The Best Zig Ziglar Motivational Quotes To Take You To The Top

Georgia Stone
Dec 12, 2023 By Georgia Stone
Originally Published on Jan 13, 2021
Zig Ziglar quotes have inspired millions.
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Age: 0-99
Read time: 17.6 Min

Zig Ziglar has traveled across the world and inspired millions of people to be goal-oriented and to think positively.

Isn’t it true that a good powerful quote can change a negative attitude and a person's perspective towards life? Zig Ziglar quotes have the power to remove the mental blocks in our minds and create a new zest for life.

Zig Ziglar was a motivational speaker who wanted, above all, to improve the image of sales workers the world over. Ziglar gave speeches until 2010, after which he retired.

He, unfortunately, passed away from pneumonia at the age of 86 in 2012.

In his lifetime, Zig Ziglar has authored more than 29 books on sales and motivation. Some of Zig Ziglar’s top-selling books include, 'Selling 101: What Every Successful Sales Professional Needs To Know', 'See You At The Top' and 'Zig Ziglar’s Secrets Of Closing The Sale', among many more.

If you wish to truly get inspired and change your attitude to a more positive way of looking at life, then here are the best Zig Ziglar quotes on happiness, success, business and more.

This list includes born to win quotes, famous Zig Ziglar sayings, the iconic "failure is an event" quote, the "it's your attitude not your aptitude" quote and lots of Zig Ziglar on sales quotes.

Enjoy!

You may also check out [inspiring quotes for teens] and Yukio Mishima quotes for more great quotes.
 

Inspirational And Motivational Quotes By Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar helped people get in the right frame of mind to win. Amongst all quotes by Zig Ziglar, the Zig Ziglar quotes on motivation and sales quotes by Zig Ziglar are the most inspirational.

1.  “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.”

- Zig Ziglar.

2.“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

- Zig Ziglar.

3.“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

- Zig Ziglar.

4.“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal- you do not change your decision to get there.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

5.“Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”

- Zig Ziglar.

6. “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

- Zig Ziglar.

7.“If you can dream it, you can achieve it."

- Zig Ziglar.

8.“Make today worth remembering.”

- Zig Ziglar.

9.“A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

10.“There are no traffic jams on the extra mile.”

- Zig Ziglar.

11.“Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember - the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.”

- Zig Ziglar.

12.“Motivation gets you going and habit gets you there.”

- Zig Ziglar.

13.“The greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times.”

- Zig Ziglar.

14.“You can make positive deposits in your own economy every day by reading and listening to positive, life-changing content.”

- Zig Ziglar.

15.“Good things come to those who believe, better things come to those who are patient and the best things come to those who don’t give up.”

- Zig Ziglar.

16.“‘Silly’ it comes from the old English word ‘selig’ and its literal definition is ‘to be blessed, happy, healthy and prosperous'.”

- Zig Ziglar.

17.“Hope is the power that gives a person the confidence to step out and try.”

- Zig Ziglar.

18.“Happiness is the ability to move forward knowing the future will be better than the past.”

- Zig Ziglar.

19.“You are the only person on Earth who can use your ability.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

20.“Go as far as you can see and you will see further.”

- Zig Ziglar.

21.“It's not what you've got, it's what you use that makes a difference.”

- Zig Ziglar.

22.“What is important is that you persevere and never give up on yourself.”

- Zig Ziglar.

23.“Always remember that your present situation is not your final destination. The best is yet to come.”

- Zig Ziglar.

24.“Regardless of what you are doing, if you pump long enough, hard enough and enthusiastically enough, sooner or later, the effort will bring forth the reward.”

- Zig Ziglar.

25."You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.”

- Zig Ziglar.

Zig Ziglar Quotes On Success

People cannot wait for the opportunity to hear a Zig Ziglar speech live because they truly resonate with his inspirational "see you at the top" quotes. Zig Ziglar success stories can help shed light on your own goals. Read through these Zig Ziglar positive quotes to be inspired.

26.“Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs.”

- Zig Ziglar.

27.“The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you want most for what you want right now.”

- Zig Ziglar.

28.“Success is the doing, not the getting- in the trying, not the triumph.”

