The 20 Best Harriet Tubman Quotes That Apply to Business

Harriet Tubman is famous for escaping slavery and then making 13 trips to rescue others from the slave trade, including many members of her own family. She was born into slavery as Araminta Ross in March 1822. During her childhood, she was regularly whipped and beaten by various slave masters. She eventually escaped in 1849 and spent years rescuing others. She then served as a cook, a nurse, an armed scout, and a spy during the American Civil War. In her later life, she became an activist for the women’s suffrage movement. Tubman died in 1913, and she posthumously became an icon of courage and freedom. Here are the 20 best Harriet Tubman quotes that apply to business.

20. On Eliminating Problems

“Never wound a snake; kill it.”

This Harriet Tubman quote is listed on Inspiration Feed. While Tubman talks about a snake in this quote, you can apply the same analogy to problems you encounter in business. If you encounter a problem, you do not want to just reduce the problem temporarily. Instead, you must make sure you deal with the problem properly so that the problem is eliminated.

19. On Overcoming Your Fears

“We will not be paralyzed by fear.”

Fear is something that everyone experiences, but it is crucial that you do not allow your fears to stand in your way. One of the most common fears amongst people in business is the fear of failure, and this can prevent people from launching or expanding a business. However, you will never know if your ideas will work unless you try.

18. On Choosing Your Own Destiny

“I had reasoned this out in my mind. There was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other.”

Everyone has choices in life, and your choices will dictate the course that you take. Sometimes, you must make decisions as they arise. On other occasions, you can look ahead and decide your end goal. You can then decide what path you need to take to get to your final destination in life.

17. On Working Hard for What You Achieve

“Most of those coming from the mainland are very destitute, almost naked. I am trying to find places for those able to work, and provide for them the best I can, so as to lighten the burden on the Government as much as possible, while at the same time they learn to respect themselves by earning their own living.”

Harriet Tubman believed in working hard for a fair wage, and this is something she encouraged in others. If you want to become successful, then you must be willing to put in the time, work, and effort. It is unlikely that you will become successful if you are not willing to work hard. If you work hard, you will have a sense of satisfaction with your achievements.

16. On Taking Risks

“I never had anything good, no sweet, no sugar; and that sugar, right by me, did look so nice, and my mistress’s back was turned to me while she was fighting with her husband So I just put my finger in the sugar bowl to take one lump, and maybe she heard me, for she turned and saw me. The next minute, she had the rawhide down.”

When making decisions, you should weigh up the pros and cons of each option and consider the potential outcomes. Sometimes, the potential outcomes are not clear, so it becomes a risk if you decide to go that way without knowing the consequences of your decision. Sometimes risks can turn out well, and on other occasions, things will not go your way.

15. On Having the Strength to Carry On

“… and I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight, and that’s what I’ve always prayed for ever since.”

This Harriet Tubman quote is listed on the Harriet Tubman website. Running a business is full of highs and lows. It can take strength to get you through the difficult times. Hopefully, the tough times will help you to become stronger, so you can draw some positives out of a negative experience.

14. On Having Support

“I said to the Lord, I’m going to hold steady onto you, and I know you will see me through.”

Everyone needs some support in life, and this is especially the case if you are running a business. Harriet Tubman turned to religion for support, but this does not have to apply to you. Having the backing of friends and family will help you to cope during difficult or stressful periods.

13. On Choosing Your Own Path to Happiness

“I grew up like a neglected weed- ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it. Then I was not happy or contented.”

Your happiness is in your hands. If you are unhappy, then do something about it. Your working life can have a significant impact on your overall happiness, so it is vital that you do something you enjoy and about which you feel passionate. If you are unhappy in your working life, then this will spill over into your personal life.

12. On Having Control

“I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say- I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger.”

This Harriet Tubman quote is about taking control and making sure everything runs well. She had her eye on the ball to make sure she stayed on track. In business terms, you can use this quote to apply to making sure everything in your business runs smoothly and has good outcomes.

