Top 50 Les Brown Quotes About Life and Resilience
Top 50 Les Brown Quotes: Inspiration from a Motivational Legend
Les Brown is a name that echoes through the halls of motivation. He’s a speaker, author, and life-changer who’s lifted millions with his powerful words. Why do his quotes hit so hard? They’re timeless—raw, real, and packed with wisdom that sticks. Whether you’re chasing dreams or battling setbacks, Les Brown’s sayings light the way. In this post, we’ve rounded up the top 50 Les Brown quotes to inspire you. Let’s explore his life, his words, and why they matter.
Background of Les Brown
Born on February 17, 1945, in Miami, Florida, Leslie Calvin “Les” Brown didn’t have an easy start. Abandoned by his birth mother, he and his twin brother were adopted by Mamie Brown, a single woman with a big heart. Life threw punches—poverty, struggles in school, even being labeled “educable mentally retarded.” But Les didn’t quit. A teacher’s encouragement sparked a fire. He hustled from a radio DJ to a world-renowned motivational speaker.
His big break? Winning a Peabody Award for broadcasting. Then came books like Live Your Dreams and speeches that packed stadiums. Les Brown’s contribution isn’t just words—it’s a blueprint for turning pain into power. That’s why his best Les Brown quotes for success still resonate today.
Top 50 Les Brown Quotes
Here’s the goldmine: 50 of Les Brown’s most inspirational quotes. We’ve grouped them into themes—success, life, and courage—to make them easy to digest. Read on, soak them in, and let them fuel your journey.
Success and Goals
- “You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.”
- “Your dream was given to you. If someone else can’t see it for you, that’s fine—it was given to you.”
- “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”
- “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
- “The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the ‘buts’ you use today.”
- “Goals help you channel your energy into action.”
- “Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go.”
- “If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places.”
- “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
- “Most people fail in life not because they aim too high and miss, but because they aim too low and hit.”
Life and Resilience
- “Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.”
- “In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.”
- “When life knocks you down, try to land on your back—because if you can look up, you can get up.”
- “Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on.”
- “Live out of your imagination, not your history.”
- “You must remain focused on your journey to greatness.”
- “It’s not over until you win.”
- “Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.”
- “Life is a fight for territory, and once you stop fighting for what you want, what you don’t want will automatically take over.”
- “The graveyard is the richest place on earth because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled.”
Courage and Belief
- “Fear does not have any special power unless you empower it by submitting to it.”
- “You have to be hungry for success.”
- “Believe that you possess a unique gift—and use it to serve others.”
- “Someone’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.”
- “You have greatness within you.”
- “If you don’t program yourself, life will program you.”
- “The moment you give up is the moment you let someone else win.”
- “Other people’s opinion of you is none of your business.”
- “Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”
- “When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all.”
More Gems from Les Brown
- “Help others achieve their dreams, and you will achieve yours.”
- “Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them.”
- “No one rises to low expectations.”
- “You must be willing to do the things today others won’t do, in order to have the things tomorrow others won’t have.”
- “Don’t judge your capabilities based on your past performance.”
- “Your smile will give you a positive countenance that will make people feel comfortable around you.”
- “If you’re not willing to risk, you cannot grow.”
- “Act the way you want to be, and soon you’ll be the way you act.”
- “The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want.”
- “You can’t get out of life alive, so you may as well live it up.”
- “Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it.”
- “Don’t waste time waiting for inspiration—begin, and inspiration will find you.”
- “Align yourself with people that you can learn from.”
- “If you fall, fall on your back. If you can look up, you can get up.”
- “Make each day count—because you can’t get it back.”
- “The only way to get what you really want is to let go of what you don’t want.”
- “You don’t get in life what you want; you get in life what you are.”
- “Be willing to go all out, in pursuit of your dream.”
- “Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals.”
- “Leap and grow your wings on the way down.”
Analysis of Selected Quotes
Let’s zoom in on a few of these Les Brown motivational quotes and unpack why they strike a chord.
- “You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.”
This gem flips the script. People wait for perfection, but Les says: Start now. Action breeds greatness. It’s a wake-up call for anyone stuck in procrastination—simple, yet profound. - “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”
Wow. This hits deep. Fear’s a thief, robbing us of potential. Les Brown’s words here push readers to face that fear head-on. It’s relatable—haven’t we all let worry hold us back? - “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
Big dreams, big wins. Even “failure” isn’t failure with this mindset. It’s optimism wrapped in grit, perfect for anyone needing a boost to aim higher.
These inspirational Les Brown sayings stick because they’re raw and real. They meet you where you are—scared, stuck, or dreaming—and pull you forward.
Conclusion: Why Les Brown’s Quotes Matter
Les Brown’s impact? Undeniable. From a tough childhood to global stages, he’s proof that words can heal, inspire, and ignite change. These top 50 Les Brown quotes aren’t just sayings—they’re tools. They push you to dream bigger, fight harder, and live fuller. Want more? Dive into his books or speeches. Let his wisdom spark your next step. After all, as Les would say, “It’s not over until you win.”
