The 20 Best Frida Kahlo Quotes That Apply to Business
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was born in Mexico City in 1907. She is famous for her portraits and self-portraits, and her work was often inspired by nature and Mexican culture. Her work explored many aspects of Mexican society, including identity, race, class, gender, and post-colonialism. Her style was predominantly a naïve folk-art style. Kahlo died in Mexico City in 1954 when she was 47. Like many artists, her work did not become famous until after her death. According to Wikipedia, she then posthumously became known as an iconic figure for feminism and the LGBTQ+ movement. During her life, she also said many motivational and inspirational things that have made people look at things from a different perspective. Here are the 20 best Frida Kahlo quotes that apply to business.
20. On Getting Satisfaction from Hard Work
“I have never expected anything from my work but the satisfaction I could get from it by the very fact of painting and saying what I couldn’t say otherwise.”
To become successful in a business, it takes a lot of effort and hard work. The reward you get from this is so much more than professional and financial gain. There is also a deep satisfaction in knowing that you have achieved things because you worked hard for them.
19. On Drawing Positives from the Negatives
“To my way of thinking, everything has its natural compensation.”
Even situations that are challenging can have positive elements. You may hit situations that cause you a lot of problems, and it may seem difficult to move on from that point. However, the positive that you gain from this situation is that you are learning through experience. If you can look at a situation and see what caused the problem or if a mistake has been made, then you can learn from this to avoid a similar situation in the future.
18. On Fulfilling Your Destiny
“Mankind owns its destiny, and its destiny is the earth. We are destroying it until we have no destiny.”
Each person has a destiny, and it is up to the individual to make sure they fulfill theirs. Many people are their own worst enemy as they seem to put obstacles in their way and then resign themselves to not fulfilling their potential. They then blame circumstances and other people for what they have not achieved. If you want to become successful, then do whatever it takes to achieve your dreams.
17. On Changing with the Times
“Everyone’s opinions about things changes over time. Nothing is constant. Everything changes. And to hold onto some dogged idea forever is a little rigid, and maybe naïve.”
Even if something works well for a while, it doesn’t mean that it will always work well. Systems, people, and needs change over time, so it is essential that you can also move with the times and makes changes accordingly. To continue doing the same thing when it no longer works displays a lack of flexibility and could hamper your business success.
16. On Seizing the Day
“There isn’t enough time there, isn’t enough nothing. There is only reality. What once was is long gone! What remains, are the transparent roots appearing transformed into an eternal fruit tree Your fruits already give scent, your flowers give color blooming in the joy of wind and flower.”
Everyday Power lists this as one of the best Frida Kahlo quotes that apply to business. It is about not having time to put things off because now is your reality. If you are thinking of starting a business, then you should seize. Otherwise, you will continue to put it off, and then the opportunity may pass you by completely.
15. On Using Your Passion to Make Change
“Passion is the bridge that takes you from pain to change.”
If you want to change your life and become successful, then your own passion is one of your greatest tools in making the necessary changes. If you are passionate about your ideas, then put them into action and see where they can take you.
14. On Taking Your Time to Do Things Well
“My paintings are well-painted, not nimbly but patiently.”
Doing things properly the first time around will save you time in the long run as you will not have to go back and rectify your mistakes. This can mean taking a patient approach to tasks and taking your time, rather than rushing through them to get them done fast. Choosing the latter approach means that you are unlikely to complete the task to the best of your ability.
13. On Facing Your Fears
“What I wanted to express very clearly and intensely was that the reason these people had to invent or imagine heroes and gods is pure fear. Fear of life and fear of death.”
Starting a business is a fearful time for many people as they fear failure or that other people will mock them. Similarly, once your business is underway, you may face many stressful times that invoke feelings of fear within. It is crucial that you can overcome these fears as if you let them stand in your way, it will prevent you from achieving success and fulfilling your potential.
12. On Self-Improvements
“I am my own muse. I am the subject I know best. The subject I want better.”
