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19 Quotes That Will Inspire You To Create An Amazing Presentation

Stuck in powerpoint purgatory start with this great advice.

I've been reading a great book about presenting:   Nancy Duarte's HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations . And it's reinforcing my experience that the key to an effective presentation is not flashy slides--it's a compelling, well-told story.

As Ms. Duarte says: "My best advice is not to start in PowerPoint. Presentation tools force you to think through information linearly, and you really need to start by thinking of the whole instead of the individual lines."

Here are 19 other inspiring quotes to consider next time you need to create a presentation:

• " Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it 'to whom it may concern." - Ken Haemer
• "The whole purpose is to enable people to learn. Your mission is not to transmit information but to transform learners." - Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps
• "If you can't write your message in a sentence, you can't say it in an hour." -Dianna Booher  
• "The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives." - Lilly Walters
• "If you don't know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will." - Harvey Diamond
• "They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel." - Carl W. Buechner
• "No one can remember more than three points."?- Philip Crosby
• "Ask yourself, 'If I had only sixty seconds on the stage, what would I absolutely have to say to get my message across."? - Jeff Dewar
•  "The simplest way to customize is to phone members of the audience in advance and ask them what they expect from your session and why they expect it. Then use their quotes throughout your presentation."?- Alan Pease
• "Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much. "?Robert Greenleaf
• "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." - Albert Einstein
• "Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening."?- Dorothy Sarnoff
• "Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all."?- Sir Winston Churchill
• "The brain doesn't pay attention to boring things." - John Medina
• "Performance is not about getting your act together, but about opening up to the energy of the audience." - Benjamin Zander
• "People don't remember what we think is important. They remember what they think is important." - John Maxwell
• "Naturally sticky ideas are stuffed full of concrete words and images." - Chip Heath
• "A great presentation gives smart ideas an advantage." - Nancy Duarte
• "If you think presentations cannot enchant people, then you have never seen a really good one." - Guy Kawaski

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

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Resources | Storytelling | Strategy

50 powerful quotes to start your presentation.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

When was the last time you attended a conference where the speaker didn’t just say: “Oh hi, my name is XYZ and today, I’ll be speaking to you about Topic X”?

Great stories possess riveting narrative arcs that begin strong and end strong. We’ve written at length about some of the best ways to end your presentation , but how does one design a presentation to start without sounding too cliche?

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a powerful and memorable quote that relates to the message of your talk.

Powerful quotes have so much power on your presentation. Not only does it help reinforce your message, it also helps boost your credibility since it implied the quote is ‘agreeing’ with your statement.

Take this TED talk by Andrew Solomon for example. Notice how he skilfully uses a quote from a book by Emily Dickinson to set the stage for his numerous anecdotes regarding the topic on Depression in his presentation:

Hence, if you’re looking to follow suit and start your next presentation strong with a powerful quote, we’ve got you covered. Here, we compiled a list of 50 quotes that you can use to boost your next presentation.

50 Powerful Quotes To Start Your Presentation:

1)   “ The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” –  Mark Twain

2) “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.” –  Babe Ruth

3) “ If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” –  Albert Einstein

4) “ If you’re too comfortable, it’s time to move on. Terrified of what’s next? You’re on the right track.” –  Susan Fales Hill

5) “ Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” –  Bill Gates

6) “ You can’t look at the competition and say you’re going to do it better. You have to look at the competition and say you’re going to do it differently.” –  Steve Jobs

7) “ Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.” –  Jack Dorsey

8) “ Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.” –  Oprah Winfrey

9) “ Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.” –  Jay Danzie

10)  “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” –  Warren Buffett

11)  “Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But a better way is to think how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come.” –  Richard Branson

12)  “When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse? ’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked.” –  Elon Musk

13)  “There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” –  Ray Goforth

14)   “Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.” –  Charles F. Kettering

15)  “People rarely buy what they need. They buy what they want.”   – Seth Godin

16)  “Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day.”   – Gary Vaynerchuck

17)  “The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place.” –  Orison Swett Marden

18)  “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”   –  David Brinkley

19)  “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid.”   –  Einstein

20)  “The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”   –  Lilly Tomlin

21)  “ When you run a part of the relay and pass on the baton, there is no sense of unfinished business in your mind. There is just the sense of having done your part to the best of your ability. That is it. The hope is to pass on the baton to somebody who will run faster and run a better marathon.”   – N. R. Narayana Murthy

22)  “Whatever you’re thinking, think bigger.” – Tony Hsieh

23)  “When you find an idea that you can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue.”   – Josh James

24)  “What would you do if you’re not afraid?” –  Sheryl Sandberg

25)  “Don’t worry about failure, you only have to be right once.”   – Drew Houston

26)  “When I’m old and dying. I plan to look back on my life and say ‘Wow, an adventure’ not, ‘Wow, I sure felt safe’” – Tom Preston Werner

27)  “80% of your sales comes from 20% of your clients.”   – Vilfredo Pareto

28)  “You just have to pay attention to what people need and what has not been done.”   – Russell Simmons

29)  “We are really competing against ourselves, we have no control over how other people perform.”   – Pete Cashmore

30)  “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”   – Wayne Gretzy

31)  “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”   – George Lucas

32)  “If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you.”   – Zig Ziglar

33)  “Words may inspire but action creates change.”   – Simon Sinek

34)  “It isn’t what we say or think that denies us, but what we do.”   – Jane Austen

35)  “Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be someone; get action.”   – Theodore Roosevelt

36)  “There is only one boss. The customer.” – Sam Walton

37)  “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – Barack Obama

38)  “You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having.” –  Frank Lloyd Wright

39)  “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

40)  “Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” – Bob Marley

41)  “There is no great genius without some touch of madness.”    – Seneca

42)  “If you think you are too small to make an impact try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” – Ekaterina Walter

43)   “If you just work on stuff that you like and you’re passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.” – Mark Zuckerberg

44)   “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” –  Thomas Edison

45)  “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”  – Abraham Lincoln

46)  “Don’t build links. Build relationships.”   – Rand Fishkin

47)   “100 percent of the shots you don’t take, don’t go in.”   –  Wayne Gretzky, Hockey Legend

48)  “If you’ve got an idea, start today. There’s no better time than now to get going. That doesn’t mean quit your job and jump into your idea 100 percent from day one, but there’s always small progress that can be made to start the movement.” – Kevin Systrom, Founder of Instagram

49)   “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.”   –  Jack Welch, Former CEO of GE

50)    “You must be very patient, very persistent. The world isn’t going to shower gold coins on you just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work like crazy to bring that idea to the attention of people. They’re not going to buy it unless they know about it.”  –   Herb Kelleher, Founder of Southwest Airlines.

There you have it!

Phew! – now you have an additional 50 powerful quotes that you can add in your presentation arsenal. Leave an unforgettable impression on your presentation with these quotes starting today!

Comment down your favourite quote. And let us know if you have any that we didn’t add to the list!

Article Written By: Kai Xin Koh

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Blog > Powerful Quotes for your PowerPoint Presentations

Powerful Quotes for your PowerPoint Presentations

07.24.20   •  #powerpointtips.

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a influential and morable quote that relates to the message of your talk. This can loosen up the beginning, consciously encourage important things while speaking or end the presentation with a meaningful conclusion and underline the main topic again.

This will bring liveliness and power to your presentation and create a more pleasant environment for your audience!

Quotes can be funny, inspirational, profound, successful, motivational, meaningless or basically everything! The most important thing is that they fit the today´s topic, correspond to the situation. This means, that they are appropriate and reinforce the actual theme.

If you are looking for great lines you can use in your PowerPoint or other presentations, you are perfectly right here! Read the following article to get inspired and to find a suitable citation you can use for your speech in school, work, business or anywhere and to leave an unforgettable impression on your presentation.

To save time, we have already created PowerPoint Templates below, which you can download for free!

According to time:

Quotes for Beginning

Quotes while presenting, quotes for ending.

According to category:

In case you need more specific citations, have a look at different sections of quotes:

Inspirational / Motivational

With quotations to open your presentation you can represent yourself in a great authentic and relaxed way. The audience gets an exciting insight into the upcoming topic and in the best case can relate with the citation and thus build a sympathetic bond to you as the presenter. And all this is achieved by just one simple sentence.

Powerful quotes to start your presentation

• "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Mark Twain
• "If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough." – Albert Einstein
• "Words may inspire but action creates change." – Simon Sinek
• "Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet." - Bob Marley
• "A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." – David Brinkley
• "Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games." - Babe Ruth | Baseball Legend
• "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." - Bill Gates
• "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently." - Warren Buffett
• "The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place." - Orison Swett Marden
• "You can't blame gravity for falling in love." - Albert Einstein

Using powerful citations while speaking makes your presentation much more exciting and memorable. A meaningful quotation gives your words much more power and emphasis and can additionally emphasize important things. Furthermore, if a listener hears a mentioned citation of your presentation one more time, he will most likely remember you.

Powerful quotes to reinforce essential topics

• "Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But a better way is to think how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come." - Richard Branson
• "When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse?’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked." - Elon Musk
• "Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day." – Gary Vaynerchuck
• "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid." - Albert Einstein
• "When you find an idea that you can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue." – Josh James
• "Don’t worry about failure, you only have to be right once." – Drew Houston
• "You just have to pay attention to what people need and what has not been done." - Russel Simmmons
• "If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you." – Zig Ziglar
• "Don’t build links. Build relationships." – Rand Fishkin
• "There is no great genius without some touch of madness." – Seneca

With citations you have the opportunity to clarify the topic just dealt with in one sentence and it is highly recommended to use this chance. Your audience will remember the end best, as it is the shortest, so it should be well chosen and memorable. It should also match your personality as well as the theme and be catchy.

Powerful quotes to close your presentation

• "100 percent of the shots you don’t take, don’t go in." – Wayne Gretzky | Hockey Legend
• "When I’m old and dying. I plan to look back on my life and say ‘Wow, an adventure’ not, ‘Wow, I sure felt safe.’" – Tom Preston Werner
• "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been." – Wayne Gretzy
• "It isn’t what we say or think that denies us, but what we do." – Jane Austen
• "Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be someone; get action." – Theodore Roosevelt
• "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." – Barack Obama
• "You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having." – Frank Lloyd Wright
• "It always seems impossible until it’s done." – Nelson Mandela
• "I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work." – Thomas Edison
• "If you think you are too small to make an impact try going to bed with a mosquito in the room." - Ekaterina Walter

Best citations by category

• "Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value." - Albert Einstein
• "Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion." - Tony Hsieh
• "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - Walt Disney
• "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." - Albert Einstein
• "He who only does what he can will always remain what he is." - Henry Ford

• "Success is like being pregnant, everybody congratulates you, but nobody knows how many times you got fucked." - Author unknown
• "If you want your children to listen, try talking softly to someone else." - Ann Landers
• "The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
• "Anger is a hot coal that you hold in your hand while waiting to throw it at someone else." - Buddha

• "Either you run the day or the day runs you." - Jim Rohn
• "It's the will not the skill." - Jim Tunney
• "Happiness is the real sense of fulfillment that comes from hard work." - Joseph Barbara
• "I have never done that before so I should definitely be able to do it!" - Pippi Longstocking
• "The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work." - Harry Golden

• "Paying attention to simple little things that most men neglect makes a few men rich." - Henry Ford
• "The prize for success is that it unlocks harder challenges with more at stake for next time." - Author unknown
• "The opposite to good design is always bad design. There is no such thing as no design." - Adam Judge

• "A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do." - Bob Dylan
• "The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it." - Henry Ford
• "If you want to be happy, be happy." - Leo Tolstoy
• "So far you have survived 100% of your worst days." - Author unknown
• "Great Lessons are only learned when the stakes are high." - Georgina Hobart

• "When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." - John F. Kennedy
• "When in doubt, don't." - Benjamin Franklin
• "The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk." - Marcus Tullius Cicero
• "Easy choises, hard life. Hard choices easy life." - Jerzy Gregorek
• "What you begrudge others will be withheld from yourself." - Author unknown

Now you have 60 quotes you can incorporate into your presentation to stand out from the everyday, all-too-familiar phrases that everyone knows.

But remember: Under no circumstances should they be discriminatory, racist or offensive, so you need to make yourself known in advance through your audience.

Leave your personal impression and convince your audience with simple but incredibly strong lines!

Free PowerPoint Templates

In addition, we have already created some PowerPoint templates for you, which you can download for free. Simply replace the existing quotes or image if you want and adapt the slides to your presentation!

What are good quotes for starting a presentation?

By opening your presentation with a quote you can represent yourself in an authentic way. The audience gets an exciting insight into the upcoming topic and in the best case can relate with the quote and thus build a sympathetic bond to you as the presenter. And all this is achieved by just one simple sentence. Here is a list of good quotes to begin a presentation .

What are good quotes for ending a presentation?

With citations you have the opportunity to clarify the topic just dealt with in one sentence and it is highly recommended to use this chance. Your audience will remember the end best, so it should be well chosen and memorable. It should also match your personality as well as the theme and be catchy. Here is a list of good quotes to finish a presentation .

What are powerful quotes for a PowerPoint presentation?

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a influential and memorable quote that relates to the message of your talk. This can loosen up the beginning, consciously encourage important things while speaking or end the presentation with a meaningful conclusion and underline the main topic again. We have collected 60 powerful quotes for your PowerPoint presentation .

Related articles

About the author.

Philipp Angerer

Philipp is a creative supporter at SlideLizard in marketing and design. There he uses his imagination and provides creative freshness, also in blog articles.

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Vocal distractions.

In vocal distractions filler words like um, er, and you know are used during a pause.

Motivational Presentation

A motivational presentation is meant to inspire people. In a company, for example, you could tell the company's story in a motivational presentation.

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55 Powerful and Inspiring Quotes to Start Your Presentation

Have you ever stopped to think about the best strategies to start a presentation and gain the audience’s attention or interlocutor? Did you know that using motivational phrases to create a presentation is a great alternative?

According to businessman and filmmaker Peter Davies,

“Motivation is like food for the brain; you can’t have enough at a meal. Motivation needs continuous and regular recharges to nurture deep and transform a human being into a winner.”

Among the techniques you can and should use, the citation should undoubtedly be among the main in your list.

A relevant quote, which is aligned with the theme of its presentation, tied to the purpose and objective, creates a strong connection with the audience, often arousing interest and attention.

An unforgettable introduction is the first step in starting a presentation or speech. Often, we are focused only on the content presented, completely forgetting that, for the public to pay attention, it is necessary to arrest them from the beginning.

5 Best Techniques to start a Presentation or Speech

However, an important point to consider when speaking in public: Citations will depend on the style of the audience, and the moment the presenter lives. Do not push too hard or adopt a tone of voice or language that does not suit the public.

A touch of humor is a great way to break the ice with the audience, relieve tension and connect with everyone. As the example given above quote, the key to success is making the joke related to the topic being discussed.

During the presentation, telling a story is another very clever way to start a speech.  After all, stories compellingly connect people.

‘s content.

This technique consists of giving a brief thought-provoking statement, which will set the tone of the presentation theme, especially if this is said with a strong voice, which draws attention and leaves the group ready to hear what’s next.

In this sense, an example of an excellent way to catch the public’s attention is to say the sentence and pause, up to 10 seconds. 

Using surprising statistics will show the public an immediate value in their knowledge, leaving them more interested throughout their presentation. 

It also helps stimulate the audience’s thoughts; this technique works very well when the facts reported are not common knowledge but are nevertheless relevant and stimulating.

Please make sure to be brief in the opening statement, so your opening won’t get too many easy-to-forget details.

1. “Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” Coco Chanel

We are often afraid to start a project no matter how much we have ideas that are outside the box, and when compared to other people, we thought that this would not be successful. 

2.  “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt

3. “Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” Oprah Winfrey

With the illustrious phrase of another inspiring woman Oprah Winfrey, it became clear how error always has a positive side; getting it right is not always what we need from error comes the improvement of an idea that can continuously be improved.

4. “The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.” Henry Ford

If we discover what makes us happy, we can always succeed because happiness is the path of inspiration that leads us to unimaginable ways.

5. “A belief is only a thought you keep thinking.” Abraham Hicks

6. If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Maya Angelou

Often we can criticize something or behavior when we think we can do better; Angelou encourages us to get up and do it. If we still can’t change, maybe we have to change our attitude towards the situation that bothers us.

