20 inspirational quotes for your desktop wallpaper

Sometimes, the best cure for a tough day is an inspirational quote. And luckily, the digital age means that these positive mantras are easy to find—and share—within seconds. In the article below, we provide you with 20 inspirational quotes, and downloadable desktop wallpapers so that your screen will serve as a constant source of wisdom throughout the day.

Ever wondered why the world loves an inspirational quote so much? Well, according to psychologist and motivation expert Jonathan Fader⁠(opens in a new tab or window), this is because quotes provide a strong sense of imagery for those wanting to overcome or change something in themselves.

Jonathan also told Fast Company⁠(opens in a new tab or window) that quotes have self-help factor attached to them. Using the examples of coaches and mentors, Jonathan believes that if someone that you respect allows you to do something, you are more likely to believe that you can too. And so quotes help us coach ourselves into believing in ourselves or trying harder.

While social media has proved to be a popular destination for inspirational quotes to live, if you ask us, the best place to for an inspirational quote is on your desktop wallpaper⁠(opens in a new tab or window). Just think of how many times you needed an instant pick-me-up when you were writing an essay, answering emails, or on a tight deadline.

From quotes on overcoming fear to quotes about embracing your circumstances, below we’ve created 20 downloadable desktop wallpapers that are filled with some of the world’s most famous quotes.

Read on to be inspired.

As many great successful people have confessed, when it comes to chasing your goals, you’ll probably experience fear and doubt along the way. In fact, part of the journey itself is learning how to overcome and grow from them.

If you find yourself in an exciting but equally fearful situation, below are three quotes for overcoming fear.

“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” — George Addair

“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

“Successful people have fear, successful people have doubts, and successful people have worries. They just don’t let these feelings stop them.” – T. Harv Eker

If you find yourself needing some inspiration, download these quotes on overcoming fear and display them on your computer.

While it’s easy to spend countless hours ruminating on how to be successful, from the quotes below, we can see that success is more than just a job title or a paycheck and that you can choose to see it as a mindset.

If you’re looking for a more positive way to define success, below are four quotes about the true meaning of success.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” – Zig Ziglar

“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.” ― Roy T. Bennett

"Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." — Winston Churchill

The truth is, when you’re chasing a big goal there’s likely to be some obstacles and challenges along the way. Whether it’s self-doubt, financial constraints, or other external factors, it is in those moments that you can learn valuable life lessons. Many philosophers and influencers see this as a mental challenge that can be overcome with a change of perspective.

If you find yourself facing some obstacles, below are five quotes for beating challenges that come your way.

“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” — Stephen Covey

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” – Helen Keller

“Nobody can build the bridge for you to walk across the river of life, no one but you yourself alone.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” Sir Edmund Hillary

Positivity is defined as “the practice of being or tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude.”

And while it’s easy to stay in a happy mindset when things are going well, staying optimistic when you are in the midst of a challenge is a little harder. However, many philosophers believe that learning to be joyful in the midst of any circumstance an important life skill that can help prepare you for success in the future.

Below are three quotes for staying positive.

“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.” —Dalai Lama

“Staying positive does not mean that things will turn out okay. Rather it is knowing that you will be okay no matter how things turn out.” – Unknown

“In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.” — Les Brown

Sometimes, you need a little bit of perspective. Whether it’s remembering to show kindness to others, or building your confidence back up again, these quotes are great to have on hand for any day.

“You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your life; at some point, you have to unleash the potential and make your move.” – Eric Thomas

“There is no greater disability in society than the inability to see a person as more.” – Robert M. Hensel

“Experience is the teacher of all things.” – Julius Caesar

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you want to design your own quotes for your desktop wallpaper, phone wallpaper, or Instagram grid, here are some easy-to-follow design tips that will help you create a beautiful quote design every time:

1. Increase your letter spacing⁠(opens in a new tab or window). When adding your quote into a design, it’s important to give your words room to breathe. Increasing the space between your letters can make your quote easier to read—especially if it’s being consumed on a phone screen.

The Blue Border Quote Instagram Post⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template is a great example of how spacing can help your quotes stand out.

1. Frame your words. Design elements like borders, frames, and backgrounds can help you emphasize various elements of your quote. Whether it’s the author or specific words, adding these elements⁠(opens in a new tab or window) to your design will also allow you to add texture to your quote.

In the Yellow Mountain Photo Quote Instagram Post⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template a yellow box is used to highlight who the author is. The yellow box also matches the quote marks at the top of the graphic which creates unity within the design.

1. Work within a specific color palette⁠(opens in a new tab or window). While it can be tempting to make your quote design as bright as possible, many professional designers suggest sticking to two to three colors per design. Doing this allows the words to be the focal point and the colors serve to add to the design and not to distract the reader.

The Orange Quote Flowers Instagram Post⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template is proof that a small color palette can still be bold and bright.

1. Embrace white space⁠(opens in a new tab or window). White space can be defined as any areas of a design not taken up by other elements, such as text, photos or illustrations. While we often think of images and fonts for communicating a message, white space can be used to direct the reader’s attention to core elements on the design.

Customize the Black White Simple Quote Instagram Post⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template for a minimalist quote graphic that uses white space for extra impact.