Entrepreneur Mindset Quotes

Need a shot of motivational adrenaline to get out of a rut and press forward? These 8 entrepreneur mindset quotes can help you find your purpose, bounce back from setbacks, and power through the daily drudgery.

Read them, be inspired, and maybe plaster a few of them somewhere that you’ll see them every single day.

Business Mindset Quotes

These quotes come from people of all walks of life. And though they may not have all been in business, their wisdom can easily apply to any freelancer entrepreneur who is trying to carve out a better place for themself in the world.

“Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” - Marian Wright Edelman

Marian Wright Edleman was the first female African American to be admitted to the Mississippi Bar. As founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, she worked tirelessly to support disadvantaged youth throughout the United States. 

Her quote makes it clear that service to others is not optional. It is a required piece of human existence. 

So remember that you aren’t just a web designer or a ghostwriter or a virtual assistant. You are a servant to your fellow human beings with a purpose bigger than the services you offer.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” - Steve Jobs

One of the most common questions that freelancers get from friends and family is “Why don’t you get a real job?”

After all, living the status quo promises a steady paycheck, good benefits, and a decent retirement package.

But Apple founder Steve Jobs knew that the only person who can decide your course in life is you. If you feel pressured by outside forces to conform, remember that your destiny really is in your own hands. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney

Your destiny may be in your hands, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to come easily. Walt Disney was bankrupt by the time he was 22. He had tried and failed to launch two companies.

But he still clung to his dreams. And he had the courage to pursue those dreams despite all of the setbacks he encountered along the way.

If it weren’t for courage, Disney could have easily thrown in the towel. But, as our next quote will demonstrate, courage isn’t about not being scared. It’s about what you do in the face of fear.

“Fearlessness is not the absence of fear. It’s the mastery of fear. It’s about getting up one more time than we fall down.” -Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington co-founded The Huffington Post and made it on to Time Magazine’s list of the top 100 most influential people in the world. Regardless of your opinions on the value of her namesake newsite, you can’t deny her success.

And you don’t achieve success without encountering fear and anxiety. Huffington’s quote reminds us that soldiers who lead the charge don’t lack fear. They simply overcome it.

So whatever action you are scared or anxious to take in your freelancing business, don’t let that fear paralyze you. You don’t have to wait until the fear is gone in order to act with fearlessness.

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” -Bill Gates

Let’s face it. You aren’t going to get 5-star reviews 100% of the time. Mistakes, miscommunications, and more are bound to happen eventually.

But as Microsoft founder Bill Gates points out, sometimes the most important customers we ever have are the ones who leave us a 1-star review.

When you do get an unhappy client, you may feel crushed. You may be tempted to shift the blame. You may fill to the brim with anger or hopelessness or embarrassment.

All of these are very natural reactions. But if you can tame them, rein them in, and let them pass over you—priceless wisdom shines a light at the end of the tunnel. Use these failures as opportunities to learn how to better serve your customers.

“Action is the foundational key to all success.” -Pablo Picasso

Almost every successful artist will attribute their success not to creativity or inspiration, but to work. For every masterpiece, there are a hundred lesser pieces.

Picasso’s quote reminds entrepreneurs that taking action should be the first response to every situation you find yourself in. It should be the first thing you do when you have nothing else to do.

While the other guys are dreaming what their success will taste like, you should be taking action to ensure that your dreams become a reality.

“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago” -Warren Buffet

While Picasso might tell us that we need to take action now, Warren Buffet reminds us that patience and foresight are key to enjoying success.

It’s a fitting quote coming from someone with a net worth of $85 billion who is well-known as one of the most successful investors in the world. But its wisdom is just as applicable to the small time freelancer hustling on nights and weekends in hopes of escaping their day job.

The actions you take now, the seeds you sow today, will be the success you enjoy years from now. 

“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” -Mark Twain

Although sources are conflicted on whether or not American novelist Mark Twain actually said this, it’s a good quote nonetheless.

In essence, it provides invaluable advice on procrastination.

Don’t put off that big, intimidating task for tomorrow or later in the day. Do it first. Get it off your plate so it won’t be provoking your anxiety all day long.

Go on, now. Stop reading this blog post. You’ve probably got a big ugly frog to eat.