120 Must-Read Self-Worth Quotes from Bestselling Authors

When was the last time you said, "I'm proud of myself?" According to the American Psychological Association, positive self-affirmations help improve self-esteem and develop a growth mindset. To achieve this, try self-talk activities, meditation practices, or self-help books with timeless insights from the greats.

We've selected 120 self-worth quotes from the world's bestselling authors to give you a head start in your self-improvement journey. Many self-care tips and empowering messages are easier to grasp in a summarized form in our Headway library. These tidbits are your personal on-the-go collection of wisdom you can pick up anytime. Leave self-doubt behind and embrace your true self with a daily microlearning habit.

Quotes on embracing self-love

Practicing self-compassion and self-praise doesn't make you selfish. In fact, it positively affects your self-image and reminds you that you're worthy of love. Gain inspiration from the following love quotes and embrace your individuality.

1. "To love yourself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." — Oscar Wilde

2. "You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." — Buddha

3. "Self-love is not selfish; you cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself." — RuPaul

4. "Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we'll ever do." — Brené Brown, 'The Gifts of Imperfection'

Gain more insights from the summary of 'The Gifts of Imperfection' by Brené Brown on the Headway app.

1. 5 "You are enough just as you are." — Meghan Markle

2. "Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It's about accepting all of yourself." —Tyra Banks

3. "If you have the ability to love, love yourself first." — RuPaul

4. "Self-love is the key to living a fulfilled life." — Jennifer Lopez

5. "Self-worth cannot be verified by others. You are worthy because you say it is so." — Wayne Dyer

6. "To accept yourself as you are is the ultimate expression of love." — Thich Nhat Hanh

7. "It's not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and make your happiness a priority. It's necessary." — Mandy Hale

8. "True self-confidence happens when you stop blaming others for not seeing what you love about yourself." — Shannon L. Alder

9. "Loving yourself isn't vanity; it's sanity." — Katrina Mayer

10. "When you make peace with yourself, you become a magnet for loving and positive relationships." — Amy Leigh Mercree

11. "Becoming is better than being." — Carol S. Dweck, 'Mindset'

Learn how to develop the right mindset in the summary of 'Mindset' by Carol S. Dweck on the Headway app.

1. 16 "Love yourself. Be clear on how you want to be treated. Know your worth. Always." — Maryam Hasnaa

2. "How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you." — Rupi Kaur

3. "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it." — Maya Angelou

4. "Remember there is nothing you lack, nothing to be self-conscious about yourself." — Marilyn Monroe

5. "You are my today and all of my tomorrows." — Leo Christopher

6. "To love at all is to be vulnerable." — C.S. Lewis

7. "Stay true to yourself. An original is worth more than a copy." — Suzy Kassem

8. "When you love yourself more, other people can do the same." — Daniel Mangena

9. "Loving oneself is the most primal of all survival mechanisms." — Karen Hackel

Quotes on overcoming self-doubt

When you believe in your own power, nothing can stop you. Raise your own self-awareness and stop comparing yourself with people on social media. These motivational quotes from popular books will show you how.

1. 25 "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated." — Maya Angelou

2. "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

3. "Don't try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you." — Beyoncé

4. "Failure is success if you learn from it." — Malcolm S. Forbes

5. "Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become." — James Clear, 'Atomic Habits'

Get into the habit of daily learning with the summary of 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear on the Headway app.

1. 30 "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." — A.A. Milne

2. "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." — Lao Tzu

3. "The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." — Sylvia Plath

4. "Self-trust is the first secret of success." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

5. "Try approving of yourself and see what happens." — Louise L. Hay

6. "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage." — Dale Carnegie

7. "Believe you can and you're halfway there." — Theodore Roosevelt

8. "Self-doubt is the greatest enemy of any new good habit." — Victoria Mora

9. "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we often might win, by fearing to attempt." — William Shakespeare

10. "​​The worst enemy of our humanity is our self-doubt."― Lolly Daskal

11. "Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." ― Suzy Kassem

12. "When our commitment is wavering, the best way to stay on track is to consider the progress we've already made." ― Adam M. Grant 

13. "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today." — Franklin D. Roosevelt

14. "You are a badass. You were one when you came screaming onto this planet and you are one now." — Jen Sincero, 'You Are a Badass'

Explore more in the full summary of 'You Are a Badass' by Jen Sincero on the Headway app.