The person who knows you the best is you, so you are the person in the best position to assess your strengths and weakness. Identifying your weaknesses is essential as this will help you to make self-improvements. Working on your weakness is not only beneficial to you, but it will also benefit your business.
11. On Overcoming Challenges
“I think that little by little I’ll be able to solve my problems and survive.”
Throughout both life and business, you will face challenges of various sizes. When larger problems arise, they may seem overwhelming. If you want to overcome these issues, it can help to break them down into smaller pieces so that you can tackle a section one at a time. It can seamless overwhelming this way.
10. On Having a Positive Attitude
“Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light. Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing.”
Adopting a positive approach can have a big impact on the way you approach your business, and your attitude can also rub off on other people. Looking for the positives instead of constantly focusing on the negatives will make your working life more enjoyable and can help you to progress. It will also keep your team positive and motivated.
9. On Embracing Change
“Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.”
Change is something that will happen whether you like it or not, so this is something that you should embrace. Look at the way you are doing things. If they are working well, then no changes are needed. If they are not working well or things could run better, then it is time to make a change.
8. On Getting Through the Hard Times
“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.”
Listed by Goalcast, this Frida Kahlo quote is about people having the capacity to endure more than they think when they are faced with challenging times. When things seem tough, the easy option is to give up. However, you will then have regrets about what you might have achieved. Instead of giving up, have courage, determination, endurance, and motivation. These will get you through the challenging times and give you the chance to experience the good times.
7. On Using Your Imagination
“I put on the canvas whatever comes into my mind.”
Although knowledge and skills will play a big part in your business success, creativity, and imagination also have roles to play. If you do not have creativity and imagination, you will do things the same way as everyone else in your business. Applying your creativity and imagination will make you do things differently, so you will stand out from the competition.
6. On Having the Freedom to Fulfil Your Potential
“Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly”.
Frida Kahlo described herself as having wings to fly. By this, she meant that she had the freedom to do what she wanted and to fulfill her potential. The same applies to every individual. You have the freedom to choose your own destiny and to decide which path to take to fulfill your potential.
5. On Creating Your Own Life Stories
“I never paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.”
Just like a painter is the creator of their artwork and an author is the writer of their book, you are the master of your own destiny and can choose the story of your life. The decisions you make in both your personal and professional life will all contribute to your life story. If you know how you want your story to end, then you can manage the steps in the rest of the journey.
4. On Using Your Knowledge
“The most important part of the body is the brain. Of my face, I like the eyebrows and eyes. Aside from that, I like nothing. My head is too small.”
What you look like or where you come from is irrelevant in business. On the other hand, knowledge is a vital element of business success. It is essential that you have sound knowledge about your industry and what is needed to become successful in that field. Knowledge is something that you will continue to gain over time.
3. On Focusing on the Task In-Hand
“I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration.”
There are many tasks in business that require full concentration and a lot of focus. You cannot allow other issues to swim around in your brain if you want to have a complete focus on the tasks you are undertaking. To do this, approach each task one at a time. Another tip is to make sure you get enough sleep and time away from work as this will give you better focus while you are at work.
2. On Finding Your Passion
“I am happy to be alive, as long as I can paint.”
No matter which business you are in, it is crucial that it is something about which you are passionate. If you are not passionate about your work, then you will not have the drive to take your business forward. To maintain a good level of motivation, you need passion. Your passion will also influence the way others perceive your business. If you are passionate, this will make them believe that you have good products or services to offer. On the other hand, a lack of passion on your behalf will give the impression that you do not have much to offer and they may turn to your competitors.
1. On Knowing Yourself
“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone because I am the person I know best.”
According to Brainy Quote, this is one of the best Frida Kahlo quotes that apply to business. Although she talks about being alone, this quote also highlights that you are the person that knows you the best. Therefore, you can interpret it as being about self-awareness and self-belief. If you know your strengths and weaknesses and you have some self-belief, then you already have tools you can use to carry you to success. If you are not aware of your strengths and weaknesses and you do not believe in yourself, then you will struggle to run a business successfully.