11. On Enjoying Your Successes

“There was such a glory in everything; the sun came like gold through the trees and over the fields, and I felt like I was in heaven.”

If you have worked hard to become successful, it is vital that you take the time to appreciate and enjoy your success. A common mistake is to spend your time working towards your next goals without appreciating how far you have already come. Take the time to enjoy your success as this will keep you motivated.

10. On Having Self-Belief

“Always remember, you have the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Self-belief is vital if you want to become successful. You have lots of strengths and skills, and this is something you should acknowledge about yourself. Believe that you can achieve your dreams, and they are more likely to become a reality. Having self-belief is also important to the way that you are perceived by others. If you want people to believe in you, then you have to believe in yourself first.

9. On the Importance of Clear Communications

“Why, der language down dar in de far South is jus’ as different from ours in Maryland, as you can think. Dey laughed when dey heard me talk, an’ I could not understand ‘dem, no how.”

Communication is a key element of a business running smoothly. Harriet Tubman highlights in this quote that sometimes people are not always on the same page when it comes to the language being used. Make sure that every instruction you give is clear and that your team understands what is being asked of them. Listening is also a vital aspect of communication, so you must take the time to listen to what people are telling you.

8. On Making the Most of Life

“You’ll be free or die!”

Listed by Brainy Quote, this is about only having one life, so you should make the most of it. Your time is precious, so make sure you use it wisely. Don’t put things off until another day, as this will only slow down your success.

7. On Embracing Change

“Stop searching for happiness in the same place you lost it. Change is not dismantling the old, it’s building the new.”

This Harriet Tubman quote highlights the importance of embracing change. Sometimes, what has worked well before will no longer work and you may need to change how you work. Similarly, times change, and you need to keep your business up to the times. Although change is sometimes difficult and it can take time to adapt, it is essential that you can accept that change is sometimes a necessity if you want to succeed.

6. On Facing the Unknown

“I had crossed the line. I was free, but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land.”

When you first start out in business, you may face many unknowns. You do not know if your ideas will wor the level of success you can achieve, or even if you will fail. However, you do not know unless you try, so it is crucial that you have the courage to face the unknown.

5. On Overcoming Obstacles

“If you hear dogs, keep going. If you see torches in the woods, keep going. If there’s shouting after you, keep going.”

You are likely to face many obstacles in business. As each of these is different, you will need to look for various solutions to each problem. The important thing is not to let the obstacles hold you back. No matter what challenges you face along the way, you must keep going. If you give up at the first hurdle, you are likely to regret it in the future.

4. On Finding Solutions to Problems

“In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line, but I can’t seem to get there no-how. I can’t seem to get over that line.”

Listed by Good Reads, this Harriet Tubman quote is about finding solutions to problems. She is referring to her desire to be free of slavery, but not knowing how to achieve this dream. However, it was a problem that she overcame as she escaped. Sometimes, you may face a problem in your business, and you may have difficulty finding a solution. It may take some creativity and for you to think outside the box, but very few problems are unsolvable.

3. On Achieving Your Goals

“When I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person.”

When you spend a long time working towards your goals, it is often a strange feeling to finally achieve everything that you set out to achieve. You may even feel a little different, and this is because you probably are. Along the way, you will have become a stronger person. It is also likely that you have made some self-improvements to help you achieve your goals.

2. On Perseverance

“Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.”

Achieving your goals requires perseverance. Sometimes things are difficult, but you need to keep going no matter what happens. It is only if you persevere that you will achieve your dreams. Therefore, you should not let anything hold you back as giving up is not an option.

1. On Fulfilling Your Dreams

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.“

According to Goalcast, this is one of the best Harriet Tubman quotes. Those who become successful are those who have a dream and a clear vision of how they can make their dreams a reality. Simply having the dream is not enough, though, as simply thinking about something will not make it happen. You must also be willing to take action to make sure you achieve your dreams.

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