Home » Blog » Positive Living » Health and Wellness » Life Advice » Managing Life Changes » 9 Inspirational Graduation Quotes

9 Inspirational Graduation Quotes

Graduation speeches offer inspiration to everyone, even those who are not receiving a diploma. Whether or not you’re a graduate, we hope these inspirational quotes from famous commencement speeches will bring you encouragement and motivation.

A silhouetted figure being pulled up to the sky by a large amount of balloons.

1 of 9

“Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.”

— Conan O’ Brien (Dartmouth College, 2011)


Close up of green leaves.

2 of 9

“The ‘uh-oh’ moments are worth cherishing just as much as ‘ah-ha’ moments: Mistakes, failures, embarrassments and disappointments are a necessary component of growing wise.”

— Sonia Sotomayor (University of Rhode Island, 2016)

Popular products

Art depicting colorful hands reaching up

3 of 9

“The world is such a gloriously multifaceted, diverse place that there are people in the world who will like you, the real you, as you are.”

— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Wellesley College, 2015)


A stack of various textbooks with a diploma resting on one of them and a graduation cap on top.

4 of 9

“This is your time and it feels normal to you but really there is no normal. There’s only change, and resistance to it and then more change.”

— Meryl Streep (Barnard College, 2010)


A bright orange dart on the bullseye of a dartboard.

5 of 9

“Trust your gut, keep throwing darts at the dartboard. Don’t listen to the critics and you will figure it out.”

— Will Ferrell (University of Southern California, 2017)


A pixel rendering of a silhouetted figure looking up into the night sky.

6 of 9

“We do not need magic to transform our world, we carry everything we need inside ourselves already, we have the power to imagine better.”

— J.K. Rowling (Harvard University, 2008)


A group of diverse students in front of a chalkboard holding colorful communication bubbles.

7 of 9

“Engage and inspire, whether on an individual level or loudly within your communities. Talk about your accomplishments. It’s very important. Be humble, but not too humble. Don’t be invisible.”

— Pharrell Williams (New York University, 2017)

Popular products

Graduates in cap and gown attending their commencement.

8 of 9

“You can go slow. Allow your dreams and goals to change, but live an intentional life.”

— Kumail Nanjiani (Grinnell College, 2017)


A swimming expert diving underwater as sunlight pours through.

9 of 9

“When life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, find the surface and breathe again.”

— Sheryl Sandberg (University of California, Berkeley, 2016)

Share this story

Walking with Jesus Advent Christmas 2024 Right Rail Ad

Community Newsletter

Get More Inspiration Delivered to Your Inbox

Donate to change a life together

Scroll to Top