55 Inspirational Labor Day Quotes That Celebrate Hard Work and Dedication
Reflect on the holiday's history that celebrates workers' rights with insightful and thoughtful sayings.
It's easy to think about the upcoming autumn season as the sun starts to fade on summer come late August, but there's one holiday that can't be overlooked before we jump into the seasons of scarecrows, pumpkin carving and fall decor.
When Labor Day comes around on the first Monday in September, many might consider it the "unofficial end of summer," but it's so much more than that. This year, on September 2, we'll be reflecting on a day that celebrates the labor movement, recognizing the millions of hardworking Americans who stood up for workers' rights and whose determination laid the foundation for our working lives today. If you're a fan of the five-day work week, weekends off and the eight-hour standard workday, you've got union organizers to thank for that, and that's what Labor Day honors.
And whether you celebrate the day off with backyard barbecues, a beach day, shopping sales or simply by resting and relaxing, take some time to think on the holiday's history with our favorite Labor Day quotes. Use these inspirational words from presidents, world leaders, politicians, celebrities and more to remember the roots of the early September holiday, use them as an Instagram caption of a picture of you on our day off or simply get inspired and refer to them as conversation starters.
Gail Devers
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
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Thomas Edison
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Bette Davis
To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is gravy.
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Conan O’Brien
It’s not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound reinvention.
'A League of Their Own'
It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard ... is what makes it great.
Abraham Lincoln
Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.
Aristotle
Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.
Dale Carnegie
Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
Vince Lombardi
There’s only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything.
Martin Luther King Jr.
No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.
William Feather
Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.
Booker T. Washington
I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.
Estée Lauder
I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.
Greek Proverb
Work is no disgrace; the disgrace is idleness.
Helena Rubinstein
Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.
John Locke
All wealth is the product of labor.
Joseph Joubert
Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them.
Luc de Clapiers
The fruit derived from labor is the sweetest of pleasures.
Mahatma Gandhi
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
Margaret Mead
I learned the value of hard work by working hard.
Selena is the entertainment and news editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers the latest on TV, movies and celebrities. In addition to writing and editing entertainment news, she also spotlights the Hispanic and Latinx community through her work. She is a graduate of CUNY Hunter College with a B.A. in journalism and creative writing.
Annie O’Sullivan (she/her) covers holiday, gift guide, travel, and lifestyle content at Good Housekeeping. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and previously reported for Runner’s World, NBC New York/NY 4 and Woman’s Day. Annie also has experience writing entertainment news and celebrity-focused content.
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