You have a quiz or test coming up that you need to study for. A stack of notes is waiting to be reviewed, but you just can’t find motivation to start studying. 

As a student myself, I can totally relate to this situation. Sometimes, there are days when I simply can’t get into the mood for studying. 

However, when I’m feeling unmotivated, I find that motivational study quotes can inspire me to get to work. And it’s not just me! According to experts, inspirational sayings are effective from a scientific standpoint. 

So, if you’re feeling unmotivated, I’ve compiled 35 quotes to motivate you to study. However, this isn’t just any list of study motivation quotes.

Firstly, I’ve organized the quotes by category, so you can select which ones to look at based on your situation:

1. Quotes to start studying: Since getting started is often the hardest part, these quotes are meant to get you into the mood for studying.
2. Quotes for the study vibes: If you’re like me and you’re all about the vibes, these quotes will create the romanticized ambience you need to start studying.
3. Quotes to keep studying: As you’re studying, you may begin to feel tired or discouraged. These quotes will inspire you to continue persevering.
4. Early morning study quotes: If you have a hard time getting started in the morning, these quotes should get you into a productive mood.
5. Late night study quotes: If you’re a night owl like me (or you absolutely have to stay up studying for a major assessment), these quotes will help you have a productive late night study session.
6. Quotes for test taking: If you’re experiencing test anxiety, these quotes will help you relieve that anxiety and believe in yourself.
7. Quotes about learning new things: If you feel reluctant about approaching a new topic, these quotes will inspire you to overcome that hesitance.

Secondly, each section is meant to guide you incrementally into a productive mood.

For example, in the “Quotes for Test Taking” section, you’ll be guided through releasing limiting beliefs, training your mind for positive thinking, and focusing on progress.

Thirdly, you can save all of these quotes as phone wallpapers!

Yes, all 36! In this article, you’ll find a link to download all the quotes as wallpapers, so make sure to stick around for that.

Ok, let’s get started!

Quotes to Start Studying

Getting started can often be the hardest part. These quotes will help you let go of inhibiting thoughts and start studying.

Step 1: Have a good study environment

“Because that’s what Hermione does,’ said Ron, shrugging. ‘When in doubt, go to the library.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Before you start studying, make sure to select a good study space. Preferably, this should be a quiet, organized space with minimal distractions. 

I find that switching up my study space from time to time can help me be more productive. Therefore, you should try going to a nearby library, park, or coffee shop to study occasionally. Perhaps even select a space that reminds you of a favorite studious character from a book or movie.

Step 2: Overcome your fears

“Don’t let perfectionism become an excuse for never getting started.” – Marilu Henner

In this post, I talked about how perfectionism can be a major culprit of procrastination. If you’re afraid to get started because you’ve set high expectations that you fear you won’t meet, you need to set those expectations aside. 

Also, think about it this way: the longer you delay getting started, the lower quality the end product will be. Therefore, it’s only reasonable to get started as soon as possible.

“Not being afraid to make mistakes and absolutely understanding that you have to learn from them are imperative.” – Elan Cole, The Design Activist’s Handbook

The fear of making mistakes may also hinder you from getting started. Perhaps, you need to review a difficult topic, and you’re afraid you won’t understand it. Or, you have a particularly challenging problem set to complete, and you’re afraid of doing poorly on it. 

Set these fears aside. This quote reminds us that instead of viewing mistakes as irreversible failures, we should see them as necessary learning opportunities.

“Often I feel that projects overwhelm us when we look at how many hours are involved until completion. But just getting started is usually not that difficult.” – Emily Giffin

Do you ever feel reluctant to start studying because of how long it will take? Me too. But this quote reminds us to not focus on the length of time. It is counterproductive. Delaying a task doesn’t shorten it in any way. Instead, we just need to get started, which is, as the quote says “not that difficult”.

Step 3: Bite the bullet and just get started

“Take the first step, and your mind will mobilize all its forces to your aid. But the first essential is that you begin. Once the battle is startled, all that is within and without you will come to your assistance.” – Robert Collier

This quotes reminds us that oftentimes, getting started is the hardest part. But if you just bite the bullet and get started, you’ll get into the mood for studying soon, and it won’t seem so bad after a while.

Quotes for the Study Vibes

These are a collection of quotes to help you romanticize studying.

Potenta scienta est – knowledge is power

If you’re a dark academia fan like me, there’s nothing quite like a Latin phrase to create the right ambiance.

“The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, And all the sweet serenity of books” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Hopefully, this quote makes you feel like a boarding school student, hidden away in a corner of the library, with only shelves upon shelves of books for company.

“Never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying, and never stop learning.” – Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Nothing quite like repetition to create a positive mantra!

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” – Socrates

Although there are several implications of this quote, some of the main takeaways are that A) learning is not the mere filling of the mind with facts and B) learning should instead spark curiosity and creativity and light the path towards enlightenment.

Quotes to Keep Studying

If you start feeling discouraged, tired, or otherwise unmotivated to continue studying, these quotes will inspire you to get back on track.

Step 1: Keep persevering

“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” – Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), Finding Nemo

If Dory can keep swimming, so can you.

