35 Chris Gardner Quotes to Inspire Success in Your Life

A very famous and motivational figure in today’s world, Chris Gardner and his movie named “Pursuit of Happyness” has become a household name. He is an American entrepreneur, motivational speaker, a philanthropist and an author who has struggled throughout his life and was even homeless along with his toddler son.

Chris Gardner had difficulties in his married life with him having an affair with his son’s mother, while married to his first wife. He became a successful stockbroker after being motivated by a person he came across who owned a red Ferrari.

He published his memoir, “Pursuit of Happyness” in 2006, which was made into a motion picture in the same year. His wife died in 2012 who challenged him to find true happiness in his remaining life.

His quotes motivate a lot of people who are inspired by his personal life struggles and success.

Here are 35 Chris Gardner Quotes

1. “Strong people stand up for themselves. Stronger people stand up for others. The irony is that while sleep sometimes brings nightmares, it’s the reality of my waking hours that can cause me the greater fear.” – Chris Gardner

2. “One of the things young people always ask me about is what is the secret to success. The secret is there is no secret. It’s the basics. Blocking and tackling.” – Chris Gardner

3. “Don’t ever let someone tell you, you can’t do something.” – Chris Gardner

4. “People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you that you can’t do it. You want something? Go get it.” – Chris Gardner

5. “It’s okay to fail; it’s not okay to quit.” – Chris Gardner

6. “It can be done, but you have to make it happen.” – Chris Gardner

7. “Do something that makes you happy and makes you feel good about yourself.” – Chris Gardner

8. “Do something that makes you feel your work is significant and meaningful. If you just want to make money, that’s a whole different trip. I can’t help you with that.” – Chris Gardner

9. “I was homeless, but I wasn’t hopeless. I knew a better day was coming.” – Chris Gardner

10. “The world is your oyster. It’s up to you to find the pearls.” – Chris Gardner

11. “The balance in your life is more important than the balance in your checking account.” – Chris Gardner

12. “(The movie) is the story of my life, but it’s not about me. It’s about anybody who ever dreamed big and had someone tell them, ‘No, you can’t do it.’ You can.” – Chris Gardner

13. “Then again, what seems like nothing in the eyes of the world, when properly valued and put to use, can be among the greatest riches.” – Chris Gardner

14. “I just wanted to make a million dollars. But I couldn’t sing and I couldn’t play ball, so I said to my mother, ‘How am I going to make a million dollars?’ And she said to me, ‘Son, if you believe you can do it, you will.” – Chris Gardner

15. “You can only depend on yourself. The cavalry ain’t coming.” – Chris Gardner

16. “Do something that you love. Whatever you’re going to do is going to be tough enough. Find something that gets you so excited that the sun can’t come up early enough in the morning because you want to go do your thing.” – Chris Gardner

17. “Without that sense of self, no amount of paper, no pedigree, and no credentials can make you legit. No matter what, you have to feel legit inside first.” – Chris Gardner

18. “Wealth can also be that attitude of gratitude with which we remind ourselves everyday to count our blessings.” – Chris Gardner

19. “The secret to success: find something you love to do so much, you can’t wait for the sun to rise to do it all over again.” – Chris Gardner

20. “Claim ownership of your dreams.” – Chris Gardner

21. “Walk that walk and go forward all the time. Don’t just talk that talk, walk it and go forward. Also, the walk didn’t have to be long strides; baby steps counted too. Go forward.” – Chris Gardner

22. “If you have a dream, you’ve got to protect it.” – Chris Gardner

23. “There is no plan B for passion.” – Chris Gardner

24. “But if you don’t take the necessary steps to make them happen, dreams are just mirages that mess with your head!” – Chris Gardner

25. “No matter how much money is involved or no matter how easy it is for you to do, if you’re not happy, you are nothing more than a slave to your talent and money.” – Chris Gardner

26. “We all understand genetics. You get your eyes from your dad, your mom’s nose, there’s nothing you can do about that. But your spiritual genetics you can choose, pick, embrace and commit to. That’s what I did.” – Chris Gardner

27. “The money thing will come. I know so many people who have so much more money than I. They are miserable. It is so important to be happy.” – Chris Gardner

28. “Ready or not, tell yourself to jump.” – Chris Gardner

29. “The future was uncertain, absolutely, and there were many hurdles, twists, and turns to come, but as long as I kept moving forward, one foot in front of the other, the voices of fear and shame, the messages from those who wanted me to believe that I wasn’t good enough, would be stilled.” – Chris Gardner

30. “Start where you are.” – Chris Gardner

31. “Hunker down, strap in, and hold on. Hold on baby!” – Chris Gardner

32. “Others may question your credentials, your papers, your degrees. Others may look for all kinds of ways to diminish your worth. But what is inside you no one can take from you or tarnish.” – Chris Gardner

33. “You know how mountains get moved? Everyone who can move a couple, move a couple. Those who can move rocks, move rocks. Those who can move boulders, move boulders. That’s how mountains get moved. If every one of us did everything we could, I believe we would be in a different world.” – Chris Gardner

34. “Though my mom had too many of her own dreams denied, deferred and destroyed, she instilled in me that I could have dreams. And not just have dreams but had a responsibility to make them reality. My mom taught me from a very early age that I could do anything I wanted to do.” – Chris Gardner

35. “As busy as I am wherever I am, I try to get out and walk the streets, to remember how far I’ve come and appreciate every baby step of the way.” – Chris Gardner