27 Quotes to Overcome a Lack of Self-confidence and Find Your Voice

We didn’t all come into this world as confident beings.

I certainly didn’t. In my early years, I was painfully shy, to the point where I couldn’t even look at strangers.

It’s a mystery why I was like that, but I suppose I just arrived in the world that way.

Lots of anxiety. It’s scary.

If you frequently find yourself grappling with a lack of confidence, fear not—you’re in good company. Numerous accomplished individuals have confronted similar challenges and discovered strategies to triumph over them.

And now, I’m here to impart 27 quotes to empower you in this journey.

Of course, there are many ways a lack of confidence shows up in our life.

I don’t know what it might be for you. Still, before I share some quotes that have helped me along the way, it seems only fair to let you in on the confidence journey from my early days and up through my teens to adulthood.

It’s not pretty!

When I began attending school, I became skilled at pretending I had confidence, even though inside, I was often quaking with nerves.

I longed to be invisible, to go unnoticed and avoid any attention. When I was occasionally called upon in class, my insides would tremble for what seemed like an eternity.

I yearned to be someone else:

Then came my early teen years, and there was this girl I admired. She had a fantastic sense of humor and wore the clothes I aspired to wear.

I wanted to be just like her, but I needed to have her comedic style; my mom wouldn’t let me dress like her, so my desire to mimic her was a complete flop.

But as Bruce Lee said: “Always be yourself–express yourself, have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.”

And it turns out being yourself is better than you think because:

Little did I know that her desire was to be more like me, as she told me many years later.

If only I had understood back then that being myself was more than okay; it was the key to unlocking my confidence.

Here’s a little trick that helped me, and I hope it helps you too.

To unlock self-confidence, a new perspective is needed.

Because here’s the thing: confidence isn’t something you can carry around in your pocket.

That’s why we must explore inner confidence—the kind that sees us through those moments of self-doubt.

But on certain days, grasping the truth about ourselves—our inherent value, worthiness of respect, and undeniable completeness—can be as elusive as trying to catch the wind.

And here’s one of the most effective little tricks I used to handle my lack of confidence and anxiety.

Each morning, simply select a quote from this treasure trove of wisdom that truly resonates with you for that day. Make it personal to you.

Use the word ” I ” whenever possible, and turn each quote into a personal guiding light, ready to illuminate those challenging moments when self-doubt and lack of self-confidence rear their unwelcome head.

This simple tactic proved invaluable, serving as a lifeline to remind me of my potential.

It made me realize that the only thing holding me back was, well, me—my perspective and beliefs about life, even if I couldn’t quite put them into words.

Remember that the confidence you cultivate elevates you and leads others to view themselves with more kindness.

And one more thing—confidence doesn’t thrive in isolation; it blossoms when you’re part of a supportive, authentic community where shared experiences and friendships allow you to embrace your true self.

With all that said, let’s get down to quotes you can turn to when you need that extra dose of confidence.

Self-confidence quotes

Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think

Christopher Robin

Don’t let others put thoughts in your mind that take away your self-confidence.

Katori Hall

Your greatness is revealed not by the lights that shine upon you, but by the light that shines within you.

Ray A. Davis

 Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her

Laozi

One day things will be okay. That one day will be there sooner thank you think.

Elle Sommer

You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.

Eleanor Roosevelt

One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.

Shannon L. Alder

Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution.

David J. Schwartz

Self-confidence is contagious.

Stephen Richards

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

Never dull your shine for somebody else.

Tyra Banks

Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear.

Taylor Swift

It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.

Lillian Hellman

Trust yourself–you know more than you think you do.

Benjamin Spock

Sometimes we have to look back to when we were happily confident, to remind ourselves we can do it.

Elle Sommer

A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms.

Zen Shin

The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you.

William Jennings Bryan

Self-confidence is a super power. Once you start to believe in yourself , magic starts happening.

Unknown

Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.

Germany Kent

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 Zigler

Don’t ever let a bad day make you feel like life will always be bad. It’s just one day. A new one is on the horizon.

Elle Sommer

Smile, for everyone lacks self-confidence and more than any other one thing a smile reassures them.

Andre Maurois

Just be yourself. Let people see the real, imperfect, flawed, quirky, weird, beautiful, and magical person that you are.

Mandy Hale

Confidence comes not from always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong.

Peter T. McIntyre

Don’t ever let a bad day make you feel like life will always be bad. It’s just one day.

Elle Sommer

Be kind to yourself. You are doing the best you can in this moment.

Elle Sommer

Care what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.

Lau Tzu

Final thoughts on self-confidence

Ted Talk video with Amy Adkins on self-confidence: