75 Motivational Single Words To Inspire You This Year

Motivational quotes are one of my favorite ways to use inspirational words to drive me toward my goals. But sometimes all you need is a single word to ignite your motivation and keep you focused. 

A few years ago, my husband and I decided to start picking a word of the year to keep at the forefront of our minds as a theme for the year. The idea was for us to replace our typical new year’s resolutions with motivational single words that we could use as a driving force in our personal development.

This year my husband chose the single word “balance” while I chose the word “intentional”. His goal was to find balance between his work and his personal life, while my goal was to spend more intentional time with our kids.

Throughout the year, these uplifting motivational words have reminded us of our intentions for the year when we have faced difficult times. They’ve guided us back to our goals when we’ve felt lost, and they’ve helped us maintain a positive outlook and a sense of purpose and clarity when faced with (many!) new challenges this year.

To help you find your own powerful words of motivation, I have put together this list of single motivational words that you can use to choose your own word of the year.

Whether your goal is to focus on your personal growth, professional success, or overall well-being, there’s an encouraging word here to inspire and guide you toward your big goals this year!

75 Motivational Single Words

  1. Abundance: Embrace abundance in all areas of your life; there’s more than enough success, happiness, and love for everyone.
  2. Achieve: Set your sights high and achieve your dreams, one step at a time.
  3. Ambition: Let your ambition drive you towards your goals and keep you moving forward.
  4. Appreciation: Cultivate appreciation for the journey as much as the destination.
  5. Aspire: Aspire to be the best version of yourself and watch how your dreams unfold.
  6. Balance: Strive for balance in your life to maintain harmony and peace.
  7. Believe: Believe in yourself and your ability to create the life you desire.
  8. Boldness: Be bold in your actions and fearless in pursuing your passions.
  9. Bravery: Show bravery in the face of challenges, knowing that each obstacle is a stepping stone to your dream life.
  10. Breakthrough: Embrace every breakthrough as a sign that you are on the right path.
  11. Challenge: Welcome challenges as opportunities to grow and become stronger.
  12. Commitment: Stay committed to your goals, even when the journey gets tough.
  13. Confidence: Build confidence by taking small steps towards your dreams every day.
  14. Conquer: Conquer your fears and doubts to unlock your full potential.
  15. Courage: Have the courage to take risks and chase after your wildest dreams.
Have the courage to take risks and chase after your wildest dreams.
  1. Creativity: Use your creativity to find new and exciting ways to reach your goals.
  2. Dedication: Dedicate yourself fully to your personal growth and watch your dreams come to life.
  3. Determination: Let your determination fuel you through any setbacks and keep you focused on your dreams.
  4. Discipline: Practice discipline in your daily habits to build a strong foundation for success.
  5. Discovery: Enjoy the journey of self-discovery as you learn more about your passions and potential.
  6. Dream: Dare to dream big and believe in the possibility of a brighter future.
  7. Empower: Empower yourself by taking control of your destiny and making positive choices.
  8. Empowerment: Seek empowerment through knowledge and self-improvement.
  9. Endurance: Develop endurance to persevere through tough times and stay on track.
  10. Enthusiasm: Approach each day with enthusiasm and a positive mindset.
  11. Excellence: Strive for excellence in everything you do and watch your dreams become reality.
  12. Faith: Have faith in your journey and trust that everything will work out in the end.
  13. Fearless: Be fearless in the pursuit of your dreams and don’t let anything hold you back.
  14. Focus: Maintain focus on your goals and don’t get distracted by temporary setbacks.
  15. Fortitude: Show fortitude by staying strong and resilient, no matter what challenges come your way.
  16. Freedom: Pursue freedom by breaking free from limiting beliefs and living life on your terms.
  17. Gratitude: Practice gratitude daily to attract more positive experiences into your life.
  18. Growth: Embrace growth as a constant process that brings you closer to your dreams.
  19. Harmony: Create harmony in your life by aligning your actions with your values and goals.
  20. Hope: Keep hope alive in your heart, knowing that brighter days are always ahead.
  21. Initiative: Take initiative and be proactive in making your dreams a reality.
  22. Innovation: Embrace innovation and think outside the box to solve problems and achieve your goals.
  23. Inspire: Let your journey inspire others to pursue their own dreams and aspirations.
  24. Inspiration: Seek out inspiration from those who have walked the path before you.
  25. Integrity: Live with integrity and stay true to your values and principles.
  26. Intuition: Trust your intuition to guide you in making the right decisions.
  27. Joy: Find joy in the journey, not just the destination.
  28. Joyful: Stay joyful and positive, even when faced with challenges.
  29. Journey: Embrace the journey and all the lessons it has to offer.
  30. Leadership: Show leadership by taking charge of your life and guiding yourself towards your dreams.
  31. Mastery: Strive for mastery in your skills and knowledge to reach your highest potential.
  32. Momentum: Build momentum by consistently taking action towards your goals.
Build momentum by consistently taking action towards your goals.
  1. Motivation: Keep your motivation high by reminding yourself of your why.
  2. Opportunity: Seize every opportunity that comes your way and make the most of it.
  3. Optimism: Stay optimistic and believe in the positive outcomes of your efforts.
  4. Passion: Let your passion drive you towards your dreams with unwavering energy.
  5. Patience: Practice patience and understand that great things take time.
  6. Perseverance: Show perseverance by never giving up, no matter how tough the journey gets.
  7. Persistence: Be persistent in your efforts and keep pushing forward.
  8. Positivity: Maintain a positive attitude and attract more positivity into your life.
  9. Potential: Unlock your potential by challenging yourself and stepping out of your comfort zone.
  10. Potentiality: Recognize your potentiality and believe in your limitless possibilities.
  11. Progress: Celebrate every small progress as a step closer to your dream life.
  12. Purpose: Live with purpose and let it guide your actions and decisions.
  13. Radiance: Shine with radiance and let your light inspire others.
  14. Resolve: Have the resolve to stay committed to your goals, no matter what.
  15. Resilience: Develop resilience to bounce back from setbacks and keep moving forward.
  16. Serenity: Find serenity in knowing that you are on the right path.
  17. Strength: Draw strength from within and use it to overcome any obstacle.
  18. Success: Define what success means to you and work towards it every day.
  19. Tenacity: Show tenacity by holding on to your dreams and never letting go.
  20. Thrive: Aim to thrive, not just survive, in every aspect of your life.
  21. Transformation: Embrace transformation as a necessary part of your journey to success.
  22. Triumph: Celebrate your triumphs, no matter how small they may seem.
  23. Unstoppable: Be unstoppable in the pursuit of your dreams and let nothing stand in your way.
  24. Victory: Claim victory by reaching your goals and living your dream life.
  25. Vision: Have a clear vision of what you want and work tirelessly to achieve it.
  26. Willpower: Use your willpower to stay disciplined and focused on your goals.
  27. Wisdom: Seek wisdom from your experiences and use it to grow.
  28. Zeal: Approach your dreams with zeal and passionate enthusiasm.

