--- title: First Lady Michelle Obama Best Quotes description: Discover 11 of First Lady Michelle Obama's most inspiring quotes. canonical: https://time.com/4639410/michelle-obama-best-quotes/ author: Mahita Gajanan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-19T20:21:44.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T07:14:04.161Z og:title: 11 of Michelle Obama's Most Inspiring, Empowering Quotes og:description: 'Hope can take on a life of its own' og:url: https://time.com/4639410/michelle-obama-best-quotes/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2722b989d53fd9cd/6988b633196cf4dfb903e88b/michelle-obama-quotes.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Michelle Obama Delivers Final Speech At The White House og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 11 of Michelle Obama's Most Inspiring, Empowering Quotes twitter:description: 'Hope can take on a life of its own' twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2722b989d53fd9cd/6988b633196cf4dfb903e88b/michelle-obama-quotes.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 11 of Michelle Obama's Most Inspiring, Empowering Quotes > Sponsored content. 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Worth Your Time is TIME's culture recommendation newsletter, edited by culture editor Eliza Berman. Each week it surfaces the books, shows, films and ideas TIME's editors think are worth your attention, and explains why. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Does TIME have a culture newsletter? Yes. Worth Your Time is TIME's culture newsletter, published weekly. #### Who writes TIME's culture recommendations? Culture editor Eliza Berman writes Worth Your Time, drawing on TIME's critics and culture desk. #### Is Worth Your Time free? Yes. It is a free newsletter available at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-worth-2026q3/newsletters?i=93f49a94-3816-4207-a023-89336b51e24d&cr=time-nl-worth-2026q3-v1) ## Video: First Lady Michelle Obama Through The Years [Watch (HLS stream): First Lady Michelle Obama Through The Years](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Yi5W1wnI.m3u8) (1:25)  _Published 2017-01-17. Watch Michelle Obama's best moments as FLOTUS throughout her eight years in the White House._ by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Jan 19, 2017 8:21 PM UTC by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Jan 19, 2017 8:21 PM UTC As President Barack Obama’s presidency comes to an end, Americans are preparing to say goodbye to [First Lady Michelle Obama](http://time.com/4638155/michelle-obama-white-house-final-walk/), who has come to be known for her graciousness and style over the last eight years. Here are 11 inspiring and powerful quotes from Obama during her time as first lady. **On maintaining dignity:** “When they go low, we go high.” (In her Democratic National Convention [speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZNWYqDU948), 2016) **On young people and the future:** “I want our young people to know that they matter, that they belong, so don’t be afraid. You hear me? Young people, don’t be afraid. Be focused, be determined, be hopeful, be empowered … Lead by example with hope, never fear, and know that I will be with you, rooting for you and working to support you for the rest of my life.” (In her final [address](http://time.com/4626173/michelle-obama-hope-final-first-lady-remarks/) from White House, 2017) **On remaining focused:** “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.” (In a _Marie Claire_ [interview](http://www.marieclaire.com/politics/news/a2132/michelle-obama-interview-media/), 2008) **On maintaining hope in dark times:** “See, now we are feeling what not having hope feels like, you know. Hope is necessary. It is a necessary concept. What do you give your kids if you can’t give them hope?” (In an [interview](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/michelle-obama-gave-a-somber-exit-interview-to-oprah-winfrey/2016/12/19/f1fce4a4-c656-11e6-a22f-f4d703887285%5Fstory.html?utm%5Fterm=.16e351130eed) with Oprah Winfrey, 2016) **On the true meaning of success:** “Success isn’t about how your life looks to others. It’s about how it feels to you. We realized that being successful isn’t about being impressive, it’s about being inspired. That’s what it means to be true to yourself.” (In her Oregon State University [commencement speech](http://oregonstate.edu/events/commencement/michelle-obama-speech), 2012). **On the key to a healthy marriage:** “In our house we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and laughter is the best form of unity, I think, in a marriage.” (On [_Live! With Regis and Kelly_](http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/14/quotes-michelle-obamas-advice-for-couples-on-valentines-day/), 2011) **On helping others:** “When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.” (To the [2013-2014 White House Fellows](https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/white%5Fhouse%5Ffellows%5Fwinter%5F2013-2014%5Fnewsletter.pdf), 2013) **On the importance of diversity onscreen:** “For so many people, television and movies may be the only way they understand people who aren’t like them … I come across many little black girls who come up to me over the course of this 7½ years with tears in their eyes, and they say: ‘Thank you for being a role model for me. I don’t see educated black women on TV, and the fact that you’re first lady validates who I am.'” (In a [_Variety_ interview](http://variety.com/2016/biz/features/michelle-obama-interview-first-lady-pop-culture-1201842132/)_,_ 2016) **On standing up for women’s education:** “Men in every country need to look into their hearts and souls and ask themselves whether they truly view and treat women as their equals. And then when you all encounter men in your lives who answer no to that question, then you need to take them to task. You need to tell them that any man who uses his strength to oppress women is a coward, and he is holding back the progress of his family and his country.” (At the [Summit of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders](https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/07/30/remarks-first-lady-summit-mandela-washington-fellowship-young-african-le), 2014) **On dreams:** “This time, in this great country—where a girl from the South Side of Chicago can go to college and law school, and the son of a single mother from Hawaii can go all the way to the White House—we committed ourselves to building the world as it should be.” (In her Democratic National Convention [speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=790hG6qBPx0), 2008) **On having courage:** “You may not always have a comfortable life. And you will not always be able to solve all the world’s problems all at once. But don’t ever underestimate the impact you can have, because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.” (At the [Young African Women Leaders Forum](https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/22/remarks-first-lady-during-keynote-address-young-african-women-leaders-fo), 2011) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] We want our children and all children in this nation to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them. Let's move! Let's move! Let's move! Doing the impossible is the history of this nation. Just keep moving. Folks marched and protested for our right to vote. Make no mistake about it. Casting our vote is the ultimate way we go high when they go low. Like most women, I know How it feels to be overlooked, to be underestimated. Talent and effort, combined with our various backgrounds and life experiences has always been the lifeblood of our singular American genius. I hope that more of our girls and our boys Here in the U. S will learn about the sacrifices girls worldwide are making to get their education. I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. Lead. Lead by example with hope, never fear. Being your first lady has been the greatest honor of my life. And I hope I've made you proud. 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