50 Best Hustle Quotes To Motivate and Inspire You to Get Things Done

Updated Jan 14, 2023.
hustle-quotes

Starting a business can be a whole lot of work. According to statistics, about 9 out of 10 startup enterprises fail. Sometimes, you might be tempted just to give up and go under the bridge. But it takes determination and commitment to get yourself together and keep moving. Your business cannot thrive if you are laid back and relaxed.

The world is challenging out there, and if you must survive, you must be challenging as well. This article shows you the 50 best powerful hustle quotes from real-life entrepreneurs and great leaders.

You will learn why it is essential to start your business and HOW to take actions that will empower you and your team in your startup. Even if you already have a 9-5 job and want to earn some extra income fast, you need these hustle quotes to motivate you to get started.

Potent Hustle Quotes To Start Your Business

01
“What you lack in talent can be made up with desire, hustle and giving 110% all the time.”
– Don Zimmer

Hustle is the driving force that pushes people to succeed no matter what. You have to develop an internal drive to succeed against all odds. The business world is not for the weak-minded; else, you will be crushed. Talent can only do little because the real effect comes from determination and hard work, which is what hustling is all about.

You can start by conducting thorough market research, identifying your target audience, and understanding what problem your business solves. You can also create a website to get started.

02
Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were.
– David Rockefeller

Starting a business and growing it to success is more than what we see in the movies. It requires you to train and discipline yourself. Hustling prepares you for new opportunities in taking your business far. You are not the only one with a great business idea. Only those who are determined to succeed turn their ideas into a reality.

You could have as many small business ideas as you want. But these ideas will never develop into something real if you never seize the opportunity and start something.

03
“Without hustle, talent will only carry you so far.”
– Gary Vaynerchuk (aka Gary Vee)

Everyone is talented, but not everyone has succeeded in making it big. Even the most talented person needs to work hard to be recognized. What value do you want your business to provide? How far do you want to go?

While it is impossible to achieve your goals overnight, you can set smaller smart goals like milestones to achieve. These smaller goals will get you closer to the bigger ones.

04
“It’s not about money or connections. It’s the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone when it comes to your business.”
– Mark Cuban

Growing a business is like raising a child. You nurture it and go out of your way to see it succeed. The hustler spirit comes out. It means you push past your breaking point, never quitting even when it seems you are going nowhere. You keep the dream alive. Business is all about putting all your cards (both good and bad) with a desire to win.

One of the top common skills of successful entrepreneurs is the growth mindset. They are willing to learn what they do not know to get what they want. Hustlers (or entrepreneurs) are not comfortable being in a single position for a long time. They are always looking for ways to grow and be better in what they do.

05
“Business opportunities are like buses: there’s always another one coming.”
— Richard Branson

There is no such thing as “opportunity comes but once.” Well, not in business. There are countless opportunities, especially network opportunities, but it takes a mind of hustle to utilize these opportunities. It is about recognizing what you want and going for it. The more you realize and use the opportunities coming your way, you are up on the ladder of success.

06
“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.”
— Estee Lauder

It is easy to dream. Everyone does it. But the real work comes in turning that dream into a reality. As you grow a business, you should bring out your hustler spirit. You don't sit around, waiting for things to happen. You go out there to make it happen. You can only achieve success by identifying what you want and going for it.

07
“We have a strategic plan. It’s called doing things.”
— Herb Kelleher, Co-founder of Southwest Airlines.

Everything you do in business is a strategy to succeed. Successful business professionals set up actionable strategies to help them achieve their goals. Your startup business has a long way to go before it rub shoulders with the top brands.

The business world is like a big ocean where the tiny fishes struggle to get noticed. Your primary goal as a startup business owner is to figure out intelligent ways to solve problems and provide value to your customers. This is what sets you apart from your competitors. It's not about being busy; it is about being productive. Create a vision board for your business and get started with making your dream a reality.

08
“Hustle beats talent when talent doesn’t hustle”
– Ross Simmonds

Hustling involves working with a vision, whereas talent is mainly for entertainment. Not everyone knows how to use their talent alone to become successful.

Everybody is talented. Some are even more talented than you are. But that is not your selling point because nobody really cares about talent as much as they care for hard work and determination. Your talent is just the tip of the big package. Do you want your business to stand out? Go beyond talent. Show people your value.