- Zig Ziglar.

29.“If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”

- Zig Ziglar.

30.“Success comes when opportunity meets preparation.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

31.“Moving from survival to stability, from stability to success, from success to significance.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

32.“If you learn from defeat, you haven’t really lost.”

- Zig Ziglar.

33.“Success is dependent upon the glands – sweat glands.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

34.“Outstanding people have one thing in common: an absolute sense of mission.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

35.“Success is achieved by ordinary people with extraordinary determination.”

- Zig Ziglar.

36.“Ability can take you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

- Zig Ziglar.

37.“Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.”

- Zig Ziglar.

38."The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty."

- Zig Ziglar.

39."Honesty and integrity are absolutely essential for success in life-all areas of life. The really good news is that anyone can develop both honesty and integrity."

- Zig Ziglar.

40."Success must never be measured by how much money you have."

- Zig Ziglar.

41.“If you have the character to hang in there when it’s tough, you will develop or acquire every other characteristic necessary to win in the game of life.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

42.“If you do not think you deserve success, then you will do things that will keep you from getting success.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

43.“We cannot start over, but we can begin now, and make a new beginning.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

44.“People who accomplish great things work toward their objectives every day.”

- Zig Ziglar.

45.“There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.”

- Zig Ziglar.

46.“Success means doing the best we can with what we have.”

- Zig Ziglar.

47.“What you do off the job is the determining factor in how far you will go on the job.”

- Zig Ziglar.

48.“When your image improves, your performance improves.”

- Zig Ziglar.

49.“You don’t ‘pay the price’ for success-you enjoy the benefits of success.”

- Zig Ziglar.

Zig Ziglar was a visionary in his field.

Zig Ziglar Quotes On Business

Many businesses have grown because of the wisdom found in Zig Ziglar speeches. Many can attest that these Zig Ziglar leadership quotes have inspired them to get what they want. Check out these Zig Ziglar sales quotes and Zig Ziglar inspirational quotes from the iconic motivational speaker Zig Ziglar.

50.“Being productive gives people a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment that loafing never can.”

- Zig Ziglar.

51.“Every choice you make has an end result.”

- Zig Ziglar.

52.“If you don’t see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner.”

- Zig Ziglar.

53.“Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?”

- Zig Ziglar.

54.  “Getting up and moving forward is a choice.”

- Zig Ziglar.

55.“F-E-A-R has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise’. The choice is yours.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

56.“You already have every characteristic necessary for success if you recognize, claim, develop and use them.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

57.“Stop selling. Start helping.”

- Zig Ziglar.

58.“You can change everything about your business by changing your thinking about your business.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

59.“Money is not everything but it ranks right up there with oxygen.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

60.“It’s not how far you fall but how high you bounce that counts.”

- Zig Ziglar.

61.“Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.”

- Zig Ziglar.

62.“The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business.”

- Zig Ziglar.

63.“For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.”

- Zig Ziglar.

64.“Timid salesmen have skinny kids.”

- Zig Ziglar.

65.“Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.”

- Zig Ziglar.

66.“People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”

- Zig Ziglar.

67.“Maybe you don’t hold the title of a salesperson, but if the business you are in requires you to deal with people you are in sales.”

- Zig Ziglar.

68.“The top salesperson in the organization probably missed more sales than 90% of the salespeople on the team, but they also made more calls than the others made.”

- Zig Ziglar.

69.“Profitability comes from loyalty, productivity, and having a character base from which to work.”

- Zig Ziglar.

70.“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”

- Zig Ziglar.

71.“You don’t build a business – you build people – and then people build the business.”

- Zig Ziglar.

72.“If people like you, they'll listen to you, but if they trust you, they'll do business with you.”

- Zig Ziglar.

73.“A manager is not a person who can do the work better than his men. He is a person who can get his men to do the work better than he can.”

- Zig Ziglar.

74.“When a company or an individual compromises one time, whether it’s on price or principle, the next compromise is right around the corner.”

- Zig Ziglar.

75.“When management and labor (employer and employee) both understand they are all on the same side, then each will prosper more.”

- Zig Ziglar.

