"MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES FOR TEENS"
SUBMITTED BY TEENS



"If life itself doesn't keep you on your tiptoes...then what will?"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by K.G., Age 13 --- New York



"The start of something new brings the hope of something great. Anything is possible. There is only you. You will pass this way only once. Do it right! Trust, persist, and dream BIG!"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Lauren J., Age 15 --- Delaware



"We, the children of today, are the future of tomorrow. It is up to us to change the world for the better, or the worse. There is no room in this world for hate. This is not to be taken lightly."
Copyright © 2001 Joe Giansante



"Each today, well lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and each tomorrow a vision of hope. Look, therefore, to this one day, for it and it alone is life."
Sanskrit Poem --- Submitted by A.M., Age 16 --- New York



"Friendship is a flower placed in a true heart's vase, bringing peace and comfort all your days."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by La'Tona D., Age 12 --- Virginia



"A compliment to my music is a compliment to my soul."
Copyright © 2001 Ashlee Taylor



"Courage is not the freedom from fear; courage is deeper. It requires the individual to be afraid yet still continue. One has to be part coward to possess courage. We need to embrace everyday with the same attitude. Tell that girl you like her, believe in yourself, push yourself. You never know, we might not be here tomorrow."
Copyright © 2001 Mark Williams



"If you're getting kicked from behind, that means you're in front."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Henry W., Age 15 --- Scotland, United Kingdom



"There are different kinds of "smart". I don't give much credit to book smarts because that is just ability to memorize and operate mechanically. It's a talent, but so is juggling. The real "smart" ones are the ones who are true to themselves and to God. They know what it means to live, but also what it means to die. "Smart" has been twisted to be the ones who do the best in school. The ones who obey the best. I wouldn't wish smart on anyone."
Wyatt D. --- Submitted by Wendee C., Age 14 --- Texas



"Never laugh at anyone's dreams.
People who don't have dreams don't have much."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Heather E., Age 14 --- Indiana



"True friendship is like sound health;
The value of it is seldom known until it be lost."
Charles Caleb Colton --- Submitted by J.D., Age 15 --- QLD, Australia



"Don't take your family and friends for granted. I know that we are young and that we tend to do that sometimes, but just take a minute to actually think about how much your family and close friends actually mean to you. Make the best of it with them while they're still here because if you didn't you will regret it. So tell the people that you care about and love exactly how you feel. You owe it to yourself and to the other people as well."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Melissa J., Age 17 --- Wisconsin



"If you are kind, you can be generous.
If you are loyal, you can be a hero.
If you are patient, you can be a good human.
And, if you are these 3,
You can be a good leader!"
Copyright © 2001 Muhammad Ridwan



"God is like a basketball coach.
He can stand on the sidelines and help out
But you have to take the shot."
Copyright © 2001 Mike Caldwell



"If you enjoy someone's company, tell them. They might enjoy yours too. If you think someone is funny, tell them. They might think you're funny too. If you love someone, tell them. They might love you too. There is nothing better in life than feeling loved. Make someone happy!"
Written by Kate M., Age 15 --- Ontario, Canada



"In life, you can't let other people get to you. Instead, live off instinct and don't let other people's words cloudyour judgement."
Written by Katie S., Age 16 --- Texas



"Put your heart and mind in the game;
The rest has to come sooner or later!"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Erica T., Age 15 --- Alabama



"When the people around me understand me,
The person inside me will dance."
Copyright © 2001 Brandon Bonwell



"Life is like a baseball game.
When you think a fastball is coming,
You gotta be ready to hit the curve."
Written by Jaja Q., Age 14 --- New Jersey



"No one is guaranteed anything; not even today.
All we are given is this very second."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Sara N.



