Michelle Obama is an American lawyer and writer, who was First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She is married to the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, and was the first African-American First Lady.
We’ve put together this truly inspiring collection of the best Michelle Obama quotes:
46 Inspiring Michelle Obama Quotes
1. “At the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as president, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.” – Michelle Obama
2. “Changing the big picture takes time.. and the best things to do is focus on the things that we can make in our lives if we’re doing all that. That becomes the collage of real change.” – Michelle Obama
3. “I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them. I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.” – Michelle Obama
4. “I think that people are tired. They’re tired of the same old kind of politics. People want a new tone to politics.” – Michelle Obama
5. “I’ve seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are. It reveals who you are.” – Michelle Obama
6. “Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.” – Michelle Obama
7. “Together, we can help make sure that every family that walks into a restaurant can make an easy, healthy choice.” – Michelle Obama
8. “We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.” – Michelle Obama
9. “When they go low, we go high.” – Michelle Obama
10th of 46 Michelle Obama Quotes
10. “You see, our glorious diversity – our diversity of faiths, and colors and creeds―that is not a threat to who we are, it makes us who we are.” – Michelle Obama
11. “Barack and I were both raised by families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable – their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.” – Michelle Obama
12. “Choose people who lift you up.” – Michelle Obama
13. “I am so tired of fear. And I don’t want my girls to live in a country, in a world, based on fear.” – Michelle Obama
14. “If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn’t be here. I guarantee you that.” – Michelle Obama
15. “My father’s life is a testament to that basic American promise that no matter who you are or how you started out, if you work hard you can build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.” – Michelle Obama
16. “Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.” – Michelle Obama
17. “We have this window of opportunity; we have a chance to make something real happen. Something possible happen, to live beyond our fear — think about that, and help us. Help lift us up, help us fight this fight to change — transform — this country in a fundamental way…. This chance won’t come around again.” – Michelle Obama
18th of 46 Michelle Obama Quotes
18. “We need to fix our souls. Our souls are broken in this nation. We have lost our way. And it begins with inspiration. It begins with leadership.” – Michelle Obama
19. “Whether you come from a council estate or a country estate, your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude.” – Michelle Obama
20. “Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values, like you work hard for what you want in life. That your word is your bond; that you do what you say you’re going to do. That you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them and even if you don’t agree with them.” – Michelle Obama
21. “Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down, and trust your instincts. Good relationships feel good. They feel right. They don’t hurt. They’re not painful. That’s not just with somebody you want to marry, but it’s with the friends you choose. It’s with the people you surround yourself with.” – Michelle Obama
22. “I come here tonight as a sister, blessed with a brother who is my mentor, my protector and my lifelong friend. And I come here as a wife who loves my husband and believes he will be an extraordinary president.” – Michelle Obama
23. “If your family doesn’t have much money, I want you to remember that in this country, plenty of folks, including me and my husband. We started out with very little. But with a lot of hard work and a good education, anything is possible – even becoming President. That’s what the American Dream is all about.” – Michelle Obama
24. “My most important title is still “mom-in-chief.” My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world.” – Michelle Obama
25. “The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it. Rather, paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation.” – Michelle Obama
26. “We learned about dignity and decency – that how hard you work matters more than how much you make… that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.” – Michelle Obama
27. “We should always have three friends in our lives. One who walks ahead who we look up to and follow; one who walks beside us, who is with us every step of our journey; and then, one who we reach back for and bring along after we’ve cleared the way.” – Michelle Obama
28. “Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health, because if we’re scurrying to and from appointments and errands, we don’t have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.” – Michelle Obama
29th of 46 Michelle Obama Quotes
29. “Being president doesn’t change who you are – it reveals who you are.” – Michelle Obama
30. “Find people who will make you better.” – Michelle Obama
31. “Real change comes from having enough comfort to be really honest and say something very uncomfortable.” – Michelle Obama
32. “It is our fundamental belief in the power of hope that has allowed us to rise above the voices of doubt and division, of anger and fear that we have faced in our own lives and in the life of this country. Our hope that if we work hard enough and believe in ourselves, then we can be whatever we dream, regardless of the limitations that others may place on us.” – Michelle Obama
33. “One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.” – Michelle Obama
34. “The truth is, in order to get things like universal health care and a revamped education system, then someone is going to have to give up a piece of their pie so that someone else can have more.” – Michelle Obama
35. “We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.” – Michelle Obama
36. “When I get up and work out, I’m working out just as much for my girls as I am for me, because I want them to see a mother who loves them dearly, who invests in them, but who also invests in herself. It’s just as much about letting them know as young women that it is okay to put yourself a little higher on your priority list.” – Michelle Obama
37th of 46 Michelle Obama Quotes
37. “You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.” – Michelle Obama
38. “Being your First Lady has been the greatest honor of my life, and I hope I’ve made you proud.” – Michelle Obama
39. “How hard you work matters more than how much you make.” – Michelle Obama
40. “I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as “us” and “them” – he doesn’t care whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above…he knows that we all love our country…and he’s always ready to listen to good ideas…he’s always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.” – Michelle Obama
41. “It’s easier to hold onto your own stereotypes and misconceptions, it makes you feel justified in your own ignorance. That’s America. So the challenge for us is, are we ready for change?” – Michelle Obama
42. “Success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.” – Michelle Obama
43. “There are still many causes worth sacrificing for, so much history yet to be made.” – Michelle Obama
44. “We learned about gratitude and humility – that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean… and we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.” – Michelle Obama
45. “When I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don’t invest any energy in them, because I know who I am.” – Michelle Obama
46. “You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama
Summary
Thanks for viewing this collection of Michelle Obama quotes! Don’t forget to share them on social media.
Which are your favorite Michelle Obama quotes? Leave a comment below.