“If people knew how hard I worked to achieve my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.” – Michelangelo

If you’re feeling unmotivated, know that everyone has to work hard to make achievements, including the people we see as extremely talented and accomplished.

“No one ever sees the sleepless nights, the years of studying and 14-hour days earning your dues. I spent three years isolated in an academic environment to be the best actor I could.” – Kunal Nayyar

Again, just a reminder that everyone who’s made great achievements has to work hard, persevere, and sacrifice.

Step 2: Remind yourself that small steps matter

“There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.” – Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Learning only takes place through action, so embrace the studying process.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” –  Robert Collier

If you’re making slow progress, remind yourself that small steps accumulate to make a big difference.

Step 3: Ask yourself if you need a break

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” – Anne Lamott

Taking a break is not unproductive. If you’re too mentally exhausted to focus, taking a break is in fact productive. It will allow your brain to recharge so that you can return to studying with greater mental clarity.

Step 4: Be proud of your progress

“Work as hard as you can and then be happy in the knowledge you couldn’t have done anymore.” – Unknown

Don’t focus on the material progress you made in a given study session (we all have good and bad study sessions). Instead of setting goals for yourself like, “I must understand this topic fully by the end of today!” study what you can to the best of your ability. That is an accomplishment in itself, and you should be proud of that.

Early Morning Study Quotes

If you want to start your morning on a positive, productive note, these quotes will inspire you to do so.

Step 1: Immerse yourself in the beauty of a new day

“Birds chirping around you is a beautiful realization that life is incredibly good. Let this sound be a gentle break in your routine.” – Hiral Nagda

Maybe you hear the birds chirping when you wake up. Or maybe not. In fact, the weather may not look so pleasant where you are. 

However, the weather in the morning is not the point. The point is that you should start your day by noticing and appreciating a positive detail—the taste of your morning coffee, the dew on the leaves outside. Whatever it may be, consciously identifying something positive will put you in a better mood.

Step 2: Start the day with purpose

“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.” – the Dalai Lama

Be grateful for the opportunity to live and learn. This quote reminds us that each day is an amazing opportunity to make progress, but it is up to us whether we take or waste that opportunity.

“You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Horace Lorimer

Visualization—imagining yourself achieving your goals—is a useful technique to get you motivated. Visualize yourself going to bed satisfied after having a productive day, and you’ll feel more motivated to be productive.

Step 3: Get started

“Lose an hour in the morning, and you will be all day hunting for it.” – Richard Whately

If you procrastinate getting started in the morning, it pushes your entire day’s schedule back. As a result, that one hour you procrastinated will make you feel rushed the rest of the day. If you think about it that way, it’s better just to get started.

Carpe diem – seize the day

Another Latin phrase to inspire you to take on the day!

Late Night Study Quotes

Depending on your energy level later in the day, it may be hard to get motivated to study. These quotes will inspire you to have a productive late night study session.

Step 1: Get into the mood

Carpe noctem – seize the night

The lesser-known counterpart to carpe diem.

“When night hath set her silver lamp high, Then is the time for study.” – Philip James Bailey

There’s nothing quite like a 19th-century poem for the perfect study vibes.

“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” – Vincent van Gogh

In the “Early Morning Study Quotes” section, I talked about immersing yourself in the beauty of a new day. You can think of this as being the nighttime counterpart to that.

Take note of a positive detail in your nighttime study environment—perhaps the stars glowing outside or the flickering of a candle on your desk.

Step 2: Take action

“Some people dream of accomplishing great things. Others stay awake and make it happen.” – Unknown

If you want to ace your next test, you can’t just dream about getting a good grade. You have to take action—in other words, study—to make it happen. So instead of waiting, just get started.

Step 3: Study smart, not hard

“It’s not enough to be talented. It’s not enough to work hard and to study late into the night. You must also become intimately aware of the methods you use to reach your decisions.” – Garry Kasparov

Especially at night, when you’re getting tired and need to conserve energy, you need to use smart study strategies (although you should always be doing this, no matter when you study).

Create a list of items you intend to review, and make sure you’re not just rereading your notes but using strategies to retain and process information efficiently (e.g. active recall, making mnemonics).

For scientifically-backed effective study strategies, check out this post.

After all, there’s no point in missing sleep and studying “late into the night,” as the quote says unless you’re using smart study strategies.

Quotes for Test Taking

We often have inhibiting thoughts like, “I’m afraid I won’t do well on the test, no matter how much I study.” These study quotes will help you let go of limiting beliefs and develop a more positive mindset.

Step 1: Believe that you can

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

In psychology, there’s a term called self-fulling prophecy. It means that if your expectation leads you to perform actions that bring about the expected result. 

In simpler terms, if you believe you’ll do poorly, you’ll doubt yourself and won’t study as hard. As a result, you will end up doing poorly and fulfilling your expectation. 

Instead, if you believe in your ability to do well, you’ll work hard to study the topics you don’t understand using any strategy you can. You’ll practice until you’re confident in your understanding. As a result, you’ll do well. 

So the moral of the story is: believe that you can do well.