"Life itself is a test, everything that you do, everything you believe in, will be tested one day or another. It is these small minor tests that will help you figure out what type of person you are. There will be friends that will help you along the way, to teach you some valuable lessons, to help you pass those tests; but it is only you who can determine the conclusions of those tests. You can pass, you can fail, whatever it is, it is up to you. Only you can define what success is and only you can carry out your dream. Live your life the way you want to. Don't live it for someone else, don't live it the way you've been told, live it the way you've decide you wanted to. It is then that you realize who you really are, and it is then that you can be happy. Being true to yourself will set you free."
Copyright © 2001 Emily Lau



"It doesn't matter who you are; a friend, best friend, sister, brother, mom, dad, etc. You should always treat people with respect. You don't treat someone like a human being one minute and then like dirt the next. You don't constantly lie to people in order for them to like you. You DO NOT pretend that you're somebody you're not. The three rules are:

  1. Treat people with respect
  2. Always be yourself
  3. Do not lie in order to get someone's attention. There are better and less harmful ways of attracting someone's attention!!"
Copyright © 2001 Rani L. Robinson



"Think positive,
Look positive,
Act positive,
Talk positive,
Live positive.
If you do, how could anything negative enter your life?"
Written by Bre S., Age 16 --- Arizona



"Everything you see or have today should be remembered,
Since what you see or have tomorrow may be different!"
Copyright © 2001 David Lau



"If I spent everyday caring about what other people say or think about me
Then I've gained nothing and lost precious moments of my life."
Copyright © 2001 Kim Shroyer



"We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey."
Kenji Miyazawa --- Submitted by Jacquie C., Age 17 --- Victoria, Australia



"They hope to break our circle, they hope our magnificent circle of freedom will become a dangling string of despair. How wrong they were. Our circle may have been broken for a short period of time but our knots in the circle get that much stronger."
Copyright © 2001 Ryan Grey
--- In memory of the World Trade Center




"Reach high,
Think big,
Reach for the stars,
You win!"
Copyright © 2001 Elizaebeth Seigars



"Total self-esteem requires total unconditional acceptance of yourself. You are a unique and worthy individual regardless of your mistakes, defeats, and failures; despite what others may think say or feel about you or your behavior. If you truly accept and love yourself, you won't have a driving need for attention and approval. Self-esteem is a genuine love of self. Stop all adverse valuejudging of yourself. Stop accepting the adverse value judgements of others. Purge yourself of all condemnation, shame, blame, guilt, and remorse."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Brittany M., Age 13 --- Nevada



"We all live life on a tight rope; keep your balance."
Copyright © 2001 Brian Shaw



"If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
--- Submitted by Joseph W., Age 17 --- Pennsylvania




"Life is going to give you just what you put in it.
Put your whole heart into everything you do and pray,
And then you can wait."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Melodee H., Age 14 --- Georgia



"Stand up and be great!"
Coach Cy --- Submitted by Sarah B., Age 16 --- Iowa



"My one piece of advice:
Breathe as if it is your last breath,
Smile as if you will never smile again,
And laugh as if it is the last joke you will ever hear!"
Written by W.F., Age 13 --- Gauteng, South Africa



"Our days are identical suitcases - all the same size
But some people can pack more into them then others."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by S.R., Age 15 --- Sao Paulo, Brazil



"The true measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort
But where he stands in times of challenge."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by M.S., Age 18 --- Wisconsin



"He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses much more;
He who loses faith, loses all."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Anat A., Age 16 --- Florida



"Self motivation is the power that raises a man to any level he seeks."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Kari J., Age 18 --- Connecticut



"It is always good to make new friends.... but do not forget the old ones."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Rhonda B., Age 15 --- South Carolina



"Grateful people are thankful people."
Mrs. Smith --- Submitted by B.B. --- Germany



"Life throws a lot of punches, but if you learn to recover fast, you will in time be able to take them with moreease."
Written by Krista M., Age 17 --- Texas



"You can always find a piece of happiness somewhere. Even on the worst days, there will always be somethingthat will make you smile."
Copyright © 2001 Pam Cook



"You're never too big to ask for help."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Susan T., Age 13 --- Texas



"We are always told to 'Believe in Yourself'
But when that isn't enough
Know that I believe in you!"
Copyright © 2001 Rachel Turner



"A pal is a pal,
A buddy is a buddy,
But a Best Friend isn't just a best friend,
They're everything"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by A.T., Age 16 --- California



"When you try, try hard.
When you fall, pick yourself up.
When you fail, try again."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by E.F., Age 13 --- New York



