170 Graduation Quotes to Celebrate Your Favorite New Grad

“You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.” — Tom Brokaw

Now that you have been equipped with enough knowledge to last you a lifetime, go out and spend that full lifetime applying it in any way you can. The world is only better because another mind such as yours is here to educate it.

“Graduation is a time of completion, of finishing, of an ending, however, it is also a time of celebration of achievement and a beginning for you.” — Catherine Pulsifer

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life–think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” ― Swami Vivekananda

Let the diploma that you receive be a reminder to you each and every day that you work hard in this life, and that you do not just allow things to be handed to you. You know the meaning of the word ‘earn’, and you are ready to apply it in every corner of your life. Congratulations on such an amazing achievement.

“Thankfully, dreams can change. If we’d all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses. So, whatever your dream is right now, if you don’t achieve it, you haven’t failed, and you’re not some loser. But just as importantly—and this is the part I may not get right and you may not listen to—if you do get your dream, you are not a winner.” ― Stephen Colbert

“Now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make good art.” — Neil Gaiman

Make no mistake, there is still hard work ahead, but it is clear that you have everything it takes to reach the highest potential, and graduating college is proof that you could move mountains if you set your mind to it.

“The choices you make now, the people you surround yourself with, they all have the potential to affect your life, even who you are, forever.” ― Sarah Dessen

“Not only can you not plan the impact you’re going to have, you often won’t recognize it when you’re having it.” —Dick Costolo

“Whatever you choose for a career path, remember the struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose.” — Chadwick Boseman

“My dear, terrified graduates, you are about to enter the most uncertain and thrilling period of your lives.” — Lin-Manuel Miranda

“You overcame every test. Done tons of homework. For all those years. Congratulations, you made it.” — Danielle Duckery

Never have I met someone with such drive, ambition, and determination to make their dreams come true. I am so honored to have witnessed such an impressive academic journey, and I cannot wait to see what life brings you next. Congratulations, and good luck in all of your future endeavors.

“Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.” — George Herbert

“The old rules are crumbling, and nobody knows what the new rules are. So, make up your own rules.” — Neil Gaiman

“It isn’t where you came from; it’s where you’re going that counts.” ― Ella Fitzgerald

“People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” ― Tony Robbins

No matter where you go next, may you know that you have been equipped with such knowledge in your mind, ability in your hands, and love in your heart, and with that, you will be able to take on any challenge that comes your way.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” ― Dr. Seuss

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Wishing is not enough; we must do.” ― Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

“Be willing to embrace wonder, to experience unexpected discovery, and to go in unknown directions… Never become so enamored of your own smarts that you stop signing up for life’s hard classes.” ― Melissa Harris-Perry

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” — Dr. Seuss

“The most important thing in your life is to live your life with integrity and to not give into peer pressure to try to be something that you’re not.” — Ellen DeGeneres

As you rise to achieve amazing things beyond high school, do not forget the place and people that you call home, and that we believe in you and your success no matter what.

“Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.” ― Albert Einstein

“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away.” — Dr. Seuss

“You cannot dream of becoming something you do not know about. You have to learn to dream big. Education exposes you to what the world has to offer, to the possibilities open to you.” — Sonia Sotomayor

“All those adults that you used to think were in charge and knew what they were doing? It turns out they don’t have all the answers. A lot of them aren’t even asking the right questions. So, if the world’s going to get better, it’s going to be up to you.” — Barack Obama

“My wish for you is that life becomes all that you want it to. Your dreams stay big. And your worries stay small. You never need to carry more than you can hold. And while you’re out there getting to where you’re getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you. And wants the same things too. Yeah. This is my wish.” — Rascal Flatts

Let today be the start of a new journey for you. Let today be the beginning of a life in which you are confident that you are enough for this life, and let all that you have achieved be proof that you can do great things.

