Need a Little Lift? — Revisit the 40+ Most Inspirational Movie Quotes of All Time

As Nicole Kidman says before each movie begins at an AMC theater, “We come to AMC theaters to laugh, to cry, to care…and we go somewhere we’ve never been before; not just entertained, but somehow reborn. Together.” She dazzles us in that sequined silver jumpsuit and does her best to conquer the cheesiness of the commercial with sincerity, but it’s a tough gig (and nearly a lost cause). It’s corny.  It’s laughable. It’s over the top…but it’s true. 

Movies have a way of inspiring us, lifting us up when all hope seems lost…of transporting us to a world where our problems fade to the periphery and the story before us is all that exists. With great performances and great narratives, we leave the theater transformed. And often, that transformative experience comes down to the inspirational quotes scattered throughout some of our favorite films. So, let’s dive into the most inspirational movie quotes of all time. 

“Life is not about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” – Rocky Balboa, Rocky

“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

“To infinity and beyond!” – Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story

“Just keep swimming.” – Dory, Finding Nemo

“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” – Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street

“You are who you choose to be.” – Hogarth Hughes, The Iron Giant

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” – Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption

“Remember, with great power comes great responsibility.” – Uncle Ben, Spider-Man

“Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.” – Benjamin Button, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” – John Keating, Dead Poets Society

“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.” – Eames, Inception

“It’s not about how much you love, but how much you are loved by others.” – Wizard of Oz, The Wizard of Oz

“I figure life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it.” – Jack Dawson, Titanic

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt, Night at the Museum

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” – The Emperor, Mulan

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump, Forrest Gump

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” – Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot, The Incredible Hulk

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, to draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” – The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

“The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.” – John Connor, Terminator 2: Judgment Day

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs, Jobs

“Life is trying things to see if they work.” – Ray Bradbury, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

“The greatest teacher, failure is.” – Yoda, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

“Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” – Alfred Pennyworth, Batman Begins

“Every man dies, but not every man really lives.” – William Wallace, Braveheart

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” – Nelson Mandela, Invictus

“Don’t let anyone ever make you feel like you don’t deserve what you want.” – Patrick Verona, 10 Things I Hate About You

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh

“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” – Galadriel, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

“Great men are not born great, they grow great.” – Mario Puzo, The Godfather

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill, The Darkest Hour

“You have to believe in yourself. That’s the secret.” – Charlie Chaplin, The Circus

“Life’s too short to miss out on being really happy.” – Daphne, The Princess Diaries

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

“Every moment in life is a fresh beginning.” – Julia Roberts, Eat Pray Love

“Don’t ever let somebody tell you you can’t do something, not even me.” – Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness

Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” – Rafiki, The Lion King

“Get busy living, or get busy dying.” – Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption

“Some people can’t believe in themselves until someone else believes in them first.” – Sean Maguire, Good Will Hunting

“All we need is a little bit of courage and a little bit of grace.” – Erin Brockovich, Erin Brockovich

“Life is not the amount of breaths you take. It’s the moments that take your breath away.” – Hitch, Hitch

“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.” – Batman, Batman Begins