1. 44 "When you enter into a secured state of consciousness, everything that helped boost your confidence will return." ― Itohan Eghide

2. "A person's greatest limitations are not genetic, but imposed by self-doubt, insecurities, indecision, and timidity." ― Kilroy J. Oldster

3. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." — Eleanor Roosevelt

4. "I seek strength, not to be greater than other, but to fight my greatest enemy, the doubts within myself." ― P. C. Cast

5. "Just be yourself instead of trying to prove yourself. For if you do, the former will automatically take care of the latter." ― Craig D. Lounsbrough

Quotes on setting boundaries

Knowing your own worth takes you one step closer to self-discovery and a healthy relationship with yourself. You learn how to set boundaries and develop self-respect. Make a commitment to put yourself first with empowering words from the greats.

1. 49 "Strong people have a strong sense of self-worth and self-awareness; they don't need the approval of others." — Roy T. Bennett

2. "Until you value yourself, you won't value your time." — M. Scott Peck

3. "If we are strong, our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak, words will be of no help." — John F. Kennedy 

4. "Vulnerability is not about winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome." — Brené Brown, 'Daring Greatly'

Get more details in the full summary of 'Daring Greatly' by Brené Brown on the Headway app.

1. 53 "Boundaries are meant to be used as guidelines for decision making and to maintain self-care." — Dr. Sarah Mandel

2. "You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won't accept." — Anna Taylor

3. "When you cease to dream, you cease to live." — Malcolm S. Forbes

4. "Boundaries are necessary for self-care. Without boundaries, we feel depleted, taken advantage of, taken for granted, or intruded upon." — Dr. Dana Nelson

5. "'No' is a complete sentence." — Anne Lamott

6. "You don't have to set yourself on fire to keep others warm." — Penny Reid

7. "Boundaries protect the things that are of value to us." — Dr. Henry Cloud

8. "Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel." — Eleanor Brown

9. "When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated." — Brené Brown, 'The Gifts of Imperfection'

Read the full summary of 'The Gifts of Imperfection' by Brené Brown on the Headway app.

1. 62 "Setting boundaries is an act of self-love." — Oprah Winfrey

2. "Just as we expect others to value our boundaries, it's equally important for us to respect the boundaries of others." — Laurie Buchanan

3. "Setting boundaries is not a sign of selfishness, but an act of self-respect." — Jodi Picoult

4. "You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce." — Tony Gaskins

5. "Without boundaries, we feel constant chaos." — Dr. Nicole LePera

6. "We need to have a talk on the subject of what's yours and what's mine." — Stieg Larsson

7. "When you notice someone does something toxic the first time, don't wait for the second time before you address it or cut them off. — Shahida Arabi

8. "Once you see the boundaries of your environment, they are no longer the boundaries of your environment." — Marshall McLuhan

9. "If you want to live an authentic, meaningful life, you need to master the art of disappointing and upsetting others." ― Cheryl Richardson

10. "A person who actually has a high self-worth is able to look at the negative parts of his character frankly and then acts to improve upon them." — Mark Manson, 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck'

Learn more about anxious-free living in the summary of 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck' by Mark Manson on the Headway app.

1. 72 "Boundaries are, in simple terms, the recognition of personal space." ― Asa Don Brown

Quotes on pursuing personal growth

Continuous learning is a sure way to personal development. Get inspired by short inspirational quotes from bestselling non-fiction books and begin your personal growth journey today

1. 73 "We owe it to ourselves and to the world, to our own dignity and self-respect, to set our own standards of behavior, regardless of what other nations do." — Eleanor Roosevelt

2. "Only make decisions that support your self-image, self-esteem, and self-worth." — Oprah Winfrey

3. "The people who would disrespect you without knowing you are not the kind of people whose respect means anything." ― L. Spurlo

4. "Inside of a ring or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. It's staying down that's wrong." — Muhammad Ali 

5. "Change brings opportunity." — Nido Qubein

6. "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." — James Clear, 'Atomic Habits'

Read or listen to the full summary of 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear on the Headway app.

1. 79 "Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not." — John C. Maxwell

2. "The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement." — Helmut Schmidt

3. "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." — Robert Collier

4. "The only way to do great work is to love what you do." — Steve Jobs

5. "Personal growth is the process of becoming the best version of yourself." — Jim Rohn

6. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." — Will Durant

7. "What we think, we become." — Buddha

8. "Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." — Albert Einstein

9. "Personal development is a major time-saver. The better you become, the less time it takes you to achieve your goals." — Brian Tracy

10. "Permit yourself to change your mind when something is no longer working for you." — Nedra Glover Tawwab

11. "Growth begins when we begin to accept our own weakness." — Jean Vanier

12. "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." — Kurt Vonnegut

13. "You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness." — Brené Brown, 'Daring Greatly'

Learn how to handle pressure with key insights from the summary of 'Daring Greatly' by Brené Brown on the Headway app.

