70+ Graduation Quotes: Inspiring and Uplifting Words for Your Big Day

Graduation is a significant milestone in your educational journey, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Whether you are celebrating your commencement from high school, college, or university, quotes from notable figures can serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for the future.

Embarking on this new phase of your life can be both exciting and challenging. Graduation quotes not only encapsulate the essence of education and learning, but also offer valuable life lessons to guide your next steps. The impact of these words transcends various stages of life, from high school to the highest echelons of academic achievement.

So, as you celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, take a moment to reflect on the power of these quotes and how they can shape your journey ahead. Be it a reminder of hard work, an encouragement to continue learning, or a call to chase your dreams, these quotes offer guidance for all aspects of your life.

Inspiration and Motivation

1. Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle. – Christian D. Larson
2. Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston S. Churchill
3. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. – Dr. Seuss
4. What lies behind us, and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
5. Do not let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. – Babe Ruth

Humor and Wit

1. The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. – Vidal Sassoon
2. The road to success is always under construction. – Lily Tomlin
3. Graduation: a ceremony where they award you a diploma, in hopes that you have learned enough to be able to read it. – Unknown
4. As you graduate, remember that knowledge is like underwear; it is useful to have it, but not necessary to show it off. – Bill Murray
5. I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. – Mark Twain

The first set of graduation quotes focuses on inspiration and motivation, which are essential for graduates as they face new challenges and opportunities in their lives. These quotes give encouragement, urging you to believe in yourself, face adversity with courage, and dream big.

On the lighter side, the next set of quotes adds a touch of humor and wit, helping to remind you that laughter and lightheartedness are essential even as you aim for success. These funny graduation quotes offer insights and advice with a dash of wit, poking fun at the process of learning and graduation itself.

As you read and reflect on these graduation quotes, may you find the inspiration, motivation, or humor you need to face whatever challenges and opportunities await you after graduation.

Life Advice and Wisdom

As you step into the next phase of life, let these meaningful graduation quotes inspire and guide you. The following quotes, from various famous personalities, will remind you of the lessons life has to offer and how to navigate through it all successfully.

1. From former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
2. Former U.S. President Barack Obama once said: You don’t let your failures define you – you let them teach you.
3. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving – Albert Einstein.
4. A quote from the legendary Muhammad Ali: Don’t count the days; make the days count.
5. Ralph Waldo Emerson once advised: Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Embrace the adventure of post-graduation life and remember these life lessons. Good luck on your journey, and may these pieces of advice lead you down the path of success.

6. Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. – Judy Garland
7. A powerful reminder from Winston Churchill about failure and character: Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
8. Always keep this quote in mind by Confucius: Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
9. Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the experience of trials and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. – Helen Keller
10. Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better – Maya Angelou

It’s important to stay focused, driven and never stop trying, even when things get tough. Above all, remember that the experiences and challenges you face will contribute to your growth and success.

11. In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can – Nikos Kazantzakis
12. The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it – Anonymous
13. The expert in anything was once a beginner – Helen Hayes
14. I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination – Jimmy Dean
15. We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated – Maya Angelou

As you continue your journey, remember these words of wisdom and use them as a source of inspiration. Always strive for the best, and never give up on your dreams.

Paths and Achievements

Here are some graduation quotes focusing on paths, achievements, and success. They come from well-known people like Stephen Colbert, Oprah, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wayne Gretzky, Chadwick Boseman, and Stacey Abrams.

51. “You cannot change what you are, only what you do.” – Philip Pullman
52. “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” – Booker T. Washington
53. “Follow your passion, it will lead you to your purpose.” – Oprah Winfrey
54. “The only way to ensure your success is to give everything within your fiber.” – Stephen Colbert
55. “The road to success is always under construction.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
56. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
57. “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” – Robert Byrne
58. _”Every day is a new opportunity.” – Chadwick Boseman
59. “Our paths will be determined not by fear, but by our capacity.” – Stacey Abrams
60. “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” – Oprah Winfrey

Here are more motivational quotes about embracing challenges, shaping your career, and making an impact through your choices.

61. “Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew.” – Cicely Tyson
62. “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already.” – J.K. Rowling
63. “Act your way into a new way of thinking.” – Robert Kegan
64. “Don’t let anyone design the path to your future.” – Anonymous
65. “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker
66. “The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams.” – Napoleon Hill
67. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
68. “The important thing is not to stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein
69. “Love what you do, or don’t do it.” – Vince Lombardi
70. “I never dreamed about success, I worked for it.” – Estée Lauder

Some quotes were taken from famous commencement speeches, where influential people shared their experiences and advice to the new graduates.

71. “But do not surrender the beliefs that you hold dear.” – Ai Weiwei
72. “The things you’re passionate about are not random, they are your calling.” – Fabienne Fredrickson
73. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.” – Carrie Fisher
74. “You must take a step and then let things happen.” – Terence McKenna
75. “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.” – Maya Angelou

Creativity and Imagination

1. You can never be overdressed or overeducated. – Oscar Wilde
2. Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. – Pablo Picasso
3. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. – Albert Einstein

Empowerment and Leadership

4. Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence. – Sheryl Sandberg
5. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not strong enough. – Tory Burch
6. Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today. – Malcolm X
7. Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen. – Conan O’Brien
8. There are no dreams too large, no innovation unimaginable and no frontiers beyond our reach. – John S. Herrington

Quotes on Dreams

9. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. – Dr. Seuss
10. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. – Eleanor Roosevelt
11. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. – Henry David Thoreau
12. Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential. – Kerry Washington

Quotes for Graduation Cards

13. May your [cap] fly as high as your dreams. – Anonymous
14. Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the [second] time. – Oprah Winfrey
15. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. – Mark Twain
16. Believe you can and you’re halfway there. – Theodore Roosevelt

Kindness Quotes

17. In a world where you can be anything, be kind. – Jennifer Dukes Lee
18. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. – Aesop
19. To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the [greatest] accomplishment. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
20. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. – Mahatma Gandhi

Celebrity Words of Wisdom

21. Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life – Steve Jobs
22. Embrace what you don’t know, especially in the beginning, because what you don’t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be [doing things] different from everybody else. – Sara Blakely
23. Life is about making your own [happiness]- and living by your own rules. – Anne Hathaway
24. Don’t just get involved. Fight for your seat at the table. Better yet, fight for a seat at the head of the table. – Barack Obama
25. Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. – Will Rogers