Reflection Quotes – Look to Your Past to Improve Your Future

Reflection is a process of reflecting on past events by thinking abut them and looking at them carefully. It can help you to improve your performance based on what you have learned from your mistakes and successes in life.

What are the benefits of reflection?

The benefits of self reflection include:

  • Improving self-awareness
  • Developing critical thinking skills
  • Building relationships with others
  • Developing resilience and coping skills
  • Expanding knowledge and mental capacity
  • Enabling you to take action in life
reflection quotes

Self Reflection Quotes

  • “The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates
  • “Know thyself.” – Socrates
  • “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “In order to be effective, you must first be effective at self-reflection.” – Robert Greene
  • “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
  • “You cannot control the results of your efforts, but you can control your effort.” – Jim Rohn
  • “The moment you give up is the moment you let someone else win.” – Kobe Bryant
  • “It’s not the mistakes we make that define us, but rather what we do after making those mistakes.”
  • “Never let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad life.”
  • “The real action is in the mind and in the soul; all the rest is just motion and triviality and words.” – Henry Miller
  • “Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.”- Henry David Thoreau
  • “Everything you need for good self-reflection is already inside of you”.

What is self-reflection?

Self-reflection is a form of introspection. It means thinking deeply and carefully abot one’s own personality, behavior, relationships, and motivations. It is a practice of self-realization and honest self-understanding.

mirror reflection quotes

Mirror Self-Reflection Quotes

  • “When you stop to think about it, those of us living in the west spend a lot of our time staring at ourselves. We’re looking through store windows and comparing our reflections to those of other shoppers. We’re checking out our reflections before we leave home and after we’ve done something we wouldn’t want people around us to know.”
  • “To be effective, reflection must also occur within the individual – that is where it becomes self-reflection.”
  • “I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become.”
  • “Reflection is looking back on your life and realizing that you are who you choose to become, not what happened to you.”
  • “It’s rarely the things we do wrong that shape our future; it’s almost always the things we do right, but don’t repeat.”
  • “Self-reflection is about accepting responsibility for where you are in your life right now.”
  • “When you truly come to know yourself, you are more honest with others. You are more honest with yourself.”

What is mirror self-reflection?

Self-reflection is thinking deeply abot your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and motivations. It helps you challenge your assumptions about yourself and others, your beliefs, likes, and dislikes. 

reflection quotes

Looking at yoursef in the mirror can be a good way to practice self-reflection. It can help you to develop a deeper understanding of who you are and how you behave. When you look at yourself in the mirror, you can ask yourself questions such as: “What are my strengths and weaknesses?” “What am I afraid of?” “How do I usually react in this situation?” “What would happen if I…?”

Life Reflection Quotes

  • “In the World through which I travel, I am endlessly creating myself.” -Frantz Fanon
  • “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” – William James
  • “Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in life, keep your heart free from hate, envy, and jealousy.” – The Dalai Lama
  • “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” –Zig Ziglar
  • “I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious.” – Albert Einstein
  • “Life is best when it’s simple.”
  • “Outside pressure can force you into being someone you are not, but inside pressure can remind you of who you truly are.” – Tablo (Epik High)
  • “A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.” – John Burroughs
  • “You either want to be happy or you don’t.” – E.L James (Fifty Shades Freed)
  • “Accept the things that cannot be changed; change the things that should be changed; and have the wisdom to know the difference.”
reflection quotes

What is a reflection in life?

Self reflection in life refers to thinking carefully abut one’s own experiences, behaviors, thoughts, feelings, and interactions with others. It is a technique of self-evaluation and improvement for well-being or personal development.

Daily Self Reflection Quotes

  • “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” – Albert Einstein
  • “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” – Ernest Hemingway
  • “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
  • “People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Rob Siltanen
  • “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “When you stand up to be counted, please make sure you are not standing on the backs of those who cannot.” – Kiesha Crowther
  • “Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” – Ashley Smith
  • “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Harold Whitman
  • “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
  • “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself” – Harvey Fierstein
  • “Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
  • “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy
  • “I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.” – Bob Dylan
  • “Be yourself, not your idea of someone else’s you.” – Wayne Dyer
  • “Your playing small does not serve the world.” – Marianne Williamson
  • “You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?” – Rumi
  • “Women who behave rarely beget anything but boys.” – Euripides
  • “Know that you are capable of more than you think you are.” – Les Brown
  • “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” -Zig Ziglar.
daily reflection quotes

What is daily self reflection?

