Maxime is the founder and chief editor of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm, peaceful and powerful mind. Learn more about him on his about page.
Buddha.
Gandhi.
Einstein.
Shakespeare.
Mother Teresa.
Pablo Picasso.
What do they have in common?
They are the most quoted people in the world.
Since 2004, I’ve read more than 150 000 quotes.
I’ve spent 1000+ hours curating the best ones.
And I’ve seen those names over and over again.
Do you want to discover their most famous lines?
Here are 155 of the most famous quotes of all time.
I hope you’ll enjoy!
I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. Albert Einstein
Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast. William Shakespeare
If you judge people, you have no time to love them. Mother Teresa
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. Mark Twain
All that we are is the result of what we have thought. Buddha
The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud. Coco Chanel

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
The greatest wealth is to live content with little. Plato
The future belongs to those who prepare for it today. Malcolm X
The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus. Bruce Lee
Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly. John F. Kennedy
A great man is always willing to be little. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don’t count the days, make the days count. Muhammad Ali
In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different. Coco Chanel
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. 14th Dalai Lama
I like criticism. It makes you strong. LeBron James
Well done is better than well said. Benjamin Franklin
The root of suffering is attachment. Buddha
Related
- 120 Inspirational Quotes For Teens To Cheer Yourself Up
- 100 Inspirational Quotes For Women To Empower You
- 130 Inspirational Quotes For Men
Part 2. Famous Quotes That Are…
The Most Famous And Memorable Quotes Of All Time
Searching for the most famous quote of all time? Check out those ones by Caesar, Shakespeare, Neil Armstrong, Mother Teresa, Michael Jordan, etc.
Keep calm and carry on. Winston Churchill
I came, I saw, I conquered. Julius Caesar
I think, therefore I am. René Descartes
To be, or not to be, that is the question. William Shakespeare
That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. Neil Armstrong
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Benjamin Franklin
Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. William Shakespeare
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt
Family is the most important thing in the world. Diana, Princess of Wales
All I was doing was trying to get home from work. Rosa Parks
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The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Lao Tzu
I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. Michael Jordan
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Muhammad Ali
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde
The best things in life are free. The second best things are very expensive. Coco Chanel
Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. Confucius
Not how long, but how well you have lived is the main thing. Seneca
It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up. Vince Lombardi
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. Friedrich Nietzsche
You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take. Wayne Gretzky
Peace begins with a smile. Mother Teresa
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry David Thoreau
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. Mae West
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela
The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education. Albert Einstein
Good artists copy, great artists steal. Pablo Picasso
Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration. Thomas A. Edison
If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right. Henry Ford
Better to die standing than to live on your knees. Ernesto “Che” Guevara
Big Brother is watching you. George Orwell
Related: The Ultimate Quotable Einstein by Albert Einstein (Amazon book)
The Best Famous Quotations
It always seems impossible until it’s done. Nelson Mandela (wikipedia.org)
Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value. Albert Einstein
Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify. Henry David Thoreau
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi
The unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates
No matter who you are or what you look like, how you started off, or how and who you love, America is a place where you can write your own destiny. Barack Obama
Turn your wounds into wisdom. Oprah Winfrey
Little by little, one travels far. J.R.R. Tolkien
I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains. Anne Frank
Life is a flower of which love is the honey. Victor Hugo
It’s not how much you have that makes people look up to you, it’s who you are. Elvis Presley
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. Bruce Lee
A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything. Malcolm X
You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. Marcus Aurelius
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. William Shakespeare (wikipedia.org)
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt
Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. Marilyn Monroe
The path to success is to take massive, determined action. Tony Robbins
I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls. Martin Luther King Jr
God helps those that help themselves. Benjamin Franklin
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Benjamin Franklin
Short Famous Quotes
One-liners, short popular quotes, thoughts, captions for your bio, social status, self-talk, motto, mantra, signs, posters, wallpapers, and backgrounds.