09
“No risk. No reward.”
—Hustle Inspires Hustle

Hustling is all about taking risks stepping out of your comfort zone. You want to attain financial freedom, but your 9-5 salary makes it seem impossible ever to do so. The next step is to up your high-income skills and get a side hustle to support this dream. You are taking a considerable risk. Without it, you cannot achieve your goals. It will not be easy to handle, but this is where the strength of your hustling spirit comes in. Be prepared to take your chances.

10
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
– Arthur Ashe

You can never achieve something by simply wishing for it, except in a Disney Fairytale. Unfortunately, life is not a fairy tale. Success cannot happen from wishes alone. It comes from taking the bold step to start, even if you do not have the resources yet. You start from the little you have and work it. As you do so, more extensive opportunities will come your way. So rather than sitting around and making wishes that will not come true, get up with what you have and start doing.

11
“Those on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.”
— Vince Lombardi

You cannot achieve success overnight. Every great person you see, especially in your niche, didn’t stumble upon greatness. They worked for it, hustling day and night. Don't compare yourself to them. Instead, follow in their footsteps and let their lessons guide you. One day, you will also inspire another starter.

12
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The next best thing is the wrong thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”
— Theodore Roosevelt

A true hustler is a go-getter. You set yourself up for success when you decide to take action. It is more than just having a dream or a vision and doing nothing about it. Every day is a new chance to take action and get productive. You lay out strategies on how you will tackle each day's tasks. At the end of the day, you will see results.

The hustle spirit is very contagious. When your employees or business partners see your drive and determination to succeed, they are motivated to follow suit.

13
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
— Aristotle

Consistency is a crucial ingredient to success. Being consistent means being true to what you believe, even in challenging situations. You cannot fake it. This is where the strength of your zeal is tested. True hustlers always think about new ways to upgrade and improve their skills and products. They aim for excellence, which always puts them a step ahead of others.

14
“Nothing changes if nothing changes.”
— Courtney C. Stevens

One of the primary ingredients to success is action. You cannot achieve your goals without taking action. Starting up a business requires your time, energy, and resources. If you want to succeed in your business and step out of mediocrity, you must be ready to put in your best.

Over a hundred marketers are probably more experienced than you are. But your determination and focus on success are what make you even more qualified than they are.

15
“Leave the distracted masses to join the focused few.”
– Cal Newport

There are so many distractions to overcome, especially in the first steps you take in starting your business. It might take a while to get your feet solid.

16
“A penguin cannot become a giraffe, so just be the best penguin you can be.”
– Gary Vaynerchuk

Find what your business is about and make the best out of it in everything you do. Each brand has its identity. Coca-cola and Pepsi may be similar, but their brand identity is different. Discover your business's true identity and be the best in the game. It is only then you will be satisfied. You cannot compare your growth to another's. You will only cause yourself to fall into the trap of overthinking if you do that.

17
“Quit talking, start doing.”
– Walt Disney

When you take action, you change things. Changing things for your good gives you a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. You will be surprised at how much you can achieve when you are committed to “doing” rather than just “talking.” You take note of your inner strengths and limitations. You know when to seek help and when you draw the line. Hustling allows you to understand the growth process.

18
“There's no elevator to success.”
– Zig Ziglar

There is no more leisurely route to success except good planning, determination, and hard work. Success is a result of hard work. But it cannot be reached if you don't follow the process. The process is what gets you through and shapes your abilities. This is the process of hustling.

It is not enough to read business books or know the latest marketing statistics. What really matters is that you are putting your knowledge to good use. The actions you take in growing your business activate the information you have gathered. You will be able to identify what works and what doesn't.

19
“If you want to go big, stop thinking small.”
– Adnan Qadri

Your actions are a reflection of your thoughts. If you want to do more, be more, and achieve more, you must think bigger. Open up your mind to seeing new opportunities.

Real hustlers are those who are willing and ready to push past their comfort zone. They have identified the ultimate goal and are ready to go for it. Your first actions begin with your thoughts. How big is your imagination? Your actions create a habit, and your habits determine if you can achieve success or not.