“Use your achievement that we are celebrating tonight to launch yourselves … maybe into other education opportunities, personal goals, or career job prospects. This is just the beginning. You have the guts, and you have the dedication, and you have the skill, obviously, to achieve what you achieved today.” — Francine St. Amand

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” — B.B. King

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” — Albert Schweitzer

“Do not let the memories of your past limit the potential of your future. There are no limits to what you can achieve on your journey through life, except in your mind.” ― Roy T. Bennett

“When you take risks, you learn that there will be times when you succeed, and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.” — Ellen DeGeneres

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” — Robert Louis Stevenson

“Believe in your infinite potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself. Believe in yourself, your abilities and your own potential. Never let self-doubt hold you captive. You are worthy of all that you dream of and hope for.” ― Roy T. Bennett

“Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” ― William Faulkner

“You are a piece of a great puzzle, and if you don’t play your role, the puzzle will never be complete. Your piece is unique, just like you. I have trust in you, and I know you will be a leader, first of all for yourself, and also for humanity.” ― Alain Bezeau

“Keep going, because you did not come this far just to come this far.” ― Molly Ho

“People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” ― Rob Siltanen

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

“Graduation is only a concept. In real life, every day you graduate. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you’ll make a difference.” — Arie Pencovici

“Life is not easy for anyone. Sometimes, you don’t see the challenges on the outside, but every single one of us has both those and everything that goes on inside as well. Give it your all. Dare to be all you can be.” — Hillary Clinton

“Shoot for the Moon. Even if you miss it, you will land among the stars.” — Les Brown

“All our dreams can come true…if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney

“When you can’t find someone to follow, you have to find a way to lead by example.” — Roxane Gay

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” — Paulo Coelho

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill

“Do not let your fire go out spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it’s yours.” ― Ayn Rand

“What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.” ― Maya Angelou

“If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.” ― Rick Riordan

“So many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.” — Norton Juster

“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” ― A.A. Milne

“Follow your passion. Stay true to yourself. Never follow someone else’s path, unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that.” — Ellen DeGeneres

“To those of you who received honors, awards, and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you too may one day be President of the United States.” — George W. Bush

I’m going to be honest, there was a long time in which I did not think that you would make it this far, but you have always been good at proving me wrong, so here’s to you being right yet again! Congratulations on graduating.

“As you set off into the world, don’t be afraid to question your leaders. But don’t ask too many questions at one time or questions that are too hard, because your leaders will get tired and/or cranky.” — Will Ferrell

“Listen, smile, agree, and then do whatever you were gonna do anyway.”— Robert Downey Jr.

“Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated.” — Garry Trudeau

“You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.” — Sam Levenson

“A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that individuality is the key to success.” — Robert Orben

“To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” — Reba McEntire

At the very least, you seem to pull off those funny little graduation caps pretty well, so even though it might not have been a great journey, you look alright! Congratulations, graduate!

“If you hang out with chickens, you’re going to cluck, and if you hang out with eagles, you’re going to fly.” — Steve Maraboli

“Your families are extremely proud of you. You can’t imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing. This would be a most opportune time to ask for money.” — Gary Bolding

“When you do not know what you are doing and what you are doing is the best — that is inspiration.” — Robert Bresson

“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito.” — Betty Reese

“Life is like a sewer – what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” — Tom Lehrer

No more school, no more homework, no job, no income, and no responsibilities! What a life you are leading! Congratulations on graduating, and welcome to the least stressful time of your life!

“When life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade, and then try to find someone whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.” — Ron White

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

“Education is learning what you didn’t even know you didn’t know.” — Daniel J. Boorstin

“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs…one step at a time.” —Joe Girard

“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.” — Dennis Wholey

“Opportunity does not knock; it presents itself when you beat down the door.” — Kyle Chandler

After all of that planning and working and responsibility, you do not have to think about anything else for a long time… Okay. That was long enough. Time to get up off your butt and keep going! Life never slows down, not even for a graduate!

“Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable.” ― Paramahansa Yogananda

Today is Chapter 1 of your life journey’s sequel. Write it well.

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” ― Unknown

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“Quality is job one.” — Henry Ford

“The world is calling.” ― Unknown

“Keep going. Be all in.” ― Bryan Hutchinson

“There is no substitute for hard work.” ― Thomas Edison

“And so, the adventure begins.” ― Unknown

You have all the time in the world now. Use it.

“Make each day your masterpiece.” — John Wooden

“You do not find the happy life. You make it.” ― Camilla Eyring Kimball

“The starting point of all achievement is desire.” ― Napoleon Hill

“It’s not a sin to get knocked down; it’s a sin to stay down.” ― Carl Brashear

“Follow your fear.” — Tina Fey

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” ― Spencer Johnson

“Fall 7 times, stand up 8.” — Japanese Proverb

“Stay foolish to stay sane.” — Maxime Lagacé

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” — Stephen Hawking

“There is no traffic jam along the extra mile.” ― Roger Staubach

The world is yours. It is time to prove it.

