Ever feel like you're in the ring with life and it just keeps throwing punches? Some days it’s a struggle just to get out of bed. Other days old habits creep back in or motivation just vanishes. I get it. We all face battles. Big ones small ones and the ones that feel like they’ll never end. GoodExistence.com founder Stephen Montagne knows this fight well. He battled gaming binge eating drinking and laziness. He fought to lose over 110 pounds. He continues to fight for a balanced productive life rooted in faith. This journey isn’t about never falling. It’s about finding the strength to get back up. Sometimes a few powerful words can be the hand that helps us rise.
Why Words Have Power
It might sound simple but the right words at the right time can change everything. Think about it. A well-chosen quote can feel like a friend’s advice. It can offer a new perspective when you’re stuck in a rut. It can be a spark of light in a dark moment. These are not just nice sayings. They are distilled wisdom from people who have walked through fire and come out stronger. They remind us we are not alone in our struggles. They give us a mental foothold. For Stephen finding encouraging words and scriptures was a key part of strengthening his Christian Orthodox faith. This faith became a bedrock providing him with purpose and resilience when challenges felt overwhelming. Words helped him reframe his thoughts from "I can't" to "I can through Him who strengthens me."
25 Quotes to Fuel Your Fight
Here are 25 quotes to carry with you. Let them be your armor your encouragement and your reminder that you are stronger than you think.
- "The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it." – C.C. Scott
- This is a great reminder that our inner core is tough.
- "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." – Confucius
- Stephen’s 110-pound weight loss didn't happen overnight. It was about consistent small steps not speed. Every little bit of progress in breaking free from binge eating or laziness counted.
- "Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths." – Arnold Schwarzenegger
- "Fall seven times stand up eight." – Japanese Proverb
- This perfectly captures resilience. Every time an old habit like excessive gaming tried to pull Stephen back he had to choose to stand up again.
- "You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength." – Marcus Aurelius
- "The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places." – Ernest Hemingway
- "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." – Friedrich Nietzsche
- Finding purpose through faith gave Stephen a powerful 'why' to overcome unhealthy habits and build a meaningful life. What's your 'why'?
- "Our greatest glory is not in never failing but in rising up every time we fail." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- "Do not pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one." – Bruce Lee
- This echoes Stephen's journey of seeking God's strength not an escape from challenges when he was quitting smoking or fighting off lethargy.
- "I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become." – Carl Jung
- "The best way out is always through." – Robert Frost
- Facing laziness or the desire to drink meant pushing through discomfort not avoiding it.
- "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." – Christopher Reeve
- "It's not the load that breaks you down it's the way you carry it." – Lou Holtz
- "Courage isn't having the strength to go on. It is going on when you don't have strength." – Napoléon Bonaparte
- Some days motivation is zero. That’s when pure grit and leaning on your 'why' gets you through. Stephen recalls many days during his weight loss where he simply didn't 'feel like it' but did it anyway.
- "Turn your wounds into wisdom." – Oprah Winfrey
- "The oak fought the wind and was broken. The willow bent when it must and survived." – Robert Jordan (from The Wheel of Time)
- Sometimes strength is flexibility not rigidity. Being adaptable helped Stephen find a balanced lifestyle.
- "Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems." – Gever Tulley
- "You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." – Margaret Thatcher
- Overcoming ingrained habits like smoking or unhealthy eating patterns often involves multiple attempts. Don't get discouraged. Each attempt teaches you something.
- "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain." – Vivian Greene
- "The harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph." – Thomas Paine
- "Believe you can and you’re halfway there." – Theodore Roosevelt
- Self-belief is huge. It was crucial for Stephen when he started his health journey. He had to believe he could change.
- "We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey." – Kenji Miyazawa
- "Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life." – J.K. Rowling
- Sometimes our lowest points force us to build something new and stronger as Stephen did when he decided to transform his life.
- "When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer never give up then for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn." – Harriet Beecher Stowe
Turning Quotes into Action
These quotes are powerful. But they are most powerful when you use them. Don’t just read them and forget. Make them part of your daily fight.
First pick a few that really speak to you. Write them on sticky notes. Put them on your mirror your desk or your phone's wallpaper. Seeing them regularly helps.
Next try saying them out loud. Hearing the words can make them feel more real. Use them as affirmations especially when you feel doubt creeping in.
Then take time to reflect on them. When you’re facing a challenge which quote comes to mind? How can its wisdom guide your actions? Stephen found that meditating on scripture and positive affirmations helped him build a productive routine. He focused on short bursts of deep work usually 2-4 hours and made sure to celebrate small wins through daily gratitude. These quotes can be part of those small wins just by remembering and applying them.
Finally share them. If a quote helps you it might help someone else. Talk about what inspires you and connect with others on their journey.
Keep Fighting Your Good Fight
Life will always have its challenges. There will always be something to fight for or fight against. Whether it's a bad habit a difficult circumstance or simply the daily grind of striving for a better version of yourself remember you have an inner warrior. Stephen’s journey from unhealthy habits to a balanced life built on faith and purpose wasn't a straight line. It was filled with daily choices to keep fighting. He learned to celebrate small victories practice daily gratitude and find strength in his closer relationship with God. These quotes are here to remind you of your own strength your resilience and your ability to overcome.
So what’s one small step you can take today to fuel your fight? Maybe it’s choosing one quote from this list to focus on this week. Whatever it is take that step. You’ve got this.
