In the simplest terms, moving forward is the act of advancing in position or literally moving in a forward direction; however, these moving forward quotes show us that when we must do this in life, it’s not always that simple.
If you think of it in terms of how humans respond to things, there is fight (taking on the obstacle in your way), flight (running away from something or going back the way you came), or freeze (standing still). The first one, fighting, doesn’t always mean literally coming to blows. Rather, it can mean working hard to process and let go of an experience so you can begin moving forward.
Letting go or moving forward can prove to be a painful and difficult task. However, at one time or another, we all must endure this (sometimes) excruciating process. It’s not only difficult; it can also be depressing and frightening. But most people would agree that moving on from things that no longer serve us is important, and it’s something worth learning to do well.
To most of us, moving forward means not dwelling on the past or things that have gone wrong in our lives. There’s the old saying, “Everything happens for a reason,” and things you go through in life, no matter how unpleasant, were probably meant for you to go through so you could have the lessons you needed to become a better, stronger version of yourself.
We should always learn something from an experience but let go of it once it has taught us the lesson we were meant to learn. That is the essence of moving forward.
“No matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”
This quote from Maya Angelou is filled with hope and resilience. Whatever our challenge, Angelou reminds us that life can continue with potential improvement. The quote enables us to remain positive, even when things are tough. It reminds us of our ability to persevere. That is what moving forward is all about.
Below, this article shares another 50 inspiring moving forward quotes from people who have experienced the pain of leaving things behind. Hopefully, these quotes will offer you guidance, motivation, and assistance in healing your heart from the hurts of the past.
Moving Forward Quotes About Falling, Failure, & Moving Beyond Mistakes
Here are some powerful moving forward quotes about life’s lessons and how to overcome them.
“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.” ― Victor Kiam
“Mistakes are acceptable if they’re the result of moving forward.” ― Andrew Yang
“There’s no time for regrets. You’ve just got to keep moving forward.” ― Mike McCready
“Getting knocked down in life is a given. Getting up and moving forward is a choice!” ― Zig Ziglar
“Love yourself enough to move forward from whatever mistakes you may have made.” ― Akiroq Brost
“Failure is a bend in the road, not the end of the road. Learn from failure and keep moving forward.” ― Roy T. Bennett
“Sometimes we stumble and fall; it doesn’t mean we are failures, it simply means we are moving forward.” ― Gift Gugu Mona
“Life’s not about how hard of a hit you can give… it’s about how many you can take and still keep moving forward.” ― Sylvester Stallone
“Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer.” ― Denis Waitley
“My attitude has always been, if you fall flat on your face, at least you’re moving forward. All you have to do is get back up and try again.” ― Richard Branson
“I find that the best way to do things is to constantly move forward and to never doubt anything and keep moving forward if you make a mistake, say you made a mistake.” ― John Frusciante
“The only person that ever stumbles is a guy moving forward. You don’t stumble backwards; you stumble forward, and you never stumble when you’re stationary. So don’t worry about stumbling. Keep pushing it forward.” ― James Carville
“If I could forgive, it meant I was a strong good person who could take responsibility for the path I had chosen for myself, and all the consequences that accompanied that choice. And it gave me the simple but powerful satisfaction of extending a kindness to another person in a tough spot.” – Piper Kerman
Embracing Progress: Quotes on The Power of Moving Forward
Even when moving forward, life can tempt you to go back; rarely is this a good idea.
“Rehashing the past wouldn’t change anything. Time to move forward.” ― Zena Wynn
“Don’t hold on to the past; it won’t help in moving forward. Dare to dream big.” ― Rajeev Suri
“The longer we keep looking back in the rearview mirror, it takes away from everything that’s moving forward.” ― Dan Quinn
“It’s a wonderful world. You can’t go backwards. You’re always moving forward. It’s the wonderful part about life. And that’s terrific.” ― Harvey Fierstein
“The way I look at it, every day that I’m moving forward is a day I’m not moving backward. Just the fact that I’m in the race at all is a miracle.” ― Bobby Bones
“Moving backward meant more suffering, and staying stuck was just as bad. That left moving forward. There had to be an answer somewhere.” ― Susan Mallery
“The only thing a person can ever really do is keep moving forward. Take that big leap forward without hesitation, without once looking back. Simply forget the past and forge toward the future.” ― Alyson Noel
“Some people are meant to stay put, and some people are meant to go. But running is different than going. When you’re running, you spend the whole time looking over your shoulder. To go forward, you gotta look forward.” ― Gretchen Anthony
“It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.” – Paulo Coelho
“She understands now what she, in all her worry, had forgotten. That even as she hesitates and wavers, even as she thinks too much and moves too cautiously, she doesn’t always have to get it right. It’s okay to look back, even as you move forward.” ― Jennifer E. Smith
Moving Forward Quotes on the Steady Pace of Progress
Life is a journey that demands both patience and perseverance.
