Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Annie Johnson was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim. She became a poet and writer after a series of occupations as a young adult, including fry cook, nightclub dancer, and performer, cast member of the opera Porgy and Bess, coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and journalist in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa. She was an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. In 1982, she was named the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Beginning in the 1990s, she made approximately 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961. With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries. Angelou’s most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes such as racism, identity, family, and travel. Her quotes are powerful, inspiring, and motivational, and help you to be a better person in mind, body, and soul. May these Maya Angelou Quotes On Success inspire you to take action so that you may live your dreams.
1. “If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be.” Maya Angelou
2. “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.” Maya Angelou
3. “You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.” Maya Angelou
4. “When you know better, you do better.” Maya Angelou
5. “Among other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” Maya Angelou
6. “Courage is the most important of all virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” Maya Angelou
7. “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
8. “I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life’.” Maya Angelou
9. “All great achievements require time.” Maya Angelou
10. “Nothing can dim the light which shines within.” Maya Angelou
11. “The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.” Maya Angelou
12. “Nothing will work unless you do.” Maya Angelou
13. “I got my own back.” Maya Angelou
14. “We are only as blind as we want to be.” Maya Angelou
15. “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.” Maya Angelou
16. “If you get, give. If you learn, teach.” Maya Angelou
17. “This is a wonderful day, and I have never seen this one ever before.” Maya Angelou
18. “Whatever you want to do, if you want to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it.” Maya Angelou
19. “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.” Maya Angelou
20. “I believe that every person is born with talent.” Maya Angelou
21. “If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform a million realities.” Maya Angelou
22. “You may not control the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” Maya Angelou
23. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Maya Angelou
24. “If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?” Maya Angelou
25. “Success is loving life and daring to live it.” Maya Angelou
26. “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Invite one to stay. ” Maya Angelou
27. “We must look past complexion and see community.” Maya Angelou
28. “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” Maya Angelou
29. “Courage allows the successful woman to fail, and to learn powerful lessons from the failure, so that in the end, she didn’t fail at all. ” Maya Angelou
30. “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.” Maya Angelou
31. “We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.” Maya Angelou
32. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
33. “The only thing is, people have to develop courage.” Maya Angelou
34. “Trust life a little bit.” Maya Angelou
35. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Maya Angelou
I hope you enjoyed these Maya Angelou Quotes On Success. Do let us know which one was your favorite in the comments section below.
Check Out Maya Angelou’s Top 10 Rules Of Success From Evan Carmichael:
My name is Asad Meah, I am the CEO & Founder of AwakenTheGreatnessWithin. I am a dreamchaser who has gained a wealth of knowledge in entrepreneurship and personal development over the past five years through self-education. My mission is to inspire millions of people to become entrepreneurs by awakening their minds to their greatness that resides within them.
