27 Quotes From Our Favorite Novels That You Need To Imbibe At Work!

We often turn to literature to seek inspiration for the countless gems of wisdom that it offers. The articulation exhibited by some of the classic and contemporary authors crystallizes crucial ideas in our minds. In this blog, we bring to you 27 book quotes from your favorite paperbacks that are also applicable to your work life.

1. “There is no such thing as ‘too late’ in life.”

Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom

Chase that dream job. There’s no deadline to follow your heart!

2. “Excessive fear and self-doubt that were the greatest detractors of personal genius.”

Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert T. Kiyosaki

How many times have we doubted ourselves…marinated in self-limiting thoughts? That presentation you are so worried about? It will go well! That meeting? Yes, that too! Just some self-confidence and you are good to go!

3. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling

Turning to this childhood classic for a reminder to live in the moment and enjoy the work, lest we forget that in the struggle to climb the corporate ladder.

4. “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

For workdays where everything seems uncertain. Or you know, workdays when the coffee vending machine is broken!? 

5. “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”

The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

We all know what this means! 

6. “I don’t like work – no man does – but I like what is in the work – the chance to find yourself. Your own reality – for yourself not for others – what no other man can ever know.”

Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad

Who knew those mundane and banal excel sheets could be the path to your self-actualization!? 

7. “When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”

Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison

Telling yourself this as you toil every day to find your true passion and calling! 

8. “All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time.”

The Five People You Meet In Heaven, Mitch Albom

The pandemic left us with plenty of lingering moments of uncertainty, especially regarding the permanence of our jobs. But be it an unfortunate lay off or a circumstantial resignation, the idea is to find a silver lining and hope for a better beginning, right?

9. “Even though your time on the job is temporary, if you do a good enough job, your work there will last forever.” 

Wealth for All: Living a Life of Success at the Edge of Your Ability, Idowu Koyenikan

The little things you did that you thought were redundant or inconsequential may just as well help you build a skillset and add to your profile passively.

10. “This above all: To thine own self be true.”

Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Even amidst a company’s persistent D&I efforts, many people may still struggle to be their authentic selves or bring their whole selves to work. But as Shakespeare rightly tells us, we must find our own ground and be comfortably unique! 

11. “There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.” 

The Song of the Lark, Willa Cather

A bad meeting or even a bad day at work teaches us a lot, if we are open enough to learn from our mistakes.

12. “Time moves slowly, but passes quickly.”

The Color Purple, Alice Walker

As you struggle with your fifth cup of coffee, trying to stay awake and finish the last-minute presentation.

13. “My advice is, never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.” 

David Copperfield, Charles Dickens

Guilty? Guilty!

14. “All we can know is that we know nothing. And that’s the height of human wisdom.” 

War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy

Take each day as if it’s your first day – the same enthusiasm to learn, fall, and grow!

15. “If you care about what you do and work hard at it, there isn’t anything you can’t do if you want to.”

It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider, Jim Henson

Now haven’t we all heard this before? Here’s a friendly nudge to revisit it!

16. “Don’t aim at success—the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.”

Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl 

Amen, Amen!

17. “Be silent and safe — silence never betrays you;

Be true to your word and your work and your friend”

Life of John Boyle O’Reilly, James Jeffrey Roche 

Keeping a safe distance from unnecessary office drama and hurtful gossip is always beneficial. Isn’t it?

18. “A great team works on engines oiled by great communication.”

Stories at Work: Unlock the Secret to Business Storytelling, Indranil Chakraborty

Communication is the key – one of the few cliches that hold true in our day-to-day office ecosystem.

19. “Hiring smart people may be one of the most important decisions that a company can make. It may even be the difference between success and bankruptcy.”

In the Know, Russell T. Warne

Employer Value Proposition? Definitely, Employer Value Proposition!

20. “Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven’t loved enough.” 

Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak 

This beautiful quote would also fit aptly before and after every unique work opportunity and experience. 

21. “Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from the inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves.”

The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom

We can all let go of that pent-up anger, microaggressions, and toxic gossip tendencies at the office and create a more inclusive and harmonious work environment. We got this!

22. “We all get stories. No matter what our experience in the organization is, no matter what our education levels are, and how deep our industry understanding is, we all get stories. The fact that we don’t use complex words and abstract jargons when telling stories only helps.”

Stories at Work: Unlock the Secret to Business Storytelling, Indranil Chakraborty

Need we say more?

23. “Even in the most uneventful of our lives, we are called upon to choose our battles…”

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, Arundhati Roy

Getting new comfy chairs for the office or pushing for that Goa offsite – you pick your battles!

24. “People in their right minds never take pride in their talents.”

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

Humility is the word for the day it seems.

25. “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”

The Salmon of Doubt, Douglas Adams

Why art thou deadlines always so close?

26. “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl 

Working on a Monday and struggling for hours to choose the perfect font for your PPT? The right attitude has always your back!

27. “Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.”

Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert T. Kiyosaki

Failure and success are the flip sides of the same coin. 

These simple yet widely applicable quotes may guide us along our professional journey as we seek to find our place. Tell us your favorite quotes in the comments below!