76.“The most important persuasion tool you have in your entire arsenal is integrity.”

- Zig Ziglar.

Zig Ziglar Quotes On Attitude

People are often excited to hear Zig Ziglar motivational speeches. Zig Ziglar success stories are plenty, but a major part of it can be credited to his take on attitude.

Check out these famous quotes by Zig Ziglar about attitude, which will help you get a taste of the Zig Ziglar 'you can have everything if you work hard' lifestyle.

77.“You cannot consistently perform in a manner which is inconsistent with the way you see yourself.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

78.“Attitude, not aptitude, determines altitude.”

- Zig Ziglar.

79.“Put all excuses aside and remember this: you are capable.”

- Zig Ziglar.

80.“You can succeed at almost anything for which you have unbridled enthusiasm.”

- Zig Ziglar.

81.“You are what you are and where you are because of what’s gone into your mind.”

- Zig Ziglar.

82.“You cannot tailor-make your situation in life, but you can tailor-make your attitudes to fit those situations.”

- Zig Ziglar.

83.“When you do more than you’re paid for. Eventually, you’ll be paid for more than you do.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

84.“You are the most influential person you will talk to all day.”

- Zig Ziglar.

85.“I recognize that winning is not everything, but the effort to win is.”

- Zig Ziglar.

86.“When you’ve got a strong enough why, you can always find the how.”

- Zig Ziglar.

87.“A positive attitude will have positive results because attitudes are contagious.”

- Zig Ziglar.

88.“People do not wander around and then find themselves at the top of Mount Everest.”

- Zig Ziglar.

89.“Other people and things can stop you temporarily. You’re the only one who can do it permanently.”

- Zig Ziglar.

90.“Too many people spend more time planning how to get the job than on how to become productive and successful in that job.”

- Zig Ziglar.

91.“Some people find fault like there is a reward for it.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘Zig Ziglar’s Little Book Of Quotes’.

92.“Every obnoxious act is a cry for help.”

- Zig Ziglar.

93.“If you have enough push, you don’t have to worry about the pull.”

- Zig Ziglar.

94.“Of all the ‘attitudes’ we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing.”

- Zig Ziglar.

95.“Our favorite attitude should be gratitude.”

- Zig Ziglar.

96.“The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more you will have to express gratitude for.”

- Zig Ziglar.

Zig Ziglar Quotes About Love And Relationships

These motivational quotes from Zig Ziglar on love and relationships will help you create a balanced life with the ones you love. He constantly reminds us that "it's your attitude not your aptitude", that leads you on the right path. Read these Zig Ziglar quotes on love to find out more.

97.“To a child, love is spelled T-I-M-E.”

- Zig Ziglar.

98.“Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate.”

- Zig Ziglar.

99..“Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.”

- Zig Ziglar.

100.“Look back in forgiveness, forward in hope, down in compassion, and up with gratitude.”

- Zig Ziglar.

101.“When you put faith, hope and love together, you can raise positive kids in a negative world.”

- Zig Ziglar.

102.“You don’t climb the high mountain all by yourself, it is in conjunction with others that we really accomplish the major things in life.”

- Zig Ziglar.

103.“Like sterling silver, love will tarnish unless it is polished with daily applications of interest, involvement, and expressions of love.”

- Zig Ziglar.

104.“The best way to make your spouse and children feel secure is not with big deposits in bank accounts, but with little deposits of thoughtfulness and affection in the 'love' account.”

- Zig Ziglar.

105.“When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged.”

- Zig Ziglar.

106.“Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do them beautifully.”

- Zig Ziglar.

Zig Ziglar Quotes On Failure

You would be surprised to know Zig Ziglar’s first book was rejected 39 times before it was finally printed. He never let failure affect him. Here are motivational sales quotes Zig Ziglar has shared on failure.

107.“There is little you can learn from doing nothing.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

108.“Most people who fail in their dream fail not from lack of ability but from lack of commitment.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

109.“You don’t drown by falling in water; you only drown if you stay there.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

110.“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

111.“Try to look at your weakness and convert it into your strength.”

- Zig Ziglar.

112.“Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street.”

- Zig Ziglar.