7. If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. Napoleon Hill

8. Innovation, as I understand it, is both about doing different things as well as doing things differently.” Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

9. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.” Steve Jobs

When we choose the course we want to take in college, we often choose a course that our parents choose, and that doesn’t make us happy, which we shouldn’t do because we are supposed to live for ourselves and our happiness.

10. “Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.” Margaret Mead

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5 QUICK TIPS ON HOW TO GIVE AN EFFECTIVE MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH

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26 Motivational and Inspirational Quotes on Life, Success, and Positive Thinking to Make Your Day

11. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson

12. “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s much easier to follow the path that many people have taken may seem safer. Yet, here Emerson suggests that choosing a direction is knowledge, adventure, or whatever it is we decided to learn new things and share with other people that would be the trail.

13. “People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.” Edmund Hillary

People aren’t born brilliant. They make decisions and make choices that push outside the box and are exceptional.

14. “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don’t bother to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” William Faulkner

15. “Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it ‘to whom it may concern.” Ken Haemer

You have got to prepare yourself for whichever situations or people you’re going to come across in different environments and conditions so that you don’t do things that don’t make sense.

16. Some people feel the rain. Others get wet.” Bob Marley

17. “When I’m old and dying. I plan to look back on my life and say ‘Wow, an adventure’ not, ‘Wow, I sure felt safe.’” Tom Preston Werner

18. Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take place wherever you are and be someone; get action.” Theodore Roosevelt

Roosevelt encourages us to get better lives by doing something, turning into reality our dreams by consistently taking action.

19. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Barack Obama

20. You have to go wholeheartedly into anything to achieve anything worth having.” Frank Lloyd Wright

21. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Nelson Mandela

With this simple phrase, Mandela brings us a crucial message to live an extraordinary life; when we start by somewhere and are not there yet, it seems unreachable but never is if we don’t give up trying.

22. “There are only two days of the year when you can do nothing: one is called yesterday and the other tomorrow” Dalai Lama

23. “In the end, everything works out, and if it didn’t work, it’s because it hasn’t come to an end” Fernando Sabino

What Sabino means is you have to be patient because someday, our time to shine will come.

24. “The pessimist sees difficulty at every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity at every difficulty” Winston Churchill

When we sync our minds to positive thinking, anything we face is reachable, and we get things done because everything turns into an opportunity to learn and grow.

26. “You have to be a protagonist. You can’t just listen to the band play, and you have to be part of the band” Sonia Hess

27. Our failures are sometimes more fruitful than our successes” Henry Ford

28. “Change your mind and change your world” Norman Vincent Peale

If we have an open mind, we will find that our way of thinking is not always the right one, and when we change our review, we will be able to put it into practice in our lives.

29. “One day you must stop dreaming, take the plans out of the drawer and somehow start” Amyr Klink

30. “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change, simply by changing his attitude” Oprah Winfrey

31. “Keep in mind that your desire to achieve success is more important than anything” Abraham Lincoln

What Lincoln means is that we must work hard to achieve our goals and put them as priorities in life if we want to achieve them.

32. “Be content to act. Leave the speech to others” Baltasar Gracián

33. “To achieve success, you need to accept all the challenges that lie ahead of you. You can’t just accept the ones you prefer” Mike Gafka

34. “A successful warrior is an average man, but with a sharp focus like a laser beam” Bruce Lee

Lee means that even though a warrior is seen with prestige, he is a regular man. Still, the difference between them and what he is, is how he put attention to what he wants, and we can compare that analogy with daily situations such us when we see some people more successful than others.

35. “Logic can lead from point A to point B. Imagination can lead anywhere” Albert Einstein

36. “The task is not so much to see what no one has seen, but to think what no one has thought about what everyone sees.” Arthur Schopenhauer

37. “It is much better to set out in search of great conquests, even exposing oneself to failure, than to align oneself with the poor in spirit, who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a grey gloom, where they know neither victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt

Living adventurously and risky is much more satisfying and rewarding than having a monotonous and safe life.

38. “What we predict rarely occurs; what we least expect usually happens.” Benjamin Disraeli

39. “Unless we change our way of thinking, we will not be able to solve the problems caused by the way we get used to seeing the world.” Albert Einstein

Einstein encourages us to see situations more dynamically because we socialized in a certain way with ease; our thoughts can become a cycle of ignorance.

40. “Persistence is the least path to success.” Charles Chaplin

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41. “To discover consists in looking at what everyone is seeing and thinking something different.” Roger von Oech

This means that we have to think like no one ever thought or even imagined to discover something.

42. “Sometimes we feel that what we do is only a drop of water in the sea. But the sea would be smaller if it lacked a drop”. Mother Teresa de Calcuta

43. “The more our knowledge increases, the more evident is our ignorance.” John F. Kennedy

The more things you learn, the more things you need to learn because no one can know anything about anything.

44. When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the plane takes off against the wind, not in his favor.” Henry Ford

Remember that Henry Ford suggested the car model we use today back in his time, and nobody but him believed it was possible, he had nobody but himself to hold hands. Don’t give up.

45. “No matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop.” Confucius

46. “An entrepreneur sees opportunities where others see only problems.” Michael Gerber

47. Choose a job you like, and you won’t have to work a single day of your life.” Confucius

48. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you do, you will succeed.” Albert Schweitzer

As Nga, a rapper, says, there is no way to happiness because happiness is when we vibrate good feelings, especially do things we love, life becomes more accessible.

49. “Don’t play games you don’t understand, even if you see many other people making money with them.” Tony Hsieh

50. “Nothing great has ever been achieved without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

51. “The thoughts we choose to have are the tools we use to paint the picture of our lives.” Louise Hay

Your way of thinking will determine the course of our lives, which means always be open to new forms of thinking so you can live in a more inclusive World.

52. “Success is born of wanting, determination, and persistence in reaching a goal. Even not reaching the target, who seeks and overcomes obstacles, at least will do admirable things.” José de Alencar

53. “To act, that is the true intelligence. I will be whatever I want. But I have to want whatever it is. Success lies in being successful, not in being able to succeed. Palace conditions have any wide land, but where will the palace be if they don’t do it there?” Fernando Pessoa

Pessoa says that when we want something, conditions don’t determine if we thrive or not, but our vibration towards it and that will makes us anything we desire.

54. “You can get anything you want in life if you help other people get what they want.”  Zig Ziglar

If you are kind to other people, they will give back in the future.

55. I like the impossible because there is less competition.” Walt Disney

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45 Best Motivational Quotes For Work: Perfect For Presentations & Slide Decks

Focus, determination, and focus. How do you inspire your team? These quotes can help with motivation they need. Great for presentations, slide decks, corporate retreats, or reflection in your next team meeting.

Looking for even more quotations? Try these quotes on productivity and teamwork !

•  “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen, American film director
•  “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act. But a habit.” –  Aristotle, Greek philosopher
•  “If you are not where you want to be, do not quit, Instead reinvent yourself and change your habits.” – Eric Thomas, American motivational speaker
•  “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” – Henry Ford, American industrialist
•  “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – Henry Ford, American industrialist
•  “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher
•  “Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” – Meister Eckhart, German theologian
•  “Abandon anything about your life and habits that might be holding you back. Learn to create your own opportunities.” – Sophia Amoruso, American businesswoman
•  “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken..” – Warren Buffett, American business magnate
•  “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John C. Maxwell, American author
•  “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe, American tennis player
•  “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”   – Mark Twain, American author
•  “You can have results or excuses. Not both.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian-American actor
•  “There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” – Alan Cohen, author
•  “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou, American poet
•  “Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.” – Leo Babauta, author
• “What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.” – Tim Ferriss, American entrepreneur
• “You have the power on your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor
•  “Work harder on you than everyone else and you will become unusually successful.” – Dani Johnson, Businesswomen
• “Self-esteem comes from achieving something important when it’s hard to do.” – Clayton M. Christensen, American business consultant
•  “Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe, American author
•  “Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.” – Miguel De Unamuno, Spanish essayist
•  “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend first four sharpening the axe. “ – Abraham Lincoln, 16th president
•  “What better place than here, what better time than now.” – Tony Robbins, American author
•  “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without” – Confucius, Chinese philosopher
•  “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur
•  “Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better.” – Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur
•  “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president
•  “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison, American inventor
•  “You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer, American journalist
•  “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd president
•  “The future depends on what you do today.” – Mahatma Gandhi, Indian activist
•  “If we have the attitude that it’s going to be a great day it usually is.” – Catherine Pulsifier, Author
•  “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller, American business magnate
•  “If something is important enough, even if the odds are stacked against you, you should still do it.” – Elon Musk, business magnate
•  “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.” – Sheryl Sandberg, American business executive
• “Leaders can let you fail and yet not let you be a failure.” – Stanley McChrystal, retired United States Army general
•  “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together” – Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch post-impressionist painter
•  “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan, American basketball player
•  “It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” – Lou Holtz, former American football player
•  "Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." – Stephen Hawking, English theoretical physicist
•  "If something is wrong, fix it now. But train yourself not to worry, worry fixes nothing. " – Ernest Hemingway, American novelist
•  "Everything should be made as simple as possible but not simpler." – Albert Einstein, Theoretical physicist
• "Innovation distinguishes from a leader and a follower." – Steve Jobs, American business magnate
• “Tough times never last, but tough people do.“ – Robert Schuller, motivational speaker

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50 quotes to enhance your presentations

• Written by: Shay O’Donnell
• Categories: Sales presentations , Visual communication
• Comments: 6

Whether you’re looking to inspire your audience, need a strong presentation starter, or want a concise soundbite to end your presentation with, using a quote in your presentation can be a great way to support your slides’ story and enhance your presentation’s flow. Presentation quotes give you – as the presenter – a moment to breathe, while the audience is reading the slide ( a reminder of why you shouldn’t be reading your quotes aloud is here ). They enable your audience to quickly and concisely understand your presentation’s key message, and give you an extra boost of credibility to boot.

The struggle comes when you have to find presentation quotes that fit your story, come from a reputable source, and have an attribution to get you through legal and compliance checks. But worry not: BrightCarbon have done the hard work for you!

We have compiled 50 presentation quotes and categorized them into 10 themes so that you can easily find a quote that resonates with your message, be it in a sales presentation, keynote speech, or training deck. All the quotes include references and attributions, so that you can sail through compliance and get on with creating a stunning presentation!

Pop this in your bookmarks tab (you’ll thank us later!), then dig in and find the perfect presentation quotes below:

Innovation quotes for presentations

• “Innovation, as I understand it, is both about doing different things as well as doing things differently.” Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Biotech Entrepreneur From an interview with Dr. Bhavana Weidman on nature.com (January 04, 2014)
• “Innovation is more than having new ideas: it includes the process of successfully introducing them or making things happen in a new way. It turns ideas into useful, practicable and commercial products or services.” John Adair, Writer on Business Leadership. Effective Innovation (2009), Revised Edition ch. 11
• “Every new thing creates two new questions and two new opportunities.” Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon From ‘The electricity metaphor for the web’s future’, presented at TED2003 (February 2003)
• “Innovation is fostered by information gathered from new connections; from insights gained by journeys into other disciplines or places; from active, collegial networks and fluid, open boundaries. “Innovation arises from ongoing circles of exchange, where information is not just accumulated or stored, but created. Knowledge is generated anew from connections that weren’t there before.” Meg Wheatley, Author and Management Consultant Leadership and the New Science (2001)
• “We are all looking for the magic formula. Well, here you go: Creativity + Iterative Development = Innovation.” James Dyson, Founder of Dyson ‘James Dyson on Innovation’,  Ingenia , Issue 24 (September 2005)

Design quotes for presentations

• “Good design begins with honesty, asks tough questions, comes from collaboration and from trusting your intuition.” Freeman Thomas, Automobile and Industrial Designer Reviving Professional Learning Communities: Strength Through Diversity, Conflict, Teamwork, and Structure (2012) p. 63
• “The urge for good design is the same as the urge to go on living. The assumption is that somewhere, hidden, is a better way of doing things.” Harry Bertoia, Artist and Designer As quoted in 1000 Chairs , Carlotte and Peter Fiell (2005) p. 66
• “People think it’s this veneer — that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs, Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. As quoted in ‘The Guts of a New Machine’, Rob Walker, The New York Times Magazine (November 30, 2003)
• “Design is redesign.” Jan Michl, Professor Emeritus, Phdr. History and Theories of Design ‘On seeing design as redesign’,  Scandinavian Journal of Design History , Issue 12 (2002) p. 7-23
• “Design is not about products, design is about relationships.” Hella Jongerius, Industrial Designer ‘Beyond the New: a search for ideals in design’, a manifesto by Hella Jongerius and Louise Schouwenberg (2015) 

Education and learning quotes for presentations

• “We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet.” Margaret Mead, Anthropologist and Author As quoted in How They Work In Indiana : Business-Education Partnerships , Andrew L. Zehner (1994)
• “The most important thing any teacher has to learn, not to be learned in any school of education I ever heard of, can be expressed in seven words: Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.” John Holt, Author and Educator Growing Without Schooling , Issue   40 (1984)
• “True education means fostering the ability to be interested in something.” Sumio Iijima, Physicist ‘About myself, To the younger generation’,  Innovative Engine  (September 25, 2007)
• “If you think education is expensive — try ignorance.” ‘Ask Ann Landers’ Syndicated Advice Column (October 4, 1975)
• “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” Plutarch, Greek Historian, Biographer, and Essayist On Listening to Lectures

Success quotes for presentations

• “Success is fucking up on your own terms.” Guillermo del Toro, Director and Producer From Portland Mercury Q&A (September 29, 2010)
• “We cannot say what brings us success. We can only pin down what blocks or obliterates success. Eliminate the downside, the thinking errors, and the upside will take care of itself. This is all we need to know.” Rolf Dobelli, Author and Businessman The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013)
• “The secret to success is the willingness to serve without aspiring for rewards.” Cham Joof, Gambian Historian Gambia, Land of our heritage,  p IV
• “Failure and success are not episodes, they are trajectories. They are tendencies, directions, pathways. Each decision, each time at bat, each tennis serve, each business quarter, each school year seems like a new event, but the next performance is shaped by what happened last time out, unless something breaks the streak. The meaning of any particular event is shaped by what’s come before.” Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Author and Management Consultant Confidence (2006)
• “Success is more than a good idea. It is timing.” Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop From an interview on bookbrowse.com

Creativity quotes for presentations

• “Relaxed, playful and harmonious moments are the birth place of creativity.” Amit Ray, Author and Spiritual Master Meditation: Insights and Inspiration (2010) p. 58
• “Originality is going back to the origin and finding an empty chair. Would you gladly sit on it? No thank you. It is empty for a reason. That’s where my ass was. Not where my head is now.” Giannina Braschi, Puerto Rican Poet, Novelist, and Essayist World Literature Today (2012)
• “Creativity isn’t about the advantage or disadvantage of a specific time or culture. Creativity is something that comes internally from a human being having a genuine mistrust of rules. And that may be the constant. It’s almost like there’s some rebellion in it.” Paula Scher, Graphic Designer From an interview conducted by Neal Shaffer (2006)
• “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple of them and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” John Steinbeck, Author Conversations with John Steinbeck , ed. Thomas Fensch (1988)
• “Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations, the latter (like the river banks) forcing the spontaneity into the various forms which are essential to the work of art or poem.” Rollo May, Psychologist and Author The Courage to Create (1975) p. 115

Teamwork and collaboration quotes for presentations

• “In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles, and positions.” Margaret Wheatley, Management Consultant As quoted in 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself , Steve Chandler (2004) p. 123
• “Life is not a solo act. It’s a huge collaboration.” Tim Gunn, Fashion Consultant and Author ‘Postings | Recent Entries From Our Blogs’, Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times (December 21, 2010)
• “Collaboration is important not just because it’s a better way to learn. The spirit of collaboration is penetrating every institution and all of our lives. So learning to collaborate is part of equipping yourself for effectiveness, problem solving, innovation and life-long learning in an ever-changing networked economy.” Don Tapscott, Business Executive and Consultant ‘The spirit of collaboration is touching all of our lives’, The Globe and Mail (June 7, 2013)
• “As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people’s ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” Amy Poehler, Actress, Comedian, Director and Producer From The Joy of Success: What It Means to Transform Success Into Excellence,  Tochukwu O. Okafor MPA (2013) p. 53
• “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” Michael Jordan, Basketball Hall of Fame Player and Businessman As quoted in The Victory Letters : Inspiration for the Human Race , Cheri Ruskus (2003) p. 68.

