When you’ve just had a brilliant idea for your next side hustle, you can practically feel the motivation pumping through you. But sometimes, as time goes on, you find yourself needing a bit more of a push – and that’s where these side hustle quotes come in.
That is, after the first burst of energy wears off, you’ll often find yourself struggling to motivate yourself to keep on hustling – or, sometimes, to take the leap to launching your side hustle.
This is why having some seriously motivational hustle and grind quotes can help you see that all that work you’re doing now is putting you one step closer to that business success that you know is around the corner.
As you’ll see from people who’ve been there, done that, those who push through the grind are those who the rest of us write success stories about. So if your brand new business needs some quotes and sayings to keep you on track towards your entrepreneurial goals, you’re in the right place.
Best side hustle quotes to get your motivation pumping
Sure, you may know you need to keep hustling, but these quotes could be just what you need to get up and do it.
And as you’ll see, we’ve even jazzed these up to give you some great side hustle quotes for Instagram, Pinterest or your other social media platform of choice! That way, you can save them somewhere that you can easily check whenever you feel yourself taking your foot off the pedal.
1. “The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain
Starting your side hustle can definitely be overwhelming, especially if you don’t really know where to start. After all, you may have 1,000 ideas of what you want your new business to be, but knowing which one to focus on in the limited time available seems like an impossible task.
Well, as Mark Twain shows us in this quote, you’ll never get ahead if you don’t start. So pick one aspect of your side hustle to focus on initially to start taking those first few steps to success. You can always pivot to work on other aspects later.
2. “Results have very little to do with goals and nearly everything to do with systems.” – James Clear
James Clear is the author of Atomic Habits which is, in my opinion, one of the best books in the world for anyone who wants to work effectively to reach their goals.
The book basically explains what Clear says in this quote. That is, you can have all the goals in the world, but if you don’t put in place systems in your life to achieve those goals, you’ll never get there. He shows you exactly how to break these down so that, in the end, making small changes will lead you to major results.
Want to get Atomic Habits as a free audiobook? If you sign up here for a free 30-day trial of Audible, you’ll get one free audiobook that you can keep forever, even if you cancel the trial before you’re charged!
3. “Good things happen to those who hustle.” – Anais Nin
Anais Nin was one of the early advocates for the side hustle and her quote shows you exactly why she was in favor of this.
Specifically, if you work hard and hustle on, results will soon follow.
4. “Done is better than perfect.” – Mark Zuckerberg
This is a great variation of the more well known quote: “perfect is the enemy of good”. While this could also be a solid side hustle quote, Zuckerberg’s version may be more relatable to those of you who struggle to get things done in your business.
For instance, if you’re still tweaking that product that you want to sell but you’re not sure if it’s good enough – it’s time to finish it and start selling it to your audience. You can always make more changes later but, for now, done is certainly better than perfect.
Looking for some side hustle inspiration? How about:
5. “The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.” – Jessica Hische
I love this quote from Jessica Hische, the author of the best-selling (and beautiful) book, Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave.
It’s actually this side hustle quote that pushed me to start my own side hustle – this site! I read it and realized that I’d spent far too many hours at my day job reading about other people who’d launched their own sites (don’t tell my boss).
This was just the push I needed to realize, hey, why am I doing this as a form of procrastination when it could actually, one day, be my main work? And here we are!
6. “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” – Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson may not have been talking specifically about side hustles when he said this, but it’s just as relevant today as back then.
Success won’t just fall from the sky into your lap. So if you’re chasing a goal, you have to do something to go out and get it. After all, if you haven’t reached your goal yet, then something you’re doing (or not doing) likely has to change – even if that something is, as Jefferson points out, something you’ve never done before.
7. “The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit.” – Fabienne Frederickson
This is a brilliant quote for anything where your actions today will help you reach your goal in future.
And that includes planting a seed today for your side hustle to thrive later. After all, you’re not starting that business to see immediate success. Instead, like a seed, you have to tend to it over time until, one day, its flowers start to bloom.
(And if you want a really practical, action-oriented book about getting out of your own way to reach happiness and success, Fabienne Frederickson’s book, Embrace Your Magnificence, could be just what you need to plant your own seed.)
8. “Don’t wish for things to be easier, wish for you to be better.” – Jim Rohn
There are always going to be hurdles in any path towards a goal, and that includes on the way to business success with your side hustle. The thing is, as Jim Rohn points out here, there’s no point in wishing for this path to be problem-free.
Instead, you need to get better at jumping over these hurdles. By focusing your energy at improving how you address these, your path to success will get a whole lot simpler to navigate.
9. “All dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving towards them.” – Viola Davis
This is another great side hustle quote for anyone thinking that their goals that they dream of achieving may actually be unattainable.