20
“3 months from now, you will thank yourself.”
– Anonymous

The results of your hard work and labor do not happen immediately. It takes time to see results, but whatever you do, always remember that your actions have consequences. The best time to take action was five years ago; the second-best time is now so you can see your results and how far you have gone.

21
“Some people want it to happen, some people wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
— Michael Jordan

The only people that ever cause change are the ones who make it happen. Over a hundred intelligent people have the same brilliant business ideas as you. But it is the one who initiates the idea and makes it a reality first or does something more valuable with the most recognized idea. So even if someone has already started your business idea, you can still create the same business but even better.

22
“Do something instead of killing time because time is killing you.”
– Paulo Coelho

A famous saying goes, “Time waits for no one.” This statement is very true, even in business. A real hustler is proactive. He is always ahead of time. The world is changing with time. This is the time to stay updated and keep doing more. You cannot afford to be reactive.

The more you are reactive, the more your business suffers. You become late for the harvest. While you are busy starting and growing your business, be productive.

23
“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of, ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.”
— Marissa Mayer

There is no perfect time to start your business — whether it is starting an online store, setting up your blog, or you want to sell online courses. You can never be “fully” ready to start, so you might as well go in for it and start anyway.

Through hard work, determination, and a good plan, you will learn all there is to learn about the business. The growth journey is pleasing and filled with many discoveries about yourself and what direction to take.

24
“Being a boss takes guts and tenacity. Being a boss takes hustle and strength. Getting to the level of a boss takes hard work.”
— Rachel Hollis

The boss is the one most recognized and most respected. No decision is ever made without the approval of the boss. But what people do not understand is that it takes courage, sacrifice, and strong will to be a boss.

Excellence takes hard work. Being a boss means being exceptionally good at what you do. It means you are an expert in what you do. You motivate your team and see the bigger picture. You are proactive and very calculative. Your business needs your strength and zeal to succeed.

25
“If you’re not willing to risk the usual, you’ll have to settle for the ordinary.”
— Jim Rohn

Owning a business involves a lot of risk-taking. It doesn't matter what industry or niche market your business serves. Everything is all about taking risks. But that is where the path to success lies. You cannot be extraordinary if you cannot take the risk and step out of the ordinary.

The thing with avoiding risks is that you end up being like everybody else. You are stuck in the loop of mediocrity. However, every new opportunity at growth is a risk itself. You are not sure of the outcome, but you go anyway. You learn from your mistakes, but you won't stop taking smart risks. That is the spirit of a true hustler on his way to success.

26
“Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.”
–Oprah Winfrey

Real success comes to those who love to embrace challenges. Because a real hustler is a go-getter, he is not satisfied with being comfortable. There is always a new height to achieve. As you become satisfied with comfortability, you can lose motivation and become satisfied with mediocrity. The standards are constantly changing.

Top businesses are always on their toes to maintain positions at the top. If they let their guards down, the consequences will be severe. Learn to embrace challenges by getting up and taking action.

27
“All our dreams can come true if we dare to pursue them.”
— Walt Disney

Your business goals are achievable when you layout action plans on how to accomplish them. All it takes is proper planning and execution. As you fill up your planning board put each plan into action; you will see results.

Your business dream might seem quite impossible or too overwhelming, but this is when your willpower to succeed comes in. Remember that great entrepreneurs are ordinary people with big dreams who went out to hustle and make a change.

28
“If you want to achieve anything in life, you have to be willing to do the work. To do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
—Stephanie Fleming, co-founder of The Happy Planner

There is no excuse for failure. Only losers look for excuses. The excuse bank is never empty because there are over a thousand reasons available for failure. However, hustlers do not believe in giving excuses. If you dream and all you have are excuses to back it up, your dream only remains a dream, never a reality.

29
“When it comes to creativity in business, live without fear. The only reason Love Wellness is working is that I have never doubted my vision for how women want to experience wellness, not for a single moment.”
— Lo Bosworth, founder and CEO of Love Wellness

As a business owner ( about-to-be business owner), what is your vision for your brand? Do you believe in your vision? It is one thing to have a vision, and it is another thing to believe in it. How well do you believe in the “big picture”?