Daily self reflection is a way of understanding yourself and your surroundings better. It is a chance to be mindful and take the time to think about what you’re doing and how it affects those around you.

How do you do a daily reflection?

A daily honest self reflection can be something that takes a few minutes, or it can take an hour (or longer depending on how much time you have). The point is to find the method that works right for you.

Think of what happened to you today and how it made you feel. Consider if there were any parts of your day when things went well, and if so, thik about what you did to make them so successful.

Self Reflection Quotes for Work

  • “The best way to predict the future, is to create it.”
  • “I am always doing that which I can not do; in order that I may learn how to do it.” – Pablo Picasso
  • “Whatever you want in life, stop asking and start working!”
  • “We put worth into things by what we give them our time and energy” – Wayne Dyer
  • “Being present gives us the opportunity to take advantage of all life has for us right now”, Eckhart Tolle
  • “Stop running from your fear” – Susan Jeffers
  • “Never let success or failure get to your head” – Michael Jordan
  • “It’s not about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and still move forward” – Rocky Balboa
  • “I am thankful for all of those who said NO to me. It’s because of them I’m doing it myself” – Albert Einstein
  • “Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk.”
  • “I’m not telling you it is going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it” – Art Williams
  • “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t”
  • “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” – Oprah Winfrey
  • “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people” – Eleanor Roosevelt

What is work reflection?

Self reflection is a strategy used to promote learning and growth after the completion of a task. The aim of self reflection is to tell you what you’ve learned from the experience. These types of exercises can also be completed at regular intervals, usually weekly or monthly.

Asking yourself these questions about your work will help you learn more about who you are as a worker and provide insights into what you need to change in your professional development.

1. What did I enjoy most abot this project?

2. How will the work done on this project help me with future projects?

3. How can I improve my performance on future projects?

4. Do I have any new ideas that I can implement into future projects?

5. What are the steps to achieving this kind of success again?

6. How can I apply what I have learned from this project to my othr work responsibilities?

7. Were there any problems that came up during this project? If so, how were they solved or handled?

8. What did I learn from thee problems?

9. How can I apply this knowledge to my future projects?

10. What have been some of the most important lessons learned on this project?

Positive Reflection Quotes

  • “You are never too old to set new goals or to dream a new dream.”
  • “Your only limit is the amount of willingness that you exhibit.”
  • “Progress is impossible without change.”
  • “The moment you give up is the moment you let someone else win.”
  • “You can’t control the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails.”
  • “The more you do, the more you can do.”
  • “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
  • “No one ever accomplished anything significant by following the status quo.”
  • “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
  • “Sometimes the best inspiration comes from knowing that someone was willing to try and fail, just so you would have a chance at success.”
reflection quotes

What is positive reflection?

Quiet reflection is a way of finding out your strengths and weaknesses, which you must know to grow. Positive reflection is a way of usig your strengths to overcome your weaknesses. It is also a powerful tool to gain perspective on your problems and their solution.  

Team Reflection Quotes

Sometimes a team needs a deep reflection moment to return to the start of a journey. Whether it be after a win or loss, these quotes abut reflection will get your team back on track and refocused on what is important.

  • “A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.” – Simon Sinek
  • “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford
  • “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” – Ernest Hemingway

Leadership Reflection Quotes

  • On the path to success, quiet reflection is a key component. It allows you to learn from your experiences and grow as a leader.
  • Successful leaders are always reflective – they take the time to examine their past actions and figure out what went well and what could be improved upon.
  • Reflecting on your leadership style can help you identify areas for growth and make changes accordingly.
  • Leadership is all about making decisions; reflecting on those decisions helps you learn and become better at it.
  • Taking time for reflection allows you to recharge and come back stronger than ever before.

Why is team reflection important?