Genius is eternal patience. Michelangelo
No. Rosa Parks
Fear is stupid. So are regrets. Marilyn Monroe
Do something worth remembering. Elvis Presley
Elegance is refusal. Coco Chanel
Whatever you are, be a good one. Abraham Lincoln
A boo is a lot louder than a cheer. Lance Armstrong
Get busy living, or get busy dying. Stephen King
Not all those who wander are lost. J.R.R. Tolkien
I’m not afraid of dying, I’m afraid of not trying. Jay-Z
Be proud of who you are. Eminem
Better to build a bridge than a wall. Elton John
Be the hero of your own story. Joe Rogan
The only failure is not to try. George Clooney
Nobody can hurt me without my permission. Mahatma Gandhi
I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was. Muhammad Ali
I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact. Elon Musk
Winners never quit, and quitters never win. Vince Lombardi
Man – a being in search of meaning. Plato
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Leonardo da Vinci
Your past does not equal your future. Tony Robbins
I don’t make music for eyes. I make music for ears. Adele
Whatever you do, do with all your might. Cicero
It’s fun to do the impossible. Walt Disney
Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it. Salvador Dali
We need fantasy to survive reality. Lady Gaga
There is nothing impossible to him who will try. Alexander the Great
The future starts today, not tomorrow. Pope John Paul II
You are what you believe yourself to be. Paulo Coelho
Stumbling is not falling. Malcolm X
Inspirational Famous Quotes
The best way to predict your future is to create it. Abraham Lincoln
If not us, who? If not now, when? John F. Kennedy
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. Barack Obama
It is you, the young and fearless at heart, the most diverse and educated generation in our history, who the nation is waiting to follow. Barack Obama
Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment. Oprah Winfrey
When our memories outweigh our dreams, it is then that we become old. Bill Clinton
Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine. Elvis Presley
We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle. Marilyn Monroe
For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone. Audrey Hepburn
I am basically a feminist. I think that women can do anything they decide to do. Grace Kelly
Do all the good you can, for all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as long as you can. Hillary Clinton
You laugh at me because I’m different I laugh at you because you’re all the same. Lady Gaga
Never doubt yourself. Never change who you are. Don’t care what people think and just go for it. Britney Spears
Everybody wants to be famous, but nobody wants to do the work. I live by that. You grind hard so you can play hard. At the end of the day, you put all the work in, and eventually it’ll pay off. It could be in a year, it could be in 30 years. Eventually, your hard work will pay off. Kevin Hart
Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise. Kobe Bryant
Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it. James Baldwin
Your love makes me strong. Your hate makes me unstoppable. Cristiano Ronaldo
We don’t want to tell our dreams. We want to show them. Cristiano Ronaldo
If people take anything from my music, it should be motivation to know that anything is possible as long as you keep working at it and don’t back down. Eminem
I just don’t want to be hampered by my own limitations. Barbra Streisand
Do what you have to do, to do what you want to do. Denzel Washington
Power is not given to you. You have to take it. Beyoncé
I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear. Rosa Parks
If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants. Isaac Newton
Learn to value yourself, which means: to fight for your happiness. Ayn Rand
You’ll never find a rainbow if you’re looking down. Charlie Chaplin
Related: 50 Famously Successful People Who Failed At First (addictedtosuccess.com)
Wise Famous Sayings
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. Plato
We must use time as a tool, not as a couch. John F. Kennedy
Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. Coco Chanel
You should never take more than you give. Elton John
The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them. Stephen King
Once you’ve accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you. George R.R. Martin
Take a long pause… breathe and know that things are happening for you not to you. Ashton Kutcher
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Maya Angelou
It’s nice to be important, but it’s also important to be nice. Never forget that. Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat)
You never really learn much from hearing yourself speak. George Clooney
If you can’t convince them, confuse them. Harry S. Truman
Doubt can motivation you, so don’t be afraid of it. Confidence and doubt are at two ends of the scale, and you need both. They balance each other out. Barbra Streisand
I don’t care that they stole my idea… I care that they don’t have any of their own. Nikola Tesla
A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool. William Shakespeare
Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. Warren Buffett
Related: The 10 most inspirational people of all time (thegentlemansjournal.com)
Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. John F. Kennedy
To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge. Nicolaus Copernicus
Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things. Isaac Newton
There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. Peter Drucker
People are more impressed by the power of our example rather than the example of our power. Bill Clinton
Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd. Voltaire
Conclusion
Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. Barack Obama (Feb. 5 Speech, nytimes.com)
Further Readings
- Topic: Life And Inspiration
- 100 Life Quotes That Will Inspire You
- 130 Short Quotes That Will Inspire You (Fast)
- 100 One Word Quotes (For Quick Inspiration)à
- 100 Positive Quotes To Uplift Yourself
- Thought of the Day – 150 Inspiring Quotes For Reflection
- 100 Words of Wisdom From The Best Minds (Ever)
- 77 Life Lessons Quotes (To Learn And Grow)
I hope you enjoyed these famous quotes. If you did, please share them with a friend today!