1. 92 "Be patient with yourself. You are growing stronger every day. The weight of the world will become lighter…and you will begin to shine brighter." — Robert Tew

2. "We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have traveled from the point where they started."― Henry Ward Beecher

3. "Personal development is the belief that you are worth the effort, time, and energy needed to develop yourself." — Denis Waitley

4. "Life is like a game of chess. To win you have to make a move." ― Allan Rufus 

5. "The swiftest way to triple your success is to double your investment in personal development." — Robin Sharma

Quotes on celebrating individuality

We're all unique. And this is exactly what makes each and every one of us special. See how amazing you are with the following confidence-boosting messages!

1. 97 "The answers keep unfolding as your life expands, if you're willing to see things for what they are — and what they can be." — Oprah Winfrey

2. "If you live your life to please everyone else, you will continue to feel frustrated and powerless." — Beverly Engel

3. "You do not have to passively accept what is brought to you. You can choose." ― Deborah Day

4. "You are loved. Massively. Ferociously. Unconditionally. The Universe is totally freaking out about how awesome you are." — Jen Sincero, 'You Are a Badass'

Read or listen to the full summary of 'You Are a Badass' by Jen Sincero on the Headway app.

1. 101 "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

2. "Self-worth comes from one thing — thinking that you are worthy." — Wayne Dyer

3. "Your self-worth is determined by you. You don't have to depend on someone telling you who you are." — Beyoncé

4. "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

5. "Make a choice: continue living your life feeling muddled in this abyss of self-misunderstanding, or you find your identity independent of it." — Meghan Markle

6. "The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself." — Mark Twain

7. "You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." — Marcus Aurelius ​

8. "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." ― Bernard M. Baruch

9. "The most valuable asset in your life is your self-worth, not your net worth." ― Matshona Dhliwayo

10. "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect)." ― Mark Twain

11. "The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud." ― Coco Chanel

12. "You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist." ― Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

13. "I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas. When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room." ― Ray Bradbury

14. "The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself." ― Charlotte Brontë

15. "I, myself, am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." ― Augusten Burroughs

16. "Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies, you will not find another." ― Carl Sagan

17. "Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself." ― Harvey Fierstein

18. "The true measurement of self-worth is not how a person feels about her positive experiences, but rather how she feels about her negative experiences." — Mark Manson, 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck'

Gain more insights in the full summary of 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck' by Mark Manson on the Headway app.

1. 119 "Always be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else." ― Judy Garland

2. "Do not let your assumptions about a culture block your ability to perceive the individual, or you will fail." ― Brandon Sanderson

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: A guide to understanding your self-worth 

Did you know that you can actually measure your self-worth level? A short self-esteem test by ​​famous American sociologist Dr. Morris Rosenberg can help you with that. Initially, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) was designed to measure the self-esteem of high school students. However, since its development, the test has been actively used among adults for the same purpose.

To measure your self-esteem level, please record the appropriate answer for each item, depending on whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree.

1 = Strongly agree

2 = Agree

3 = Disagree

4 = Strongly disagree

___1. On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.

___2. At times I think I am no good at all.

___3. I feel that I have a number of good qualities.

___4. I am able to do things as well as most other people.

___5. I feel I do not have much to be proud of.

___6. I certainly feel useless at times.

___7. I feel that I'm a person of worth.

___8. I wish I could have more respect for myself.

___9. All in all, I am inclined to think that I am a failure.

___10. I take a positive attitude toward myself.

Scoring

Scoring involves a method of combined ratings.

For items 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7:

Strongly agree = 3

Agree = 2

Disagree = 1

Strongly disagree = 0

For items 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10 (which are reversed in valence):

Strongly agree = 0

Agree = 1

Disagree = 2

Strongly disagree = 3

The scale ranges from 0-30. Scores between 15 and 25 are within the normal range; scores below 15 suggest low self-esteem.

Boost your self-worth with positive affirmations from Headway book summaries

From Marcus Aurelius' 'Meditations' to Brené Brown's 'The Gifts of Imperfection,' make every single word from these quotes count by transforming them into your own source of self-validation. After all, you're your biggest fan! With Headway's short book summaries, you can convert these lines into a practical toolkit for building self-confidence and finding happiness through self-acceptance and self-improvement practices.

Take just 15 minutes to scroll through these inspiring reads for the ultimate motivation boost. 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear, 'You Are a Badass' by Jen Sincero, 'Mindset' by Carol S. Dweck, and other bestselling titles are just one click away.

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