This post was most recently updated in December, 2024.
The holidays are a time for reflection, for growth, for gratitude, and for renewing our commitment to our goals with fresh vigor.
Beyond the consumptive tizzy of presents and pies, and the familiar flurry of family and friends that accompany Hannukah, Christmas, and New Year’s–it is helpful to remember to take some time to be thankful, to be really present with the people who matter most, and to find some time for solitude to gather the inner strength that will carry us onwards and upwards in the new year.
Here are 26 quotes that capture the spirit of the season and provide useful inspiration to guide us through the new year and beyond (now updated with 5 new, additional bonus quotes in Dec. 2024).
ON GRATITUDE:
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – WILLIAM ARTHUR WARD
“When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or you take them with gratitude.” – GILBERT K. CHESTERSON
“No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others.” – ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” – RALPH WALDO EMERSON
ON AUTHENTICITY:
“I realized I was more convincing to myself and the people who were listening when I actually said what I thought, versus what I thought people wanted to hear me say.” – URSULA BURNS
“Authentic leaders are real and genuine. They acknowledge their shortcomings and admit their errors, which enables them to connect with others and inspire teammates. Their leadership is built on their character and values, as they embrace the vital experiences that shape them, and are comfortable in their skin.” – BILL GEORGE
“We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.” – JANE AUSTEN
“Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet – thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing – consistently.” – LANCE SECRETAN
“You can’t be a good leader without self-awareness. It lies at the root of strong character, giving us the ability to lead with a sense of purpose, authenticity, openness, and trust.” – ANTHONY TJAN
ON COMMITMENT:
“Accept challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.” – GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON
“You must do the things you think you cannot do.” – ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – JOHN WOODEN
“If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you.” – LES BROWN
“Though I am not always responsible for what happens to me, I am always responsible for how I handle what happens to me.” – ZIG ZIGLAR
“There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there’s only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.” – WAYNE DYER
“There are only 2 options regarding commitment. You’re either in or you’re out. There’s no such thing as life in between.” – PAT RILEY
ON SHOWING UP FOR OTHERs:
“It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.” – NAPOLEON HILL
“No matter how busy you are, you must take time to make the other person feel important.” – MARY KAY ASH
“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.” – MIA HAMM
“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” – BRYANT MCGILL
“Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people.” – BARBARA BUSH
ON LEARNING & GROWTH:
“A situation will keep repeating itself until you have learned the lesson it was meant to teach you. Don’t stay in the same class forever.” – CHRIS P. GARDNER
“Someone once told me growth and comfort do not coexist. And I think it’s a really good thing to remember.” – GINNI ROMETTY
“You don’t know what your abilities are until you make a full commitment to developing them.” – CAROL S. DWECK
“This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don’t wait.” – NATALIE GOLDBERG
“If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.” – STEPHEN COVEY
5 NEW BONUS QUOTES ON COURAGE:
“We may not be warriors facing battle, but we must summon courage every day in our lives and our work if we hope to become exceptional in anything we care about.” – DOUG CONANT from The Blueprint: 6 Practical Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights
“You have everything you need, right inside you, in order to do great things.”- BARBARA HUMPTON from her conversation with Doug Conant at The Fall 2023 Blueprint Leadership Summit
“If you’re not firmly rooted in who you are and what you believe, you won’t be able to stand up for yourself and others when it matters most.” – DOUG CONANT
“We have the power today to transform our circumstance, to transform our situation, and overcome.” – JON GORDON from his conversation with Doug Conant at The Spring 2023 Blueprint Leadership Summit
“Give permission to others to acknowledge their weaknesses, or their challenges, or the things they need help with, so it creates an entire ecosystem that says, ‘it’s okay for us to not have all the answers.’” – JESSICA FOSTER from her conversation with Doug Conant at The Spring 2024 Blueprint Leadership Summit
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More Quote Collections
Enjoyed these 26 Leadership Quotes for the Holiday Season? For more collections of inspiring leadership quotes, check out our 32 Quotes about the Power of Habits, 25 Quotes about Managing Change, our 26 Tough-Minded Leadership Quotes for Better Performance, our 37 Quotes on Reaching Life & Leadership Goals, our Quotes That Inspire Greater Commitment, our 52 Quotes about Trust and Leadership, our 26 Quotes for the Holiday Season, and our 38 Quotes about Bravery and Leadership.
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