Who’s your favorite famous author? What’s your favorite famous quote? Please let us know in the comment section below!
Table Of Contents
Part 1
Top 19 Images
Part 2
Famous Quotes That ARE
Most Famous
Best
Short
Inspirational
Wise
Part 3
Conclusion
I like your selection but would like to offer a couple of quotes I really like;
A. “There is no pleasure in life worth giving up for 2 more years in a Care Home” – unknown
B. “Be the kind of person your dog thinks you are” – Ricky Jervais
Love those quotes Tony!
The one by Ricky Gervais, particularly, since it’s humoristic and at the same time, so true.
Emerson, as well as the other on the list, had so many great quotes that picking one for their “famous quote” must have been difficult. Thank you for taking the time to post these!
You’re right.
It was not obvious to choose which one would make the list.
Einstein, Buddha, Twain, etc.
They all have dozens of great quotes. 🙂
Best,
Maxime
Boat swallowing fish should not be forced to swim in small streams
The wise bee does not sip from the flower that has fallen
One should not boil tea in one’s navel
Thank you for your comment, Peter.
Those are good ones, but are they truly famous?
Still, thank you!
Maxime
Thanks Maxime,
Beautiful and wise quotes.
Is it possible to have more every now and then, and hopefully with beautiful colored background images/photos?
Thanks in advance. God bless you!
Hi Usama, and thank you for your message.
Yes, I’m in the process of writing new articles with colored images.
I’m also modifying a few older ones to make them more appealing.
You can have a look here for example: https://wisdomquotes.com/joy-quotes/
Best,
Maxime
Thank you for sharing all of these quotes! Reading them always makes me feel good. If you share quotes in other places would you mind sharing those sites please. Thank you
Hi Janine and thank you for your message.
I sometimes share a few thoughts/quotes on Twitter too:
https://twitter.com/mlquotes1
Best,
Maxime
My son Max loved your words. He was killed in September 2020. He left this page hidden for me to find. It has brought me comfort knowing he spent time here. I do miss him with all my heart.
Max’s mom
Karen
Truly sorry to hear about your son, Karen.
Sending you the best wishes and thoughts.
Also, thank you for your message. It means a lot knowing Max loved those words.
Best,
Maxime
Wow, amazing quotes. Thanks for sharing these.
Thanks to you, Rashid.
Glad you liked. 🙂
If you wake up and find your life full. Give everything away and you’ll have room to grow.
Don Wood 1/28/2021
That’s beautiful Don.
Thank you!
👍👏👏
Thank you Dipesh!
I wanted to express my minute conceptual thought, but did not know how to post it.
Here we go:
* One must cry when one is happy , because when happiness ends…that’s not a laughing matter.
* Love is a beautiful thing, Love has no height , it has no depth, it has no likeness, love is….LOVE IS A WONDERFUL THING.
Thanks, Pino, your words are beautiful.
Regards,
Maxime
The gods do not want us to know the peacefulness of death so that we endure life
Hi Martin,
that’s a great one.
Is it one of yours?
Thanks,
Maxime