30 Quotes About Goals and Goal Setting

I used to set goals just to feel like I was making progress—then I’d get stuck, frustrated, and quit. Sound familiar?

We all want to change something. Get healthier, save money, quit a bad habit, find purpose. But setting goals that actually move us forward? That’s tough. Especially when life pulls us in five different directions, and motivation comes and goes like the wind.

I used to be stuck in some seriously unhealthy loops—binging on food, stuck in a gaming cycle, barely moving my body. I’d tell myself, “Tomorrow I’ll change.” But it wasn’t until I lost over 110 pounds, quit smoking, ditched the video games, and started walking with God that I realized the truth.

Goals don’t change your life. Daily actions do.

Still, the right kind of goal—paired with clarity, small steps, and faith—can be a powerful guide. Sometimes we need a short boost to get going. A new way to look at things. A fresh reminder that we’re not alone.

So here’s something that’s helped me again and again: quotes.

Simple words from wise people can stir your heart and wake you up. Below are 30 handpicked quotes about goals and goal setting—ones that lit a fire inside me when I felt stuck or off track.

To make it even more helpful, I’ve broken them into themes and added a few notes to connect them to real-life stuff you can use right now.

Take what resonates. Then set one small goal today—and get moving.

Motivation to Begin

You don’t need to have it all figured out. Just take the first step.

1. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
   Something I tell myself before any big change. I didn’t know how I’d lose 110 pounds, but I committed to walking 10 minutes a day. That was the start.

2. “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” – Karen Lamb
   This one stings in the best way. If you’re waiting for the perfect time, stop. The perfect time is now.

3. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain
   Even if it’s messy or awkward, start. Make the call, write the first page, take the walk.

4. “Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.” – Simon Sinek
   Don't overwhelm yourself with the dream—focus on the next step.

Discipline and Consistency

You won’t always feel motivated. That’s why discipline matters.

5. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
   If you want to change your life, change what you do every day. I stopped asking “How can I lose weight?” and started asking, “What can I do every morning to move toward it?”

6. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier
   This is what it looked like for me: planning meals, walking after dinner, tossing junk food. One step after another.

7. “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten.” – Bill Gates
   Big results take time. You might not see much after a week. Stick with it anyway.

8. “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” – Abraham Lincoln
   Every donut or skipped workout was a choice. This quote helped me see which was the better one.

Faith and Inner Strength

Sometimes goals aren’t about results. They’re about becoming someone new.

9. “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” – Proverbs 16:3
   When I started aligning my goals with God’s vision for my life, everything changed. It wasn’t just about looking better—it became about living with purpose.

10. “With God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26
    There were so many moments I didn’t think I’d make it. Faith carried me through.

11. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13
    Reading this daily helped me face the temptation to give up.

12. “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.” – Zechariah 4:10
    Every habit starts small. Every victory starts invisible.

Clarity and Focus

You can’t hit a target you can’t see.

13. “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins
    When I wrote down my goals—physically wrote them down—they became real.

14. “If you chase two rabbits, you will catch neither.” – Russian Proverb
    Focus on one habit or area of your life at a time. Trying to change everything at once is a trap.

15. “Goals are dreams with deadlines.” – Diana Scharf
    A goal without a deadline is just wishful thinking. Be specific.

16. “What gets measured gets managed.” – Peter Drucker
    Track your progress. Use a journal, an app, or a calendar. Seeing progress will push you forward.

Overcoming Failure and Setbacks

You will mess up. That’s part of it.

17. “Failure is not the opposite of success. It’s part of success.” – Arianna Huffington
    Every time I slipped up—ate junk, skipped workouts—I had a choice. Start over or spiral.

18. “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb
    You only fail when you stop getting up.

19. “Perfection is the enemy of progress.” – Winston Churchill
    Progress is messy. Aim for better, not perfect.

20. “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
    This one helped me laugh off the bad days and keep going.

Vision and Purpose

You need a deeper reason behind every goal.

21. “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
    When I connected my goals to my faith, service, and future family, I stopped giving up so easily.

22. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
    Don’t stay stuck in fear or overthinking. Try. Move. Adjust later.

23. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
    This humbled me. I didn’t need fancy sneakers or a gym. I started walking in old shoes around the block.

24. “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
    Time passes either way. You might as well get closer to something better.

Growth and Transformation

It’s not just about reaching the goal. It’s about becoming the person who does.

25. “You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome.” – Booker T. Washington
    Everyone’s path is different. Your hard climb matters.

26. “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar
    Losing weight was great. But learning discipline, love for my body, and faith? That changed me.

27. “Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.” – Jerry Dunn
    You’re more capable than you know. Push one inch past what you think you can do.

28. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
    Stay focused on the work and the process. Results will follow.

29. “It’s not about being the best. It’s about being better than you were yesterday.” – Unknown
    That’s what I repeat on the hard days. Just be a little better today.

30. “Little by little, a little becomes a lot.” – Tanzanian Proverb
    Everything I’ve built started with tiny steps. Don’t underestimate them.

Your Next Step

Here’s the truth: you don’t need 30 quotes to get started. You just need one that hits home and one reason to begin.

So here’s your challenge. Pick one quote from this list that speaks to you. Write it down. Stick it somewhere you’ll see it every day—mirror, fridge, phone lock screen.

Then take one small action toward your goal today.

One healthy meal. One 10-minute walk. One call. One prayer.

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep showing up.

And if you fall off? Same rule applies—just show up again tomorrow.

You’ve got this.