Knowledge quotes for presentations

• “While knowledge is increasingly being viewed as a commodity or intellectual asset, there are some paradoxical characteristics of knowledge that are radically different from other valuable commodities. These knowledge characteristics include the following: Using knowledge does not consume it. Transferring knowledge does not result in losing it. Knowledge is abundant, but the ability to use it is scarce. Much of an organization’s valuable knowledge walks out the door at the end of the day.” Kimiz Dalkir, Director at McGill School of Information Studies Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice, 2nd ed . (2011)
• “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Carl Sagan, Astronomer and Popular Science Writer From That’s Weird!: Awesome Science Mysteries , Kendall F. Haven (2001)
• “Investing in people is the single most important thing in the knowledge economy. Traditionally, wealth was defined by land and natural resources. Today the most important resources is between our ears.” Barack Obama Remarks by President Obama at Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Town Hall, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (April 27, 2014)
• “You can’t manage knowledge – nobody can. What you can do is to manage the environment in which knowledge can be created, discovered, captured, shared, distilled, validated, transferred, adopted, adapted and applied.” Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell Learning to Fly – Practical Knowledge Management from Leading and Learning Organizations (2005) p. 24-25
• “The Information Age offers much to mankind, and I would like to think that we will rise to the challenges it presents. But it is vital to remember that information — in the sense of raw data — is not knowledge, that knowledge is not wisdom, and that wisdom is not foresight. But information is the first essential step to all of these.” Arthur C. Clarke, Science Fiction Writer, Inventor, Futurist As quoted in ‘Humanity will survive information deluge — Sir Arthur C Clarke’, OneWorld South Asia (December 5, 2003)

Leadership quotes for presentations

• “Successful people become great leaders when they learn to shift the focus from themselves to others.” Marshall Goldsmith, Leadership Coach What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (2010) p. 72
• “Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.” Martin Luther King, Jr. From an address at the Episcopal National Cathedral, Washington D.C. (March 31, 1968)
• “You can’t lead from behind your desk, you’ve got to get out in front, be visible, for your customers as well as for your employees. During a crisis, you’ve got to be calm and confident. You’ve got to always tell the truth. And you’ve got to be willing to face a crisis, not shy away from it, embrace it.” Geisha Williams, Fortune 500 Businesswoman ‘Geisha Williams: Set Your Sights High, Take Charge and Keep the Lights On’, Leadership California , Carol Caley (February 17, 2014)
• “Courage is the main quality of leadership, in my opinion, no matter where it is exercised. Usually it implies some risk — especially in new undertakings. Courage to initiate something and to keep it going, pioneering and adventurous spirit to blaze new ways, often, in our land of opportunity.” Walt Disney As quoted in The Disney Way Fieldbook,  Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson (2000) p. 147
• “Embrace what you don’t know. What you don’t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things different from everyone else.” Sarah Blakely, Founder of Spanx ’10 Lessons I Learned from Sara Blakely That You Won’t Hear in Business School,’ Forbes , Kathy Caprino (May 23, 2012)

Mistakes and failure quotes for presentations

• “We tell our young managers: ‘Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don’t make the same mistake twice’” Akio Morita, Co-Founder of Sony Corporation As quoted in The Sony Vision , Nick Lyons (1976) p. 101
• “There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.” Oprah Winfrey Commencement address at Harvard University (30 May 2013)
• “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” Suzy Kassem, Author Rise Up And Salute The Sun (2010)
• “Don’t put limitations on yourself. Other people will do that for you. Don’t do that to yourself. Don’t bet against yourself. And take risk. NASA has this phrase that they like, “Failure is not an option.” But failure has to be an option. In art and exploration, failure has to be an option. Because it is a leap of faith. And no important endeavor that required innovation was done without risk. You have to be willing to take those risks. … In whatever you are doing, failure is an option. But fear is not.” James Cameron, Film Director From ‘Before Avatar … a curious boy’, presented at TED2010 (February 13, 2010)
• “I view this year’s failure as next year’s opportunity to try it again. Failures are not something to be avoided. You want to have them happen as quickly as you can so you can make progress rapidly.” Gordon Moore, Engineer and Co-Founder of Intel Corporation ‘An Interview with Gordon Moore’, Ingenuity 5 (2), Laura Schmitt (May 2000)

Planning and strategy quotes for presentations

• “Chance favours the prepared mind.” Louis Pasteur, Microbiologist, Chemist and Inventor Lecture, University of Lille (December 7, 1854)
• “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. ” Michael Porter, Economist, Researcher, Author ‘What is strategy?’ Harvard Business Review  (November 1996) p. 70
• “Business strategy is the battleplan for a better future.” Patrick Dixon, Author and Business Consultant Building a Better Business (2005)
• “Managers who extensively plan the future get the timing wrong. Sometimes they arrive to market too early and so must wait for the demand to catch up. Sometimes they are too late and so must accelerate to rejoin the future.” Shona L. Brown and Kathleen M. Eisenhardt Competing on the Edge: Strategy as Structured Chaos (1998) p.135
• “Strategy is about stretching limited resources to fit ambitious aspirations.” K. Prahalad, Organizational Theorist As quoted in The Wal-Mart Way , Don Soderquist (2005) p. 178

We hope you found what you needed from our list of presentation quotes! If you’re about to paste that quote onto your deck, but want to know how to format it to perfection, check out our guide to advanced typography in PowerPoint .

Have an idea for a quote we should add to the list? Is there a key theme you want some presentation quotes for? Let us know in the comments below!

Shay O’Donnell

Managing design consultant, related articles, making accessible elearning content.

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Thanks for this post.It’s a helpful quotes for enhance slides.

Glad it was useful Amit! Thank you for your feedback.

it helped me a lot… thanks!

Amazing Quotes. Really Good. These quotes help me making my presentation perfect Thanks & Regard vinita

Thanks for this post

thanks for information

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The video animation looks AWESOME! Thank you sooooo much. I am very happy and proud with the result; this video is really convincing. Really really well done. Elodie Maurer SES

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101 Quotes to inspire speakers

Average: 4.5 ( 2 votes)

Inspiration sometimes runs dry, and for presenters feeling uninspired can lead to a poor performance.

Where do you go when you need a bit of extra lift?  Sometimes the well thought out words of history’s very best orators can be just the ticket. 

From drafting speeches, to calming your nerves right before you step into the spotlight , we’ve collected the top inspiring 101 quotes from thought leaders around the world.

Check nuggets of wisdom from Dale Carnegie , Mark Twain, Tony Robbins and Winston Churchill (we’ve even thrown in some William Butler Yeats and Seth Godin for good measure.) 

Continue reading more quotes below or  download the eBook from SlideShare . 

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams ( Tweet this )

“There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.” - Jean de la Bruyere ( Tweet this )

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford ( Tweet this )

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward ( Tweet this )

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou ( Tweet this )

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” –  Margaret Mead ( Tweet this )

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” – John Ford  ( Tweet this )

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” – D. H. Lawrence  ( Tweet this )

“Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.” – Dionysius Of Halicarnassus  ( Tweet this )

“What we say is important… for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” – Jim Beggs   ( Tweet this )

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” – Dianna Booher  ( Tweet this )

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain ( Tweet this )

“A good orator is pointed and impassioned.” – Marcus T. Cicero  ( Tweet this )

“Oratory is the power to talk people out of their sober and natural opinions.” – Joseph Chatfield  ( Tweet this)

“He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.” – Joseph Conrad ( Tweet this )

“There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.” – Alexander Gregg ( Tweet this )

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – Lilly Walters  ( Tweet this )

“Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about.” – Michael H. Mescon  ( Tweet this )

“There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.” – Mark Twain  ( Tweet this )

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” – Alexander Graham Bell  ( Tweet this )

“90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform.” – Somers White ( Tweet this )

“It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.” – Wayne Burgraff  ( Tweet this )

“The most precious things in speech are the... pauses.” – Sir Ralph Richardson ( Tweet this )

“Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.” – Martin Fraquhar Tupper ( Tweet this )

“The problem with speeches isn’t so much not knowing when to stop, as knowing when not to begin.” – Frances Rodman ( Tweet this )

“Words have incredible power. They can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore. – Dr. Mardy Grothe ( Tweet this )

“The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” – Mark Twain ( Tweet this )

“If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential.” – Warren Buffet ( Tweet this )

“If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.” – Gerald R. Ford ( Tweet this )

“Always give a speech that you would like to hear.” – Andrii Sedniev ( Tweet this )

“If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.” – Harvey Diamond ( Tweet this )

“Find out what’s keeping them up nights and offer hope. Your theme must be an answer to their fears .” – Gerald C Myers ( Tweet this )

“In presentations or speeches less really is more.” – Stephen Keague ( Tweet this )

“Speeches measured by the hour die with the hour”          – Thomas Jefferson ( Tweet this )

“It’s much easier to be convincing if you care about your topic. Figure out what’s important to you about your message and speak from the heart” – Nicholas Boothman ( Tweet this )

“Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“It is not failure itself that holds you back; it is the fear of failure that paralyzes you.” -Brian Tracy ( Tweet this )

“All you need is something to say, and a burning desire to say it… it doesn’t matter where your hands are.” – Lou Holtz ( Tweet this )

“If you don’t use stories audience members may enjoy your speech, but there is no chance they’ll remember it.” – Andrii Sedniev ( Tweet this )

“There is no such thing as presentation talent, it is called presentation skills” -David JP Phillips ( Tweet this )

“The audience only pays attention as long as you know where you are going.” - Philip Crosby ( Tweet this )

“Ask yourself, ‘If I had only sixty seconds on the stage, what would I absolutely have to say to get my message across.” - Jeff Dewar ( Tweet this )

“It’s all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation.” – Rob Gilbert ( Tweet this )

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, and to sit down and listen.”   – Winston Churchill ( Tweet this )

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin ( Tweet this )

“Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern.” – Ken Haemer ( Tweet this )

“The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?'” – Jim Rohn ( Tweet this )

“The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“To communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins ( Tweet this )

“To sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak.” – C. Kent Wright ( Tweet this )

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein ( Tweet this )

“If you can’t state your position in eight words, you don’t have a position. “ – Seth Godin ( Tweet this )

“The way something is presented will define the way you react to it.” – Neville Brody ( Tweet this )

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” – William Butler Yeats ( Tweet this )

“A presentation is a chance to share, not an oral exam.” – M.F. Fensholt ( Tweet this )      

“Speech is power. Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson ( Tweet this )

“Words do two major things: they provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” – Jim Rohn ( Tweet this )

“Every speaker has a mouth, an arrangement rather neat. Sometimes it’s filled with wisdom, sometimes it’s filled with feet.” – Robert Orben ( Tweet this )

“Humor is a rubber sword – it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.” – Mary Hirsch ( Tweet this )

“If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.” – Oscar Wilde ( Tweet this )

“Once you get people laughing, they’re listening and you can tell them almost anything.” – Herbert Gardner ( Tweet this )

“The world is waiting for your words.” – Arvee Robinson ( Tweet this )

“Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” – Jim Rohn ( Tweet this )

“A designer knows he or she has achieved perfection, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery  ( Tweet this )

“If God is in the details, then the Devil is in PowerPoint.” – @AngryPaulRand ( Tweet this )

“The more strikingly visual your presentation is, the more people will remember it. And more importantly, they will remember you.” – Paul Arden ( Tweet this )

“All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson ( Tweet this )

“Communication works for those who work at it .” – John Powell ( Tweet this )

“If you wing it when speaking, you’ll get wing it results.” – Arvee Robinson ( Tweet this )

“Your smile is a messenger of your goodwill.” – Dale Carnegie ( Tweet this )

“If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought.” – Dennis Roth ( Tweet this )

“Make sure you have stopped speaking before your audience has stopped listening.” – Dorothy Sarnoff ( Tweet this )

“Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much. ” - Robert Greenleaf ( Tweet this )

“If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.” - Winston S. Churchill ( Tweet this )

“The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do.” -Thomas Jefferson ( Tweet this )

“Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” -John Wooden ( Tweet this )

“Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.” - Charles de Gaulle ( Tweet this )

“Creative thinking is merely intelligent plagiarism.” - Aristotle ( Tweet this )

"Always be yourself and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and try to duplicate it." -Bruce Lee ( Tweet this )

“Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.” - Reed Markham ( Tweet this )

“Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.” - Zig Ziglar ( Tweet this )

“A talk is a voyage with purpose and it must be charted. The man who starts out going nowhere, generally gets there.” - Dale Carnegie  ( Tweet this )

“I have not failed. I’ve simply discovered 10,000 ways that don’t work.” - Thomas Edison ( Tweet this )

“Buried deep within each of us is a spark of greatness, a spark than can be fanned into flames of passion and achievement. That spark is not outside of you it is born deep within you.” -James A. Ray ( Tweet this )

“The energy level of the audience is the same as the speaker’s. For better...or for worse.” -Andras Baneth ( Tweet this )

"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation." -Arthur Ashe ( Tweet this )

“Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.” - Cesar Chavez ( Tweet this )

“I do not speak of what I cannot praise.” - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe  ( Tweet this )

“If you're not comfortable with public speaking - and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable - practice. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust.” -Hillary Clinton ( Tweet this )

“Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” -Oliver Wendell Holmes ( Tweet this )

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” - Eleanor Roosevelt ( Tweet this )

As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” - Bill Gates ( Tweet this )

"Good transitions can make a speech more important to the audience because they feel they are being taken to a positive conclusion without having to travel a bumpy road." - Joe Griffith ( Tweet this )

"When speaking in public, your message - no matter how important - will not be effective or memorable if you don't have a clear structure." - Patricia Fripp ( Tweet this )

“The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.” -Lady Bird Johnson ( Tweet this )

“The best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you are talking about.” -Michael H. Mescon ( Tweet this )

“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.” - Robert McKee ( Tweet this )

“If something comes from your heart, it will reach the heart of your audience.” — فوزیه کوفی (Fawzia Koofi)‎ ( Tweet this )

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19 Great Quotes to Inspire You to Better Presenting

Here’s a list of 19  interesting quotes about presenting and public speaking that can inspire you to become better at presenting.

As well as being motivational these quotes include bits of presenting wisdom that are essential to keep your listeners on the edge of their seats.

I hope you enjoy them!

1) “If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential.”     Warren Buffet

2) “If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.” Gerald R. Ford

3) “Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” D. H. Lawrence

4)“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” Dianna Booher

5) “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” Lilly Walters

6)  “If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.” Harvey Diamond

7) “Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.” Dionysius Of Halicarnassus

8 ) “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” Mark Twain

9) “No one ever complains about a speech being too short!” Ira Hayes

10) “90% of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform.” Somers White

11) “It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.” Wayne Burgraff

12) “The most precious things in speech are the ……. pauses.” Sir Ralph Richardson

13) “Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.” Dale Carnegie

14) “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Carl W. Buechner

15) “ Well-timed silence has more eloquence than speech.” Martin Fraquhar Tupper

16) “Speeches measured by the hour die with the hour” Thomas Jefferson

17) “It’s much easier to be convincing if you care about your topic. Figure out what’s important to you about your message and speak from the heart” Nicholas Boothman

18) “Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.” Dale Carnegie

19) ” Be the presenter you would want to listen to” Cath Daley

If you take just a few of ideas from this list and put them into practice in your next presentation  then it will make it stand out and your audience will remember you.

I hope that these  inspire you to become  better at presenting. If you have a favourite quote about presenting or public speaking I’d love to hear it so please leave a comment below.

Until next time,

Kind regards,

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Famous Quotes on Presentation Skills: Inspiring Quotes on Presentation Skills

• Presentation Skills
• June 12, 2024

“ Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent. ”  – Dionysius Of Halicarnassus

Mastering the art of presentation goes beyond speaking fluently or crafting compelling slides. It requires an understanding of the nuances of communication, the power of persuasion, and the art of storytelling. While there are countless strategies and techniques to master, one often overlooked source of guidance and inspiration comes from quotes on presentation skills .

Embracing these quotes can provide profound insights and life believing perspectives that elevate your presentations from mere words to impactful messages. Mastering public speaking skills can help you make an unforgettable impression , turning your presentations into powerful tools for influence and engagement.

These concise and insightful nuggets of wisdom, shared by thought leaders and successful individuals throughout history, offer valuable insights into the art of communication and persuasion. These presentation quotes not only serve as sources of inspiration but also offer practical guidance for enhancing presentation skills.

Let’s look at some of the most inspiring quotes on presentation skills . Embracing these quotes can provide profound insights that can influence your whole life . Whether you’re preparing for your next presentation or seeking to deliver a great presentation , these quotes are invaluable. Remember the golden rule : practice and passion lead to perfection. Even a seasoned business man can learn and grow by reflecting on these timeless quotes.

Importance Of Presentation Skills Quotes

Quotes on presentation skills play a crucial role in inspiring, guiding, and reminding individuals of the principles and practices that lead to effective communication. Broadly speaking, quotes on presentation skills are essential because of the following reasons:

The Power of Inspiration and Motivation:

Quotes on presentation skills have the unique ability to inspire and motivate us to strive for excellence in our communication efforts. Whether it’s a quote about the importance of clarity, the value of storytelling, or the impact of authenticity, these words of wisdom can ignite a spark within us, driving us to improve our presentation abilities. When we encounter a powerful quote that resonates with us, it can serve as a reminder of the importance of honing our skills and continuously striving for improvement.

Practical Guidance and Insights:

Beyond inspiration, quotes on presentation skills also offer practical guidance and insights that can inform our approach to presenting. From tips on effective communication techniques to strategies for engaging our audience, these quotes distil complex ideas into simple, actionable advice. By internalising and applying the lessons contained within these quotes, we can refine our presentation style, strengthen our message, and connect more effectively with our audience.

Cultural and Historical Perspective:

Quotes on presentation skills often come from a diverse array of sources, spanning different cultures, industries, and time periods. By exploring these quotes, we gain valuable insights into how communication and persuasion have evolved over time and across cultures. We can learn from the experiences and wisdom of individuals who have excelled in various fields, from business and politics to the arts and academia. This broader cultural and historical perspective enriches our understanding of presentation skills and enables us to adapt and innovate in our own presentations.

Now that you know how significant presentation skills quotes are, let’s dig deep into a few of them!

20 Quotes On Presentation Skills

1. “ There are always three speeches for every one you actually gave. The one you practised, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave. ” – Dale Carnegie

Renowned for his influential book “ How to Win Friends and Influence People ,” Dale Carnegie revolutionised the field of self-improvement and interpersonal communication through his practical tools and techniques. He emphasised the importance of preparation and reflection. This quote underscores the significance of continuous refinement in your presentation skills. Reflect on each speech, learn from it, and strive for improvement.

2. “ Broadly speaking, the short words are the best and the old words best of all. “ – Sir Winston Churchill.

Known for his stirring speeches during World War II, Winston Churchill mastered the art of impactful communication. His advice is simple yet profound: simplicity and familiarity resonate deeply. In your presentations, opt for straightforward language and timeless concepts. Avoid jargon and complex phrases. You can captivate your audience with clarity and authenticity by adhering to Churchill’s wisdom.

3. “ Courage is the main quality of leadership, in my opinion, no matter where it is exercised. Usually, it implies some risk — especially in new undertakings. Courage to initiate something and to keep it going, pioneering and adventurous spirit to blaze new ways, often, in our land of opportunity. ” – Walt Disney

Walt Disney , the visionary behind iconic animated characters, recognised the essence of courage in leadership. Courage is indispensable whether leading a team or delivering a presentation. Embrace risks, pioneer new ideas, and persevere through challenges. Apply this principle to your presentations—be bold in your ideas, engage your audience fearlessly, and inspire them with your vision.

4. “ It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech .” Mark Twain

Mark Twain , celebrated for his wit and humour, understood the paradox of spontaneity and preparation. Even impromptu speeches require thoughtful preparation and rehearsal. Mastering spontaneous presentations requires hard work, dedication, and practice. Immerse yourself in the subject matter, anticipate potential scenarios, and hone your improvisational skills. 

5. “ It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time. ” Wayne Burgraff

As a communication expert, Wayne Burgraff highlights the meticulous preparation required for effective presentations. This quote emphasises the significance of investing time in crafting and refining your content. Prioritise research, organisation, and rehearsal to ensure that every minute of your presentation is impactful. By dedicating ample preparation time, you can instil confidence in your delivery and captivate your audience effortlessly.

6.  “ The most precious things in speech are the ……. pauses. ” Sir Ralph Richardson

Pauses are not mere gaps in communication; they are strategic moments of emphasis, reflection, and anticipation. Sir Ralph Richardson , a distinguished actor renowned for his powerful stage presence, recognised the brilliance of silence in speech. Richardson’s ability to use silence wasn’t just about creating dramatic effect; it was about allowing the audience to absorb and reflect on spoken words. In your presentations, consider the impact of well-placed pauses. They give weight to your words, allowing your audience to digest and internalise your message. Embrace the silence, let it speak volumes, and watch as your presentations become more captivating and memorable. 

7. “ Well-timed silence has more eloquence than speech. ” Martin Fraquhar Tupper

In a world filled with noise, silence commands attention and fosters contemplation. Martin Farquhar Tupper , a Victorian author, encouraged others to embrace moments of silence to underscore critical points, evoke emotion, and invite reflection. By harnessing the power of silence, you can communicate subtly and leave a lasting impression on your audience. Mastering the art of pauses can elevate your presentation from ordinary to extraordinary.

8.  “ Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games. ” – Babe Ruth..

Babe Ruth , a baseball legend synonymous with excellence, understood the fleeting nature of past achievements. This quote serves as a poignant reminder to strive for continual improvement. Embrace each presentation as an opportunity to challenge yourself, adapt to new circumstances, and surpass previous accomplishments. By adopting a forward-thinking mindset, you can consistently deliver presentations that resonate with your audience and inspire action.

9. “ Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. ” – Bill Gates

Bill Gates , the co-founder of Microsoft and a philanthropic visionary, recognised the transformative power of feedback. This quote underscores the importance of feedback from your audience—whether positive or negative— in providing invaluable insights into areas for improvement. Embrace constructive criticism, iterate on your presentations, and strive to exceed your audience’s expectations. By viewing feedback as a gift rather than a setback, you can evolve as a presenter and deliver truly impactful presentations.

10.  “ Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. ” – Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln , one of America’s greatest presidents, recognised the power of perseverance and action. This quote emphasises the importance of proactive effort and determination in achieving success. Waiting for opportunities to come to you may result in missed chances to make an impact. Instead, embrace a mindset of hustle—actively seek out speaking engagements, refine your skills, and seize every opportunity to showcase your expertise. By taking initiative and demonstrating your commitment, you can carve out your path to success in the world of presentations.

11. “ You can’t look at the competition and say you’re going to do it better. You have to look at the competition and say you’re going to do it differently. ” – Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs , the co-founder of Apple Inc., revolutionised multiple industries with his innovative approach. This quote encapsulates Jobs’ philosophy of thinking beyond conventional boundaries and forging your path to success. It’s essential to differentiate yourself from competitors by showcasing your unique perspective, style, and expertise. Instead of striving to outdo others, deliver presentations that authentically reflect your strengths and values. 

12. “ If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. ” – Albert Einstein.

Albert Einstein , the renowned physicist and Nobel laureate, valued clarity and simplicity in communication. This quote reflects the importance of thorough understanding and effective communication. Complex concepts can confuse your audience. Strive to distil your message into clear, digestible points that resonate with your audience. By simplifying your content without sacrificing depth, you can ensure that your message is understood and remembered long after your presentation concludes.

13. “ When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars, people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse?’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked. ” – Elon Musk

Elon Musk , the visionary entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, understands the value of disruptive innovation. This quote highlights the importance of challenging conventional wisdom and taking calculated risks. Embrace innovation, challenge the traditional ways, and inspire your audience to envision new possibilities. Daring to defy expectations can ignite meaningful conversations and drive positive change.

14.  “ When you find an idea that you can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue. ” – Josh James.

Josh James , the founder of Domo and a serial entrepreneur, recognises the power of passion and persistence in pursuit of ideas. This quote emphasises the importance of following your instincts. In presentations, convey your love and conviction for your subject matter—your enthusiasm will resonate with your audience and inspire engagement. By embracing ideas that excite you, you can deliver authentic, compelling, and memorable presentations.

15. “ I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. ” – Thomas Edison.

Thomas Edison , the prolific inventor and businessman, embraced failure as an essential part of the creative process. This quote reflects his resilience and determination in the face of setbacks and encourages us to view each challenge as an opportunity for growth rather than a roadblock. If a particular approach doesn’t yield the desired results, iterate, learn from the experience, and adapt your strategy.

16. “ It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently. ” – Warren Buffett.

Warren Buffett , one of the most successful investors of all time, understands the importance of ethical conduct and mindful decision-making. In presentations, prioritise authenticity, transparency, and credibility. Your reputation as a presenter is built on a foundation of trust and reliability. By consistently delivering high-quality presentations and upholding ethical standards, you can safeguard your reputation and earn the trust of your audience.

17. “ A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. ” – David Brinkley

David Brinkley , a respected journalist and television personality, highlights the importance of turning adversity into opportunity. In presentations, welcome feedback, criticism, and challenges as building blocks for improvement. Rather than being discouraged by obstacles, use them as motivation to strengthen your skills and refine your approach. By leveraging criticism constructively, you can transform setbacks into stepping stones toward success.

18. “ Speak clearly, if you speak at all. Carve every word before you let it fall. ” – Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Oliver Wendell Holmes , a renowned poet, valued precision and clarity in communication. This quote emphasises the importance of thoughtful expression and deliberate speech. By honing your communication skills and speaking purposefully, you can command attention and inspire action in your audience. Avoid ambiguity, filler words, and jargon that can obscure your meaning. 

19. “ I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen. ” – Frank Lloyd Wright.

Frank Lloyd Wright , a pioneering architect, understood the importance of perseverance and passion in pursuing your goals. In presentations, invest the time and effort necessary to deliver outstanding results. Practice relentlessly, seek feedback, and continuously refine your skills. By dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to your craft, you can achieve excellence in your presentations and make a lasting impact on your audience.

20. “ Don’t build links. Build relationships .” – Rand Fishkin.

Rand Fishkin , a prominent figure in digital marketing, emphasises the importance of fostering genuine connections over transactional interactions. When giving presentations, prioritise building rapport with your audience, colleagues, and stakeholders. Investing in relationships can create a supportive network that enhances your professional growth and enriches your presentation experiences.

By embracing the wisdom contained within these quotes, we can elevate our presentation skills and make a greater impact on our audience. So, the next time you’re preparing for a presentation, take a moment to seek out and reflect on some of these quotes. Let them inspire you to speak clearly, connect with authenticity, and take bold action to make a difference. Your audience is waiting to be inspired, and with the right mindset and skills, you can ignite their passion and drive positive change. You may just find the inspiration and guidance you need to deliver a truly memorable and impactful presentation. 

Muskaan Oswal

Muskaan is a Content Developer and Soft Skills Trainer at Kapable, driven by a profound passion for fostering personal growth and empowerment. With a strong academic foundation in Psychology and a fascination with organisational and counselling Psychology, she brings a deep understanding of human behaviour to her role. With a genuine commitment to helping individuals unlock their full potential, Muskaan strives to make a lasting impact by nurturing essential life skills and fostering a sense of empowerment among all those she interacts with.

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Spark's Presentation & Public Speaking Blog

Public speaking quotes: funny, inspiring insights for your presentation.

June 2, 2014

by Andy Saks

Over many years as a professional presenter and speaker, I’ve accumulated a treasure trove of funny, inspiring, insightful public speaking quotes.

These quotes are near and dear to my heart. They’ve helped me immensely, and helped me help others.

Some date back to biblical times. Others are hot off the Twitter press.

Sometimes I show them in a looping slideshow to warm up an audience before a keynote speech or presentation skills training program.

Other times I peek at them when I need some inspiration myself.

And here they are, for the first time, categorized and alphabetized for your presentation pleasure.

Which quotes make you laugh? Which inspire you? Which rub you the wrong way? Which of your favorites should I add? Which did you use in your presentation? Tell me by sharing your comment at the bottom of the page.

QUOTES FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY / FEAR

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than delivering the eulogy.” – Jerry Seinfeld

“All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears, of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, or speaking before the Rotary Club, or the words ‘some assembly required.’” – Dave Barry

“…and from the first moment that I ever walked on stage in front of a darkened auditorium with a couple of hundred people sitting there, I was never afraid, I was never fearful, I didn’t suffer from stage fright, because I felt so safe on that stage. I wasn’t Patrick Stewart, I wasn’t in the environment that frightened me, I was pretending to be someone else, and I liked the other people I pretended to be. So I felt nothing but security for being on stage. And I think that’s what drew me to this strange job of playing make-believe.” — Patrick Stewart

“Feel the fear of public speaking and do it anyway.” – Arvee Robinson

“I was dreading winning. I didn’t even prepare an acceptance speech. I was worried that I would slip up or do something horrible. I was shaking in my seat, putting on a posed smile. Inside I was petrified.” – Leonardo DiCaprio (at the 1998 Academy Awards)

“It’s all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation.” – Rob Gilbert

“The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.” – George Jessel

“There are two types of speakers: Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” – Mark Twain

QUOTES ON ASKING QUESTIONS & LISTENING

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, and to sit down and listen.”  – Winston Churchill

“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” – Jimi Hendrix

“Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.” – fortune cookie Andy got (really!)

“Nothing calms a person faster than hearing his own ideas repeated back.” – Sandra DeLozier

“One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears, by listening to them.” – Dean Rusk

“Open your ears before you open your mouth; it may surprise your eyes!” – Earl Nightingale

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

“The finest art of communication is not learning how to express your thoughts. It is learning how to draw out the thoughts of another.” – Ted Tripp

“Two monologues do not make a dialogue.” – Jeff Daly

“You can tell if a man is clever by his answers. You can tell if a man is wise by his questions.” – unknown

QUOTES ON HAVING A GREAT ATTITUDE

“Our attitude towards others determines their attitude towards us.” -Earl Nightingale

“Say what you mean, mean what you say, just don’t say it mean.” – Nguyen Van Tho

“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you’ll ever regret.” – Laurence Peter

“The words you speak today should be soft and tender, for tomorrow you may have to eat them.” – unknown

“Think lovingly, speak lovingly, act lovingly, and every need shall be supplied.” – James Allen

“You have to smile, if you expect anybody to smile back.” – Jonathan Evison

QUOTES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR AUDIENCE

“Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern.” – Ken Haemer

“In the preaching moment, there is a liminal moment in which is dawns on you standing there that yes, there is something more going on here that I did not anticipate…You feed of the congregation, because black preaching is so dialogical. The affirmation in that dialogue is the place where you locate revelation.” – Dale Andrews (professor, Boston University, and occasional preacher)

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!” – @mediatraining

“The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?'” – Jim Rohn

“The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most.” – Dale Carnegie

“To communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins

“To sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak.” – C. Kent Wright

“When are you going to understand that if it doesn’t pertain to me, I’m not interested?” – Candace Bergen as Murphy Brown

QUOTES ON CLARITY, SIMPLICITY AND WORD CHOICE IN SPEAKING

“Eloquence is the essential thing in a speech, not information.” – Mark Twain

“I understand a fury in your words, but not your words.” – William Shakespeare, Othello

“If we use common words on a great occasion, they are the more striking because they are felt at once to have a particular meaning, like old banners, or everyday clothes, hung up in a sacred place.” – George Eliot

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” – Dianna Booher

“If you can’t state your position in eight words, you don’t have a position. “ – Seth Godin

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” – Jack Kerouac

“Precision of communication is important, more important than ever, in our era of hair-trigger balances, when a false or misunderstood word may create as much disaster as a sudden thoughtless act.” – James Thurber

“Speak clearly, if you speak at all. Carve every word before you let it fall.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” – Hans Hoffman

“The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter–’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” — Mark Twain

“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like cuttlefish squirting out ink.” – George Orwell

“The way something is presented will define the way you react to it.” – Neville Brody

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” – William Butler Yeats

“Those who run to long words are mainly the unskillful and tasteless; they confuse pomposity with dignity, flaccidity with ease, and bulk with force.” – H.W. Fowler

QUOTES DEFINING PUBLIC SPEAKING AND PRESENTATIONS

“A presentation is a chance to share, not an oral exam.” – M.F. Fensholt

“All speaking is public speaking, whether it’s to one person or a thousand.” – Roger Love

“Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Proper words in proper places make the true definition of a style.” – Jonathan Swift

“Speech is power. Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Through the picture, I see reality. Through the word, I understand it.” – Sven Lidman

“To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.” – Ben Jonson

“Words do two major things: they provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” – Jim Rohn

“Words. Words, when spoken out loud for the sake of performance, are music. They have rhythm, and pitch, and timbre, and volume. These are the properties of music, and music has the ability to find us and move us and lift us up in ways that literal meaning can’t.” – Martin Sheen as President Bartlet, The West Wing

FUNNY QUOTES ON PUBLIC SPEAKING & PRESENTATIONS

“Don’t be afraid to talk to yourself. It’s the only way you can be sure somebody’s listening.” – F.P. Jones

“Every speaker has a mouth, an arrangement rather neat. Sometimes it’s filled with wisdom, sometimes it’s filled with feet.” – Robert Orben

“Light travels faster than sound. That’s why certain people appear bright until you hear them speak.” – Albert Einstein

“Look your audience straight in the eyes, and begin to talk as if every one of them owed you money.” – Dale Carnegie

“My job is to talk; your job is to listen. If you finish first, please let me know.”  – Harry Herschfield

“Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” – Mark Twain

“Public speaking is very easy.” – Dan Quayle

“Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.” – Slovenian proverb

“The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it’s taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

QUOTES ON HONESTY IN SPEAKING

“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.” – Mark Twain

“I didn’t lie. I was writing fiction in my mouth.” – Homer Simpson

“Speech is a mirror of the soul. As a man speaks, so is he.” – Publilius Syrus

“Teach the tongue to say ‘I do not know.’” – Maimonides

“When the eyes say one thing, and the tongue another, a practiced man relies on the language of the first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

QUOTES ON HUMOR IN PRESENTATIONS & PUBLIC SPEAKING

“Humor is a rubber sword – it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.” – Mary Hirsch

“Humor is treacherous. It can charm, coax, and persuade, but it can also distract, baffle or alienate the audience.” – Eugene Finerman

“I learned at an early age that when I made people laugh, they liked me. This is a lesson I never forgot.” – Art Buchwald

“If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.” – Oscar Wilde

“Once you get people laughing, they’re listening and you can tell them almost anything.” – Herbert Gardner

“The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.” -Mark Twain

QUOTES ON THE POWER AND IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING

“Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.” – Charles Dickens

“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half of people who have nothing to say and keep saying it.” – Robert Frost

“I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

“If all my talents were to be taken from me by some inscrutable providence, and I had to make a choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to keep the power of speaking, because through it, I would quickly recover all the rest.” – Daniel Webster

“The newest computer can merely compound, at speed, the oldest problem in the relations between human beings, and in the end the communicator will be confronted with the old problem, of what to say and how to say it.” – Edward R. Murrow

“The tongue has the power of life and death.” – Solomon

“The tongue is like a sharp knife. It kills without drawing blood.” – Buddha

“When nobody speaks your name, or even knows it, you, knowing it, must be the first to speak it.” – Marlon Riggs

“Improve your communication skills and you will earn fifty percent more money over your lifetime…In my office you’ll not see the degree I got from the University of Nebraska. You’ll not see the master’s degree I got from Columbia. But you’ll see the award certificate I got from the [public] speaking course.” – Warren Buffett

INSPIRING PUBLIC SPEAKING QUOTES

“Between your brain and your mouth (or your fingers) is magic: your power to choose what you say next. Use that magic.” – Chris Brogan

“Oratory should raise your heart rate. Oratory should blow the doors off the place.” – Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn, The West Wing

“The difference between a good speech and a great speech is the energy with which the audience comes to their feet at the end. Is it polite? Is it a chore? Are they standing up because their boss just stood up? No. You want it to come from their socks.” – Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn, The West Wing

“The world is made up of words. And if you know the words that the world is made of, you can make of it whatever you wish.” – Terence McKenna

“The world is waiting for your words.” – Arvee Robinson

“Your words can make you rich” – Dr. Donald Moine

QUOTES ON OPENING LINES IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“He who fails to please in his salutation and address is at once rejected, and never obtains an opportunity of showing his latest excellences or essential qualities.” – Samuel Johnson

“You had me at ‘Hello.’” – Renee Zellweger as Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maguire

QUOTES ON PASSION IN PUBLIC SPEAKING & PRESENTATIONS

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss

“Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” – Jim Rohn 

“I don’t like to hear cut-and-dried sermons. When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees!” – Abraham Lincoln

“It doesn’t matter how elegant the argument or inspiring the prose, a presentation won’t move anyone if the presenter isn’t visibly feeling what they are saying.” – John Neffinger, KNP Communications

“Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion. Technique alone is just an embroidered pot holder.” – Raymond Chandler

“The best speeches come from the heart and reflect your passion. Speak as if your life depended on it.” – Arvee Robinson

“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Carol Buchner

“When genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” – D.H. Lawrence

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” – John Ford

“You cannot speak that which you do not know. You cannot share that which you do not feel.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

“A designer knows he or she has achieved perfection, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Nolan Haims

“If God is in the details, then the Devil is in PowerPoint.” – @AngryPaulRand

“The more strikingly visual your presentation is, the more people will remember it. And more importantly, they will remember you.” – Paul Arden

QUOTES ON PREPARATION IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“All Abe Lincoln needed was a pencil and paper to make his speech at Gettysburg.” – @TipsForSpeakers

“All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Communication works for those who work at it.” – John Powell

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

“If you wing it when speaking, you’ll get wing it results.” – Arvee Robinson

“It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain

“Let he who would be moved to convince others be first moved to convince himself.” – T. Carlyle

“Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills, so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON SALES PRESENTATIONS

“Good listeners generally make more sales than good talkers.” – B.C. Holwick

“He that has no silver in his purse should have silver on his tongue.” – Thomas Fuller

“If you can’t say it, you can’t sell it!” – Arvee Robinson

“Samson killed a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass. That many sales are killed every day with exactly the same weapon.” – unknown

“The single most important tool in selling is being able to communicate effectively.” – Dan Brent Burt

QUOTES ON SILENCE IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“It’s the space you put between the notes that make the music.” – Massimo Vignelli

“Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.” – Dionysius of Halicarnassus

“Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.” – cowboy saying

“Speak only if you can improve upon silence.” – unknown

“Talking is like playing the harp; there is as much in laying the hand on the strings to stop their vibrations as in twanging them to bring out their music.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

“The most precious things in speech are pauses.” – Ralph Richardson

“Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” – Abraham Lincoln

QUOTES ON SMILING IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“So much is said with the electricity of the eyes, the intensity of a whisper. Less is more.” – Elizabeth Taylor

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the  smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia

“Your smile is a messenger of your goodwill.” – Dale Carnegie

QUOTES ON SPEED AND BREVITY IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“A fool uttereth all his mind.” – Proverbs 29:11

“A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” – William Strunk, Jr.

“A speech is like a love affair. Any fool can start one, but it requires considerable skill to end it.” – unknown

“Be sincere, be brief, be seated.” – Franklin Roosevelt

“Blessed is the man who, having nothing [more] to say, refrains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.” – George Eliot

“For effective communication, use brevity. Jesus said, ‘Follow me.’ Now that’s brief!” – Jim Rohn

“He who talks more is sooner exhausted.” – Lao Tzu

“If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought.” – Dennis Roth

“If you want me to speak for an hour, I am ready today. If you want me to speak for just a few minutes, it will take me a few weeks to prepare.” – Mark Twain

“It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what other men say in whole books.” – Nietzsche

“It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.” – Robert Southey

“It’s better to say nothing than spend 1,000 words or an hour speech saying nothing. Get to the point.” – Richard Branson

“It’s quite simple: say what you have to say and when you come to a sentence with a grammatical ending, sit down.” – Winston Churchill

“Make sure you have stopped speaking before your audience has stopped listening.” – Dorothy Sarnoff

“Never write if you can speak; never speak if you can nod; never nod if you can wink.” – Martin Lomasney

“Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary.” – Evan Esar

“The best speech has a good beginning and a good ending – and has them close together.” – unknown

“The best way to make a good speech is to have a good beginning and a good ending – and have them close together.” – unknown

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” – Thomas Jefferson

“The secret of being a bore is to tell everything.” – Voltaire

“Think all you speak, but speak not all you think. Thoughts are your own; your words are so no more.” – Patrick Delany

“To make a speech immortal, you don’t have to make it everlasting.” – unknown

“What is powerful is when what you say is just the tip of the iceberg of what you know.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON STORYTELLING IN PRESENTATIONS

“Every story has its time to be told.” – Sekou Sundiata

“Stories open the hearts of your listeners, and then their wallets.” – Arvee Robinson

QUOTES ON WORDS VERSUS ACTIONS

“Be content to act, and leave the talking to others.” – Baltasa

“One deed is worth a thousand speeches.” – American proverb

“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” – unknown

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

“Words may show a man’s wit, but actions, his meaning. “ – Benjamin Franklin

ABOUT SPARK PRESENTATIONS

Spark owner and speaking quote compiler Andy Saks

Spark Presentations is a private company founded in 1998 that provides presentation skills training and speech coaching for executives, salespeople, marketers and other businesspeople, plus booth staff training for trade show exhibitors.

Spark also books professional presenters and public speakers to represent its clients at high-profile events, in roles like keynote speaker, trade show booth presenter, master of ceremonies (emcee) and auctioneer, as well as on camera talent and voice talent.

Spark’s client list includes large corporations like AT&T, Best Buy, Covidien, FedEx, Hyundai, Intel, Kimberly-Clark, Owens-Corning, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Volvo; high-tech industry players like AMD, Atrion, Citrix, Gigamon, and Symantec; service organizations like Vistage, 1nService and NERCOMP; and New England institutions like Community Rowing and the Boston Jewish Film Festival.

Spark’s owner, Andy Saks, is also the author of The Presentation Playbook Series: Be a Most Valuable Presenter (MVP) , a three-volume series of books that help businesspeople master common presentation situations by building and running speaking “plays” like a coach or player calls a key play in a game. Volume 1 is available now in print and PDF formats on Spark’s website and at these online retailers and formats:  Amazon print , Amazon Kindle , Apple iBooks and Barnes & Noble print and Nook .

For questions, quotes or orders, contact Andy Saks at 781-454-7600, email or Spark’s Contact page .

Posted in: Sparky Says: Presentation & Public Speaking Tips | 1 Comment

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by Melissa Johnson | August 2, 2017 at 9:45 am

Good stuff!