"What you dislike in another, take care to correct in yourself."
Thomas Sprat --- Submitted by J.N., Age 16 --- Oregon



"It doesn't matter what others say about you.
Just think of it as a grain of salt
And flick it out of your conscience."
Copyright © 2001 Joseph Ward



"Life is an aimless drive you take on your own.
Might as well enjoy the ride and take the long way home."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Jennifer W., Age 17 --- Texas



"It's not where you're from, it's where you're at."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Michael T., Age 13 --- California



"Someone once told me that the hardest thing in life is to not judge others and the most unavoidable thing in life is not being judged by them. Never assume you know a person by his or her appearance. It's hard, but you gotta give a person a chance without being gullible. It's a part of life."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Erica K., Age 17 --- Texas



"If you are not putting in your best in whatever you do,
Every single moment of every single day,
Then you are wasting your time."
Copyright © 2001 Sarita Gonsalves



"I'm not going to write something particularly profound. I'm not saying anything that will have a huge impact on anyone's life. All I know, is that I have spent much time searching for my motivation to succeed- anything at all that will drive me to do my best. What I have discovered is that motivation, whatever it may be, is absolutely not external; it comes from within. No one can provide motivation for you, it must come from your core, from your inner self. If it doesn't, then it's not motivation."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Jennifer G., Age 15 --- New York



"You can see without eyes and feel without hands,
But you can not believe without your heart.
Hope cannot be lost or destroyed
But it can be trusted in and realized by all."
Copyright © 2001 Pete Finch



"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen
And thinking what nobody has thought."
Albert Szent-Gyorgyi --- Submitted by L.J., Age 16 --- New York



"Never hang your head down,
And they'll never know if they got the best of you."
Copyright © 2001 Billy Whelly



"Once we have entered the world, fate marks suffering;
But to change that suffering into love joy and happiness is the human spirit."
Copyright © 2001 Ryan Yellow



"Learn not to worry about things because the things you worry most about
Are the things you can't change."
Copyright © 2001 Bre Coffey



"If you're falling off a cliff, you may as well try to fly -
You've got nothing to lose."
John Sheridan from Babylon 5 --- Submitted by N.A., Age 18 --- Victoria, Australia



"Per ardua ad astra" (Latin)
"Reach for the stars." (English translation)
Royal Air Force Motto
--- Submitted by Becci L., Age 14 --- Middlesbrough, United Kingdom




"The greatest things in life come not in dreams,
But in the challenges we face while chasing our dreams."
Written by Submitted by Katie E.B., Age 16 --- Ontario, Canada



"Failure is only another clue to finding success."
Copyright © 2001 Carly Overbey



"Life is like an engagement... you may think the hard part's over when you make the decision, but the hardest part comes when you must actually follow through with it."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Aubre A., Age 16 --- South Carolina



"Things don't come easy.
It's up to you to make them easy."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Lee J., Age 17 --- Singapore



THE FOUR B's

BE SMART:
I mean, be wise. Be smart about training your minds and hands for the future. The world needs men and women of ability and training. Whatever you choose to do, train for it. Qualify yourselves.

BE FAIR:
Learn the importance of friendshipping and fellowshipping. Clean competition is wholesome, but immoral, dishonest or unfair practices are reprehensible.

BE CLEAN:
We live in a time when the world considers virtue lightly. Loss of virtue inevitably means loss of self-respect, loss of discipline in managing one's minds and body. I am not asking you to be prudish. I am asking you to be virtuous, and I think there's vast difference between the two.

BE TRUE:
You are a youth of noble birthright. It means that behind you are great men and women who did wonderful things... some of them even gave their lives rather than forsake the truth they had embraced.
Gordon B. Hinckley --- Submitted by Ana P. --- Argentina



"Bite your lip, and don't cry. Keep your anger and hatred for another day, for later on. The day will come, but not now."
Eli Weisel --- Submitted by Kelly D., Age 16 --- Ohio



"No matter how bad you are feeling, never take life for granted. There are many people out there who care about you."
Written by Nikki B., Age 16 --- Illinois



"Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Josh H., Age 16 --- Texas



"The measure of love is that you love without measure."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Irene A., Age 15 --- Philippines