New years are a great time to reflect on past goals, and set new ones. Maybe you accomplished all of your 2019 goals– and maybe you didn’t. This post is about accepting that this is OK, and not to dwell on the failures. Today I’d like to share 30 quotes about not being perfect, and share motivational words that may inspire your plans for 2020.
Maybe you have goals this year to lose weight, or take your health more seriously. Maybe you’d like to start that business you’ve always dreamed of, or say good-bye to bad habits. Maybe you have career goals in mind, and a promotion you’ve had your eyes on.
Whatever your reasons, I hope these quotes about not being perfect give you comfort. I didn’t accomplish all of my 2019 goals, but I did accomplish some. Let’s spend this January celebrating the wins of last year, and not dwelling too much on the failures. Because in the end none of us are perfect, and perfection in anything should never be the goal.
All we can do is keep trying our best. So if you only make one promise for 2020, let it be to simply try your best! And to look towards the future with optimism.
Quotes About Not Being Perfect
“My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents.”
“Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20.”
“There’s no need to be perfect to inspire others. Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.”
“Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.“
I like these quotes about not being perfect because they remind me not to take life so seriously. We are all imperfect, and we all fail. In fact, more often than not failure is a prerequisite to success. The next quotes about not being perfect I’d like to share have to do with how we face our failures.
Motivational Words About Dealing With Failure & Hard Times
“Fall down 7 times, stand up 8.“
“You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.“
“There are two kinds of days: Good days and character builders.”
“‘Failing in life is inevitable—staying down is optional.’”
“It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can GET hit, and KEEP moving forward.“
“At any given point you have the power to say ‘This is not how my story is going to end.’”
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
“The only difference between an ordeal and an adventure is your attitude.”
“You can learn a lot from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.”
“Never let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad life.“
“Toss your hair in a bun, drink some coffee, put on some gangsta rap and handle it.”
I like these motivational words a lot. Yes failure happens, but what’s more important is what we do about it, and the attitudes we hold about it. So you didn’t accomplish all your 2019 new years resolutions– is this how your story ends? Did you give up or are you still looking at the stars?
Also I added that last quote as a bit of a joke, but I still think it has some good advice! Only my version looks more like: Toss my hair in a braid, drink some green tea, blast some K-pop and handle it!
Quotes About Not Being Perfect & Facing Fears
“Relax. Nothing is under control.“
“Courage does not roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow.‘”
“A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.“
“Feel the fear. Do it anyway.“
“In order to accomplish anything in life you must risk failing completely and spectacularly.“
“Be brave. If you are not brave, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.“
“Just go for it– and you will never have to ask what if.”
When we set a goal for ourselves, and fall short of that goal, it can be really demoralizing. Fear of failing again or disappointing others can keep us stuck in our comfort zones, afraid to try again. But at the same time we can choose to take a different path. After all, facing our fears helps us grow.
Motivational Words About Going After What You Want
“Don’t spend your life waiting for the cool part to start.“
“You cannot “find yourself.” It’s your responsibility to create yourself.“
“We are all stories. Make yours a good one.“
“You do not always get a second chance. Do it now or do it never.“
“Do it with passion, or not at all.”
“Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life.“
A few years ago I began reading books about Stoic Philosophy and it really resonated with me. One of their main messages is to always remember how short our lives really are; how precious our limited time is.
What do you want to go after in 2020? What goal do you want to meet? Don’t put it off until tomorrow, because tomorrow may never come! Figure out what you want for yourself and get passionate about it. You got this!
Motivational Words & Beautiful Quotes About Being Human
“Difficult things are not bad. They are just difficult.”
“A willingness to let go is life’s most mature virtue. Let go. Let go. Let go.“
“Always be open to the possibility you could be wrong.”
“Let your past make you better, not bitter.“
“Mind your thoughts, as they become your words. Mind your words, as they become your actions. Mind your actions, as they become you.”
“You can miss a lot of good things in life by having the wrong attitude.”
“You are the only one responsible for your own happiness.”
“You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world. But there will always be someone who hates peaches.“
“Character is what you are when no one is looking.“
I like these “nobody is perfect quotes” because they can apply to a lot of different situations in life. Whatever happened last year that got you down, sad, frustrated, or angry… let it go. Don’t take it into the new year with you.
In the end though, motivational words are just that– words. It’s up to us to do the actual work on making our next day better than the last. Our next year better than the previous!
Motivational Words About Life
“I’ve had such a wonderful life. I only wish I’d realized it sooner.”
“When you have a bad day, a really bad day, try and treat the world better than it treated you.”
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.“
“Love your life or change it.“
“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
“One day you will just be a memory for some people. Try to be a good one.”
Applying Quotes About Not Being Perfect To Your Actual Life
I like these final motivational words for a variety of reasons. Some of them help me remember that even though the previous year may not have been all I wanted it to be, there are still so many blessings to be thankful for.
These motivational words help me remember to just do the best I can, to handle both the good and bad moments in life with grace.
Finally, these quotes about not being perfect, or life not being perfect, help me realize the bigger picture. It’s not always about how much we achieve in life; or what goals we crush or get crushed by.
Throughout your journey, the ups and downs, remember to always be kind to yourself. But also, perhaps equally important, be kind to others too.