113.“Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

114.“One of the main reasons people fail to reach their full potential is because they are unwilling to risk anything.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

115.“If you do not think you deserve success, then you will do things that will keep you from getting success.”

- Zig Ziglar.

116.“Most people who fail in their dream fail not from lack of ability but from lack of commitment.”

- Zig Ziglar.

117.“Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember, the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.”

- Zig Ziglar.

Zig Ziglar Quotes About Life

These quotes by Zig Ziglar teach us the game of life and some insightful lessons about life.

118.“You can have everything in life you want, if you just help other people get what they want.”

- Zig Ziglar.

119.“The way you see people is the way you treat them.”

- Zig Ziglar.

120.“Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

121.“In the game of life, before you get anything out, you must put something in!”

- Zig Ziglar.

122.“When you are tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you.”

- Zig Ziglar.

Zig Ziglar Quotes On Happiness And Positive Quotes

Zig Ziglar,'Over The Top' and Zig Ziglar, 'You Can Have Everything', are two books written by this famous personality that are known the world over. The positive quotes in these books can surely  help people get what they want from their own life.

Zig Ziglar quotes have helped many find their way.

123. “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.”

- Zig Ziglar.

124. “Be helpful. When you see a person without a smile, give him one of yours.

- Zig Ziglar.

125.“Try to look at your weakness and convert it into your strength. That’s success.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

126.“Dreams grow if you grow.”

- Zig Ziglar.

127.“He climbs highest who helps another up.”

- Zig Ziglar.

128. “You cannot climb the ladder of success dressed in the costume of failure.”

- Zig Ziglar.

129.“Send out a cheerful, positive greeting, and most of the time, you will get back a cheerful, positive greeting.”

- Zig Ziglar.

130. “We must be healthy internally, emotionally and spiritually – in order to create healthy relationships with others.”

- Zig Ziglar.

131. “The more you are grateful for what you have the more you will have to be grateful for.”

- Zig Ziglar.

132. “Of course motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘Raising Positive Kids In A Negative World’.

133. “You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”

- Zig Ziglar.

134. “Ability can take you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

- Zig Ziglar.

135. “You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.”

- Zig Ziglar.

136. “You can grow. You can change. You can be more than you are.”

- Zig Ziglar.

137. “You can change what you are and where you are by changing what goes into your mind.”

- Zig Ziglar.

138. “Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others.”

- Zig Ziglar.

139. “Don’t let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of going after yours.”

- Zig Ziglar.

140. “The greatest of all mistakes is to do nothing because you think you can only do a little.”

- Zig Ziglar.

141. “Some of us learn from other people’s mistakes and the rest of us have to be other people.”

- Zig Ziglar.

142. “You must have some long range goals, so that short range frustrations don’t stop you in your tracks.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘GOALS: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Life’.

143. “If you don’t plan your time, someone else will help you waste it.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

144. “Where you start is not as important as where you finish.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association of Sales Education’.

145. “Until you are happy with who you are, you will never be happy because of what you have.”

- Zig Ziglar.

146. “You must have some big goals, because thinking big creates the excitement necessary for accomplishment.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘GOALS: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Life’.

147. “If you don’t like who you are and where you are, don’t worry about it because you’re not stuck either with who you are or where you are.”

- Zig Ziglar.

148. “Motivation is the fuel necessary to keep the human engine running.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

149. “Don’t let the mistakes and disappointments of the past control and direct your future.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘See You At The Top’.

150. “Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but it’s reasonably close to oxygen on the ‘gotta have it’ scale.”

- Zig Ziglar, ‘National Association Of Sales Education’.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of great family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for the best Zig Ziglar motivational quotes, then why not take a look at these work in progress quotes or ['I Have A Dream' speech quotes] for more?

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Written by Georgia Stone

Bachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art

Georgia Stone picture

Georgia StoneBachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art

Georgia is an experienced Content Manager with a degree in French and Film Studies from King's College London and Bachelors degree from Université Paris-Sorbonne. Her passion for exploring the world and experiencing different cultures was sparked during her childhood in Switzerland and her year abroad in Paris. In her spare time, Georgia enjoys using London's excellent travel connections to explore further afield.

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