10 Quotes to Keep Job Seekers Inspired & Motivated

Brick wall: The ups and downs of being a job seeker

It's a tough world out there, and as a job seeker, you will have times where things are looking up. It's the times when things aren't looking up that are the worst though. (Trust me, I've recently had a taste of this myself.) As an eternal optimist, I believe in having a positive attitude, no matter what life may throw your way. Sometimes, though, even I need a few reminders about staying optimistic. Behold, a list of 10 quotes that inspire me every day. Go ahead, print it out and tape it to your mirror (as I have done), or keep it somewhere you will see it frequently. Add your own quotes. And yes, the first one may look familiar, but I had to include the one that inspired this blog. Just don't forget to keep smiling and keep trying, job seekers!

1. "The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show us how badly we want something." - Randy Pausch's book and lecture, The Last Lecture
2. "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." – Maya Angelou
3. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference." – Serenity Prayer
4. "From the dark side, you can see the glow of something bright." – Dave Matthews Band song, Pig
5. "Get busy living ... or get busy dying ." - The Shawshank Redemption (movie)
6. "Everything you will ever want in life is just outside your comfort zone." - ???
7. "We are still masters of our fate. We are still captains of our souls." - Winston Churchill
8. "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
9. "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." - Thomas Jefferson
10. "The great moments of your life won’t necessarily be the things you do. They’ll also be the things that happen to you. Now, I’m not saying you can’t take action to affect the outcome of your life. You have to take action, and you will, but never forget, that on any day, you can step out the front door and your whole life could change forever. You see, the universe has a plan kids, and that plan is always in motion...It’s a scary thought, but it’s also kind of wonderful, all these little parts of the machine constantly working, making sure you end up exactly where you’re supposed to be exactly when you’re supposed to be there. The right place at the right time." – How I met your mother (TV show)