30
“Twenty years from now, you’ll be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did.”
–Mark Twain

It is better to try and fail than not to try at all. However, if you never take action, you may never know what it feels like to learn from your mistakes or accomplish something great.

It is possible to have many doubts when you launch your business. In fact, it is widespread to have doubts or some nervousness. You may second-guess your strategies or overthink the future outcome. None of these matters. What indeed matters are the actions you take. Not doing anything at all is worse than doing something and failing at it.

31
“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”
– Stephen King

It's easy to see talent. Just walk into the streets, and you will see nothing less than ten talented people. But not all of them are successful. This is because success isn't a result of talent. Take a look at most of the top successful brands in any industry. They are not the best in their field, but their hard work sets them apart. Even though they are at the top, they still work really hard.

A perfect example is Starbucks. It is not the best coffee in the market but is one of the most popular and biggest coffee brands. Success is simply a result of consistent, clever work and determination.

32
“To achieve something that you have never achieved before, you must become someone that you have never been before.”
– Les Brown

Starting a real business is a huge step you have not taken before. The future of that business is uncertain, but you are eager to find out how far you can go. It is not possible to figure it all out before you start. But as you go and grow, the vision gets more precise and more strategic, and your actions are more defined.

33
“I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.”
–Thomas Edison

For the hustler, failure is never an option. As a business owner, you need to develop a hustling spirit and a strong entrepreneurial mindset. It is a crazy world outside, especially in business. There are many competitors out there, and each one targets the same audience as you. You do not stand a chance in the competitive ring without the hustle spirit.

34
“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.”
— Jimmy Johnson

Hustling means identifying what you want and going after it. Everyone can have an idea, but those who own the idea went after it. True hustling never allows you to settle for less. Going for the big dive in business shifts you from point A to point B, then to point C, and further till you achieve your goal.

Your habits improve when you focus on your business goals. For example, the major obstacle in your business could be marketing, financing, or hiring extra hands. The first significant step to solving the problem is by taking action. Not taking action puts you at the risk of serving ordinary products or rendering ordinary services. All the top businesses in your niche have one thing in common — they went out of their way to do something extraordinary.

35
“All entrepreneurship really is, is coming up with an idea, and then having a lot of hustle and just doing it.”
— Amy Nelson, founder and CEO, The Riveter

Entrepreneurship is not for the weak-minded: it requires your blood, sweat, and tears. Hustling is the bridge that connects your dreams to reality. You shouldn't stand a business based on assumptions. You have to research, take action, make mistakes, learn from your mistakes, and restrategize. It is a whole crazy rollercoaster ride.

36
“You settle for less, you get less.”
— Brandi L. Bates

Your success depends on what you choose. Decisions are not just made in mind but also in actions too. So whatever you decide, let your actions amplify it.

37
“He who is outside his door has the hardest part of his journey behind him.”
— Dutch Proverb

In general, just like life, the most challenging part of starting a business is taking the first step. Yes, you can decide to take the first step. But simply deciding to do something is not actually “doing” it. Instead, doing it happens when you take the first step, followed by the next, then the next, and it keeps going like that.

38
“Things may come to those who wait…but only the things left by those who hustle.”
– Abraham Lincoln

Growing a small business is almost as challenging as starting it. It takes a lot of sacrifices. But all your efforts are never in vain because there is always something to learn. Something is always better than nothing, no matter the size of the “something.”

Those who wait for things to happen will only end at the bottom of the ladder. The real strong ones go out there to make things happen instead of sitting and waiting for things to happen.

39
“All the so-called ‘secrets of success’ will not work unless you do.”
– Jaymin Shah

The only secrets to success are relentless hard work and determination. Starting up a business requires creating a good business plan, strategizing your mode of operation, and sourcing your target audience. Of course, the digital age has made it easier to perform these tasks. But these tasks can never be completed if you don't take action.

40
“Give your dreams all you’ve got, and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.”
– William James

As you set your mind to accomplish more, you reduce your chances of failing. However, failure is inevitable, especially when starting your business. Failing opens your mind to discovering new ways to solve a problem or achieve a goal. Being afraid to fail means you are afraid to take risks and maximize your full potential.

