50 Steve Maraboli Quotes To Help You Realise Self-Love And Follow Your Dreams

Author, speaker, consultant, business coach, and decorated military veteran Steve Maraboli has inspired people in over 30 countries with his quotes of wisdom, self-love, and motivation to follow your dreams.

We hope you enjoy these Steve Maraboli quotes.

Despite being classified with a learning disability in high school, Steve Maraboli has become a world-class leader in business and behavioral sciences.

He was selected by Inc.

Magazine as a “Top Leader To Follow” and was also labeled as “The most quoted man alive.”

Maraboli’s voice is blunt but also kind and filled with humor and his speeches and books are stuffed to the brim with inspirational content to help you live your best life.

Don’t forget to also check out these Terry Pratchett quotes from the prolific author.

If you like this article, we suggest you explore our most popular quotes article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily encouragement. 

Look through our complete collection of inspirational quotes here.

Steve Maraboli quotes about taking action

1. “I have standards, step up or step out.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Set standards or boundaries. Know what you expect from yourself and others. If something isn’t serving your purpose and you think you can do better then do so. If a person in your circle needs to step up, then communicate with them. Know when it is time to step out though!

2. “Do more than just talk, act. Do more than just promise, deliver.” —Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Talk will only get you so far. Eventually, you are going to have to physically move yourself forward. If you want to be successful and achieve your goals come up with a plan that you can follow through on. Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk!

3. “Take action, an inch of movement will bring you closer to your goals than a mile of intention.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Intention is a necessary part of the motivational process that pushes us to reach our goals. However, it alone does not get you within striking distance. You are going to have to do the hard work, put yourself out there, and take action. Take a step, even a small one!

4. “Success is more than a desire, it’s a behavior. Act accordingly.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Do you organize your day so that you can be productive? Are you following healthy habits that help fuel you, like eating right and getting enough sleep? How do you make decisions? These are all parts of successful behavior. You have to act successful in order to get there (or stay there).

5. “The universe doesn’t give you what you ask for with your thoughts, it gives you what you demand with your actions.” —Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Your thoughts matter, and they are an excellent place to start working on the law of attraction. However, they alone will not get you where you want to be. The universe will see the actions you are taking. You can demand what you want by aligning your thoughts and actions.

6. “Take action, wanting is not enough, act upon your goals. If somebody was watching your day-to-day behavior, would they be able to see what you’re working towards, what are your goals?, if the answer is no, fix it!.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Write a to-do list each day. Prioritize your time to get the tasks finished. There should be something you do everyday that is moving you closer to your goals. Imagine being an outsider looking at what you did today…not what you dreamt or said, but what you got up and DID. Check out this article for some tips on taking action.

7. “Intent reveals desire, action reveals commitment.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: You might want something. In fact, you might REALLY want something. However, wanting it is not enough. In order to actually get the thing you want, you are going to have to do something. Do you want whatever this is bad enough to wake up early and spend an extra hour working on it? Do you want it bad enough to sacrifice time with your friends? Action answers those questions.

8. “Action is the universal language of success.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: The definition of success differs for everyone. For some, it might be the ability to travel, for others it might be becoming a parent, and others might want fame and money. The thing that every success has in common is the action taken to get there. Don’t be afraid to take risks and go after your version of success.

9. “Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Do you have an internal or external locus of control? Answering this question will help you understand the difference in what you can control and what you can’t. One thing that you can control, though, is yourself. How hard are you going to work? What are you willing to give up in the short term to keep working on your goals? How much time will you spend on your dreams?

You will also enjoy our article on love yourself quotes.

Wise Dr. Steve Maraboli quotes

10. “I used to worry about the labels others placed on me until I realized my limitations weren’t coming from their labels but from my own.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: What other people think of you, or label you, is not your business. It doesn’t matter. The only limits that truly exist in our lives are the ones we place on ourselves. Start thinking that things are possible instead of impossible.

11. “Learn from your history, but don’t live in it.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: You can take all of your mistakes, past experiences, and challenges and examine them for lessons. Learn what you can from the experience, feel your feelings, but then you have to move on from that place. You can not live your life fully if the you are entrenched in the past.

12. “The road to success is always under construction.” —Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Success is not some mystical place at the end of a straight path. It is a journey that will require a lot from you. Success requires you to be adaptable, resilient, and hardworking. You must also believe in yourself. Then as you get going, just know that there will be “detours and construction” on your way.

13. “If you surround yourself with clowns, don’t be surprised when your life resembles a circus.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: If you are looking for a life that resembles a circus than surround yourself with clowns. Jim Rohn reminds us that we are the sum of the five people we spend the most time with. Clearly, the people in your circle matter. If you want your life to be a certain way, then learn to follow the people whose lives look similar. What are they doing? How do they spend their time? Where do they go to relax or learn?

14. “Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Letting go doesn’t always mean you just dismiss every feeling you had and pretend someone or something doesn’t exist. The reality is that they had an impact on you, and you will feel it. Now, feeling it is different than carrying it around with you every day like a boulder. You can set it down in and leave it there. Eventually, as you keep going it will get farther and farther behind you. Your destiny will be right in front of you, so don’t go back and pick up your boulder.

15. “Every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: This is a hard lesson to learn because we do not always see the results right away. Sometimes it is a long winding path. However, when you achieve your goals and dreams, and then trace back to not getting that thing you thought you wanted, you will be able to see exactly how it led you to where you are now. Keep believing and keep going despite those rejections.

