Maya Angelou Quotes – Wisdom and Inspiration

You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.

Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.

I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.

Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.

A wise woman wishes to be no one’s enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone’s victim.

Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible.

I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.

If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

Maya Angelou Quotes – Wisdom and Inspiration part 2

I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.

When you learn, teach. When you get, give.

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.

I work very hard, and I play very hard. I’m grateful for life. And I live it – I believe life loves the liver of it. I live it.

I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that’s how I operate my life.

A woman’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.

In diversity, there is beauty and there is strength.

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.

If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down.

It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

I don’t trust people who don’t love themselves and tell me, ‘I love you.’ … There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt.

If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love.

Success is loving life and daring to live it!

You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.

Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Invite one to stay.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time.

The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.

I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.

Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but it has not solved one yet.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.

Nothing will work unless you do.