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What does “ET the Hip-Hop Preacher” have to say about motivation?
If you want to know more about the words of Eric Thomas, you’ve come to the right place. We have compiled 59 motivational quotes from this famous speaker that can help you work your way to greatness.
But first…
Who is Eric Thomas?
Eric Thomas is one of the most famous motivational speakers of today’s generation. He is also an author, educator, and pastor. He currently runs a consulting firm called ETA LLC., with a team of motivational speakers.
The Thomas was born in Chicago, Illinois, but was raised in Detroit, Michigan. He was a high school dropout and a homeless man for two years. While roaming around the streets of Detroit, he met a preacher who inspired him to go back to school and become the person he is now.
As a motivational speaker, Thomas’s focus is on education and becoming a good leader. He also inspires others to unlock their potential by pushing themselves to the limit.
Eric Thomas has taken the world by storm. He has a creative style and high level of energy that will surely lift the mood of anyone who is feeling down. If you are in need of some motivation, his words can do the trick.
With no further ado, here are some quotes from Thomas that can help you become successful in life!
On Pain and Believing in Yourself
- “Don’t make a habit out of choosing what feels good over what’s actually good for you.”
- “Success is not for the weak and uncommitted. Sometimes it’s gonna hurt!”
- “We all have the ability to produce greatness in our lives.”
- “You wanna shine like a diamond, you gotta get cut like a diamond.”
- “Don’t cry to quit! You already in pain, you already hurt! Get a reward from it!”
Don’t cry to quit! You already in pain, you already hurt! Get a reward from it!” – Eric Thomas
- “Bottom line, I removed myself from the victim mentality and took control of my life. I’m not just going to take responsibility for the success in my life – I’m going to take responsibility for the failures in my life. When you’re willing to accept that you’re the problem, you immediately become the solution.”
- “It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.”
- “The most important thing is this: To be able at any moment, to sacrifice what you are, for what you will become!”
- “Let them sleep while you grind. Let them party while you work. The difference will show.”
- “Things change for the better when we take responsibility for our own thoughts, decisions, and actions.”
- “Pain is temporary. It may last for a minute, or an hour or a day, or even a year. But eventually, it will subside. And something else takes its place. If I quit, however, it will last forever.”
- “Look in the mirror, that’s your competition.”
- “You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your life; at some point, you have to unleash the potential and make your move.”
- “I dare you to take a little pain. I dare you!”
- “Listen to me, even when you lose, it’s OK to lose, but you can never get comfortable with it. You can never be satisfied with losing. When you lose, it’s got to hurt.”
- “You can get through this. You are bigger than your pain, don’t give up, don’t give in.”
- “I’m gonna make the rest of my life, the best of my life.”
Thomas believes that, in order to be able to live the dream, you have to experience pain. In the same vein, to be able to reach success, you have to keep believing in yourself.
You are your own greatest ally. To get to the top, you need to make sacrifices—but success is so much sweeter if it requires work and dedication.
Next, let’s move on to some motivational quotes that can inspire you to live better. Motivation comes from undying grit and passion—this is what builds highly successful people.
On Motivation and Success
- “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.”
- “Don’t cry to give up, cry to keep going.”
- “What you envision in your mind, how you see yourself, and how you envision the world around you is of great importance because those things become your focus.”
- “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” – Eric Thomas
- “At the end of pain is success.”
- “Sometimes it ain’t about being the most talented. Sometimes it ain’t about being the smartest. Sometimes it’s not even about working the hardest. Sometimes it’s about consistency! Consistency!”
- “You saying you want to be great, but on the other hand you comfortable with average.”
- “I’ve been trying to tell y’all, it’s not your circumstances or situation, that determines if you gonna be successful or not. I’ve been telling you it’s your mindset! It’s the way you see it. It’s the way you think it right!”
- “Stop being average. You’re not even good. You were born to be great.”
- “Success is never on discount! Greatness is never on sale! Greatness is never half off! It’s all or nothing! It’s all day, every day! Greatness is never on discount!”
- “A setback is a setup for a comeback.”
- “It’s not about where you come from; it’s about heart! You come to a place where, you know, being smart ain’t enough. You gotta have heart”
- “Success, meaningful success, begins when we take ownership and actively take responsibility for our part in the shortcomings of our life.”
- “Be stronger than your excuses.”
- “Some of you love sleep more than you love success. If you want to be successful, you gotta be willing to give up sleep. If you go to sleep, you might miss the opportunity to be successful.”
- “The only way to get out of mediocrity is to keep shooting for excellence.”
- “The difference between those who succeed and fail: not taking advantage of opportunities.”