15 Motivational Quotes

Now that you’ve chosen your favorite one-word quote, you may want to try a different angle and use full inspirational quotes for motivation this year! Use these motivational quotes to inspire you to keep going when the obstacles of daily life get in the way!

  1. “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi
  2. “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh
  3. “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” – Mother Teresa
  4. “Be present in all things and thankful for all things.” – Maya Angelou
Be present in all things and thankful for all things. - Maya Angelou
  1. “Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.” – Mary Lou Retton
  2. “You define beauty yourself, society doesn’t define your beauty.” – Lady Gaga
  3. “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Oprah Winfrey
  4. “In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt
  5. “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory.” – Mahatma Gandhi
  6. “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
  7. “In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” – Albert Schweitzer
  8. “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
  9. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller
  10. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
  11. “Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.” – Mark Twain

Looking for more inspirational quotes? Check out our collection of motivational quotes to help you live your best life!

How to Use Motivational Single Words

There are many different ways that you can use one word quotes to help you stay motivated in your daily life. It’s a good idea to keep your motivational single words visible so that you are reminded of them often. 

For example, you can start each day by repeating your word to yourself as a positive affirmation. You can do this either out loud or by writing in your favorite journal to reinforce its importance. 

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You can also place your word in visible locations around your home or workspace using sticky notes, a screensaver, or decorative prints to keep it on the front of your mind. 

My hope is that you are able to choose positive words of encouragement from this list of single motivational words that you can use to align your goals with your actions this year!

Once you have chosen your favorite one-word quote, let it guide your decisions and remind you of your intentions as you encounter life’s various challenges! By intentionally making your motivational word part of your daily life, you can harness its power to stay focused and inspired as you work toward your goals this year!

If you are looking for more motivation, check out our list of motivational words that start with the letter N!

Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family on social media! If you know someone who could use motivational single words, this post could be just what they need!


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