In reality, they may be completely within reach – just not yet. Instead, you have to keep putting in the work to get closer and closer to your dream. With each bit of hard work you do, that dream will suddenly get more within reach by the day.
10. “Hustle beats talent when talent doesn’t hustle.” – Ross Simmonds
This side hustle quote is incredibly important for those of us who’ve thought that we just may not have it in us to reach the success we’re looking for.
Instead, it shows that talent can help, but hard work helps more. Keep hustling and you’ll easily surpass those who may have more talent than you in a certain area, but who aren’t putting in the work to reach their full potential.
11. “It’s important to be willing to make mistakes. The worst that can happen is that you become memorable.” – Sara Blakely
Sara Blakely is the founder of Spanx, so she’s definitely seen her fair share of business success. She’s also talked openly about her various business mistakes – but all of them have gotten her to where she is today: a highly successful entrepreneur and billionaire.
And if you don’t make any mistakes in your own business, then you’re probably not trying everything that you could. Sure, mistakes may come. But think of the potential gems you could be missing out on by being afraid of those mistakes.
12. “If successful and unsuccessful people share the same goals, then the goal cannot be what differentiates the winners from the losers.” – James Clear
Another entry on this list from James Clear (the Atomic Habits author), but that’s only because I couldn’t help but include this as one of the best hustle and grind quotes around.
That is, we all have goals. But not everyone reaches those goals. So what’s the factor that differentiates those who succeed and those who don’t?
Usually, it’s good old fashioned hard work. So, sure, you may really not have the urge to work on that side hustle today. But how else do you plan to be one of the ones who gets to that goal?
13. “Some people want it to happen, some people wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan
Wanting and wishing for things is great, but making it happen is when you see actual results.
And when it comes to your side hustle, what are you doing today to make it happen?
14. “Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.” – Anonymous
There’s no question that being an entrepreneur can be damn hard work. Especially when you’re first starting out, those early years can see you hustling hard without always seeing many results from this.
But all that hard work can pay off in the end – and you could even argue that the pay off is a necessary part of the process. Sure, it may involve you having to miss out on some fun things that others are doing right now. But if it could result in you living your life in ways that they only dream of, then surely it’s worth it.
15. “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.” – Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett’s quote here is useful for anyone looking to make money in other ways, including through things like investing. But it’s definitely one of the most appropriate side hustle quotes too, especially for those hoping to build up their business to the point where it can continue to generate money, even when you’re not actively working on it.
After all, developing other income streams in addition to your day job could be the difference between whether or not you’re able to reach financial freedom. Keeping this in mind can be a great way to keep your eye on the prize, even if you’re a bit tired of the grind.
16. “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Suzy Kassem
Some doubt is normal when it comes to a side hustle, but don’t let it take hold.
Otherwise, if doubting yourself overtakes your ability to believe in yourself, you’ll never reach those goals you’ve been dreaming of.
17. “The longer you’re not taking action the more money you’re losing.” – Carrie Wilkerson
A lot of these quotes are targeted at people who may have launched their side hustles but are struggling with the next steps. But if you’re not at the stage of declaring “we are open for business”, there are quotes for you too.
Specifically, let’s be honest: most of us want our side hustles to succeed to make more money, whether that’s in addition to our main jobs or to replace them.
So for each day you delay working on this, whatever your reason (or excuse) for doing so, that’s one extra day in the future that you won’t be earning money. This means you should definitely do your future self a favor and get hustling.
18. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”- Muhammad Ali
Most side hustles can definitely present some risk, especially if they’re outside of the norm of what you usually do to make money.
But if you don’t take a risk and dive into this head first, you’ll never reach your entrepreneurial goals.
It’s fine to be scared of this, of course, but just don’t let that fear prevent you from acting altogether.
19. “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” – Estée Lauder
This is another great side hustle quotes for ladies (and men!) who are looking for inspiration from someone who founded a brand that you’ve definitely heard of.
As a completely self made businesswoman, Estée Lauder knew just how much hard work goes into success. As we said before: dreams are great, but it’s the hustle that gets you results.
20. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
With side hustle quotes like these, it seems that Aristotle would also probably be a fan of Atomic Habits!
Essentially, this is the same concept, just several thousands of years earlier. You don’t reach success in anything you do, including your business, based on one action but on a number of actions repeated over time. Even if you lack motivation to build your side hustle, implementing effective habits is, ultimately, the best way for it to be successful.
21. “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” – Sheryl Sandberg
All of us have different fears when it comes to our side hustles. Fear of failure. Fear of being judged. Fear of not knowing what to do. Fear of so-called experts thinking you’re an imposter.
