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The 20 Best Michelle Obama Quotes That Apply to Business

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama is a lawyer and an author who was born in Chicago in 1964. Although she has enjoyed professional success, she is best known as the wife of Barack Obama, who was the 44th President of the United States. This meant that Michelle Obama served as the First Lady while her husband was president between 2009 and 2017, says the White House official website. Both in her own professions and in her role as First Lady, Michelle Obama has said many things that people have found motivational and inspirational. Here are the 20 best Michelle Obama quotes that apply to business.

20. On Using Your Education

“Young people, don’t be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered. Empower yourselves with a good education to build a country worthy of your boundless promise.”

Michelle Obama is a big supporter of young people getting a decent education. She believes that getting the right education gives people more opportunities in life. Once you have your education behind you, it is vital that you use it fully and to your best advantage.

19. On Taking Care of Yourself

“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.”

This Michelle Obama quote is listed on Book Riot. It highlights the importance of taking good care of yourself if you want to do well professionally. Both your physical health and your mental wellbeing are important. Therefore, you should try to make time for yourself and get plenty of rest away from work.

18. On Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone

“Just try new things. Don’t be afraid. Step out of your comfort zones and soar.”

Becoming successful usually involves trying new things, and this will take you out of your comfort zone. If you are not willing to step outside your comfort zone, then you will likely find it hard to progress in life or to achieve anything out of the ordinary. Stepping outside your comfort zone will open more opportunities for you.

17. On Using Failures as Inspiration

“Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed.”

Failures are something that everyone experiences, and you should not allow yourself to give up because of them. Instead, turn your failures into a source of inspiration. They are experiences from which you can learn a lot. They can learn a lot about what you should not do, and improve on things in the future.

16. On Using Your Experiences to Your Advantage

“You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it’s important for you to understand that you experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest disadvantages.”

Brainy Quote lists this as one of the best Michelle Obama quotes that apply to business. Every challenge you face will make you stronger and give you some experience in tackling different situations and overcoming hurdles. Although things may sometimes feel tough, those experiences are an important element of your future success.

15. On Setting Your Own Expectations

“I have learned that as long as I hold fast my beliefs and values- and follow my own moral compass- then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own.”

The expectations of other people are irrelevant, so these are not something on which you should focus. Instead, you should set your own standards and expectations, and concentrate on meeting them. Masking yourself happy and achieving your own dreams are far more important than doing what others expect from you.

14. On Focusing on Your Goals

“Always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.”

If you set yourself goals, then do not let others sway you from achieving them. People can distract you or try to influence what you do, but you should block out the opinions of others and concentrate on your own journey.

13. On Taking on the Competition

“When they go low, we go high.”

Michelle Obama was referring to bullying when she said this quote. However, you can also apply the words to business situations and to taking on your competition. Try to do what they are doing better or do things completely differently so that your business stands out. You will need to do this to attract customers who may otherwise buy products or use services elsewhere.

12. On Accepting Your Failures

“Failure is an important part of your growth and developing resilience. Don’t be afraid to fail.”

People usually fear failure. Sometimes, people fear failure so much that it stops them from trying something new, including starting a business. However, failure is a normal part of life, so it is not something that you should fear. Experiencing failure can make you more resilient and will enhance your personal growth. Even if you fail, you can pick yourself back up and try again in a different way. Your first attempt is simply a practice run for how you can do it better the next time.

11. On Continuing to Grow

“One of the most useless questions an adult can ask a child- What do you want to be when you grow up? As if growing up is finite.”

Children are often asked what they want to do when they are older, and they often have no idea. Some people even reach their middle-age before realizing what it is they want to do in life. That is because becoming an adult does not mean that you have reached your final destination in life. You will continue to grow throughout adulthood, gain new experiences, learn new skills, find new interests, and generally grow as a person. All these elements can influence your career decisions. It is never too late to switch your career path to find something that you enjoy and leaves you feeling fulfilled.

10. On Aiming High

“The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them.”

If you want to achieve big things in life, then set your goals high. The only person limiting your success is yourself. By setting your sights too low, you may limit your achievements as you will not push yourself enough to achieve greater things. Believe in yourself, and you will work harder to achieve a lot more.

9. On Working for Your Success

“Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.”

This Michelle Obama quote is listed by Business Insider. It is about how you will only enjoy your success if you feel like you have worked hard to get to where you are in life. Knowing that you deserve what you have earned will give you a deep sense of satisfaction.

8. On Self-Belief

“Am I good enough? Yes, I am.”

To become successful, it is essential that you have self-belief. If you believe you can do it, then not only will you have the motivation to get where you want, but others will also have more belief in your abilities. On the other hand, a lack of self-belief means you will not push yourself to achieve more, and others will not believe in your capabilities.

7. On Taking Responsibility for Your Destiny

“Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own.”

The path you take in life and your final destination is your decision. Decide how you want to live your life, then make it happen. If this means that you want to enjoy business success, then take any steps necessary to get where you want. As Michelle Obama says, it is your life for you to own, so make sure your story reads in the way you want.

6. On Giving Other People Opportunities

“When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through the doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.”

If you have worked hard to own a business or become a business leader, then share some of your success by supporting others in fulfilling their potential. Give your team opportunities to learn, enhance their skills, and progress in their career. Doing so will also help your business, as you will have a motivated team that has the right skills and experience for you to progress.

5. On Becoming a Role Model

“With every word we utter, with every action we take, we know our kids are watching us. We as parents are their most important role models.”

As a business leader or owner, you have the responsibility of becoming a role model for those who work in your business. Make sure that you represent yourself and in a way that meets the expectations you have of those in your team. Work hard at leading by example. If you set a good example, your team will follow and perform to the best of their abilities.

4. On Good Leadership

“Strong men, men who are truly role models, don’t need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful.”

Being a leader in business is a big responsibility, and it is essential that you choose a leadership style that gets the most out of your team. Disregarding their contributions or making them feel inferior are not good ways for a leader to behave. Behaving in this way will lead to discontent, a lack of motivation, and people underperforming in their roles. Act in a way that motivates your team by offering them encouragement, giving them opportunities, and acknowledging the contributions they make.

3. On Transforming Your Life

“Whether you come from a council estate or a country estate, your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude.”

It is not where you start off in life that matters, only where you end up. Whether you have grown up in poverty or you have lived a charmed life makes little difference to the potential you have. You may have a harder struggle and a long road if you start from nothing, but there are also greater rewards when you make achievements. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have earned your success through hard work, determination, and perseverance. If everything is handed to you on a plate, there is not the same sense of satisfaction in your achievements.

2. On Valuing Everyone in Your Team

“No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half its citizens.”

Regardless of age, race, religion, or gender, every person in your team is valuable and has contributions to make. You should value every single member of your team, and make sure they know that you appreciate their efforts. If your team feels valued, then they will stay motivated and work better as part of a team. This is advantageous for your business.

1. On Making Decisions

“Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility. Make decisions based on what should happen, not what shouldn’t.”

According to Harper’s Bazaar, this is one of the best Michelle Obama quotes that apply to business. It is all about how to make decisions in the right way. She says that you should not make decisions that are based on fear or on what should not happen. The right way to make decisions is based on hope, possibilities, and what should happen. When you are faced with a difficult situation, work out what outcome you want and the pros and cons of the different options. This should help you to make an informed decision with the best possible outcome.

Dana Hanson

Written by Dana Hanson

Dana has extensive professional writing experience including technical and report writing, informational articles, persuasive articles, contrast and comparison, grant applications, and advertisement. She also enjoys creative writing, content writing on nearly any topic (particularly business and lifestyle), because as a lifelong learner, she loves to do research and possess a high skill level in this area. Her academic degrees include AA social Sci/BA English/MEd Adult Ed & Community & Human Resource Development and ABD in PhD studies in Indust & Org Psychology.

Read more posts by Dana Hanson

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