Sometimes kids need a little motivation to take on the many challenges life throws our way: trying new things, making (and losing) friends, eating our vegetables. To help, we have selected some life lessons from athletes, writers, artists, and beloved fictional characters. From Charlie Brown to Taylor Swift, these words of wisdom are a bit silly, entirely heartfelt, and will encourage kids of all ages.
1.
If you believe in yourself, and with a tiny pinch of magic all your dreams can come true!
—SpongeBob SquarePants, SpongeBob SquarePants
magic
Our first motivational quote comes from permanent optimist SpongeBob SquarePants. He still believes in magic, “extraordinary or mystical influence, charm, power.” It’s that kind of hopefulness that things will just work out that makes SpongeBob so positive. However, he knows it’s not enough to have magic, you also have to “believe in yourself” in order to make your dreams come true.
2.
George and Harold show kids that you don’t have to necessarily fly to have superpowers. Superpowers can just kind of be your creativity or your imagination; that can actually be a superpower and that can actually save the world.
—Captain Underpants creator Dav Pilkey, Scholastic.com, October 2017
superpowers
George and Harold are two ordinary kids who make their comic book superhero Captain Underpants magically come to life. Creator Dav Pilkey says the message of the story is that imagination and creativity are superpowers, just like flying is a superpower. According to the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction, a superpower is “a superhuman ability; an ability beyond what is possible based on scientific laws.”
3.
You say ‘impossible,’ but all I hear is ‘I’m possible.’
—Coach Ted Lasso, Ted Lasso
impossible
Fictional soccer/football coach Ted Lasso uses a play on words to make his point about believing in yourself. Impossible means “not possible,” “unable to be done.” The im- part of the word means roughly “not.” But Coach Ted turns it into the contraction I’m meaning “I am.” To him, impossible simply becomes “I’m possible.” A true optimist.
4.
Just growing up and going through life and how tough life was for me and my family, I’m always going to stay humble.
—Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA player for the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN.com, February 2018
humble
Some of the most inspiring figures are those who overcome great difficulties and achieve great things, such as power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was born to Nigerian immigrants in Greece and became one of the greatest players in the NBA. Despite his success, he uses his tough past as a reminder to be humble, “not proud or arrogant; modest.”
5.
Being shy taught me empathy and gave me the ability to connect and relate to people. I’m no longer shy, but I’m not sure I would dream as big as I dream today if it were not for those awkward years in my head.
—on her childhood, Beyoncé, Harper’s Bazaar, August 2021
empathy
Artist Beyoncé is known for her incredible performances, but she says that she was shy when she was a kid. These “awkward years” gave her empathy, ” the identification with or experiencing of the emotions, thoughts, or attitudes of another.” It’s hard to believe that Queen Bee ever had “awkward years,” but it is encouraging to know she describes that time as one that helped her dream big.
6.
You can either stand there and let the wave crash into you, and you can try as hard as you can to fight something that’s more powerful and bigger than you. Or you can dive under the water, hold your breath, wait for it to pass and while you’re down there, try to learn something.
—Taylor Swift, The Guardian, August 2019
learn
As with Beyoncé, it can be hard to believe singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has ever had a bad day. But, in this quote, Swift describes how she has had to reflect on her missteps and failures in the past in order to learn how to do better in the future. Learn here means “to gain a habit by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire.” She uses the metaphor of diving under a wave to describe how to face life’s challenges. After all, you can’t fight a wave.
7.
Sometimes our strengths lie beneath the surface … Far beneath, in some cases.
—Moana, Moana, 2016
strengths
The titular Moana from Disney’s Moana knows a thing or two herself about what you can learn from the ocean. According to her (and we agree), it is not always obvious what strengths one has. Strengths here does not refer to physical strength. It means “mental power, force, or vigor” or “moral power, firmness, courage.” Strengths can be hard to find—you might have to dive for them “beneath the surface.”
8.
You can observe a lot by watching.
—attributed to Yogi Berra
observe
Observe and watch are very near synonyms; they both mean “to see, perceive, or notice.” While it might sound like he is repeating himself (and pulling our leg), legendary baseball player and quipster Yogi Berra has a point. It is important to pay attention to what is going on around you in order to learn about the world.
9.
Not only do I think being nice and kind is easy, but being kind, in my opinion, is important.
—Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, 2019
nice/kind
Actor and former professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is known for his tough persona, but he is also known for being nice and kind. He describes this kind of attitude towards others as “important.” What is the difference between nice and kind? Nice means “pleasing; agreeable; delightful.” It tends to describe behavior that is outwardly pleasant. Kind describes behavior motivated by a sense of wanting to help others. Essentially, kind refers to the reason for the nice behavior.
10.
…I’m very interested in truth, in finding ways to be messy and unsure and flawed and incredible and great and my fullest self, all wrapped into one.
—Emma Watson, Porter magazine, November 2015
fullest self
The actor Emma Watson is best known for her role as the clever, self-assured Hermoine in the Harry Potter film series. In an interview in 2015, Watson explained that she didn’t always feel as confident as her best-known character. She is still figuring things out and “finding ways to be” her fullest self, an expression that refers to self-actualization, “the achievement of one’s full potential through creativity, independence, spontaneity, and a grasp of the real world.”
11.
If you find a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.
—Toni Morrison, statement at the Ohio Arts Council, 1981
write
Whether you are a writer or not, you can take author Toni Morrison’s advice to heart. She urges everyone to write the book of their dreams. (The word write should not be confused with its homophone right, meaning “correct.”) Morrison’s advice empowers everyone to be a leader and take a chance. Her suggestion can apply to just about anything, such as music, science, or social change. Is there a song you want to hear or a question that must be asked? You can do it!
12.
Life is like an ice cream cone … you have to learn to lick it!
—Charlie Brown, 1968
lick
Our final words of motivation come from a cartoon character who knows a thing or two about getting back up when life gets you down: Charlie Brown. This quote includes a play on the verb lick. Typically, it means “to pass the tongue over the surface of.” In slang, though, lick means “to overcome or defeat” or “to outdo or surpass.” Charlie Brown encourages others to learn how to overcome challenges in life, and he suggests it can even be sweet like ice cream.
These quotes are all about how strong we can be in difficult circumstances, whether it’s overcoming awkward moments, facing fears, or competing in sports. This advice from role models like Beyoncé, Moana, and Captain Underpants creator Dav Pilkey reminds us of what we are capable of, even when we are young.
