If you’re a performer, odds are you’ve experienced periods of self-doubt or lack of motivation. That’s where musicals come in. Since the beginning, the form has been setting emotional stories to melodies—so there’s a fitting show tune about overcoming just about any obstacle life may throw at you.
Next time you find yourself in need of inspiration, here are 20 quotes from Broadway musicals that will motivate you to keep going.
“You’ll Never Walk Alone” from “Carousel” (1945; lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
“Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown, walk on
Walk on with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone”
“Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from “The Sound of Music” (1959; lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
“Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
Till you find your dream
A dream that will need
All the love you can give
Every day of your life
For as long as you live”
“The Impossible Dream” from “Man of La Mancha” (1965; lyrics by Joe Darion)
“This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For that heavenly cause
And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest”
“Believe in Yourself” from “The Wiz” (1974; lyrics by Charlie Smalls, Zachary Walzer, and Luther Vandross)
“If you believe
Within your heart
You’ll know that no one can change
The path that you must go
Believe what you feel
And know you’re right
Because the time will come around
When you say it’s yours”
“Finale—Do You Hear The People Sing? (Reprise)” from “Les Misérables” (1980; lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer)
“For the wretched of the Earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest night will end
And the sun will rise”
“No One Is Alone” from “Into the Woods” (1987; lyrics by Stephen Sondheim)
“Hard to see the light now
Just don’t let it go
Things will come out right now
We can make it so
Someone is on your side
No one is alone”
“Make Them Hear You” from “Ragtime” (1996; lyrics by Lynn Ahrens)
“Your sword can be a sermon
Or the power of the pen
Teach every child to raise his voice
And then my brothers, then
Will justice be demanded
By 10 million righteous men
Make them hear you”
“For Now” from “Avenue Q” (2003; lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marks)
“Don’t stress, relax
Let life roll off your backs
Except for death and paying taxes
Everything in life is only for now”
“For Good” from “Wicked” (2003; lyrics by Stephen Schwartz)
“So much of me is made
Of what I learned from you
You’ll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have rewritten mine
By being my friend”
“I’m Here” from “The Color Purple” (2005; lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray)
“I believe I have inside of me
Everything that I need to live a bountiful life
And all the love alive in me
I’ll stand as tall as the tallest tree
And I’m thankful for every day that I’m given
Both the easy and hard ones I’m livin’
But most of all, I’m thankful for
Lovin’ who I really am
I’m beautiful
Yes, I’m beautiful
And I’m here”
“Light” from “Next to Normal” (2008; lyrics by Brian Yorkey)
“Give me clouds and rain and gray
Give me pain, if that’s what’s real
It’s the price we pay to feel
The price of love is loss
But still we pay
We love anyway”
“Naughty” from “Matilda the Musical” (2011; lyrics by Tim Minchin)
“Just because you find that life’s not fair
It doesn’t mean that you just have to grin and bear it
If you always take it on the chin and wear it
Nothing will change
Even if you’re little, you can do a lot
You mustn’t let a little thing like little stop you
If you sit around and let them get on top
You might as well be saying
You think that it’s OK
And that’s not right”
“Falling Slowly” from “Once” (2011; lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová)
“Take this sinking boat
And point it home
We’ve still got time
Raise your hopeful voice
You have a choice
You’ve made it now”
“Seize the Day” from “Newsies” (2011; lyrics by Jack Feldman)
“Now is the time to seize the day
Stare down the odds and seize the day
Once we’ve begun
If we stand as one
Someday becomes somehow
And a prayer becomes a vow”
“Raise You Up/Just Be” from “Kinky Boots” (2012; lyrics by Cyndi Lauper)
“Just be who you wanna be
Never let ’em tell you who you ought to be
Just be with dignity
Celebrate yourself triumphantly”
“38 Planes (Reprise); Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere” from “Come From Away” (2015; lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein)
“Somewhere in between the pace of life and work
And where you’re going
Something makes you stop and notice
And you’re finally in the moment”
“You Will Be Found” from “Dear Evan Hansen” (2015; lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul)
“Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
And when you’re broken on the ground
You will be found”
“My Shot” from “Hamilton” (2015; lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda)
“I’m past patiently waitin’
I’m passionately smashin’ every expectation
Every action’s an act of creation
I’m laughin’ in the face of casualties and sorrow
For the first time, I’m thinkin’ past tomorrow”
“To Thine Own Self” from “Something Rotten!” (2015; lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick)
“Sure as the day follows the night
Sure as the sky turns to blue
This much I know, this much is true
Above all else in whatever you do
To thine own self be true”
“Unruly Heart” from “The Prom” (2016; lyrics by Chad Beguelin)
“No matter what the world might say
This heart is the best part of me
So, fears, all in the past
Fading so fast
I won’t stay hidden anymore
I’m who I am
And I think that’s worth fighting for
And nobody out there ever gets to define
The life I’m meant to lead
With this unruly heart of mine”
“She Used to Be Mine” from “Waitress” (2015; lyrics by Sara Bareilles)
“Who is reckless just enough
Who can hurt but
Who learns how to toughen up
When she’s bruised
And gets used by a man who can’t love
And then she’ll get stuck
And be scared
Of the life that’s inside her
Growing stronger each day
Till it finally reminds her
To fight just a little
To bring back the fire in her eyes
That’s been gone
But it used to be mine”