Jim Rohn, born Emanuel James Rohn on September 17, 1930, in Yakima, Washington, was an influential American entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker. Raised in a modest farming family, Rohn’s early life was marked by financial struggles. After attending college for a short period, he left without completing his degree and began working various jobs.
His life took a turn when he attended a seminar by John Earl Shoaff, a successful entrepreneur. Inspired by Shoaff’s philosophies on personal development, Rohn became one of his protégés and joined his direct selling company, Nutri-Bio. By applying Shoaff’s teachings, Rohn achieved financial success and became a millionaire by the age of 31.
After Nutri-Bio dissolved, Rohn was invited to share his story and lessons, leading to his career as a motivational speaker. Over the next four decades, he gave seminars worldwide, inspiring millions through his practical advice on personal development, leadership, and financial independence.
Jim Rohn’s teachings influenced numerous prominent figures, including Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, and Brian Tracy. His legacy continues through his books, audio programs, and speeches. He passed away on December 5, 2009, but his wisdom remains a guiding light for personal growth and success.
Jim Rohn was a renowned motivational speaker and author whose insights have inspired countless individuals to achieve personal and professional success. Here are 99 of his most impactful quotes:
- “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
- “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.”
- “Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better.”
- “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
- “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
- “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”
- “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully.”
- “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan.”
- “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.”
- “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.”
- “Either you run the day or the day runs you.”
- “Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.”
- “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”
- “Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.”
- “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.”
- “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.”
- “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
- “The major value in life is not what you get. The major value in life is what you become.”
- “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.”
- “If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.”
- “Start from wherever you are and with whatever you’ve got.”
- “Don’t join an easy crowd; you won’t grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high.”
- “The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy.”
- “Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.”
- “You don’t get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.”
- “The book you don’t read won’t help.”
- “Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
- “We must all wage an intense, lifelong battle against the constant downward pull.”
- “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”
- “The more you care, the stronger you can be.”
- “Don’t just read the easy stuff. You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it.”
- “The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.”
- “Make measurable progress in reasonable time.”
- “Failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.”
- “The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it.”
- “Don’t let your learning lead to knowledge. Let your learning lead to action.”
- “We get paid for bringing value to the marketplace.”
- “The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them.”
- “If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree.”
- “The more you know, the less you need to say.”
- “Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”
- “Don’t say, ‘If I could, I would.’ Say, ‘If I can, I will.'”
- “The greatest gift you can give somebody is your own personal development.”
- “You have two choices: You can make a living, or you can design a life.”
- “The only way it gets better for you is when you get better. Better is not something you wish; it’s something you become.”
- “Don’t borrow someone else’s plan. Develop your own philosophy and it will lead you to unique places.”
- “The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.”
- “Don’t mistake movement for achievement. It’s easy to get faked out by being busy.”
- “For things to change, you have to change.”
- “Be fascinated instead of frustrated.”
- “When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.”
- “Don’t just learn how to earn. Learn how to live.”
- “If you want more, you must become more.”
- “Character isn’t something you were born with and can’t change, like your fingerprints. It’s something you weren’t born with and must take responsibility for forming.”
- “The best motivation is self-motivation.”
- “It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go.”
- “Don’t wish for less problems; wish for more skills.”
- “Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.”
- “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.”
- “Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention.”
- “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”
- “Don’t spend major time on minor things.”
- “We generally change ourselves for one of two reasons: inspiration or desperation.”
- “Life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.”
- “When you are tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you.”
- “Part of your heritage in this society is the opportunity to become financially independent.”
- “Miss a meal if you have to, but don’t miss a book.”
- “Words do two major things: They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.”
- “Learn to hide your need and show your skill.”
- “Take advice, but not orders. Only give yourself orders.”
- “Don’t let the opinions of the average man sway you. Dream, and he thinks you’re crazy.”
- “Find a way to serve the many, for service to many leads to greatness.”
- “It’s not what happens that determines the quality of your life; it’s what you do that changes your life.”
- “Learn to express rather than impress.”
- “Give yourself permission to grow.”
- “We all have two choices: We can make a living or we can design a life.”
- “Let others lead small lives, but not you.”
- “Neglect starts as an infection and then becomes a disease.”
- “Don’t just aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference.”
- “You cannot make progress without making decisions.”
- “There is no greater leadership challenge than parenting.”
- “Your personal philosophy is the greatest determining factor in how your life works out.”
- “Be a student of your own life. Study your experiences and learn from them.”
- “Every day stand guard at the door of your mind.”
- “You have the power to design your own life.”
- “Success is something you attract by the person you become.”
- “Learn how to say no. Don’t let your mouth overload your back.”
- “Be strong but not rude. Be kind but not weak.”
- “Work on yourself more than you do on your job.”
- “Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don’t fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.”
- “Learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.”
- “Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.”
- “Never begrudge the money you spend on your own education.”
- “Motivation alone is not enough. If you have an idiot and you motivate him, now you have a motivated idiot.”
- “You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.”
- “We don’t get what we want; we get what we are.”
- “Learn to discipline your emotions and your appetites.”
- “It’s not the blowing of the wind that determines your destination, it’s the set of your sail.”
- “Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals.”
These quotes are a powerful reminder that success, happiness, and personal growth come from intentional effort and continuous self-improvement. Which one resonated with you the most?