These are all very normal. But working through them is the only way you’ll end up succeeding – as Sheryl Sandberg likely has some experience in doing herself at Facebook.
22. “The trouble for most people is they don’t decide to get wealthy, they just dream about it.” – Michael Masters
If you want to know why you hustle, this quote is for you.
To be fair, this is another one of those side hustle quotes that could work in the context of basically any finance-related goal, but there’s no doubt that this includes side hustles.
Like some of the other hustle and grind quotes, dreaming of something is one step one of the process. Instead, if you really want that to be your end goal, you have to decide to actually do something about it.
(And then actually do it, of course!)
23. “The energy you’ll expend focusing on someone else’s life is better spent working on your own.” – Sophia Amoruso
It’s completely normal – and even a good thing – to have people who you look up to or who have achieved your dream and who you want to emulate.
But the problem arises if you spend too long focusing on what they’re doing and not enough time focusing on what you’re doing. It’s a fine line between getting inspired by someone and being weighed down by the fact that they’re where you want to be, so make sure you’re staying on the right side of that line.
24. “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” – Chris Grosser
This side hustle quote is along the same lines as one you may have heard of, in that “you create your own luck”.
So similar to that, it’s important to be reminded every now and then that opportunities aren’t just going to fall into your lap. Instead, you have to create these opportunities through your own hustle and grind. Sure, it can be hard work – but it makes it oh-so-worth it when they do arise.
25. “You could certainly say that I’ve never underestimated myself. There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious.” – Angela Merkel
While this is definitely a quote for anyone, I’m going to say this is more on the list of side hustle quotes for ladies.
That’s because women in particular often feel like they can’t be “too ambitious”. Any woman who was told she was “bossy” as a child knows what I’m talking about.
But Angela Merkel, Forbes’ pick for the most powerful woman in the world every year from 2006 to 2021 (except for 2010 when Michelle Obama beat her to it), knows a thing or two about being ambitious. As she should – and as you should too.
26. “The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” – Vince Lombardi
No one lands at the top of a mountain without some serious hard work. And it doesn’t take too much effort to see how this analogy applies to your own side hustle.
This one is great for those days when you really can’t find the energy to do that task that you just don’t want to do – but that your side hustle needs to keep ticking along. So sure, it’ll hurt. But just do it to keep pushing your way towards that mountain peak.
27. “So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.” – Caterina Fake
Caterina Fake is the co-founder of Flickr and this is one of those hustle and grind quotes that everyone with a side hustle should read.
That is, while taking action on your side hustle is important for it to grow, it’s also important to make sure you’re taking action on the right things.
A classic example is social media. It can be so easy to find yourself spending hours scrolling through Facebook or Instagram and telling yourself that it’s for your side hustle – when really, you’re just procrastinating from what really needs to be done.
So work out which aspects of your business get the most ROI and make sure you focus on those.
28. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
It’s true that motivation is usually high when you first launch your side hustle but it does die off eventually. However, you have to keep moving forward for your side hustle to grow – which is why, like bathing, it can be helpful to revisit your source of motivation every day.
This could include asking yourself every day why you want to achieve your goals. Knowing your why can be super helpful for allowing you to keep your eye on the prize, especially during those times when it seems pointless to keep trying.
29. “The risk of moving toward your dreams is much lower than the slow, everyday punishment you inflict on yourself by suppressing your dream.” – Mel Robbins
I’ve mentioned it a couple of times earlier in this article, but it’s normal to have some apprehension when it comes to your side hustle. There’s definitely a risk involved, especially if you’re looking to move away from your steady 9-5 that you’ve always known.
But there’s also a risk involved in doing nothing. By staying in that 9-5, sure, the work may be reliable (at least for now). But do you want to stay stuck there forever instead of reaching for what you’re really dreaming of?
30. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan makes no secret of the fact that his successes come from having worked very hard for a very long time.
And while you may not win six NBA championships, you too can take 9,000 shots in your business. Sure, you may miss the game-winning shot from time to time. But imagine the successes you can get if you keep practicing and keep trying.
31. “I don’t believe in competing for what I want. I believe in creating what I want.” – Zain Asher
This is similar to Chris Gosser’s side hustle quote from a bit earlier, but it’s definitely a sentiment worth repeating.
That is, no matter what you do, you have to create your own opportunities. You’ll definitely have competitors with your side hustle, but it’s carving out your own niche within that bubble where you’ll really start to excel.
32. “The best revenge is massive success.” – Frank Sinatra
Enough said, Ol’ Blue Eyes.
33. “Eat. Sleep. Hustle. Repeat.” – Anonymous
Need we say more?