How many times has your team won or lost a game but the next day, everyone was back to normal? You say “we” won, they say “they” lost. Even though it’s just for one game, why do we think that matters? Everyone has ups and downs in life, so why can’t you have them on the field? Your team is upset one day. Next thing you know, they are all on top of the world. Reflecting on what happened yesterday allows your team to learn more about themselves, build trust betwen them and become mentally tough.

Birthday Reflection Quotes

  • “Reflection is a happy birthday gift that we can give to ourselves.”
  • “Take some time to reflect on your life and be grateful for all the wonderful things that have happened.”
  • “On your birthday, take a moment to reflect on the year that has passed and think about all the things you are grateful for.”
  • “Happy birthday! Today is a great day to reflection on all the wonderful things that have happened in your life.”
  • “Celebrate your birthday by reflecting on all the positive things that have happened in your life.”

Why is birthday reflection important?

Birthday reflection is usually written by a person reflecting on all the things he/she has done during the past year. It’s a good way to sum up your achievements and failures, as well as people you have met and had fun with. This way, it becomes easier to set goals for yourself for the new year, whethr they are personal, social, or career-related.

reflection quotes

End of Year Reflection Quotes

  • 1. “Reflection is a happy birthday gift that we can give to ourselves.”
  • 2. “Take some time to reflect on your life and be grateful for all the wonderful things that have happened.”
  • 3. “On your birthday, take a moment to reflect on the year that has passed and think about all the things you are grateful for.”
  • 4. “Happy birthday! Today is a great day to reflection on all the wonderful things that have happened in your life.”
  • 5. “Celebrate your birthday by reflecting on all the positive things that have happened in your life.”

Love Reflection Quotes

  • “If I could reach up and hold a star for everytime you made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand.”
  • “The one who loves you will never leave you. Even when it seems like they’re gone forever, deep down inside them they still love you.”
  • “There are far too many fairytales about love that aren’t true. No prince charming is coming to save this girl from her life… But I’m fine without him.”
  • “Thank you for being my light when I couldn’t find mine.”
  • “I’m so glad I met you, otherwise I would have had to meet the wrong you.”
  • “Sometimes we love people so much it hurts us. Sometimes we don’t realize how much they care about us until its too late.”
  • “I have found you in my darkest hour, the one person who will never hurt me.”
  • “It’s not that I’ll always like you, it’s that I won’t always like you. And even if I don’t like you at times, I’ll still love you; only because of what we had.”
reflection quotes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a reflection quote?

A quiet reflection quote is just a reflection on life events, usualy in the form of a famous quotation.

Self reflection quotes can be found everywhere: magazines, books, and posters. Even thogh self reflection quotes differ from person to person, they always help us to reflect back on our actions and think about how we could have done something differently or better.

What are reflective practice quotes?

Reflective practice quotes are self reflection quotes that refer to reflection in general or, more specifically, deep reflection in the form of reflective diary writing. Reflective practice is a way of improving self awareness by examining your own thoughts and feelings about past events.

Why is reflection so important?

Solitude and self reflection are very important tools for reflection practice because it helps you to better understand yourself and to think about your experiences critically. Self reflection can help you reflect on the past to improve your performance at school, work, or in social interactions.

What if I don’t have time for reflection quotes? 

If you don’t have much time to read self reflection quotes, try reflection journaling. Journaling is an effective self reflection technique that takes only 5-10 minutes and can improve your self-reflection skills very quickly. It involves writing down your thoughts and feelings about past events and analyzing them more carefully than you would if you were just thinking about the event in your head.

How do you write a reflective quote?

Writing own self reflection quotes can be very simple. There are many reflection quotes that you can find online or in books. You just need to pick out a reflection quote that speaks to you, personalize it by writing about your own experiences after reading the reflection quote, and then post it on social media or put it in your reflection diary. A reflection quote should provide a reflection on a past event and help you thnk more deeply about it.

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Barbara Speier

Barbara Speier is a senior editor at TheReadingTub.com. She loves to help people find the right books for them and to help them grow as readers. She also has an extensive background in astrology, numerology, and other esoteric arts. Barbara is passionate about Tarot readings and believes that they can offer great insight into a person's life. Barbara believes that self-knowledge is the key to a happy and fulfilling life. She is an eternal optimist, and loves spending time with her family and friends.