As we navigate through its twists and turns, the concept of moving forward and maintaining a steady pace of progress becomes essential.
These moving forward quotes remind us that each step forward, no matter how small, is a valuable part of our life’s journey toward growth and fulfillment.
“Baby steps count, too, as long as you’re moving forward.” ― Chris Gardner
“There is no standing still because time is moving forward.” ― Greg Lake
“You can’t expect to move forward if your emergency brake is on.” ― Angela Cecilia
“Whatever happens, I’ll just keep moving forward. Like an avalanche.” ― Michelle Phan
“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” ― Henry Ford
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ― Albert Einstein
“Even snails make progress. Just be sure your progress is in the direction you want to go.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich
“I am grateful for all the moments that I have, and I’m moving forward one step at a time to the future.” ― Park Bo-gum
“I think that the power is the principle. The principle of moving forward, as though you have the confidence to move forward, eventually gives you confidence when you look back and see what you’ve done.” ― Robert Downey, Jr.
“The choice isn’t to move on—life moves whether I want it to or not. No, the choice is to look forward, not backward, to take a step because refusing to move won’t draw the past nearer, only postpone better days.” ― Caroline George
Inspiring Quotes on Foward Momentum & The Courage to Continue Despite Challenges
In the face of adversity, moving forward requires not just momentum but courage.
The quotes in this section offer powerful insights and encouragement for those moments when the path ahead seems daunting.
“Change has to come for life to struggle forward.” ― Helen Hollick
“Our scars make us who we are. Wear them proudly and move forward.” ― Jane Linfooth
“Only your determination and your strong desire will move you forward.” ― Aurora Berill
“When you have something to do, life will not allow you to move forward until you do it.” ― Iyanla Vanzant
“Growth is about moving forward while chaos often sends you repeatedly through the same cycles.” ― Victoria L. White
“You need to have faith in yourself. Be brave and take risks. You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward.” ― Roy T. Bennett
“Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward, and savoring the journey.” ― Roy T. Bennett
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” ― Walt Disney
“Even if our life circumstances take a while to reflect our inner decisions, once decisions are made, everything in our life will move in the direction of aligning with that.” ― Donna Goddard
“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” ― Steve Maraboli
Endless Learning & The Art of Moving On
The quotes in this section celebrate the intertwined journeys of continual growth and the graceful acceptance of change.
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” — Dr. Seuss
“You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward.” ― Conrad Hall
“Man maintains his balance, poise, and sense of security only as he is moving forward.” ― Maxwell Maltz
“Life doesn’t always end up where you want it to go; you have to be an optimist and keep moving forward.” ― Tinsley Mortimer
“Try to write at least 500 words a day. You may ditch 499 of them tomorrow, but you will still be moving forward.” ― Jojo Moyes
“A lot of things are going to happen that you can’t necessarily control all the time, but you can control what you do after it happens. So that’s what I try to do, keep my head up, keep moving forward, stay positive and just work hard.” ― Lonzo Ball
“You have to come to your closed doors before you get to your open doors… What if you knew you had to go through 32 closed doors before you got to your open door? Well, then you’d come to closed door number eight, and you’d think, ‘Great, I got another one out of the way’… Keep moving forward.” ― Joel Osteen
Steps Toward a Brighter Tomorrow
Moving forward is an acquired skill. Letting go of what holds us back or the things we’ve learned to fear over the years isn’t easy, but it is possible. Scars fade and fresh slates are revealed, slowly but surely.
By taking it one small step at a time and aiming for a brighter future, we can put enough distance between ourselves and the past to start the healing journey toward that better version of ourselves.
Sometimes, it helps to have someone in your corner, cheering you on as you take those steps in a new direction. A good friend, therapist, life coach, or mentor can often offer you a little guidance and a lot of support to make things easier as you embark on a new path.
Remember, asking for help is not a sign of weakness but one of strength and empowerment. It takes guts to go after the things we want and are meant to achieve.
Abraham Lincoln said, “I walk slow, but I never walk back”. Forward motion has to start somewhere, and progress takes time, but it’s the persistence to move forward that matters. Be thankful for your lessons learned, and smile for what has happened to make you stronger, as Dr. Seuss encourages us to do.
These insights remind us that each step forward, no matter how small, is a valuable part of our life’s journey toward growth and fulfillment. Make the most of your journey by appreciating what is behind you, but always keep moving forward.
Do you have a favorite from the moving forward quotes in this list?
Please share it in the comment section!