There are so many motivational articles available on the Internet, but “motivation” is just a word until you decide to actually apply what you have read. You will never know what success feels like if you just sit there and dream.
Gaining success is not a game of chance. You have to set your goals, and then make the right choices and take the appropriate action.
If you want to be successful in life, you also need to find the right people to surround yourself with. Here are some relationship quotes that you can use when looking for the right circle of people to share your journey with.
On Relationships
- “If you’re not where you are. If you’re not where you want to be. If you don’t have what you want, want to have. If you’re not where you think you should be at this particular place. It has nothing to do with the system, but it has everything to do with the fact that you’re not making the sacrifice.”
- “Information changes situations.”
- “Winners focus on winning. Losers focus on winners.”
- “God has a purpose for your pain, a reason for your struggles and a reward for your faithfulness. Don’t give up.”
God has a purpose for your pain, a reason for your struggles and a reward for your faithfulness. Don’t give up.” – Eric Thomas
- “When you’re great! You attract great! When you’re average! You attract average.”
- “When you have something good… When you have something good, you don’t play with it! You don’t take chances with it! You don’t take risks with it! When you got something good, you get every single thing you can get out of it! Because guess what? When you take care of something good, that something good takes care of you.”
- “Avoid being your own enemy.”
- “I learned that a real friendship is not about what you can get, but what you can give. Real friendship is about making sacrifices and investing in people to help them improve their lives.”
- “I do not take constructive criticism from people who have never constructed anything.”
- “Your relationships will either make you or break you and there is no such thing as a neutral relationship. People either inspire you to greatness or pull you down in the gutter, it’s that simple. No one fails alone, and no one succeeds alone.”
- “Can you honestly say the environment(s) you are in will yield the kind of harvest you are expecting?”
- “I wanted to surround myself with the kind of people who could help me turn my life around; people whom I could rub up against like iron and be sharpened.”
Choosing the right people to be with is not enough. You also have a duty to take care of the relationships you have with these people.
Maintaining healthy relationships is not easy—it requires a great deal of patience and understanding. But it is worth it in the end.
Our last set of quotes talks about dreams and aspirations, no matter what your profession is. Dreams are the driving force that makes us hunger for greatness. Don’t lose sight of your dreams, no matter what happens.
On Dreams and Aspirations
- “Everybody has a dream, but not everybody has a grind.”
- “The problem is, you get more excited talking about it than you do when you actually doing it!”
- “You can’t cheat the grind, it knows how much you’ve invested, it won’t give you nothing you haven’t worked for.”
- “I dare you to be great. I challenge you to be great in every single thing you do.”
- “There is nothing wrong with dreaming big dreams, just know that all roads that lead to success have to pass through Hardwork Boulevard at some point.”
There is nothing wrong with dreaming big dreams, just know that all roads that lead to success have to pass through Hardwork Boulevard at some point.” – Eric Thomas
- “If you’re going to go to your next level, your values are going to have to change.”
- “It’s one thing to talk about your destiny. It’s one thing to dream about your destiny. It’s one thing to look at your destiny. But it’s another thing – it is another thing – to make the decisions. To wake up when you know you supposed to wake up!”
- “Desire and imagination have the potential to position a person for greatness.”
- “It’s realizing that a great dream is not as good as a great memory. The dream can be had by anyone. The memory – must be made.”
- “Don’t think about what can happen in a month. Don’t think about what can happen in a year. Just focus on the 24 hours in front of you and do what you can to get closer to where you want to be.”
- “I’ve got a dream that’s worth more than my sleep.”
- “Like for real, you can start from the bottom, and by the grace of God, work your way all the way up to the top man.”
- “When you find your why, you find a way to make it happen.”
Final Thoughts on Eric Thomas Quotes
Eric Thomas sets a splendid example for those who are struggling to make it to the top. A high school dropout turned homeless man who is now one of the most influential motivational speakers of all time—who says you can’t turn your life around?
Contrary to what other people say, finding success is not rocket science. There is a formula to achieve success, and it includes motivation, action, and good timing. You have to strike while the iron is hot, and your actions have to be focused.
We hope that the quotes we have shared above can help you find success in life. You are destined for greatness, but it is always your responsible to make your dreams come true.
Did any of these quotes resonate with you? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below!
If you happen to like some of the images above, a share through your favorite social media platform would be greatly appreciated.
And if you want more motivational quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 115 Work Ethic Quotes to Motivate Your Efforts
- 65 Weight Loss Motivational Quotes to Never Give Up on Your Diet
- 55 Motivational Exercise Quotes to Inspire Your Next Workout
Finally, if you want to level up your productivity and time management skills, then watch this free video about the 9 productivity habits you can build at work.