“Leave no stone unturned.” ― Euripides

“Becoming is better than being.” — Carol Dweck

“Do or do not. There is no try.” — Yoda

“Always do what you are afraid to do.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Genius is born—not paid.” — Oscar Wilde

“Light tomorrow with today.” — Elizabeth Barrett Browning

“The past has no power over the present moment.” — Eckhart Tolle

“If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?” — Joe Namath

“Try a little harder to be a little better.” — Gordon B. Hinckley

Get up, dust yourself off, and get ready to get dusty again.

“Today or never, that’s my motto.” — Mary Poppins

“I have nothing to lose, but something to gain.” — Eminem

“Be who you are on the inside.” — Moana

“Impossible is for the unwilling.” — John Keats

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.” — Muhammad Ali

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela

“Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.” — André Gide

“Kid, you’ll move mountains.” — Dr. Seuss

Whatever happens, remember your ambitions are worth the work.

“Just keep taking chances and having fun.” — Garth Brooks

“Make it happen, girl. Shock everyone.” ― Unknown

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Graduation is not the end of education.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita

“And still, I rise.” — Maya Angelou

“Spread love everywhere you go.” — Mother Teresa

“You are your best thing.” — Toni Morrison

It will take someone like you to turn this world around.

“Never be afraid to sit awhile and think.” — Lorraine Hansberry

“You never fail until you stop trying.” — Albert Einstein

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” — Confucius

“Genius is independent of situation.” ― Charles Churchill

“You can if you think you can.” ― George Reeves

“FOCUS = Follow On Course Until Successful.” ― Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha

There has never been a moment in which I did not believe in you, and there never will be.

“Don’t allow ignorance to further enslave your destiny.” ― Jaachynma N.E. Agu

“Be so good they can’t ignore you.” ― Steve Martin

“Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” — Samuel Beckett

“Success is the child of audacity.” — Benjamin Disraeli

“Aspire to inspire before we expire.” — Unknown

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” — George Bernard Shaw

“There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” ― Ray Goforth

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.” — Oprah Winfrey

“You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ― A.A. Milne

“When you put love out in the world, it travels, and it can touch people and reach people in ways that we never even expected.” — Laverne Cox

“Before you act, listen. Before you react, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try.” ― Ernest Hemingway

“Graduation day is finally here; your dreams you did pursue. All your hard work has paid off; we are so very proud of you.” ― Catherine Pulsifer

“Do it badly; do it slowly; do it fearfully; do it any way you have to, but do it.” ― Steve Chandler

“I hope your dreams take you to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known.” ― Newton D. Baker

“As you get older, your self will diminish, and you will grow in love. YOU will gradually be replaced by LOVE. If you have kids, that will be a huge moment in your process of self-diminishment. You really won’t care what happens to YOU, as long as they benefit. That’s one reason your parents are so proud and happy today. One of their fondest dreams has come true: you have accomplished something difficult and tangible that has enlarged you as a person and will make your life better, from here on in, forever.” ― George Saunders

“Go forth and set the world on fire.” ― St. Ignatius of Loyola

“When you embark for strange places, don’t leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.” ― Alan Alda

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“Behind you, all your memories. Before you, all your dreams. Around you, all who love you. Within you, all you need.” ― Unknown

“You know, you do need mentors, but in the end, you really just need to believe in yourself.” ― Diana Ross

“Because honestly, no matter where you end up and with whom, it always ends up the way it should be. Your mistakes make you who you are. You learn and grow with each choice you make.” ― Unknown

“Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” — Bil Keane

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” — Maya Angelou

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” ― Edward Everett Hale

“Always believe in yourself, and always stretch yourself beyond your limits. Your life is worth a lot more than you think, because you are capable of accomplishing more than you know. You have more potential than you think, but you will never know your full potential unless you keep challenging yourself and pushing beyond your own self-imposed limits.” ― Roy T. Bennett

“Accomplish, but do not boast; accomplish without show, accomplish without arrogance, accomplish without grabbing, accomplish without forcing.” ― Lao Tzu

“We are so proud of you as you graduate. You faced challenges and obstacles, but each time, you overcame them. May God’s blessing be on your future plans.” — Catherine Pulsifer

“If it’s not happening yet, the plan has not manifested yet. At the right time, things will work out. Have faith, patience, and the maturity to wait knowing that God’s timing is best.” ― Germany Kent

“Yes, all you need to do is change your orientation and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that He can make you whole, change your status, and add value to your destiny.” ― Jaachynma N.E. Agu

