge opens up the future and encourages proactive action.
Do not avoid the difficult path. You must move forward if you want to reach your destination.Katherine Anne Porter
Everyone wants to avoid hardships, don’t they? Yet the American novelist Katherine Anne Porter taught that to reach the place you aim for, you must go through it.
She left many concise and piercing messages, such as, “God doesn’t know whether your skin is black or white.
He sees only the soul.” It’s the kind of encouragement that feels stern yet carries a single beam of light—reminding us that only after walking a difficult path can we see certain vistas.
It truly makes one straighten up and take heart.
Your destiny is determined at the moment you make a decision.Anthony Robbins
Anthony Robbins, who is also known as a philanthropist, engages in a wide range of activities and is famous both as a self-help author and as a coach in neuro-linguistic programming.
I’ve heard that his seminars—of which there are various types—can cost around one million yen for a week.
It’s amazing that people from all over the world gather to attend them.
His words teach us the importance of our own decisions.
I think that’s perfect for graduates who may be feeling uncertain.
After all, your life should be determined solely by your own decisions.
If you can change yourself, the world will change too.NEW!Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi, known as the Father of Indian independence.
The words left by the man who led the independence movement by advocating nonviolence and civil disobedience convey the importance of reexamining our own ways of thinking and behavior before trying to change our surroundings or other people.
Many of us likely struggled with relationships and situations during high school life.
Amid those challenges, there must have been moments when changing our perspective or actions just a little led to a positive shift in our feelings or relationships.
It is a quote that reveals the essence of growth and is worth remembering in any situation.
Walls (challenges) come only to those who can overcome them.Ichiro (Suzuki Ichiro)
Are you familiar with Ichiro Suzuki’s famous quote, “Walls only come to those who can overcome them”? Everyone has probably run into walls at some point in life.
It’s easy to lose confidence and worry whether you can get past them.
This phrase means that walls only appear to those who have the potential to surmount them—so when you face a wall, it’s actually a chance.
Graduates about to leap into a new environment are surely feeling a mix of hope and anxiety.
These powerful words of encouragement are perfect for those starting anew.
Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.George Bernard Shaw
An Irish writer who left behind many plays, including Pygmalion and Saint Joan.
His unique satire, idealism, and humanity earned high praise, and in 1925 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
This slightly challenging quote from Bernard Shaw seems to tell us: “Life isn’t about following tracks laid by someone else; it’s about moving forward guided by your own will.” As someone newly graduated and still young, you may find your heart shaken by heckling from the sidelines and unkind words.
But your life is yours.
Move forward just as you believe you should! These are words especially fitting for graduates who feel anxious about their new lives.
Words for Graduates: A Collection of Inspiring Quotes from Great Figures (21–30)
Human destiny is in human hands.Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, is a leading figure of existentialism, which holds that human beings choose their own way of living.
His words carry a strong message: fate is not predetermined; it is shaped by our own choices and actions.
Studying for exams is no different—whether to study or not is up to you.
Rather than blaming your environment or those around you, seeing it as “the path I chose” gives clearer meaning to your effort.
You create your own future.
His words remind us of this forward-looking perspective.