41
“Destiny is for losers. It’s just a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen.”
– Blair Waldorf

Life will never give you what you want. It is not designed like that. By default, life will only give you what it wants. So if you want something, you go for it, not waiting for destiny to happen.

42
“You can’t have a million-dollar dream with a minimum-wage work ethic.”
– Stephen C. Hogan

Hustling to improve your skills, and be better at what you do, allows you to rethink your habits and analyze your work ethics. Are you proud of your work ethic? Are they capable of helping you achieve your business goals?

In building your company, you can be under a lot of stress. Stress is inevitable because it comes from challenges. Challenges are a way to test your willpower. Most people give up after a while, but only a few stay until the end.

43
“Many people think they want things, but they don’t really have the strength, the discipline. They are weak. I believe that you get what you want if you want it badly enough.”
– Sophia Loren

Your actions form your future. Whether you take action or not, there will always be a five years later. Now, it is up to you to form how you want your business to be in 5 years. Thanks to technology, your business can never be in a position with the ever-evolving market. It is either moving forward or backward.

44
“If a man is called a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and Earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’”
– Martin Luther King, Jr

Everything worth doing is worth doing well. Take pride in what you do. Excellence comes to those who boldly reach out for it. The trick to success is to aim for excellence, not perfection. Perfection is a facade that failures create so they don't have to work. Your work is perfect when you are excellent at it.

45
”Greatness only comes before hustle in the dictionary”
— Ross Simmonds

Nobody, absolutely nobody, was ever born great. Every great entrepreneur you see out there worked so hard to earn their spot. They had a vision, studied the market, went out there to try, failed, and kept trying till they eventually made it. These entrepreneurs didn't wait for greatness to come; they went out to get it.

Now, it's your turn to achieve greatness. Hustling is not for the mediocre mindset, who hates work and is afraid of risks. Being courageous to take more risks opens more opportunities for you. The more opportunities you take on, the closer you are to greatness.

46
“Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.”
– Swami Sivananda

Every business has the potential of becoming the next big thing. But for this to become a reality rests on you (the business owner) and your trusted team (employees or business partners). Every action matters, irrespective of the effect it has. Your actions and determination to succeed motivate your team to follow the vision.

47
“Good things happen to those who hustle.”
– Anais Nin

Opportunities come in their numbers for those who are prepared. You have paved the way for success to come through. How prepared are you to launch your business? Being prepared simply has to do with determination and hard work.

Successful entrepreneurs do not complain about circumstances. Instead, they go out to ensure that the circumstances are turned in their favor. These entrepreneurs see opportunities in everything.

48
“Destiny is for losers. It’s just a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen.”
– Blair Waldorf

Life will never give you what you want. It is not designed like that. By default, life will only give you what it wants. So if you want something, you go for it, not waiting for destiny to happen.

49
“Never let go of that fiery sadness called desire.”
– Patti Smith

Your desire to succeed is your will to succeed. If you lose your desire, then you have lost your motivation. Always remind yourself of your vision and what motivates you to do better.

Your goal shouldn't be to “make money.” Making money is too broad. Instead, be specific on what you want to achieve. It is easy to lose interest when your goals are not defined.

50
“Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer.”
– Marica Wieder

The bolder you are to take more actions, the closer you get to your dreams. You feel more energized when you see progress, no matter how little it may be. If you are not seeing any progress, it means you are probably doing something wrong. Don't quit. Instead, go back to your planning map and restrategize.

Your dream business will not start unless you go for it. It needs your strength and commitment to survive. Don’t ever quit because “quitters never win and winners never quit.”

Launch Your Business

A lot of thoughts go into starting up a business. Whether it is a full-time business or a side business to support your other job, there are always doubts about launching. However, if you don't try, you may never know how far you would have gone if you did, which is a very painful regret.

Keep reading these hustle quotes every day to motivate yourself into taking the necessary actions required to get your business started. Meditate on them, and your actions will motivate your partners or employees to follow suit.

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Anastasia Belyh

Editor at FounderJar

Anastasia has been a professional blogger and researcher since 2014. She loves to perform in-depth software reviews to help software buyers make informed decisions when choosing project management software, CRM tools, website builders, and everything around growing a startup business.

Anastasia worked in management consulting and tech startups, so she has lots of experience in helping professionals choosing the right business software.