“God can still do more for you and through you. You just need to trust in Him.” ― Gift Gugu Mona

“Let your life reflect the faith you have in God. Fear nothing and pray about everything. Be strong, trust God’s word, and trust the process.” ― Germany Kent

“God wants us to know that life is a series of beginnings, not endings. Just as graduations are not terminations, but commencements. Creation is an ongoing process, and when we create a perfect world where love and compassion are shared by all, suffering will cease.” — Bernie Siegel

“Miracles happen every day; change your perception of what a miracle is and you’ll see them all around you.” — Jon Bon Jovi

“Faith, not belief, carries us forward; for a belief is a thought, whereas faith is a knowing, a certainty which grows in the marrow.” ― Roger Housden

I pray that you feel God with you every step of the way. I pray that when you find yourself in moments where you are thinking, ‘I cannot do it’, God whispers back to you, ‘you always have, and through me, you always will’.

“The more you go with the flow of life and surrender the outcome to God, and the less you seek constant clarity, the more you will find that fabulous things start to show up in your life.” ― Mandy Hale

“We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn’t come naturally. It’s a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.” ― Swindoll Charles R.

“What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.” — Eleanor Powell

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

“I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I fully trust the one who holds tomorrow.” ― Sachin Ramdas Bharatiya

“Trusting God does not mean believing He will do what you want, but rather believing He will do everything he knows is good.” ― Ken Sande

“If it is not good for you, God will not give it to you. So don’t grumble if you don’t get it.” ― Gift Gugu Mona

“Trust God’s process and timing; He’s got you covered!” ― Prophetess Dina Rolle

“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is – infinite.” ― William Blake

You have been told all your life that you can do anything, and now is the time to take that advice and take what you have learned and run with it. You can do anything, because you have been given the tools to do so. You can, and you will.

“Great things are done when men and mountains meet.” ― William Blake

“So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.” ― Malcolm X

“A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.” ― Vince Lombardi

There has never been a moment in which I have not believed in you. You are so strong, and so capable. It is time to prove me right.

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: the potential for greatness lives within each of us.” ― Wilma Rudolph

“Bravery is the audacity to be unhindered by failures, and to walk with freedom, strength, and hope in the face of things unknown.” ― Morgan Harper Nichols

Being a man means expressing all the compassion you have in your heart through every step of your achievements. Being a man means sharing your successes and owning up to your failures. Being a man means admitting when you are wrong and working to learn to be right. You are a man now, and you are amazing.

“The man who has confidence in himself gains the confidence of others.” ― Hasidic Proverb

“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

Your graduation symbolizes so much more than your academic achievements, but it also shows how much you have grown as a person over the years. My hope for you is that you never stop growing, because it does not stop here. Ahead of you, there is only more room for that growth, and I know you will take full advantage of it.

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather, become a man of value.” ― Albert Einstein

“Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.” ― Indra Nooyi

I have spent years learning what it means to be a good human being in this lifetime. I have learned that it takes compassion and empathy as well as strength and resilience. It takes a soft heart and a loving soul as well as bravery and intelligence. These are things I see in you, and I am so proud of your hard work.

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive, and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” ― Maya Angelou

“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” ― Michelle Obama

“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy is precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” ― Anne Taylor

“And one day, she discovered that she was fierce and strong and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.” ― Mark Anthony

“Be messy and complicated and afraid, and show up anyways.” ― Glennon Doyle Melton

“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. … It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” ― Ruth Bader Ginsburg

“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” ― Coco Chanel

“The most dangerous woman of all is the one who refuses to rely on your sword to save her, because she carries her own.” ― R.H. Sin

“Some women choose to follow men, and some choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.” ― Lady Gaga

You are a woman, and that means you are strong, capable, ambitious, and amazing. There is nothing that you cannot take on in this life. Remember that.

“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women.” ― Nora Ephron

“Everyone has inside of her a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what your potential is.” — Anne Frank

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” — Judy Garland

“One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in, and where you want to go.” ― Sheila Murray Bethel

“Never apologize for being sensitive or emotional. Let this be a sign that you’ve got a big heart and aren’t afraid to let others see it. Showing your emotions is a sign of strength.” ― Brigitte Nicole

“Be a girl with a mind, a woman with attitude, and a lady with class.” ― Unknown

“I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” ― Audrey Hepburn

“She believed she could, so she did.” ― R. S. Grey