Which Famous Quote Best Describes Your Life?

Discover which motivational quote should be your new mantra.

So often, we take comfort and wisdom in the words of celebrated figures who came before us, like Winston Churchill, Marie Curie, or Oscar Wilde. And when a quote hits, it hits! So which iconic quote do you need to hear right now? This quiz will tell you.

Answer a few quick questions about your mood, your personality, and how your life is going lately, and we'll tell you which quote best represents your life—and what famous words should be your mantra right now! Hit "Start Quiz" to begin.

A graphic including an inspirational quote by Winston Churchill.

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Questions Overview

1. How are you feeling right now? Like, right this second?
  1. Calm and restful
  2. Depressed and devastated
  3. Overjoyed and full of life
  4. Irritable and upset
  5. Contemplative and dreamy
  6. Scared and tense
2. Which image best represents life lately?
  1. Photo of a whimsical, smiling woman holding her hair back and looking towards the sky.
  2. Photo of silhouetted hands pressed against frosted glass.
  3. Photo of pink flowers.
  4. Closeup photo of gold and silver party streamers.
3. Would you describe yourself as an optimist or a pessimist?
  1. I'm definitely an optimist.
  2. I'm more optimistic than pessimistic.
  3. I'm more pessimistic than optimistic.
  4. I'm definitely a pessimist.
4. Where is most of your energy going lately?
  1. My friends and family.
  2. My love life.
  3. My career.
  4. My education.
  5. My community.
  6. My personal well-being and development.
  7. Just surviving.
  8. I dunno, man...
5. Choose a place to be right now:
  1. A carnival on the beach
  2. Curled up in bed
  3. Exploring a foreign city
  4. Meandering in the woods
6. What do you think you need most in this moment?
  1. A hug or an encouraging word.
  2. A piece of cake.
  3. A text from someone special.
  4. A nap.
7. You've won the lottery! What's the first thing you're doing with the money?
  1. Paying off debts.
  2. Donating to a charity I care about.
  3. Lavishing gifts on my loved ones.
  4. Taking a vacation.
  5. Investing wisely.
  6. Going on a shopping spree.
8. What element do you connect to most?
  1. Water
  2. Earth
  3. Fire
  4. Air
9. Choose a good luck talisman.
  1. Crystals.
  2. A vintage pocket watch.
  3. A lock of hair from someone I love.
  4. An old arcade token.
10. Do you believe in fate?
  1. Yes.
  2. No.
  3. I'm not sure...

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What do my results say about me?

There's a famous and inspirational quote for every occasion, and this quiz will help you figure out which one you need to hear most right now!


"Be yourself: everyone else is already taken." –Oscar Wilde:

  • While it can be tempting to follow the crowd, being like everyone else has never been your strong suit. You're just too one-of-a-kind! But when you feel the pressure to ignore yourself and try to be like the people around you, remember Oscar Wilde's advice: "Be yourself: everyone else is already taken." Make this your mantra. Put it in your back pocket. If you've been looking for a sign from the universe to put more energy into the things you're passionate about, to take more risks, to show the world who you really are, consider this it. The more you let your real self shine, the stronger, more confident, and more fulfilled you'll feel, we promise! The universe generously rewards those who embrace who they are.


"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." –Mae West:

  • Write it on your tombstone. This quote from acting legend Mae West is a perfect match for your devil-may-care, go-big-or-go-home energy! You embrace life at every moment, and you're not afraid to make mistakes (well, maybe you are sometimes, but you do the thing anyway). Doesn't sound like you? Well, then, this is your sign from the universe to take more risks! No risk, no reward, as they say. This week, come up with 3 new things to do to get you out of your comfort zone. They can be as significant or as minor as you want—from quitting your job and moving across the country to trying a new latte flavor at lunch. You'll be surprised how energized you feel afterward. And that means you're living life right!


"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." –Henry David Thoreau:

  • That dream you've been putting off? Time to pick it up, dust it off, and put it to work! You don't want to live your whole life without having achieved your goals, right? Right. Like Thoreau said, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." So what life have you always imagined? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years? 50 years? And how do you get there? If you've been looking for a sign from the universe that it's time to take a cooking class, move to France, organize a protest, break up with your partner, go back to school, quit school, or make any other big, life-defining moves, consider this it. Life isn't for the faint-hearted, but luckily, you're not faint-hearted. Whatever you put your mind to, you can achieve. So put it to something good.


"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood." –Marie Curie:

  • Sounds like now is the time for reason over emotion. If you've been letting worry and fear take the wheel lately, consider this a sign that it might be time to let logic and curiosity drive. As Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie would tell you, observing and asking questions is a better way to approach life's horrors than running or panicking. (Not that we're above running or panicking.) So next time life gives you lemons, ask, How can I make lemonade? Why are lemons yellow? What do the lemons want of me? Staying curious and open-minded is the way to make sense of and appreciate the world around you, flaws and all. We know that's much easier said than done. But if you can, next time you feel overwhelmed with fear and despair, take a beat. Breathe in and out, and don't rush to act. Instead, practice moving slowly and deliberately. It's only with patience that understanding can take hold.


"Grief is the price we pay for love." –Queen Elizabeth II:

  • Based on your answers, it sounds like you might be going through it lately. Whether you're experiencing the loss of a loved one, a job, a relationship, a friend, a dream, or anything else, grief and despair can really gut you. We know. But as Queen Elizabeth II wisely noted, "Grief is the price we pay for love." Experiencing emotional devastation is only possible because you've given your heart to something. Or, to quote another icon, the Cowardly Lion, "Now I know I have a heart, because it's breaking." Let your heart break. It will heal, we promise. It may not happen immediately, but it will. In the meantime, fill your life with love and beautiful things. Sleep new sleep. Dream new dreams. Hold your heart close for a while, like a bird with a broken wing. And then, when it's ready to fly again, let it go.


"In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity." –Albert Einstein:

  • Sounds like you're in a bit of a rough patch, but you'll get through it, we know it. You just can't give up. Einstein said, "In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity," and we want you to make this your "rough patch mantra": every time life doesn't go according to plan, recite it to yourself, and then, look for the opportunity. Maybe fate doesn't appear how you imagine it will. But you're no quitter: you're capable of finding creative and innovative solutions to even the toughest of problems. So when you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, take a deep breath. Remember you're a problem-solver. Remember there's always something to work with. And remember that fate moves on its own schedule sometimes...but it'll never leave you hanging.


"Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold." –Zelda Fitzgerald:

  • Your heart is full of love! Love for your friends and family, and maybe even love for a special someone. Let's face it, you have love for the whole world, and you want to show it. You may feel unable to properly express how much you care about people, and maybe you feel like there's not much you can do to make a difference in the world. But that's where you're wrong. You can and do make changes every day by being a kind and loving friend to all. If you haven't done it lately, show yourself some love by doing something special, just for you. Make solo date nights a weekly habit. Find something to delight in every day, even if it's just a cool rock you found on your morning walk. Take note of what makes your heart swell with love, love, love, and do them often.

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