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Organization: Phone: type_submit_reset_5 Spark News: Coming (& Recent) Attractions Spark booth presenter shines at Las Vegas tech show Navy SEAL fundraiser books charity auctioneer Andy Saks Boston awards event books Spark master of ceremonies Read all Coming (& Recent) Attractions Sparky Says: Presentation & Public Speaking Tips 10 Tips to Boost Donations at Your Fund the Need / Paddle Raise 7 Tips to Encourage Audience Questions in Your Presentation Q&A 10 PowerPoint Alternatives That Make Your Presentation Memorable Read all Sparky Says (Speaking Tips) Presentation Frequently Asked Questions Trade show presenter 101: Your guide to booking a booth presenter (Part 1) Sales presentation skills: How much is your pitch actually worth? How do I hire the right trade show presenter? Read all Presentation FAQ Spark's Client Success Stories Emcee tips: How Spark’s master of ceremonies made AT&T’s awards dinner fun Trade show booth ideas: How to get the most value from your presenter Trade show booth ideas: Recycle your presentation script Read all Spark Success Stories Spark Presentations Andy Saks, Owner & Lead Speaker 781-454-7600 | Email | Contact page Don't miss exclusive Spark deals! Sign up for your Spark e-newsletter today. ACE That Presentation! Beautiful, Inspiring Presentations in 21st Century Higher Education Home » 40 Inspiring Quotes for Your Academic Presentations! 40 Inspiring Quotes for Your Academic Presentations! In this post I share 40 inspiring quotes (and counting). Feel free to pluck them – to spark joy, to  inspire you and for your next academic presentation. I quite like them. They are wonderful when you want to find the essence of what you’re doing or a situation you’re in. When use wisely, they would help enhance your presentations. I’ve included some of the following quotes in my book Elevate and new Udemy course, Elevate Your Research Presentations! And I’ll update this post as I go along. Enjoy! Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi aka Rumi – #deep 1. When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. 2. What you seek is seeking you. *So I let them come to me… 3. Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction. 4. Maybe you are searching among the branches, for what only appears in the roots. 5. Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray. 6. Everything in the universe is within you. Ask all from yourself. —.— 7. Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.–Martin Fraquhar Tupper 8. Performance is not about getting your act together, but about opening up to the energy of the audience.–Benjamin Zander We are visual creatures. 9. Visual things stay put, whereas sounds fade.–Steven Pinker 10. Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.– Albert Einstein 11. That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.–Steve Jobs. 12. The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.–Mozart 13. The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything. – Warren Buffett 14. I am among those who think that science has great beauty.–Marie Curie 15. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.– Lao Tzu 16. Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler–The Prophet Muhammad 17. Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.– Andre Gide 18. Travel is never a matter of money, but of courage.– Paulo Coelho 19. The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.– Saint Augustine 20. The worldly comforts are not for me. I am like a traveler, who takes a rest under a tree in the shade and then goes on his way.~ Mohammed (PBUH) 21. Many were the Ways of Life that have passed away before you: travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who rejected Truth. (Surah Al-Imran, 137) 22. Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But a better way is to think how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come.– Richard Branson 23. Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you traveled.–Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) 24. Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid. – Einstein 25. Always remember, your focus determines your reality.– George Lucas 26. The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.– Lilly Walters 27. The most precious things in speech are the pauses.– Sir Ralph Richardson 28. The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause. – Mark Twain 29. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and feed him for a lifetime.–Lao Tzu 30. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.–Sun Tze 31. Work hard in silence, let your success be your noise.–Anon 32. Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.–Oscar Wilde 33. For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.–Thich Nhat Hanh Maya Angelou – Her words are a source of great strength and kindness 34. 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. 35. If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines from within.–Maya Angelou 36. 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 of you. 37. We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. 38. Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances. 39. My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. 40. Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. *I really like this one! 41. Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.–Miles Kington 42. Knowledge wants to talk, wisdom wants to listen.–Haemin Sunim in ‘The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down’, p. 194. Image by William Iven from Pixabay PICTURE QUOTES DAILY QUOTE RANDOM QUOTE 220 Presentation Quotes to Inspire and Elevate Your Audience's Experience Quotes about presentation often serve as a source of inspiration and guidance when it comes to delivering effective and impactful speeches. They provide valuable insights and remind us of the importance of clear communication. These quotes highlight the significance of preparation, confidence, and connecting with the audience to make a lasting impression. Famous Presentation Quotes Our work is the presentation of our capabilities. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 22 Delivering a successful presentation could mean landing a major new contract, better prices for your services, or getting the funding you need. — Lewis Howes 44 There are few things that will take you further in life, than your ability to make a good presentation. — Tom Peters 27 Design is thinking made visual. — Saul Bass 117 When communicating results to non-technical types there is nothing better than a clear visualization to make your point. — John Tukey 38 Tell the audience what you're going to say, say it; then tell them what you've said. — Dale Carnegie 40 Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light. — Joseph Pulitzer 151 Leadership is about persuasion, presentation and people skills. — Shiv Khera 40 Action expresses priorities. — Charles A. Garfield 53 Designing renders visible our hopes and dreams. It is the first signal of human intentions. — William McDonough 66 The lecturer should give the audience full reason to believe that all his powers have been exerted for their pleasure and instruction. — Michael Faraday 25 Offer: The hook gets your customers’ attention, the story creates desire, and the last step of every message, post, email, and video is the offer. — Russell Brunson 29 A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success. — Robert Orben 49 When you stand on the stage you must have a sense that you are addressing the whole world, and that what you say is so important the whole world must listen. — Stella Adler 51 I like a crisp document and a messy meeting. The document should be written with such clarity that it's like angels signing from up high. — Jeff Bezos 155 Short Presentation Quotes Happiness and success come from living in the present, not from existing in the past. — Steve Maraboli Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start. — Nido Qubein Instead of past, present and future, I'd prefer chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. — Ashleigh Brilliant Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start. — Nido R Qubein Best there is... past, present and future! Ohhhhh yeahhhh! — Randy Savage Perfecting the past blurs your focus of the future. — Marvin Davis Learn from yesterday, live for today. — Albert Einstein Be happy in the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more. — Mother Teresa If you're absent during my struggle, don't expect to be present during my success. — Will Smith Let's say your past is your present and your present is your cash, So I look forward to the future. — Young Jeezy Successful Presentation Quotes If you worry about yesterday's failures, then today's successes will be few. The future depends on what we do in the present — Mahatma Gandhi 200 Purpose of counter-intelligence action is to disrupt and it is immaterial whether facts exist to substantiate the charge. If facts are present it aids in the success of the proposal but the Bureau feels … that disruption can be accomplished without facts to back it up. — J. Edgar Hoover 129 Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so. — David Brooks 91 Women put makeup on their faces. Men put makeup on their accomplishments. — Alex Hormozi 79 You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. — Henry David Thoreau 76 If I can't make it through one door, I'll go through another door- or i'll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present. — Rabindranath Tagore 69 Liverpool is a club with a big, big, big history, and all the clubs in the world have a big history if the present is not too successful. If you have never had success, then nobody knows how it is, but in Liverpool, everybody knows how it was. — Jurgen Klopp 69 A lot of exercise is mindless; you can have music or the radio on and not be aware. But if you're aware in anything you do - and it doesn't have to be yoga - it changes you. Being present changes you. — Mariel Hemingway 67 I am inviting you to discover that deeper than any pattern, deeper than personality, deeper than success or failure, deeper than worth or worthlessness, there is a radiance that is undeniable, always present - the truth of who you are. — Gangaji 56 You are a success when you have made friends with your past, are focused on the present, and are optimistic about your future — Zig Ziglar 52 Food Presentation Quotes Presently, we were aware of an odour gradually coming towards us, something musky, fiery, savoury, mysterious, - a hot drowsy smell, that lulls the senses, and yet enflames them, - the truffles were coming. — William Makepeace Thackeray 24 Objects of every sort are materials for the new art: paint, food, chairs, electric and neon lights, smoke, water, old socks, a dog, movies, a thousand other things which will be discovered by the present generation of artists. — Allan Kaprow 23 For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends... Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. — William Arthur Ward 16 The roe of the Russian sturgeon has probably been present at more important international affairs than have all the Russian dignitaries of history combined. This seemingly simple article of diet has taken its place in the world along with pearls, sables, old silver, and Cellini cups. — James Beard 11 If people can't make ends meet at home with food, benefits, health, and health care in particular, how can they be present, engaged, knowledge workers when they come to work? — Mark T Bertolini 11 Rice at present prices provides more food for the money than most of the other cereals. — David F. Houston 9 Cooking is about presenting flavors and other aspects of food in a way that makes best use of them and makes an engaging, satisfying meal. Taste necessarily comes into it along with technique. Some ingredients require cooking, cleaning or otherwise denaturing them, some are fine as they are. — Steve Albini 9 What's sad is that nobody knows the constitution of the ecosystem that has just been destroyed. Is it an important future food? Is it an important medicine? What can it do for future generations - or present generations? — Horst Rechelbacher 7 It's my first presenting role so I'll be nervous, but it's going to be great fun. I can't wait to sample the food and meet the celebrities. Hopefully I can inject some of my own glamour. — Nicole Appleton 6 But don’t forget that memory is like salt: the right amount brings out the flavour in food, too much ruins it. If you live in the past all the time, you’ll find yourself with no present to remember. — Paulo Coelho 5 Good Presentation Quotes One only dies once, and if one does not die well, a good opportunity is lost and will not present itself again. — Jose Rizal 305 Do not encumber your mind with useless thoughts. What good does it do to brood on the past or anticipate the future? Remain in the simplicity of the present moment. — Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche 143 When we teach our children to be good, to be gentle, to be forgiving (all these are attributes of God), to be generous, to love their follow men, to regard this present age as nothing, we instill virtue in their souls, and reveal the image of God within them. — Saint John Chrysostom 133 The costs of your good habits are in the present. The costs of your bad habits are in the future. — James Clear 83 Rarely are opportunities presented to you in a perfect way. In a nice little box with a yellow bow on top. 'Here, open it, it's perfect. You'll love it.' Opportunities -- the good ones -- are messy, confusing and hard to recognize. They're risky. They challenge you. — Susan Wojcicki 77 If I did not simply live from one moment to another, it would be impossible for me to be patient, but I only look at the present, I forget the past, and I take good care not to forestall the future. — Therese of Lisieux 65 The fundamental engineering feature of the fiat system is that it treats future promises of money as if they were as good as present money because the government guarantees these promises. — Saifedean Ammous 62 Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau. I do not feel there will be soon if ever a 50 or 60 point break from present levels, such as (bears) have predicted. I expect to see the stock market a good deal higher within a few months. — Irving Fisher 55 Fortune-telling doesn't reveal the future; it mirrors the present. It resonates against what your subconscious already knows and hauls it up out of the darkness so you can get a good look at it. — Charles de Lint 52 I was in the Square at the time. The crowd was a most good-humoured, easy going, smiling crowd; but presently it was transformed. A regiment of mounted police came cantering up. — Edward Carpenter 52 Ending Presentation Quotes When life's flight is over, and we unload our cargo at the other end, the fellow who got rid of unnecessary weight will have the most valuable cargo to present the Lord. — Nate Saint 137 You walk through a series of arches, so to speak, and then, presently, at the end of a corridor, a door opens and you see backward through time, and you feel the flow of time, and realize you are only part of a great nameless procession. — John Huston 64 He who spends time regretting the past loses the present and risks the future. — Francisco de Quevedo 56 When I was 12, all I wanted for Christmas was a trampoline or a four-wheeler. I ended up getting both presents for Christmas. — Chris Brown 50 They know the outward shows of this life present but of the next life are they careless. Have they not consider the heavens and the earth and all that is between them but for a serious end, and for a fixed term? But truly most men believe not that they shall meet their Lord. — Elijah Muhammad 37 For progressive people the present is the beginning of the future. For conservative people the present is the end of the past. — Karl Mannheim 36 What we count the ills of life are often blessings in disguise, resulting in good to us in the end. Though for the present not joyous but grievous, yet, if received in a right spirit, they work out fruits of righteousness for us at last. — Matthew Henry 27 In the end, oh I know, never, in my haggard passion, have I ever been such a cadaver as now as I take again in hand my tables of the present— if reality's real, but after it's been destroyed in the eternal and the moment by the obsessive idea of a shining nothingness. — Pier Paolo Pasolini 27 There exists only the present instant... a Now which always and without end is itself new. There is no yesterday nor any tomorrow, but only Now, as it was a thousand years ago and as it will be a thousand years hence. — Meister Eckhart 26 I remember the past, and I learn from it. I rejoice and celebrate in the present, and I re-imagine the future. Now is the moment that never ends. — Deepak Chopra 23 Powerful Presentation Quotes Don't judge the future of a person based on his present conditions, becausetime has the power to change black coal to shiny diamond. — Chanakya 97 No matter how much you stress or obsess about the past or future, you can’t change either one. In the present is where your power lies. — Mandy Hale 78 Electric power is everywhere present in unlimited quantities and can drive the world's machinery without the need of coal, oil, gas, or any other of the common fuels. — Nikola Tesla 70 Today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present. — Bil Keane 68 Always work with the present moment, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life. — Eckhart Tolle 68 The discovery of truth is prevented more effectively, not by the false appearance things present and which mislead into error, not directly by weakness of the reasoning powers, but by preconceived opinion, by prejudice. — Arthur Schopenhauer 65 You cannot find yourself by going into the past. You can find yourself by coming into the present. — Eckhart Tolle 65 The intensity of the pain depends on the degree of resistance to the present moment. — Eckhart Tolle 64 Then there is the worst part of Christianity, which is awful: power, corruption, manipulation... But then again, these feature are ever present in any organization. — Bruce Kent 56 The pas has no power to stop you from being present now. Only your grievance about the past can do that. — Eckhart Tolle 52 Gift Presentation Quotes Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present. — Bil Keane 640 Leave the past in the past, tomorrows not promised and Todays just a gift i guess thats why its the present — Joe Budden 190 The older one gets, the more one feels that the present must be enjoyed; it is a precious gift, comparable to a state of grace — Marie Curie 161 Treat every moment as a gift, that is why it is called the present. — Deepak Chopra 107 Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present. — Eleanor Roosevelt 106 Never lookin' back or too far in front of me; the present is a gift and I just wanna be. — Common 97 Today is a gift from God - that is why it is called the present. — Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 91 A chaplain's biggest gift is to be present and just listen. — Diane Johnson 90 You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father's face and tell him you have received his Christmas gift. — John R. Rice 83 I personally believe this: We have only today; yesterday's gone and tomorrow is uncertain. That's why they call it the present. And sobriety really is a gift... for those who are willing to receive it. — Ace Frehley 72 Business Presentation Quotes The present government is very insistent that business sponsorship should replace government sponsorship of the arts. Business sponsorship won't happen unless you make tax concessions, which they won't. — Peter Maxwell Davies 80 There is less difference than many suppose between the ideal Socialist system, in which the big businesses are run by the State, and the present Capitalist system, in which the State is run by the big businesses. — Gilbert K. Chesterton 58 Accountants are in the past, managers are in the present, and leaders are in the future. — Paul Orfalea 46 The artist is extremely lucky who is presented with the worst possible ordeal which will not actually kill him. At that point, he's in business. — John Berryman 43 It is our business not to supply reality but to invent allusions to the conceivable which cannot be presented. — Jean-Francois Lyotard 41 When do stockholders get no benefit from retained earnings? One way is when managements pile up cash and liquid assets far beyond any present or prospective needs for the business. — Philip Arthur Fisher 33 Learn from the past, prepare for the future, live in the present. — Thomas S. Monson 22 It often feels like I'm not so much living for the present as I am busy making memories for the future. — Amy Krouse Rosenthal 19 It's very eclectic, the way one chooses subjects in the movie business, especially in the commercial movie business. You need to develop material yourself or material is presented to you as an assignment to direct. — John Frankenheimer 16 The enterprise that does not innovate ages and declines. And in a period of rapid change such as the present, the decline will be fast. — Peter Drucker 15 Thank You Presentation Quotes Reflect upon your present blessings — Charles Dickens 106 Every life has a purpose. We need to let go of the past. Live in the present. Do not waste today worrying about what will happen tomorrow. Embrace your true spirit, embrace and listen to grace and you be transformed in the moment. Do not fixate on what you want but give thanks for what you have. — Caroline Myss 39 To my three sons, Peter, Scott, and Alexander who pulled me from the 18th Century and back into the present on a regular basis and therefore made me a better person, thank you. And to my wife, who sits at the table there. Who is right about almost everything. — Joseph J. Ellis 19 November, I'll give thanks that you belong to me. December, you're the present beneath my Christmas tree. — Neil Sedaka 13 Realize that your present difficulty is only a small part of you, and the rest of you is doing quite well, thank you. — Lynn Grabhorn 12 Grandchildren now don't write a thank you for the Christmas presents. They are walking on their pants with their cap on backward, listening to the Enema Man and Snoopy, Snoopy Poop Dog. — Alan K. Simpson 8 Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs? — Gilbert K. Chesterton 6 A gift - be it a present, a kind word or a job done with care and love - explains itself!... and if receivin' it embarrasses you, it's because your 'thanks box' is warped. — Alice Childress 6 The best way to say, "I love you, God," is to live your life doing your best. The best way to say, "Thank you, God," is by letting go of the past and living in the present moment, right here and now. — Miguel Angel Ruiz 3 My function is, as objectively and accurately as I can, to present reality to people out there, and doing that as quickly as we do is quite difficult enough, thank you. — Ted Koppel 2 Present Quotes How foolish is man! He ruins the present while worrying about the future , but weeps in the future by recalling his past! — Ali ibn Abi Talib 431 The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be. French translation — Marcel Pagnol 352 Don't allow your past or present condition to control you. It's just a process that you're going through to get you to the next level. — T. D. Jakes 317 You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this. — Henry David Thoreau 308 Let us remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with confidence. — Pope John Paul II 254 Existence is.. well.. what does it matter? I exist on the best terms I can. The past is now part of my future. The present is well out of hand. — Ian Curtis 251 Don't search for heaven and hell in the future. Both are now present. Whenever we manage to love without expectations, calculations, negotiations, we are indeed in heaven. Whenever we fight, hate, we are in hell. — Shams Tabrizi 247 We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitude toward it. Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate - thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising. — Maya Angelou 244 I can feel guilty about the past, Apprehensive about the future,but only in the present can I act.The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness. — Abraham Maslow 233 Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present. — Marcus Aurelius 220 Be Present Quotes Though liberty is established by law, we must be vigilant, for liberty to enslave us is always present under that very liberty. Our Constitution speaks of the "general welfare of the people." Under that phrase all sorts of excesses can be employed by lusting tyrants to make us bondsmen. — Marcus Tullius Cicero 211 Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge. — Eckhart Tolle 183 Love goes very far beyond the physical person of the beloved. It finds its deepest meaning in its spiritual being, his inner self. Whether or not he is actually present, whether or not he is still alive at all, ceases somehow to be of importance. — Viktor E. Frankl 176 If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past. — Baruch Spinoza 166 I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was a boy, we were taught to be discrete and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint. — Hesiod 165 Particular attention should be given to the opportunities which the environment presents or precludes for involvement of children with persons both older and younger than themselves. — Urie Bronfenbrenner 163 Be here. Be present. Wherever you are, be there. — Willie Nelson 157 If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second-greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first-greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they're happy. — Dorothy Parker 149 To regret the past, to hope in the future, and never to be satisfied with the present: that is what I spend my whole life doing — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 149 We must be faithful to the present moment or we will frustrate the plan of God for our lives. — Solanus Casey 139 Present Moment Quotes What happened yesterday is history. What happens tomorrow is a mystery. What we do today makes a difference - the precious present moment. — Nick Saban 195 The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live it. — Thomas S. Monson 185 You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. — Thomas Merton 184 The Christian should never worry about tomorrow or give sparingly because of a possible future need. Only the present moment is ours to serve the Lord, and tomorrow may never come...Life is worth as much as it is spent for the Lord's service. — George Muller 167 Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. — Jon Kabat-Zinn 155 Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that attention over time as best we can. In the process, we become more in touch with our life as it is unfolding. — Jon Kabat-Zinn 151 One learns the art of dying by learning the art of living: how to become master of the present moment. — S. N. Goenka 131 God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for tomorrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment. — Mary Baker Eddy 120 For a few moments, be aware of your potential for change. Whatever your present situation is, evolution and transformation are always possible. At the least, you can change your way of seeing things and then, gradually, your way of being as well. — Matthieu Ricard 108 Has it ever struck you ... that life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quickly you hardly catch it going? It’s really all memory ... except for each passing moment. — Eric Kandel 103 Past Present And Future Quotes Give up identification with this mass of flesh as well as with what thinks it a mass. Both are intellectual imaginations. Recognise your true self as undifferentiated awareness, unaffected by time, past, present or future, and enter Peace. — Adi Shankara 219 Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future . — John F. Kennedy 196 The man hunched over his motorcycle can focus only on the present... he is caught in a fragment of time cut off from both the past and the future... he has no fear, because the source of fear is in the future, and a person freed of the future has nothing to fear. — Milan Kundera 187 From your past emerges the present, and from the present is born your future. — Muhammad Iqbal 176 The future comes slowly, the present flies and the past stands still forever. — Friedrich von Schiller 140 Don't let the sadness from the past and fear of the future ruin the happiness of the present. — Kid Cudi 133 It's being here now that's important. There's no past and there's no future. Time is a very misleading thing. All there is ever, is the now. We can gain experience from the past, but we can't relive it; and we can hope for the future, but we don't know if there is one. — George Harrison 130 Live in the present and shape the future, do not be casting lingering looks to the distant past for the past has passed away, never again to return. — Subramanya Bharathi 121 The softer your heart is the less that your past is forming your present and your future. When there is openness and softness of heart, what forms the present and the future is not your past but the reality of your own being. — John de Ruiter 115 Learn From Yesterday, Live for Today, hope for tomorrow. — Orison Swett Marden 114 Live In The Present Quotes Simplify your life. Don't waste the years struggling for things that are unimportant. Don't burden yourself with possessions. Keep your needs and wants simple and enjoy what you have. Don't destroy your peace of mind by looking back, worrying about the past. Live in the present. Simplify! — Henry David Thoreau 134 We live in the present, we dream of the future and we learn eternal truths from the past. — Madame Chiang KaiShek 105 Humans can't live in the present, like animals do. Humans are always thinking about the future or the past. So it's a veil of tears, man. I don't know anything that's going to benefit me now, except love. I just need an overwhelming amount of love. And a nap. Mostly a nap. — Townes Van Zandt 102 The past is over; the present is fleeting; we live in the future. — Ray Kurzweil 100 One has to live in the present. Whatever is past is gone beyond recall; whatever is future remains beyond one's reach, until it becomes present. Remembering the past and giving thought to the future are important, but only to the extent that they help one deal with the present. — S. N. Goenka 99 Quantum science suggests the existence of many possible futures for each moment of our lives. Each future lies in a state of rest until it is awakened by choices made in the present. — Gregg Braden 97 Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto. — Dale Carnegie 89 Our past is not, as some fear, a series of events carved in stone that we must carry around for the rest of our lives... but a kaleidoscope of experiences that, when viewed through different lenses, can 'color' (change) how we see our present and future. — Bill Crawford 88 The present moment is really all that we have. The only place you can really love another person is in the present. Love in the past is a memory. Love in the future is a fantasy. To be really alive, love - or any other experience - must take place in the present. — Jack Kornfield 88 Aversion is a form of bondage. We are tied to what we hate or fear. That is why, in our lives, the same problem, the same danger or difficulty, will present itself over and over again in various prospects, as long as we continue to resist or run away from it instead of examining it and solving it. — Patanjali 85 Present Day Quotes But what is memory if not the language of feeling, a dictionary of faces and days and smells which repeat themselves like the verbs and adjectives in a speech, sneaking in behind the thing itself,into the pure present, making us sad or teaching us vicariously. — Julio Cortazar 117 There is no more ridiculous custom than the one that makes you express sympathy once and for all on a given day to a person whose sorrow will endure as long as his life. Such grief, felt in such a way is always present, it is never too late to talk about it, never repetitious to mention it again. — Marcel Proust 105 Every day I awaken I am grateful. My intent is to be totally present in that day. And laugh as much as possible. — Maya Angelou 96 We have within ourselves Enough to fill the present day with joy, And overspread the future years with hope. — William Wordsworth 88 From my parents, I learned a very strong work ethic, and all of my brothers and sisters all worked from the earliest days of life right through to the present time. — George J. Mitchell 80 Each day you're presented with a choice. You can either keep your greatness hidden under a pile of fears, regrets, and excuses, or you can let it out. So the best way to begin unlocking inner greatness is to make a conscious choice to live out the rest of today, with the best you. — Lewis Howes 68 Finding oneself and one's path is like waking up on a foggy day. Be patient, and presently the fog will clear and that which has always been there can be seen. The path is already there to follow — Rasheed Ogunlaru 66 What does God do all day long? He gives birth. From the beginning of eternity, God lies on a maternity bed giving birth to all. God is creating this whole universe full and entire in this present moment. — Meister Eckhart 65 Each day presents a new opportunity to experience God's presence. — Aiden Wilson Tozer 64 My observation is that after one hundred and twenty years of modernisation since the opening of the country, present-day Japan is split between two opposite poles of ambiguity. — Kenzaburo Oe 61 Happy Present Quotes Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again. — Menachem Mendel Schneerson 182 Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present. — Jim Rohn 84 The supreme value is not the future but the present. The future is a deceitful time that always says to us, 'Not Yet,' and thus denies us... Whoever builds a house for future happiness builds a prison for the present. — Octavio Paz 83 To live in the present moment is the highest calling. It’s the source of all happiness. — Naval Ravikant 76 The Present is the womb of the future. A greater future happiness can be had only by investing in the present correctly. Look after the present and the future will look after itself. — Chinmayananda Saraswati 75 If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present. — Roy T. Bennett 73 We should be happy now, not in the future. Now is all we have. — Mo Gawdat 73 Happiness to me is mainly not suffering, not desiring, not thinking too much about the future or the past, really embracing the present moment and the reality of what is, the way it is. — Naval Ravikant 71 The research suggests that, with a few exceptions, major events or traumas that occur even three months earlier have little to no effect on our present happiness. The reason is that we are able to make our own happiness. We change the way we see the world so that we can feel better. — William Ury 70 A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future. — Bruce Barton 66 People Writing About Presentation Name Quotes Likes Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1772 14221 Lewis Howes 126 95 Tom Peters 262 1213 Saul Bass 19 1316 John Tukey 18 843 Dale Carnegie 391 11209 More Presentation Quotes A genius always presents himself as a fool. — Chinese Proverbs 140 The past becomes a texture, an ambience to our present. — Paul Scott 114 Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present. — Albert Camus 109 If we are to better the future we must disturb the present. — Catherine Booth 108 Jesus never consults your past to determine your present. — T. B. Joshua 91 Your children need your presence more than your presents. — Jesse Jackson 87 Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. — Bill Cosby 84 In the carriages of the past, you can't go anywhere. — Maxim Gorky 84 There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief. — Aeschylus 83 I do not like Melbourne in its present state. — William John Wills 81 Whatever your past may have been, your future is still spotless. — Boonaa Mohammed 79 It is said that the present is pregnant with the future. — Voltaire 78 Now is the time to know that all that you do is sacred. — Hafez 78 Gaze steadfastly at things which, though far away, are yet present to the mind. — Parmenides 66 Only the present moment contains life. — Nhat Hanh 64 The present reeks of mediocrity and the atom bomb. — Rene Magritte 61 Politics is for the present, but an equation is for eternity. — Albert Einstein 59 The best present a man can give a woman is his undivided attention. — Sayings 57 I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah. — William Tecumseh Sherman 55 I play PC and Xbox games at home, and I just got a PSP as a birthday present. — Uwe Boll 54 Regrets are a waste of time. They're the past crippling you in the present. — Federico Fellini 54 Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door. — Kyle Chandler 53 The future depends on what we do in the present. — Mahatma Gandhi 53 The future is purchased by the present. — Samuel Johnson 51 In Conclusion Good presentation quotes emphasize the power of preparation. They emphasize the need to thoroughly understand the topic, organize thoughts, and rehearse before stepping onto the stage. Additionally, these quotes stress the importance of confidence in delivering a successful presentation. They remind us to believe in ourselves and our abilities to effectively convey our message. Moreover, presentation quotes emphasize the value of connecting with the audience, as it helps to engage them and make the presentation more memorable. These quotes encourage presenters to establish a connection through storytelling and by framing their message in a relatable manner. Which quotation resonated with you best? Did you enjoy our collection of presentation quotes? Or may be you have a slogan about presentation to suggest. Let us know using our contact form . Feel free to cite and use any of the quotes in this collection of presentation quotations. For popular citation styles(APA, Chicago, MLA), please use this citation page . Embed HTML Link Copy and paste this HTML code in your webpage Using Quotes to Influence Your Audience During a Presentation April 26, 2023 / Blog Quotes convey wisdom, inspiration, and credibility in just a few words. They can set the tone, evoke emotions , and reinforce your message. Need a Presentation Designed? Click Here To View Our Amazing Portfolio In this blog, we will explore using quotes to influence your audience during a presentation. The Power of Quotes Quotes can captivate and influence your audience in various ways. They can elevate your presentation to a whole new level when used strategically. Here are some key ways in which quotes hold immense power: Setting the Tone Quotes can help you set the right tone for your presentation. For instance, an inspirational quote can create a positive and uplifting atmosphere, while a humorous quote can add levity and create a relaxed environment. The tone you set at the beginning of your presentation can greatly impact your audience’s receptiveness to your message, and quotes can be a powerful tool in achieving that. Eliciting Emotions Quotes can evoke emotions in your audience, making your presentation more memorable and impactful. Whether through a touching story, a heartfelt testimonial, or a powerful statement, quotes can tug at the heartstrings of your audience, helping them connect with your message on a deeper level. Emotionally charged quotes can make your presentation more relatable, engaging, and compelling. Adding Credibility Quotes from influential figures or reputable sources can add credibility and authority to your presentation. By referencing experts, industry leaders, or renowned individuals, you can strengthen your arguments and lend more weight to your message. Quotes can act as evidence or proof to support your claims, making your presentation more convincing. Concise Communication Quotes are often concise and impactful, conveying a powerful message in just a few words. Attention spans are becoming shorter and quotes are effective tools to communicate key ideas succinctly. They can help you convey complex concepts or ideas in a memorable and easily digestible manner, keeping your audience engaged and attentive. Memorable Impact A well-chosen quote can leave a lasting impact on your audience. When you use a quote that resonates with your audience, it becomes memorable, and your audience is more likely to remember and recall your message long after the presentation. Quotes can help you make a lasting impression and ensure a memorable and impactful presentation. Best Practices for Using Quotes in Your Presentation While quotes can be a powerful tool in your presentation, it’s important to use them effectively and appropriately. Here are some best practices to keep in mind when incorporating quotes into your presentation: Know Your Audience Consider your audience’s demographics, preferences, and context when selecting quotes. Choose relevant quotes that resonate with your specific audience. Avoid ones that may be offensive, controversial, or irrelevant to your audience, as they may detract from your message. Use Reliable Sources Ensure that the quotes you use are from reputable and reliable sources. Moreover, attribute the quote to the original author or speaker, and provide proper citations if needed. Avoid using quotes from anonymous or unknown sources, as they may lack credibility. Keep it Concise Choose quotes that are concise and impactful. Avoid lengthy ones that may dilute your message or lose your audience’s attention. Instead, opt for ones that can be easily understood and remembered, and that align with the overall flow of your presentation. Contextualize the Quote Provide context when using a quote to help your audience understand its relevance to your presentation. Explain how the quote supports your message or relates to the topic. Avoid using quotes out of context, as they may confuse or mislead your audience. Practice Delivery Practice delivering your quotes with proper tone, emphasis, and timing. Use appropriate gestures, facial expressions, and vocal inflections to enhance the impact of the quotes. Avoid rushing through them or reading them monotonously, as they may lose their intended effect. Use Variety Incorporate a variety of quotes in your presentation, including inspirational, motivational, humorous, and thought-provoking quotes. Mix up the type of quotes you use to keep your audience engaged and add depth and diversity to your presentation. Be Authentic Choose quotes that resonate with your style and voice. Avoid using ones that feel forced or insincere, as they may come across as inauthentic. Rather, use ones that genuinely reflect your beliefs and values to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Practice Proper Attribution Always give credit to the original author or speaker of the quote. Avoid taking credit for someone else’s words or ideas. Use proper attribution methods, including the author’s name, title, and source, to acknowledge and honor their work. Using quotes strategically and effectively in your presentations can be a game-changer. By following best practices and incorporating powerful quotes into your presentation, you can connect with your audience more and leave a lasting impact that influences and inspires. Popular Posts Common Challenges in Tailoring Presentations—and Solutions Dos and Don’ts of Pre-Seed Pitch Deck Creation How to Write a Teaser Pitch Deck that Captivates Tips for a Persuasive How It Works Slide What Not to Do When Presenting Funding History Why Raising Funds Without a Pitch Deck Can Backfire 📞 Call Now:   800.403.6598 Contact Us - Get Started No products in the cart. Public Speaking Quotes For Presentations We have compiled some of our favorite public speaking quotes, quips, fun stories and ideas for you to use in your next presentation., all the great speakers were bad speakers at first., – ralph waldo emerson (1803-1882), “when i go hear a man speak, i like to hear him speak like he’s fighting a swarm of bees.”, – abraham lincoln, speeches measured by the hour die with the hour. (1824), – thomas jefferson  (1743-1826) (1803-1882), quit boring your audience, three points to speaking:. That is a great format for presenters, however, most speakers: Tell the Audience how the are going to bore them.  Then they bore them.  Then they told them how they bored them! Hint for speakers: If you don’t strike oil in 20 minutes, quit boring. As a lady left church one Sunday morning, she gave the preacher a dead fish handshake and said, “That was a warm sermon.” “A warm sermon?” he questioned. “Yes,” she replied.  “NOT SO HOT.” There are three kinds of speakers: Use Relevant Stories in Your Presentation Awareness: A politician addressed the inmates of an insane asylum, he began with his usual introduction, “Why are we all here?” To which one resident responded by punching his neighbor and whispering, “We are all here because we aren’t all here [there]!” Awareness: Always be aware of the setting of your speech. One preacher concluded a beautiful wedding ceremony with: “You may now all come forward and view the body.” He had forgotten his purpose. A speaker should know what he is talking about-as illustrated by the following story: West Texas family returned from the grocery store one Saturday morning with some groceries which they left on the table while they went out. While they were gone, their pet parrot flew into the kitchen and ate a whole roll of baloney. Fully gorged, he waddled out the door and climbed onto the handle of the old pump and dozed off. Meanwhile, a thunderstorm blew in and a big clap of nearby thunder frightened the parrot. When he tried to jump off the pump, the handle flew up and knocked him down. The parrot looked up and said, ”It just goes to show you, you shouldn’t fly off the handle when you’re full of baloney.” One speaker had this to say about his invitation to speak: “There’s an interesting background to my speaking invitation. They wanted to get the most eloquent speaker available, but he declined; so next they wanted to invite the best educated speaker around, but he wouldn’t come; finally, they decided to invite the best looking speaker in the area, and, you know, when they asked me the third time, I just couldn’t turn them down three times in a row!!! Public Speaking Quotes Pages Special offer get 25% off. Your exclusive code is ready! Copy it now! 25 Powerful Quotes Highlighting The Importance Of Presentation Skills Have you experienced tremors before giving a presentation? Your body starts shaking and you get blank in front of everyone!  I guess we all can relate to this.  Indeed, giving a presentation is not an easy task. The hesitation and fear of speaking in front of everyone! Be it a student giving a presentation in front of the whole class or an adult office meeting, everyone needs good presentation skills.  In this post, we have curated a list of insightful quotations from well-known people and excellent presenters to motivate and encourage to deliver compelling presentations in any situation. Thought-provoking quotes on presentation skills What could be better than learning from the ideas of the best presenters? We have collected a list of quotations for you to help you learn presentation skills like no other and improve your presentation skills using them. 1. “If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation, your audience never will.” – Harvey Diamond 2. “they may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – carl w. buechner., 3. “performance is not about getting your act together, but about opening up to the energy of the audience.” – benjamin zander, 4. “the brain doesn’t pay attention to boring things.” – john medina, 5. “many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much. “ -robert greenleaf, 6. “ask yourself, ‘if i had only sixty seconds on the stage, what would i absolutely have to say to get my message across.” – jeff dewar, 7. “make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening.”- dorothy sarnoff, 8. “proper planning and preparation prevent poor performance” – stephen keague, 9. “when deciding between giving a longer or shorter presentation, pick shorter. ‘i wish you had talked longer’ are six words you’ll seldom hear from audiences.” – sam harrison, 10. “simplify the complex ideas than the simplest ideas with accessible language.” – salomi sonawane, 11. “the success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – lilly walters, 12. “be the presenter you would want to listen to” – cath daley, 13. “it’s much easier to be convincing if you care about your topic. figure out what’s important to you about your message and speak from the heart”- nicholas boothman, 14. “speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.”