“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.” – Jamie Paolinetti

Even if you don’t think you’re good at a subject, recognize that that is a limiting belief you can let go of. When you believe in yourself, you open yourself up to greater possibilities and unlock your inner potential. 

Let’s say you’ve always believed that you’re bad at math. Due to this belief, you feel unmotivated to study for math tests and attribute bad grades to “well, I’m bad at math, so there’s nothing I can do.” But when you let go of this limiting belief and believe that you can improve your math grades, you’ll be more open to fixing past mistakes, seeking help, and approaching math from different perspectives. As a result, your grades will see improvement.

For a detailed guide on overcoming limiting beliefs and excelling in a class you think you’re “bad at,” check out this post.

Step 2: Train your mind for positive thinking

“The mind can go either direction under stress—toward positive or toward negative: on or off. Think of it as a spectrum whose extremes are unconsciousness at the negative end and hyperconsciousness at the positive end. The way the mind will lean under stress is strongly influenced by training.” – Frank Herbert, Dune

If you’re not familiar with Herbert’s Dune, it’s a sci-fi novel in which the main character has to survive on a desert planet with hostile enemies on all sides and giant killer worms. However, he’s been trained to keep a cool head in life-threatening situations, which saves his life countless times.

You may not be facing life-threatening killer worms and soldiers, but the same concept of positive thinking applies. Before and during an exam, train your brain to focus on what you’ve studied and practiced. Don’t focus on the questions that may stump you and get worked up over them.

You can choose to believe in yourself and what you’ve studied, or you can let the anxiety control you. But whichever direction you choose to go most frequently, know that it becomes a default for your brain.

Therefore, the point is: start training your brain to think about the things you can control—letting go of limiting beliefs, what you study, and how you study—and keeping a cool head under stress will become a consistent skill. Don’t dwell on hindering thoughts, like fear of difficult questions that may show up.

“And, when you can’t go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.” – Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

When you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t get stuck on that one question. Instead, proceed with the other questions.

However, this quote doesn’t only apply to the test-taking itself. It also applies to your attitude about test grades. Most test anxiety stems from fear of getting an unsatisfactory grade.

However, instead of viewing each test as a definitive assessment of your abilities, you should view each test as a learning opportunity. After all, you can’t go back and change a test grade—you can only learn from the mistakes you made and focus on future progress.

Quotes About Learning New Things

If you feel hesitant about learning a new topic, these quotes will help you appreciate learning and let go of inhibiting thoughts.

Step 1: Get in the mood

“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive–it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we know all about everything would it?” – Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

If you’ve read Anne of Green Gables before, then you would know that Anne Shirley loves to romanticize everything. Embrace Anne Shirley’s attitude and think about the endless learning opportunities in the world—all the unknown waiting to be discovered.

Step 2: Appreciate the power of learning

“Maybe the books can get us half out of the cave. They just might stop us from making the same damn insane mistakes!” – Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

In Fahrenheit 451, the characters live in a world where the government has banned books and other sources of knowledge to keep people under control. But once the main character discovers books, he realizes the power of the information contained within them.

Learning is the only way to avoid past mistakes and make progress, so we should recognize the power of learning and be grateful for the ability to learn.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Suess, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut

As this quote reminds us, the more that we learn, the more opportunities we’ll have and the greater the achievements we’ll attain. 

Step 3: Embrace the challenge

“…interests are not discovered through introspection. Instead, interests are triggered by interactions with the outside world. The process of interest discovery can be messy, serendipitous, and inefficient. This is because you can’t really predict with certainty what will capture your attention and what won’t.” – Angela Duckworth, Grit

According to this quote from psychologist Angela Duckworth, you need to embrace the possibility of making mistakes and having slow progress (as she says, learning can be “messy, serendipitous, and inefficient”). You have to expose yourself to new experiences and ideas to discover your passions and personal strengths. 

Therefore, don’t be afraid to step into new territory and learn something new—it’s crucial to self-growth and self-discovery!

“Your comfort zone is a place where you keep yourself in a self-illusion and nothing can grow there but your potentiality can grow only when you can think and grow out of that zone.” – Rashedur Ryan Rahman, Think Big

Oftentimes, we feel reluctant to learn something new because it’s challenging. However, as this quote reminds us, to achieve our potential, we must step outside of our comfort zone and confront the challenge.

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.” – Richard Branson

Don’t hesitate from learning something new just because you’re scared of making mistakes. Making mistakes is in fact crucial in the learning process. We need to recognize mistakes as learning opportunities, not irreversible failures.

Are you motivated to study yet?

Now that you’ve reached the end of this lengthy list of quotes, I hope you’ve found a few quotes to motivate you to study. And as promised, you can save all 36 study motivation quotes as wallpapers.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to start studying!

For more tips on studying and productivity, check out these posts:

• 7 Secret Tips For Studying That Will Transform How You Study
• 9 Guaranteed Ways to Overcome Procrastination for Students
• Productive Day Schedule For Students—Be Productive 12+ Hours a Day!
• 9 Best Night Routines for Students to Skyrocket Productivity
• How to Journal for Self-Growth + Self-Growth Journal Template