16. “Don’t confuse poor decision-making with destiny. Own your mistakes. It’s ok; we all make them. Learn from them so they can empower you!” — Steve Maraboli

17. “The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.” — Steve Maraboli

18. “My mistakes have been my greatest mentors.” — Steve Maraboli

19. “The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go.” — Steve Maraboli

20. “Forget yesterday – it has already forgotten you. Don’t sweat tomorrow – you haven’t even met. Instead, open your eyes and your heart to a truly precious gift – today.” — Steve Maraboli

Inspiring Steve Maraboli quotes and sayings

21. “Let your courage inspire the world around you.” — Steve Maraboli

22. “Your greatest self has been waiting your whole life, don’t make it wait any longer.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: What are you capable of? Do you have any hidden talents you don’t know about? Are you not using the talents you do know about to their full capacity? You can accomplish so many things if you are willing to work toward them. Improve your skills, try new things, believe in yourself, and take the risk. Let your greatest self out!

23. “Sometimes the greatest thing to come out of all your hard work isn’t what you get for it, but what you become for it.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: You might not arrive at the destination you think you will, even after working hard. That might be disappointing, but it is important to recognize how the journey helped you grow. You are different than the you who started on this quest. You have learned, inspired others, and likely achieved great things.

24. “If you want to find happiness, find gratitude.” — Steve Maraboli

25. “With one kind gesture, you can change a life. One person at a time you can change the world. One day at a time we can change everything.” — Steve Maraboli

26. “I believe in the immeasurable power of love; that true love can endure any circumstance and reach across any distance.” — Steve Maraboli

27. “At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets.” — Steve Maraboli

28. “My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, or defeated me; it has only strengthened me.” — Steve Maraboli

29. “If you hang out with chickens, you’re going to cluck and if you hang out with eagles, you’re going to fly.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Jim Rohn reminds us that you are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with. What are the people around you doing? Are they grateful and focused on the positive or always complaining? Are they chasing after their dreams and inspiring others? Pick your inner circle carefully because their attitudes and behaviors will rub off on you.

30. “Your life is a reflection, you don’t get what you want, you get what you are. You gotta be it to see it.” — Steve Maraboli

31. “The strong-minded rise to the challenge of their goals and dreams. The weak-minded become haters.” — Steve Maraboli

32. “You’re awesome and designed for success, live this day accordingly.” — Steve Maraboli

33. “Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.” — Steve Maraboli

34. “Happiness is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them.” — Steve Maraboli

35. “Give freely, love fully, and play feverously. Don’t put so many conditioned rules on your happiness. Life can be a beautiful experience if we allow it.” — Steve Maraboli

Steve Maraboli quotes on love

36. “When I accept myself, I am free from the burden of needing you to accept me.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Loving yourself is essential to living a good life. It gives you the ability to believe in yourself and know your worth. Loving yourself also helps you not seek validation from others. You do not need the approval of anyone else to live your best life. Accept and love yourself and then go be the best version of yourself possible.

37. “Start shaping your own day. Start walking your own walk. This journey is yours, take charge of it. Stop giving other people the power to shape your life.” — Steve Maraboli

38. “Stop living within the confines of how others define you. You weren’t created to live their life, you were created to live yours, so live it, be unapologetically you.” — Steve Maraboli

39. “It is important that we forgive ourselves for making mistakes. We need to learn from our errors and move on.” — Steve Maraboli

40. “It is amazing how your life changes when you embrace the reality that you’re better than the life you’ve settled for.” — Steve Maraboli

Everyday Application: Have you settled for a job you hate because it pays the bills and you aren’t sure if you can do anything else? Are you in a relationship with someone who doesn’t treat you well, but you don’t think you will find someone who does? When you realize your own self worth and truly believe that you deserve better the universe will agree with you! Don’t let these things you have settled for keep you from the things you deserve.

Steve Maraboli quotes about following your dreams

41. “We may place blame, give reasons, and even have excuses, but in the end, it is an act of cowardice to not follow your dreams.” — Steve Maraboli

42. “You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose and to do it fearlessly.” — Steve Maraboli

43. “Life is a miracle. You are a unique expression of this purposeful miracle. Think of how great that makes you. Live big. You are not here to dwell within the basement of your potentiality.” — Steve Maraboli

44. “Be among the few who dare to follow their dreams.” — Steve Maraboli

More great Steve Maraboli quotes

45. “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” — Steve Maraboli

46. “There is no greater force for change than people inspired to live a better life.” — Steve Maraboli

47. “When you hold a grudge, you want someone else’s sorrow to reflect your level of hurt but the two rarely meet.” — Steve Maraboli

48. “The truth is, unless you let go unless you forgive yourself unless you forgive the situation unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” — Steve Maraboli

49. “Your life is a reflection, you don’t get what you want, you get what you are. You gotta be it to see it.” — Steve Maraboli

50. “Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.” — Steve Maraboli

What’s stopping you from following your dreams?

As far as we know, we’ve only got one life.

So why spend it without action?

These Steve Maraboli quotes both inspire and urge us to take action on our dreams because you deserve to live your best life.

Maraboli’s parents immigrated to America in order to give their children the best opportunity to find success.

Maraboli has found that success and has become a world-renowned author and coach and uses his platform to spread love and motivation so that others may achieve their dreams, too.

We hope you enjoyed these Steve Maraboli quotes and sayings.

Let us know you’re favorite quote in the comments below.