- dale carnegie, 15. “who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. the power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.” – joseph conrad, 16. “words have incredible power. they can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore. “ – dr. mardy grothe, 17. “in presentations or speeches less really is more.” – stephen keague, 18.”the audience only pays attention as long as you know where you are going.” – philip crosby, 19. “to communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – tony robbins, 20. “to sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak.”  – c. kent wright 21.”the best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you are talking about.” – michael h. mescon,  22. “when speaking in public, your message – no matter how important – will not be effective or memorable if you don’t have a clear structure.” – patricia fripp,  23. “i do not speak of what i cannot praise.” – johann wolfgang von goethe  , 24. “if you’re not comfortable with public speaking – and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable – practice. i cannot overstate the importance of practicing. get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust.” -hillary clinton, 25. “storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.” – robert mckee, improve presentation skills with some strategies and techniques  , 1. practice before performance. Rehearsing before a presentation may help you build confidence and allow you to be more fluent and natural with your content. Among many other self-confidence-boosting activities and techniques, practice acts as a great strategy. Try acting like you are presenting in front of people multiple times. Ask someone to see it and give feedback. You can also record yourself and eliminate or add anything you need to improve your skills for the moment . 2. Be presentable with your looks and body language What you are wearing and how you are carrying yourself make a first impression even before your words! . Wear a comfortable but formal or semiformal dress you feel good in. While you record yourself, also check your motion and body language, which need to be corrected.   3. Be confident with your words, even when you make a mistake Confidence is key to any presentation skill. Go in front of the public with full confidence. Don’t let your fear destroy your moment. Think positive. Drink water. Sleep well before your day. Don’t stress yourself with worries. And you are good to go! 4. Make your audience speak too. Most presentations are one-sided; including space for the audience’s opinion or response or allowing them to ask a few questions can help you a lot. It will keep your presentation engaging as well as interactive where possible. 5. Smiles and emotions say it all. Give your presentation with all your emotions. As said above, people might not remember what you say but how you make them feel. Interact with the audience with your emotions, share experiences, or tell a story for your presentation to be connected with the audience.  Last words… To conclude, to be a great presenter, be yourself rather than fake it. Keep your information short, crisp, and engaging. Don’t hesitate, and practice well before the performance. Focus on content and your body tone. Speak to yourself as you would hear it as a listener. Remember, self-development and social circumstances, such as the ability to talk confidently in front of an audience, are greatly aided by developing one’s self-confidence and public speaking. We believe these quotes and tips may help you improve your presentation skills! An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of  Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,  Leave a Comment Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. More From Forbes Quotes for inspiration ahead of your next presentation. Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin George Washington before the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, 1787. Since the dawn of humankind, speaking in front of a large audience has been, and remains, a daunting task. So daunting, in fact, that many of us are paralyzed with fear when required to make a speech or presentation. Therefore, for anyone seeking inspiration before preparing their next oral presentation, here are a few useful quotes on the art of public speaking – from writing a speech, to rehearsing it, to ultimately delivering it on stage. Transposing a flurry of ideas in your head into short, clear sentences on a page is arguably the hardest and most time-consuming part of preparation. “That which is well conceived becomes clearly enunciated, and the words to say it come effortlessly.” French poet Nicolas Boileau, writing in 1674, provides a useful reminder that before clear writing and clear speaking comes clear thinking. No idea can be convincingly delivered if it hasn’t first been revamped into simpler, more direct language. Complex ideas, structures and expressions rarely sway audiences, who tune-out what they don’t immediately grasp. As humbling as it may be to admit, audiences rarely give speakers the kind of undivided attention and active listening that speakers expect. Therefore, time management is key. Remember to KISS ( K eep I t S hort & S imple) since audience attention fades quickly. Thomas Jefferson writing to a friend in 1773, said, “ The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do. ” The impact and memorability of a presentation is a function of how much meaning is packed into the shortest amount of speaking time. Think of it like an equation: Impact = amount of meaning divided by number of words. Or, to put it back into plain English: cutting unnecessary words will boost the impact of your speech. For example: Use a stronger verb to replace a vague verb + adverb (‘run,’ versus ‘go quickly,’ uses 1 word instead of 2.) Use the active voice in place of the passive voice (‘Phillip sang a song,’ versus, ‘A song was sung by Phillip,’ uses 4 words instead of 6.) Use plain language, words understood by the widest audience (to ‘send’ versus to ‘dispatch’ ) On Rehearsal “ A study said speaking in front of a crowd is considered the number one fear of the average person…Number two is death. ” Comedian Jerry Seinfeld created a memorable bit out of this relatable fear. Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024 Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024. You can overcome stage fright through rehearsal. Americans are fond of saying “fake it ‘till you make it,” and perhaps there is a nugget of truth to this expression when it comes to public speaking. In 1879, Mark Twain put it this way, “I never could make a good impromptu speech without several hours to prepare it.” A good speech should appear effortless, almost spontaneous, as if spoken confidently from a place of genuine personal belief, rather than recited from a prepared script. But, just like changing a golf swing, making a speech appear natural and effortless takes many repetitions. Practice does make perfect and, more importantly, builds self-confidence. Tennis legend Arthur Ashe reminds us, “The key to success is self-confidence. The key to self-confidence is preparation.” Therefore, always make time for many rehearsals. On Delivery Whether you rehearse in front of a mirror, or your team, or in an auditorium, your performance will benefit from these run-throughs. You can use these opportunities to experiment with vocal variety, body language, and pauses for emphasis. Additionally, you will likely make edits to your text as you identify wordy, hard-to-deliver sentences that could be cut to make the speech crisper. Beyond the technical aspects of flawless delivery, it is even more important to connect emotionally with your audience. A perfectly delivered speech that makes no audience connection is less memorable that an imperfectly delivered speech that engages the audience. In the words of American author Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said […] but people will never forget how you made them feel.” When you don’t connect with the audience, your words, however well-conceived and rehearsed, will fall flat. However, the notion of audience connection is often misunderstood: creating connection with an audience does not require you to be emotional. Being relatable to an audience is enough, and this can be achieved through a well-placed anecdote, by appearing comfortable on stage, or by sharing your enthusiasm for your presentation. In conclusion, since you will likely give more than one presentation during your career, keep in mind Winston Churchill’s definition of success. “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” As we’ve seen from some of history’s most quotable, whether the year be 1674 or 2024, successful presentations follow a time-tested playbook, from preparation through to delivery. Editorial Standards Reprints & Permissions Join The Conversation One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.  Forbes Community Guidelines Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space. In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil. 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Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service. + The Vault , Stuff Presenters Like Our Favorite Presentation Quotes By: Aristotle Call us geeks if you like, but we like presentations. We flip through presentations on SlideShare, even when they’re about things we don’t understand. We read books on public speaking, just for fun. We seek out quotes on presenting daily, in the off chance that one will be relevant and inspiring to one of our clients. Speaking of which, we thought we’d share what we consider to be some of the more poignant and timeless quotes out there on public speaking: “ There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave. ” – Dale Carnegie Preparation is always the difference. Here’s to no regrets, and doing what you set out to do! “ Mere words are cheap and plenty enough, but ideas that rouse and set multitudes thinking come as gold from the mines. ” – A. Owen One of the biggest obstacles to delivering a great presentation is too much humility, or small thinking. It doesn’t matter what you’re speaking about: if you or someone else has asked for the opportunity to discuss the topic, it matters enough to be treated as an idea of profound importance. Passion always shines through. “ Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all. “ – Sir Winston Churchill We think he meant that brevity counts, and that the more what you say reflects common or ancient principles, the more easily you can persuade your audience. “ It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time. ”  – Wayne Burgraff We thought about this, and think it’s true. Great presentations are a labor of love. “ There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking. ” – Jean de la Bruyere Public speaking is an art, and like all arts, we seek extraordinary experiences when we see it. Presenting is a craft as old as time, and great men and women have long observed some of the irrefutable laws of public persuasion. The next time you’re putting a deck together, take a moment to read some words of wisdom. These principles have stood the test of time, and they apply even to today’s modern business environment. Question: What is your favorite presentation principle ? Join our newsletter today! © 2006-2024 Ethos3 – An Award Winning Presentation Design and Training Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Diversity and Inclusion 8 Reasons Why You Should Use Quotes in your Next Presentation by John Quinn | Mon Jun 2015 | PowerPoint Template , Presentations , Public Speaking | 0 comments Quotations offer a kind of social proof to support the claims you make in your talk. The well-known people who said each quote make your message more credible. And during your presentations, well-chosen quotes make your talk stand out and look more professional because so few presenters use them. Here’s top 8 reasons, why you should use quotes in your next presentation. 1. Launch Ideas:  Inspiring quotes may also entice your audience to come up with new ideas or fresh ways of taking on a project or solving problems. Consider using quotes in group settings for brainstorming and coming up with fresh ideas. 2. Inspire: Whatever you are presenting on, your goal should be to inspire and make your audience excited about your ideas, plans, products etc. What better way to accomplish this than using an inspirational quote that reaffirms your position? Put that cherry on top. 3. Lead the way:  Guide your audience to a certain framework or path. Sometimes it is especially helpful to use quotes to address a problem indirectly and motivate your team members to overcome obstacles. 4. Strengthen Your Ideas:  Quotes are a second voice in your presentation that can strengthen your arguments, claims and ideas. Usually a quote is either prevailing because of who said it or because of the impact of the quote itself. A simple idea said by someone well-known may influence the audience to view a subject in a fresh light. 5. Enhance Your Credibility:  Give your audience reassurance that you are an expert in the field, that you are a researcher, that you have domain knowledge and that you know what’s current. Quoting other experts also shows that you are prepared and acknowledges other people’s work that may in turn reinforce your own claims. 6. Reaffirm: Quotes can also bring a nice summary to your claims. Bring your conclusions back to square one and reaffirm what you’ve just told your audience. 7. Add variety:  Let’s face it, long, heavy duty, information-packed presentations need some wake up calls now and then. Why not insert a little inspiring, thought provocation in-between? Refrain from becoming too dry and add some variety! 8. Be Memorable:  Quotations are usually in a concise and memorable format. (That’s why we use quotations in the first place, right?) So there you have it – 8 reasons for using quotes in your presentations. Thanks to Andrew Dlugan for publishing his great list of 21 tips , and I hope you find all 27 tips handy! Audience Engagement Gamification Live Events Online presentations PowerPoint Template Presentation Training Presentations Public Speaking Uncategorized Quote of the Day Picture Quotes Presentation Skills Quotes Standart top banner. There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave. Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening. Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind. Presentation skills are key. People who work for you represent your brand. You want them to present themselves - and represent you - in a certain way. Leadership is about persuasion, presentation and people skills. Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall. There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars. It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy. The most precious things in speech are the pauses. No one ever complains about a speech being too short! You must feel what you're singing, not just have a good presentation of the language. Carve every word before you let it fall. Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men. The simplest way to customize is to phone members of the audience in advance and ask them what they expect from your session and why they expect it. Then use their quotes throughout your presentation. The very best financial presentation is one that's well thought out and anticipates any questions... answering them in advance. Extemporaneous speaking should be practised and cultivated. It is the lawyer's avenue to the public. My singing wasn't horrible, but my dancing really made it look silly. It's not like I'm a horrible singer that can't sing. But I don't have the consistency or the presentation skills that a good performer has. There are good leaders who actively guide and bad leaders who actively misguide. Hence, leadership is about persuasion, presentation and people skills. I never use notes, they interfere with me. Of those who say nothing, few are silent. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit. We've drifted into this presentation mode without realizing the cost to the content and the audience in the process. Are you an action-oriented, take-charge person interested in exciting new challenges? As director of a major public-sector organization, you will manage a large armed division and interface with other senior executives in a team-oriented, multinational initiative in the global marketplace. Successful candidate will have above-average oral-presentation skills last adds STANDART BOTTOM BANNER Send report. The author didn't say that There is a mistake in the text of this quote The quote belongs to another author Other error Top Authors Get Social with AzQuotes Follow AzQuotes on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Every day we present the best quotes! Improve yourself, find your inspiration, share with friends SIDE STANDART BANNER Javascript and RSS feeds WordPress plugin ES Version AZQuotes.ES Submit Quotes Privacy Policy Login with your account Create account, find your account. 430 IMAGES Carmine Gallo Quote: “Successful presentations are understandable 37 Quotes from The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs Good presentations are magical. Be the person with the best It's important that your audience understands your message. Present The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge y “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge COMMENTS 19 Quotes That Will Inspire You To Create An Amazing Presentation Sir Winston Churchill. "The brain doesn't pay attention to boring things." - John Medina. "Performance is not about getting your act together, but about opening up to the energy of the audience ... 50 Powerful Quotes To Start Your Presentation 50 Powerful Quotes To Start Your Presentation: 1) "The secret of getting ahead is getting started.". - Mark Twain. 2) "Yesterday's home runs don't win today's games.". - Babe Ruth. 3) "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.". - Albert Einstein. 4) "If you're too comfortable, it's ... 60 Quotes for PowerPoint Presentations (2022) A motivational presentation is meant to inspire people. In a company, for example, you could tell the company's story in a motivational presentation. Learn more Screen presentation. A screen presentation is a graphic support and accompaniment to a spoken presentation. A popular programme for creating screen presentations is PowerPoint. Learn more 55 Powerful and Inspiring Quotes to Start Your Presentation 5 Best Techniques to start a Presentation or Speech. Quote someone else; Opening your presentation with a relevant quote can help set the whole tone for the rest of your speech. However, when making the quote, you need to remember two essential things: a) Quote the source of the sentence and b) "Tie it" to the central theme of the presentation. 45 Best Motivational Quotes For Presentations & Slide Decks Use what you have. Do what you can.". "Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.". "You can have results or excuses. Not both.". "There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.". "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.". 50 quotes to enhance your presentations Design quotes for presentations. "Good design begins with honesty, asks tough questions, comes from collaboration and from trusting your intuition.". "The urge for good design is the same as the urge to go on living. The assumption is that somewhere, hidden, is a better way of doing things.". 101 Quotes to inspire speakers 101 Quotes to inspire speakers. "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.". "There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.". "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right 19 Great Quotes to Inspire You to Better Presenting Dianna Booher. 5) "The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.". Lilly Walters. 6) "If you don't know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.". Harvey Diamond. 7) "Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.". Famous Quotes on Presentation Skills: Inspiring Quotes on Presentation Even a seasoned business man can learn and grow by reflecting on these timeless quotes. Importance Of Presentation Skills Quotes. Quotes on presentation skills play a crucial role in inspiring, guiding, and reminding individuals of the principles and practices that lead to effective communication. Broadly speaking, quotes on presentation skills ... Famous Quotes To Use in a Presentation Famous. Quotes For an Awesome Presentation. I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples. - Mother Teresa. 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. Public speaking quotes: Funny, inspiring presentation insights QUOTES DEFINING PUBLIC SPEAKING AND PRESENTATIONS "A presentation is a chance to share, not an oral exam." - M.F. Fensholt "All speaking is public speaking, whether it's to one person or a thousand." - Roger Love "Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak." 40 Inspiring Quotes for Your Academic Presentations! 41. Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.-Miles Kington. 42. Knowledge wants to talk, wisdom wants to listen.-Haemin Sunim in 'The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down', p. 194. In this post I share 40 inspiring quotes (and counting). Feel free to pluck them - to spark joy, to ... 220 Presentation Quotes to Inspire and Elevate Your Audience's Experience Famous Presentation Quotes. Our work is the presentation of our capabilities. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. 22. Delivering a successful presentation could mean landing a major new contract, better prices for your services, or getting the funding you need. — Lewis Howes. 44 Presentation Quotes Presentation Quotes - BrainyQuote. Our work is the presentation of our capabilities. Edward Gibbon. A liberal to me is one who - and it suits some of the dictionary definitions - is unbeholden to any specific belief or party or group or person, but makes up his or her mind on the basis of the facts and the presentation of those facts at the time. 21 Brilliant Presentation Quotes To Start Your Speech 5. If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti. 6. A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. - Max Lucado. 7. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. Using Quotes to Influence Your Presentation Audience Quotes can evoke emotions in your audience, making your presentation more memorable and impactful. Whether through a touching story, a heartfelt testimonial, or a powerful statement, quotes can tug at the heartstrings of your audience, helping them connect with your message on a deeper level. Emotionally charged quotes can make your ... Public Speaking Quotes For Presentations Public Speaking Quotes For Presentations We have compiled some of our favorite public speaking quotes, quips, fun stories and ideas for you to use in your next presentation. All the great speakers were bad speakers at first. - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) 25 Powerful Quotes Highlighting The Importance Of Presentation Skills 10. "Simplify the complex ideas than the simplest ideas with accessible language.". - Salomi Sonawane. 11. "The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives." -Lilly Walters. 12. "Be the presenter you would want to listen to" -Cath Daley. 13. Quotes For Inspiration Ahead Of Your Next Presentation Thomas Jefferson writing to a friend in 1773, said, "The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do.". The impact and memorability of a presentation is a function ... Our Favorite Presentation Quotes Preparation is always the difference. Here's to no regrets, and doing what you set out to do! "Mere words are cheap and plenty enough, but ideas that rouse and set multitudes thinking come as gold from the mines.". - A. Owen. One of the biggest obstacles to delivering a great presentation is too much humility, or small thinking. 8 Reasons why to use quotes in your presentations 1. Launch Ideas: Inspiring quotes may also entice your audience to come up with new ideas or fresh ways of taking on a project or solving problems. Consider using quotes in group settings for brainstorming and coming up with fresh ideas. 2. Inspire: Whatever you are presenting on, your goal should be to inspire and make your audience excited ... TOP 25 PRESENTATION SKILLS QUOTES Ira Hayes. Women, Complaining, Speech. 47 Copy quote. You must feel what you're singing, not just have a good presentation of the language. Cecilia Bartoli. Singing, Language, Feels. 9 Copy quote. Carve every word before you let it fall. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. essay homework paper phd project resume review speech study